Dublin
The capital of Ireland has not been a secret tip for a long time
Categories: Dublin Ireland
The on the one hand tradition-conscious, but at the same time lively capital of Ireland is no longer an insider tip for city trips in Europe. Whether by low-cost airline or by scheduled flight - many airlines fly to Dublin, so that the pleasant metropolis is practically on your doorstep - and that at very reasonable prices. In Dublin, many visitors start their city tour on O'Connell Street, one of the main arteries of the city. Here, it is quickly noticeable that the signs are often bilingual, English and also very traditional Irish/Gaelic. 
© tatulaju / Fotolia
O'Connell Street is dominated by the impressive post office building and the monument 'The Spire' in front of it, a 121 m high stainless steel needle. At the corner to Talbot Street the bronze statue of the Irish writer James Joyce greets the visitor. From O'Connell Street you can take a short detour to Henry Street and its side streets, where many shops and cafés are located.
If you turn into Liffey Street and walk along it until the Liffey River, which runs through Dublin and flows into the Irish Sea, you will reach the romantic Ha'penny Bridge, an elegantly curved pedestrian bridge over the Liffey.
From the middle of the bridge, one has a fantastic view, specially in the evenings when the lights are on, to the other bridges over the Liffey and the promenades on both sides of the river.
By crossing the Ha'penny Bridge, one gets to the in and out district Temple Bar, which is crossed by the street of the same name. Especially in the evening, a tour through the quaint bars and pubs is recommended. The best known of these is probably the Temple Bar, which has the same name as the quarter.
But also institutions like the Dublin HardRock Cafe or the Dublin Wall of Fame at the corner of Temple Lane/Cecelia Street can be found in the quarter Temple Bar.
At the same side of the river, the culture-obsessed visitor will find the Irish Houses of Parliament and the neighboured wax museum within walking distance. Through Church Lane, the view soon falls on the famous Molly Malone statue, a tragic fishmonger of whom the Irish folk song of the same name is about. By the way, the tourist information of Dublin is also located at the statue.
Moreover, most of the times, the sightseeing buses also stop here.
From here, the most important shopping street of Dublin is already in sight, the Grafton Street. Most of the shops that are mainly arranged in the typical Irish style are lined up so that one can search here to one's heart's content for some souvenirs of Dublin or a hip outfit.
After the shopping tour you can relax in the idyllic park St. Stephen's Green and then visit the cultural highlights of Dublin again. 
© Laurentiu Iordache / Fotolia
You can visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Irish National Museum, the National Gallery and the impressive Trinity College Dublin, the elite university where Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and Samuel Beckett studied. Book lovers should also visit the College's Long Room, one of the world's largest library halls. For beer lovers, an absolute must is a visit to the Guinness Store, the world-famous Guinness Brewery on the western outskirts of the city.
You won't find a fresher beer anywhere else! Whether culture, shopping or simply relaxing - Dublin offers everything.
