Dublin, Ireland

I went to Dublin about 3 years ago and found that large parts of the city were being re-developed. At the time, Ireland was going through a real estate boom. The city itself has a lot of interesting historical districts with Georgian architecture primarily. Can be fairly expensive, but cheaper than London. 3 things can't be missed: 1. Tour the Guinness factory 2. Check out Trinity College and see the Book of Kells and 3. Do a pub crawl, but outside the main tourist drag where prices are higher and the authenticity is questionable. 2-3 days will do here. The Irish countryside, primarily along the west coast near Kerry is beautiful and is worth some of your time.

I spent 3 days in Dublin without a lick or rain, it was beautiful. Maybe i just lucked out though. Also, I didn't find it "filthy", it was actually rather clean where we were staying, i'm not sure what it was called but it was just around the corner from The Braisen Head, which is the oldest pub in Dublin. We visited the Dublina, which is a viking museum, it was rather fun, and educational. The pubs are very cheery and filled with music which i adored! Please be aware that all those that are under 18 are asked to leave after a certain time of night. The Guinness brew house was a grand experience, and the Guinness was delicious. I loved this city because of its rustic feel, yet parts of it are a bit more modernized. The "Dubliners" are very kind, and helpful (especially the taxi drivers, who can help point you in the direction of some of the better attractions). I would have to say though, if you dislike rain, or walking you should stay away. Most of our 10 day trip in Ireland was spent... Read more

The trick of course is finding the right pubs. ;) P.S. Sorry about the weather, the traffic, no train to the airport, the M50, the  red cow mad-a-bout, the metro they might build to get you to the airport, the 2 tram lines that don't actually meet up in the middle with the sign of the guy walking from one to the other (s'true!), the Lisbon thing, and of course the crazy prices.

Really all depends on what u are expecting. I LOVED Dublin...i loved all of Ireland actually. Even though Dublin is a big city  i found it very laid back and very friendly. We had people stop and talk to us and  even walk with us to show us where we were going. We had spent 4 days there and we could have stayed longer. There is a lot to see ( if you're into culture and history). I'm actually shocked that anyone could have had a rotten time and  dislike it there. I guess it all depends on your frame of mind and expectations before getting there.  If you're lookin for a good hostel...I reccomend Avalon house. Very clean and very friendly.

Dublin is getting more cleaned up with Ireland now in the European Community. For years it had some of the worst slums in Europe as bad as the Gorbals.

A great place to get seafood and some Guinness.

I'm not going to lie to you, but Dublin is a little flithy, the people dress badly and it rained constantly when I was there.  Apart from that, I had the time of my life out there!!!!  Irish people are so friendly, different and easy-going compared to Londoners, there's less stress out there and it's more about living.  In London even if you make a simple trip to the cashpoint it's stressful.  I loved the people, loved the guinness and I loved Carroll's souvenir shop.  I stayed at The Celtic Hotel on Talbot Street in Dublin 1 and I went to an old traditional Irish pub just two doors away called The Celt.  If you go there expect dancing, drinking, smiling and fun.

Having been to Dublin twice in the past 5 years I can assure you that Dublin has become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in all of the western hemisphere. Dublin still maintains its cozy, warm, and inviting personality, yet is very much a modern city well on its way to bigger and better things. While any city growing as fast as Dublin has will be subjected to the usual growing pains encountered when the infrastructure lags behind the population boom, Dublin has a unique sense of self that can not be denied and is worth a lengthy visit.

I guess it depends on what your tastes are, but Dublin struck me as being overcrowded, very dirty, full of traffic, and generally overrated. Locals call the River Liffey the "Sniffy Liffey" - it's pretty dirty, but I can't say that it smelled while I was there. I agree with the rater who said that about a day and a half is all you need in Dublin (at least a couple of days if you are into the literary scene, given all of the writers from or who wrote about Dublin). I found the walking tour that started from Trinity College very interesting and worthwhile, and I enjoyed visiting the National Gallery - they had a great exhibit of Irish painters. I made it to the Guinness tour and had my obligatory pint of Guinness up in the Gravity Room - great panorama of Dublin. Of course, it rained most of the time I was there. A nice place to go once, but if I ever get back to Ireland (which almost assuredly I will not), I'll skip Dublin. There are nicer places in Ireland.

I didn't actually enjoy Dublin that much. The food wasn't good, the sights weren't that great, and the weather was bad. But a plus was the people--i love the irish!

Too bad, Miss Jewel. I was born there, went to college there and love the place. Dirty and congested in places, but it is ALIVE! I hope you give it a second chance some time.

I think it is an awful place, really dark, dingy and the streets are full of vomit from too many stag weekends. Locals are creepy, the place is a dump

Grand city to visit, take plenty of money with you cos the Irish will take it no problem......

There are a few great sights, and the population is friendly. On the downside, however, the traffic is terrible and there is always some major roadwork going on. If you're going to Ireland you've got to see Dublin - but don't spend too much time there - there are a lot of nicer and more beautiful cities in the country,

Great place to spend two days. Don't spend more than two days here unless you are trying to get laid with such a young population or like to drink in a pub. An experience traverler spends a day and half here. Put it this way, you have one week in Ireland spend it in Cork, Ring of Kerry, and the Cliffs of Mohr. Take the Jameson tour.

