About Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey.
Dublin is a historical and contemporary cultural centre, as well as a modern centre of education, the arts, administrative function, economy and industry.
Before you get there
Language
English is the official language. Irish (Gaelic) is also spoken in some areas.
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements for Americans: United States nationals require a passport valid for the period of intended stay, but no visa is needed for stays of up to three months.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens travelling from Great Britain to Ireland only require proof of nationality. Otherwise British travellers coming from another country require a passport. No visa is required if the passport is endorsed British Citizen, British National (Overseas) or British Overseas Territories Citizen. In all other cases, a visa is required.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals require a passport valid for the period of intended stay, but no visa is needed for stays of up to three months.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australians require a passport valid for the period of intended stay, but no visa is needed for visits of up to three months.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals must hold a passport valid for the period of intended stay, but no visa is needed for visits of up to three months.
Entry requirements for New Zealand nationals: New Zealanders require a passport valid for the period of intended stay. No visa is needed for a visit of up to three months.
Passport/Visa Note: Passports should be valid for the period of stay (except for EEA member states, including Switzerland). It is recommended that all nationals, other than those from the EU, hold a return or onward ticket, unless they are continuing travel by other transportation, and must have sufficient funds to cover intended period of stay.
Public Holidays
New Year's Day (1 Jan), St Patrick's Festival (17 Mar), Good Friday (Mar/Apr), Easter Monday (Mar/Apr), May Bank Holiday (first Mon in May), June Bank Holiday (first Mon in June), August Bank Holiday (First Mon in Aug), Halloween (Last Mon in Oct), Christmas Day (25 Dec), Boxing Day (26 Dec).
Weather
Rain showers in Dublin are likely to happen at any time of the year, and winters are very wet. However, Dublin is dryer than most other areas in Ireland. It has cool summers and mild winters, with the sunniest months being May and June, and December being the rainiest month.
Electricity
Electrical current is 230 volts, 50Hz. UK-style three-pin and round three-pin plugs are in use.
Dialling Code
The international access code for Ireland is +353. The outgoing code is 00, or 048 for Northern Ireland, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are in use, e.g. 1 for Dublin.
Money
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR). Currency can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change and ATMs are widely available.
Time
GMT (GMT +1 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Getting Around – Transport
Main Airport:
Dublin Airport (DUB) - The airport is situated seven miles (11km) north of Dublin, near the M50 and M1 motorways.
Dublin is split into two by the River Liffey; explore the south-side sites on foot, or hop on a DART train to see the coast. South of the Liffey are Temple Bar, Trinity College and St Stephen's Green, as well as the pedestrianised Grafton Street and Dublin Castle. North of the river one finds O'Connell Bridge, or charming Ha'Penny Bridge, the huge GPO and also shopping on O'Connell Street. West is mammoth Phoenix Park on the city's border, and south are the upmarket residential and dining spots of Portobello and Ballsbridge. East is Dublin Bay's coast.
Getting around Dublin region can easily be done using the bus, DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport), hired car or taxi. The city is also easily traversed by bicycle.
Bus - Bus services in Dublin city are provided by Dublin Bus. They operate from 06.00 -23.30 on weekdays with a limited late night bus service (Nitelinks) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday departing the city centre every 20 minutes from 00.30 till 04.30. Bus Eireann operates bus services from Dublin to the rest of Ireland. Busaras, the central bus station is located on Amiens Street.
Trains - Trains serving all parts of Ireland are run by the State transport company, CIE. There are two main train stations in Dublin - Connolly and Heuston. Visitors travelling from the South and West will arrive at Heuston Station, a short hop from the centre by bus or taxi. Those arriving from the North, North West and the South East arrive at Connolly Station, which is a short walk from O'Connell Street. The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) suburban rail service operates between Malahide at the Northernmost tip of the scenic eastern coastal strip, and Greystones to the South.
Luas - The Dublin Luas tram system is a state-of-the-art Light Rail Transit (LRT) system. Luas connects you to Dublin city centre with high capacity, high frequency, high speed services. There are convenient stop locations and excellent levels of comfort and safety with easy access at all stops.
Taxis - Taxis can be hailed, hired at taxi ranks or booked by telephone. Three of the main taxi ranks in the city centre are located on O'Connell Street, Dame Street and St. Stephen's Green. The average fare for a taxi from the airport to the city centre is 25 euros.
Highlights/Attractions
Christ Church Cathedral
Croke Park Experience
Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre
Dublin Castle
Dublin City Hall - The Story of the Capital
Dublin Docklands
Dublin Tourism Centre Suffolk Street
Dublin Writers Museum
Dublin Zoo
Dublinia and The Viking World
Fry Model Railway
Guinness Storehouse
Imaginosity
Irish Museum of Modern Art
James Joyce Museum
Kilmainham Gaol
Malahide Castle
National Aquatic Centre
National Botanic Gardens
National Gallery of Ireland
National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology
National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History
Number Twenty Nine - Georgian House Museum
Saint Patrick's Cathedral
Skerries Mills
Tara's Palace and Childhood Museum
The Bram Stoker Dracula Experience
The Casino, Marino
The Chocolate Warehouse
The Dublin Pass
The George Bernard Shaw Birthplace
The James Joyce Centre
The Old Jameson Distillery
Trinity College
Day Trips
Glendalough
James Joyce Museum
Clonmacnoise
Fingal
Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown
South Dublin County
Shopping
Grafton Street and Henry Street are the main pedestrianised shopping areas. Henry Street offers the best choice in high street fashion and popular Irish chain stores are located there, whilst Grafton Street offers Irish and international fashion, Irish gifts and crafts. Suffolk Street is home to Avoca Handweavers, where one finds three floors of Irish fashion and gifts. Across the street is the Dublin Tourism Centre where can find an array of traditional books, clothes and crafts. In Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, which is a restored Georgian Townhouse, one will find specialised shops, galleries, antique jewellery stores and restaurants, as well as The Design Centre, which is home to leading contemporary Irish and international labels. Nassau Street has a vast selection of Irish craft stores, such as the Kilkenny Design Centre and the House of Ireland which specialise in Irish design ware, glass, ceramics and more.
