Hotels and Travel

Destination - Dublin

Although Dublin is well known as being a place of friendliness and 'craic', the city is also a very old and beautiful City, it is well over 1000 years old. When you walk the streets of Dublin you'll be able to see some magnificent old buildings such as Christ Church Cathedral which was built in 1234 AD, although there has been a church on the site since 1028 AD.

After Independence Dublin became the political, economic, and cultural center of Ireland. The location of the Government of Ireland, Dail Eireann, assembles in Leinster House, Dublin. The Four Courts, seat of Ireland's judiciary, and the Custom House are excellent examples of Dublin's late 18th-century architecture. Both buildings were damaged heavily during the Civil War but have been restored.

South of the river is Dublin Castle, which was begun in 1204 and almost totally rebuilt in Georgian style in the 18th century. The castle was the seat of English authority in Ireland until 1922. Today it is the site of the inaugurations of Ireland's presidents. Near the castle are Christ Church and St. Patrick's, Dublin's two Protestant cathedrals. Both date from Dublin's earliest days as a Viking settlement.

Maritime trade has always been one of Dublin's most important activities. Dublin is Ireland's largest port and major exporter. It has also developed into the largest manufacturing city in Ireland, though the factories, aside from breweries and distilleries are engaged primarily in light manufactures. The city's most famous business is the Guinness Brewery, founded in 1759 and one of Ireland's largest employers and exporters.

But Dublin isn't all about pubs and history, there is also a fine selection of hotels, shops and shopping centres where you can spend your time...and money.

Like most most capital cities, Dublin has most of the world's top shops and brand names. Also as Dublin city is so compact, all of these shops are a short walk from each other. There are a number of great hotels in Dublin including the Crowne Plaza, Gresham Hotel and Jurys Inn

A Visit to the Old Jameson Distillery is so much more than just a tour, it is an exciting and engaging experience, guaranteed to entertain and enlighten any visitor.

No trip to Dublin is complete without participating in a traditional pub crawl! Enjoy two hours of listening to traditional Irish songs performed by  talented Irish musicians.

Traditional Irish dishes include meat and boiled root vegetables such as turnip, potato and carrot. Other favourites are beef and mutton stews, tripe soup, sausages and meat puddings, Oysters and mussels are also popular.

Dublin is famous for its literary past with famous writers and playwrites such as Oscar Wilde, Patrick Kavanagh and William Butler Yeats. There are ten main theatre venues in the city. Most are located in the city centre.

Yearly Festivals

·         St Patricks Festival - Dublin's Yearly World Famous Paddy's Day festival .

·         Oxegen - The Oxegen music festival takes place in mid-July at the Punchestown Race Course and feature some of the best bands in the world on multiple stages.

·         Electric Picnic - Ireland's answer to Glastonbury, this boutique festival offers some of the top bands around with a real festival 'feel' rather than just a big gig.

·        Punchestown Festival - In May the Punchestown Horse Racing festival entertains thousands of punters every year.

·         Irish Open - The Irish Open Golf tournament played in May every year attracts some of the biggest names in golf.

View more Dublin hotels at Direct-Hotels.co.uk