Dublin

Dublin’s weather is temperamental but May to August offer the best weather (usually!), during which time outdoors activities are encouraged and locals are at their most sociable. Weekend markets, festivals and coastal villages spring to life during the summer months too.

The busiest weekend is St Patrick’s Festival in March, attracting crowds from around the world. Rugby is a popular sport and national rugby matches feature at weekends from October to March. Arts and cultural events, and Dublin’s hectic nightlife, pack a lively social schedule year-round.

Regular buses run from the airport directly into Dublin, but metered taxi is the fastest (30 minutes) and easiest way to reach the city centre, taking routes that avoid traffic.

Dublin is uniquely compact so the best way to get around and experience the city to the full is to walk. New bike lanes invite you to use a super-convenient Dublin bike scheme, providing cheap-to-rent bikes at 40 stations around the city. There’s also a light rail system, or LUAS, that is the fastest way to travel north and south of the centre. Avoid renting a car as traffic is heavy.

The most exclusive hotels and guest houses are typically located on the more exclusive south side of the River Liffey. Grafton Street, Merrion Row and Baggot Street are dotted with four- and five-star hotels and guest houses, all within walking distance of lively nightlife haunts. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or not, Dublin is such a compact city that these areas form good bases for a complete city experience. Groups congregate in the touristy Temple Bar area and while this is a bustling hub, it’s not where locals hang out.

There are distinct areas for dining and partying. Temple Bar offers round-the-clock fun but it’s touristy, while the network of George’s, Wicklow, Exchequer and South William Streets are where locals prefer to hang out in trendy bars. Grafton and George’s Street and Merrion Row are lined with fine-dining restaurants while Wexford and Leeson Streets offer late-night pubs and clubs – all within walking distance of the city centre.

Grafton and Wicklow Streets are the jewels in Dublin’s shopping crown, lined with upmarket boutiques, cafés and department stores, including Brown Thomas, Westbury and Powerscourt Malls.

Alternative boutiques, vintage shopping and arcades line the side streets between Grafton and George’s Street.

Weekend markets showcase local fashion, crafts and produce in Temple Bar. St Stephen’s Green or Dundrum – a 15-minute LUAS (light rail) trip – both offer a high-street shopping mall experience.

Linen, tweed, Celtic jewellery and hand-made musical instruments are some of the top buys in Dublin.