Text and photos by Nina Sarmiento
In my previous post, I listed down ways on how to travel for less in Europe. One of which is to just roam around and tour the many fab landmarks, museums and galleries which you can visit either for free or for a token fee.
This is why I'm re-posting this week Gypsygals' Tales Quickie guide to the capital city of Ireland. I'm positive that this post will show that you don't need to spend a lot of euros to enjoy Dublin!
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Dublin – the city of a thousand pubs and a thousand bards, the historically hip capital of Ireland. In this city full of Craic (ah..that’s the Old Irish for a dose of fun!), sightseeing means an itinerary filled with something old, new and wonderfully brewed.
If you only have two days to explore the city's main attractions, your best bet is to stay in the city center. This is the quickest way for a walking tour of Dublin as the following must-see sights are just a few blocks away from each other:
1. Kilmainhaim Gaol -a.k.a “the old jail”, the place is an important part of Ireland’s struggle for independence. Many leaders of Irish rebellions were imprisoned (and some were executed) in this jail. It is now a museum and managed by the Office of Public Works.
Contact Details:
Address: Inchicore Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.
Telephone No: +3531-453 5984
Opening Hours:
April to September: Daily: 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
October to March: Monday to Saturday: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
Admission Fees:
Adult: €6.00/each
Child/Student: €2.00/each
Facilities: Toilets (some are wheelchair-accessible); baby changing station; tearoom
2. Guinness Storehouse – what’s the use of going to Ireland without knowing more about it’s “beer history”? Dublin, after all, is the birthplace of the world-famous Guinness beer. If you like your lager, you must drop by at the Guinness brewery. The brewery produces over 10 million pints a day! Don’t forget to have a drink at the Gravity Bar.
Contact Details:
Address: St James's Gate, Dublin 8
Telephone: + 3531- 408 4800
Opening Hours:
September to June: Daily: 9.30 am to 5:00 pm
July to August: Daily: 9.30 am to 7:00 pm
Admission Fees:
Adult: €15.00/each
Children: €5.00/each
Facilities: wheelchair accessible-lifts; car park, café and bar
3. The National Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Patrick – or better known as St. Patrick's Cathedral Dublin, the Gothic- style Anglican church was built in the fifth century. The church stands in a site reputed to be among the oldest Christian sites in Europe: a place where the country’s patron saint – Saint Patrick – baptized converts.
The cathedral is part of Ireland’s glorious history. During his stay in Dublin, Oliver Cromwell (first Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland) stabled his horses in the nave of the cathedral. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels, was Dean of the Cathedral from 1713 to 1745. The Choir School was founded here in 1432 and many of its members took part in the first performance of Handel’s Messiah in 1742.
Contact details:
Address: 21-50 Patrick’s Close, Patrick St., Dublin 8
Telephone: +3351-4754817
Opening Hours:
March to October: Daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
November to February: Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
No visits during Sunday services.
Admission Fees:
Adults : €5.50/each
Family (2 adults + 2 kids): €15/group
4.Dublin Castle – the centuries old castle served as the headquarters for the British colonial regime until it was handed over in 1922. Rebel military commander Michael Collins, arrived in Dublin Castle on January 1922. Acting on behalf of the new Irish Government, Collins received the handover of the Castle, from the last Lord Lieutenant FitzAlan. Today, aside from being a major tourist attraction, the castle hosts heads of states and numerous government and industry leaders who visit Dublin.
Contact Details:
Address: Dublin 2, Ireland
Dublin Castle Tours: +3531-6458813
Tour Schedule: Monday-Friday: 10:00 am to 4:45 pm
Saturday, Sunday Public Holidays: 2:00 pm to 4:45 pm
Fees: Adults: €4.50
Students / Senior Citizens: €3.50
Children Under 12 years: €2.00
5. Grafton Street – the perfect street to shop till you drop. Dublin's Grafton street is filled with cafes and quaint shops that are sure sources of curios and collectibles.
One of Grafton street's main attractions is the Powerscourt Shopping Centre. But this is not just another shopping mall, but is a fine example of Dublin's Georgian architecture and part of Irish history. It was built in the 18th century to serve as a town house and office for Lord Powerscourt, Richard Wingfield third Viscount.
Facilities: ATM; baby-changing stations; internet kiosks; wheelchair accessible entrance; wi-fi hot spot; parking area
6. Temple Bar – Always end your tour day by unwinding at the Temple Bar – Dublin’s cultural quarter. Just within walking distance from Grafton Street, Temple Bar is the street with the buzz…the entertainment district. The cobbled street is filled with restaurant, cafes and of course pubs. This is the perfect place to go to listen to live music, enjoy a good pint and good craic
Map: You can download a map here to get to Temple Bar
Have you been to Dublin? Can you recommend any sites that a traveler can visit for free? Please share it in our comments section 🙂
(next week- Quickie: 48 hours in…Rome)
I’ve never been to Dublin, although I’ve always wanted to go. I want to time my trip to coincide with Bloomsday which takes place there every year on June 16th. That’s when Dublin celebrates James Joyce and relive his book Ulysses which is set in Dublin. People dress up in Edwardian costumes and there are pub crawls. There are also tours that go to each area found in the book. It sounds like it would be lots of fun.
Oh god, im not a big fan of james joyce but that that is one lit event that i’d like to be in. i hope i could visit my sister next year to join that tour.