Dublin is one of the most vibrant and historic cities in the world. Bursting with life and with so much to see and do you can find something for everyone here which is why it is such a popular place for a city break.
Whether you want a lad’s weekend away, a family break, or a romantic Italian restaurant Dublin has it all and then some more. If you are planning on heading to Dublin here are some of the best places to visit on your trip…
The Oscar Wilde Statue – On the corner of Merrion Square Park you will find a tribute to one of the most famous figures in literature the world has ever seen. The rock that he is sculpted from ails from the Wicklow mountains and the man himself once attended Trinity College in Dublin.
Walk the Howth Cliffs – Not far from the bustling city of Dublin you will find a coastal walk that will take your breath away. This two-hour hike will give you spectacular views over the Irish sea and you will see a wealth of wildlife, both flora and fauna as you head along the trail.
Taste some Whiskey – As well as Guinness, the city is also fantastic when it comes to whiskey! There are many distilleries but the two most popular are both the Teeling distillery and the Jameson distillery. You can also sample all the whiskey too to make sure you know all about it!
The story behind Irish whiskey
A drink in one of the city’s pubs connects you to a very long tradition. The first record of Irish whiskey dates from 1405, roughly 90 years before the earliest Scottish mention, which makes it one of Europe’s oldest distilled drinks. One popular theory is that monks brought distilling skills home after learning to distil perfume on visits to the Mediterranean in the 11th century.
What began as a local pastime became an industry, and in 1608 Old Bushmills in Northern Ireland became the first licensed whiskey distillery. By the early 20th century Irish whiskey was the favourite in America, but prohibition in the United States and the Irish War of Independence sent production into steep decline, and only a handful of distilleries survived.
In 1966 several of them, Jameson among them, merged to form Irish Distillers, and the New Midleton Distillery opened in Cork a decade later. Sales have since recovered strongly and new distilleries keep opening.