The Republic of Ireland's capital, Dublin, has left a mark on European travel expert Rick Steves, presenting a plethora of kaleidoscopic personalities, exuberant merrymaking, and heady philosophizing on life and literature. On his website, Steves highlights the city's "urban thrills," saying "Dublin is the capital of a nation with a rich history and an irrepressible spirit." All this craic (the Gaelic wry wit and joyful generosity) is contained in just 45.5 square miles of Europe's Silicon Valley.
In addition to its turbulent history, Dublin has some of the youngest residents in the EU, making it an up-and-coming destination. But seeing, experiencing, and raising a glass of Guinness is believing, so come with a heart and appetite as open as Dublin's future-forward liberal sensibilities, and leave with more new friends than you ever imagined possible — the very opposite of continental metropolises like Brussels, one of Europe's least-friendly destinations, and Paris, "the world's unfriendliest city."
Everywhere you need to be is within a compact core, so walking is the best way to inhale Dublin in all the senses, taking in colorful Georgian doors vying for your attention or the delightful Irish brogue (or way of speaking) sweetly tingling your ears. Live performance is one of Ireland's great cultural expressions, and Grafton Street bustles with buskers and human statue mimes. Steves recommends perching in a café overlooking "the city's liveliest pedestrian shopping mall" for the best perspective of this symphony of street entertainment and people-watching Dubliners from all walks of life.
Because pubs are also a hotbed of soul-stirring music and socializing over drinks seems to be a national pastime, tippling spirits while tunes play is as Dublin as it gets. The Cobblestone, the Brazen Head (the city's oldest pub, established in 1198), and Darkey Kelly's, where Handel's "Messiah" debuted in 1742, are top spots for traditional Irish melodies. If you're looking to discover the next big singer-songwriter, hit up Whelan's, where Jeff Buckley and Nick Cave once played.
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Dublin's Historic And Spirited Attractions
This UNESCO City of Literature is teeming with spirited stories, but no words can describe the spectacular Book of Kells at Trinity College, an illuminated calligraphic masterpiece from A.D. 800 chronicling the four gospels. Even more astounding is the fact that monks illustrated the 680 calfskin pages by hand using natural pigments. For Steves, it's "arguably the finest piece of art from the early Middle Ages."
Make peace with Dublin's revolutionary spirits at the eerie yet exhilarating Kilmainham Gaol, where War of Independence patriots were imprisoned and executed. Steve calls Europe's largest unoccupied jail a "worthy pilgrimage site for anyone excited about Irish independence," featuring prison cell and execution yard narratives, as well as a must-see collection of last letters written by the Emerald Isle's most honorable heroes. Cross Ha'penny Bridge, one of Ireland's most iconic landmarks, to Croke Park to cheer on soccer players with thousands of other impassioned fans. At the stadium's Gaelic Athletic Association Museum, you can learn how Gaelic sports like Irish football and hurling came to life as a political dissent.
Dublin's culinary revolution is also the country's hottest cultural awakening, a redefinition of national pride by translating a hyperlocal cornucopia of seafood, meat, dairy, and produce into trendy, contemporary dining. While you can dine at one of Dublin's eight Michelin-starred restaurants, Steves says it's best to "save your craving for pub grub for Ireland's small towns." Finally, toast Dublin's irrepressible thrills in its rugged Liberties neighborhood, where a whiskey renaissance shines at modern distillery Roe and Co., breathing new life into the spirit.
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Read the original article on Islands.
