48 hours in Dublin
DAY 1. FROM O´CONNELL TO GRAFTON STREET
8:30 a.m. . Dublin is a city that is easily known on foot. And so we are going to spend the first 12 hours, strolling through its most central and commercial streets. To start with strength we recommend a traditional breakfast at Murray's Bar, on Upper O'Connell Street . If you are a good eater, choose their Full Irish Breakfast, with bacon, sausage, eggs, mushrooms, bread and your choice of coffee or tea, or the Gourmet Breakfast Roll, with bacon, sausage and fried egg on Scotch rolls and Ballymaloe Irish sauce.
9:00 a.m. We begin the walk through the main artery of the city: O'Connell Street. On this wide avenue you can enjoy some of Dublin's most symbolic monuments, such as The Spire , a great needle that rises 120 meters; the statue of liberator Daniel O´Connell or the one that immortalizes the writer James Joyce . The Dublin Central Post Office, built in 1818, is one of the buildings that you will surely not miss. Its great Renaissance stone porch imposes a lot.
O'Connell Central Post Office
If you feel like going shopping, from O'Connell you can access Henry Street . Here you can visit the traditional market of Moore Street Market , full of outdoor stalls with fruit, vegetables and many, many flowers. In the same street O´Connell you will find the penny's (father of the famous Primark), Eason's four-storey bookstore and Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs, where you can buy typical Irish souvenirs such as the leprechaum or giant shamrocks. And all while listening to _ Whiskey in the jar _, by The Dubliners.
11:00 a.m. . Cross the bridge over the River Liffey and continue along Westmorland Street which will take you right to the gates of the Trinity College . Step inside the campus, where the student residences are located, and soak up the university atmosphere. Come closer to the curious pomodoro sphere and of course, enter its ancient library, one of the most beautiful in the world and with an enviable collection of ancient manuscripts, including the famous book of kells . A couple of facts: the main room of the library, known as the Long Room, is 65 meters long and houses more than 200,000 of the oldest books in the library. We warn you that it is very impressive to be there.
The Treasures of Trinity: His Books
12:30 p.m. . Before fully entering Grafton Street, take your time for lunch. In a parallel street, on Dawson Street, we offer you the ** Café en Seine , a beautiful café-restaurant that transports you to the very Parisian Belle Epoque.** They serve fresh fish dishes and good meats, such as their Roast Chicken Supreme and their delicious steak au poivre. They have a menu for vegetarians and an enviable drinks menu (the place also opens at night). When you finish, take the opportunity to visit in this same street ** Hodges Figgis , the oldest bookstore in Dublin **, founded in 1768 and mentioned in the work Ulysses by James Joyce. You won't be able to resist entering.
Coffee in the Seine
3:00 p.m. . Now yes. It's time to visit Grafton Street, for us the most charming pedestrian street in the city with its colorful buildings, cafes and luxury shops . It is also a very lively street, thanks to the live performances of many local artists and singers. At the end of the street you will find a large shopping center, Stephen's Green Shopping Center. It is worth taking a moment to see its impressive interior metal structure under a large glass roof that makes it look like a huge and romantic greenhouse. And if you want to continue shopping, there is no limit here.
Stephen's Green Shopping Center
4:30 p.m. Opposite the shopping center is one of the most beautiful parks in the city: St Stephens Green. Perfect for taking a short break and resting on its lawn, as Dubliners do when the weather is good. then you can come closer to the popular Georgian neighborhood, where the multicolored doors stand out against the red bricks of the buildings. You'll find them between the blocks between St. Stephens Green N and Merrion Street. And just a step away, in one of the corners of the Georgian square of Merrion Square, you can go to greet the sculpture of the poet and playwright Oscar Wilde.
The Georgian Quarter
6:30 p.m. . For dinner we suggest The Pig's Ear, an Irish restaurant whose good reputation is well deserved. Included in the Michelin guide since 2006, its chefs prepare Irish recipes with modern touches. They have 2 and 3 course menus and you can order à la carte. Its rooms are spacious, well lit and have beautiful views over Trinity College. Taking advantage of the fact that the restaurant is in Nassau Street, you can go before dinner to two essential stores: Celtic Note , an alternative store of traditional Irish music. They sell vinyl and a great selection of local artists; and Kilkenny Shop , a store with Irish glassware and ceramics (be careful, whoever breaks, pays).
The Pig's Ear
8:00 p.m. . You can't finish your first day in Dublin without sampling a generous pint of Guinness. And for this, it is best to do it in a mythical neighborhood: TempleBar. His thing is to go from bar to bar in the most traditional pubs, having good pints and listening to live Irish music. Our proposals: Temple Bar Pub and Fitzsimon's. And a little further afield, The Stag's Head and O'Neills.
DAY 2. FROM THE HA´PENNY BRIDGE TO PHOENIX PARK
10:00 a.m. The second day begins with breakfast on the banks of the River Liffey at The BakeHouse , a cafe where they prepare some delicious Irish breads with freshly ground coffee. They have an extensive brunch menu in which they mix different sweet and savory dishes. They are also a bakery and everything is served freshly made.
The BakeHouse
10:30 a.m. Exit The BakeHouse and head to the famous Ha´Penny Brigde , just a few steps away. Its name comes from the halfpenny that had to be paid to cross it until 1919. Get your camera ready and take a selfie on this beautiful wrought iron bridge. After crossing it we propose two very different plans. The first is to return to Temple Bar to visit the Temper Bar Book Market, a market that starts at 11:00 a.m. and where they sell new, second-hand and special edition books. Plan B : Continue along the river bank towards Christ Church Place , where the oldest medieval church in the city is located and ** Dublinia **, an interactive exhibition that offers a trip to the past to learn about the history of Dublin during the Viking and medieval times.
12:00 p.m. next visit is St Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in the country and a real wonder, even if you are one of those who do not like this type of monument. It is worth crossing its doors to see its stained glass windows, its ancient altar and its baptismal font from the Middle Ages. The surrounding gardens invite you to take a short break.
St Patrick's Cathedral
12:30 p.m. Go back to Dublinia again to take Thomas Street, the street that will take you to the ** Guinness Store House **. Here you can learn all the secrets of the most famous beer in the city. And of course, try it. What's more, we suggest that you ask for a recipe made with this dark beer at their restaurant. Brewer's Dining Hall . Don't forget to stop by Gravity Bar, It has one of the best views over the city.
3:00 p.m. Already with a full stomach, continue walking to the Kilmainham Gaol , the prison through which many Irish independence leaders passed and today converted into a museum. Many will remember her in the film In the Name of the Father starring Daniel Day‑Lewis. The prison closed in 1924 and is a kind of history in itself . Its main hall, full of cells and with its great iron staircase, makes your hair stand on end.
Brewer's Dining Hall
5:30 p.m. And to end the afternoon, something to relax after so much walking. To do this, go to Phoenix Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world with more than 700 hectares. A pride for the Dubliners. One fact: its size is twice that of New York's Central Park. You can continue exploring inside the park or directly lie down and rest on its grass.
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Temple Bar