In the outskirts of the city, one can find various suburban shopping centres, such as the Liffey Valley Centre and Dundrum Town Centre, which offer many high street favourite shops under one roof.
Dublin has various markets which one can visit, and which are a great way of spending a morning or an afternoon. Blackrock Market, which is a popular weekend market, boasts a unique blend of new, second-hand and antique goods as well as a broad range of fine and modern art, collectables, furniture and hand crafts. The Temple Bar Book Market takes place each weekend and offers a wide range of old, new and classic titles, so there are books for everyone! For antique lovers and collectors, Dublin’s Antique Quarter Francis Street, where one finds antiques, contemporary art, handcrafted stationery, objects d’art, artisan foods, antique jewellery and beautiful Irish silver, is not to be missed. Since the 18th century, Francis Street has been synonymous with the finest furniture and skilled craftsmanship.
Dublin’s Docklands Area has experienced a great revival over the last decade and browsing the stores in The CHQ Building is an experience in itself with the building steeped in local history. At the weekends the railings enclosing St. Stephens Green and Merrion Square display beautiful artworks as artists exhibit and sell their paintings.
Shopping hours in Dublin are, in general, between 09.00 and 18.00 Monday – Saturday. City centre shops are open late on Thursdays until 20.00, while late opening in the suburbs is usually on Fridays. More of the larger chain stores are open on Sundays usually from 12.00 – 18.00 especially in the run up to Christmas.
Shopping Centres and Department Stores in Dublin
Arnott’s Department Store
Henry Street, Dublin 1
T: 00353 1 805 0400 www.arnotts.ie
Dundrum Town Centre
Sandyford Road, Dundrum, Dublin 16
T: 00353 1 299 1700 www.dundrum.ie
Transport: LUAS Green Line
Bus 44 (Townsend Street)
Liffey Valley Shopping Centre
Fonthill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
T: 00353 1 616 0200 www.liffeyvalley.ie
Travel: 78A/78/210/239
Powerscourt Townhouse Centre
59 South William Street, Dublin 2
T: 00353 1 679 4144
www.powerscourtcentre.com
St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre
Stephens Green West, Dublin 2
T: 00353 1 4780888
www.stephensgreen.com
Westbury Mall
Off Grafton Street, Dublin 2
The CHQ Building
IFSC, Docklands, Dublin 1
www.chq.ie
Markets in Dublin
Blackrock Market
19a Main Street, Blackrock, Dublin
T: 00353 1 283 3522
www.blackrockmarket.
Temple Bar Book Market
Temple Bar, Dublin 2
T: 00353 1 677 2255
www.templebar.ie
George’s Street Arcade
South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2
www.georgesstreetarcade.ie
Specialised Stores in Dublin
Avoca Handweavers
Suffolk Street, Dublin 2
T: 00353 1 677 4215
www.avoca.ie
Dublin Tourism Centre Gift Shop
Suffolk Street, Dublin 2
www.visitdublin.com
Kilkenny Design Centre
5/6 Nassau Street, Dublin 2
T: 00353 1 677 7066
www.kilkennyshop.ie
House of Ireland
38 Nassau Street, Dublin 2
T: 00353 1 671 1111
www.houseofireland.com
Dublin’s Antique Quarter Francis Street
Francis Street
T: 00353 1 454 9467
Food and Drink/Nightlife
Dublin is one of the most vibrant and youthful cities in Europe, and it has a bustling nightlife, especially in the traditional pubs and bars, which dominate the nightlife scene. The hub of Dublin's nightlife scene is Temple Bar and Trinity area, which have the largest and most lively choice of bars and eateries.
The sights and sounds of Traditional Irish Music and Dance can be experienced throughout the city all year round. From impromptu sessions in one of the traditional Irish Pubs to a night of foot-stomping, fast paced music and dance in one of the Traditional music and Dance Venues, Dublin offers something to everyone. Irish Traditional Music and Dance is an intrinsic part of the cultural life of Dublin.
Contacts
United States Embassy, Dublin: +353 (0)1 668 8777.
British Embassy, Dublin: +353 (0)1 205 3700.
Canadian Embassy, Dublin: +353 (0)1 234 4000.
Australian Embassy, Dublin: +353 (0)1 664 5300.
South African Embassy, Dublin: +353 (0)1 661 5553.
New Zealand High Commission, London, United Kingdom (also responsible for Ireland)
Dublin Emergency Numbers
Emergencies: 112/999