It's worth going to if you have some mates and fancy a good piss up, otherwise nothing to see.

Dublin has a lot of good historical walking tours. My favorites were the tours that start at the Trinity College gate. They have separate walks for Dublin history, the 1916 rebellion, and the College itself. Here's a tip: the humorous and informative 30-minute tour of the college includes admission to see the Book of Kells; this lets you bypass the long line of ticket-buyers and walk right in. The Temple Bar area has lots of great music -- trad, jazz, rock, everything. There are also some easy day-trips from Dublin to the Boyne Valley sights such as Trim, Hill of Tara, and Newgrange. And all the bars and restaurants are now smokeless!

The Irish in general are some ofthe most educated people in the world, especially Dubliners who have the added advantage of living in a very hip, cosmopolitan capital. Everyone is friendly, witty, intelligent. The younger people, like highschool age, are alot more difficult to crack than the rest of the population, so I wouldn't recomend travel until everyone your going with is in college. There may be more fist fights there, but remember that there people don't have to worry about a drunk socio-path pulling a gun out and shooting people.

I had a very good time in Dublin last summer. I accomplished a life long dream by visiting there. As an art history buff who especially loves Irish art, I really enjoyed seeing the Book of Kells. My visit was really too brief but enough to convince me that I would love to return one day and see more.

I think that Dublin is getting too much attention it gets all the big shops,jobs,house prices and litter problem,I think that Cork (more southerly) shoould get some attention,no-one in this area or the island is getting ANY attention I think that Cork and Kerry should be developed more instead of Dublin going all high and mighty and other cities like Cork getting NOTHING!

Wonderful city, wonderful people. Going back

Great culture, lovely city, very easy going place.

Lets the facts speak for them selves http://www.independent.ie/2000/12/d03a.shtml and for the record Im not from Dublin, however I did live there for a year.

Ireland truly is one of the most beautiful countries in the world...

uuummmmmmmmm beeeeeerrrrr!!!!!!1

Music people! The Corrs & Bono! :o)

Dublin is one of my favorite destinations. Many consider it the most exciting city in Europe, and I don't think they're far off. I particularly like the Temple Bar area, which has great accomodations from quite reasonable tourist hotel/guesthouses to the lovely Oliver St. John Gogarty. O'Connell Street is the widest street in Europe, and certainly one of the most entertaining. And there's always the Guinness Brewery at St. James Gate. Don't miss it!

Dublin is a filthy, smelly and dreary city, but there is a lot of development going on so things are slowly getting better. You can have a great time here as a visitor, but if you stay for any length of time you will probably end up socialising mostly with other visitors, Dubliners themselves are a drunken, dim witted, uncivilised, and uncultured lot. But they love this about themselves so whose to say it's a bad thing. Dubliners do come across as friendly, albeit superficially so, when helped along by a suitable degree of intoxication. They're unlikely to open their narrow minds wide enough to discuss anything of consequence with you however, unless drink and football are your thing. Everything that's good about Dublin has arrived in the last five years, mostly imported from overseas. Many nice and inexpensive restaurants can be found to cater for all tastes, and there are plenty of cinemas (highest cinema going population in Europe). Despite the vast number of culture enriching forei... Read more

I don't like Dublin, it sucks, I only live here because it's where I work. It smells bad and a lot of Dublin people are VERY strange. I only stay for the sake of my job and the great museums around here.

Dublin is a great city. Yes! Dublin has it's filth, it's poverty and social disorder, but show me a capital city that doesn't have this and I'll move there straight away. Dublin is a community, it is very difficult to go out in Dublin and not meet someone that you know (this is a nice thing), a city such as London is so anonymous that people cross the street if someone else is in trouble in front of them. Dublin is easy to get around, walking being the best option(those who complain about the traffic use their cars as often as possible). The comments made below about Dubliners being stupid etc was quite obviously made by someone from the more rural part of Ireland as for some reason the city folk and the rural folk have a seriously strong dislike for one another, although they do all come together for their dislike of the English.

Dublin Positives: the winters! they are mild, and contrary to what every thinks quite dry. There is a very beautiful area in the south part of the city, which is supposed to be the best example of a Georgian city in Europe. There is an excellent theatre festival in October, mostly a repete of the Edinburgh theatre festival, but with less crowds. In general the fine arts are excellent in Dublin, loads of theatre, classical concerts, and often for free. Dubliners are reasonably friendly to tourists. Dublin Negatives: I think the worst thing about Dublin is the tourists, the city is swarming with them, almost any time of the year. On a normal day in the city centre more than half the people are tourists. The second worst thing is the nackers (heroine addicted, tracksuit wearers). They are the largest group of the local population and are aggressive and stupid. Be careful while getting money from ATM machines since nackers are into syringe mugging! Dublin has been growing very fast ... Read more

I have recently moved to Dublin and I am impressed with its joie de vivre. The city is the perfect size, with plenty to see and do, without feeling lost in an intimidating city. It is fast becoming cosmopolitan --think: chic not sheep!!!

Dublin, in recent years has become one of the hippest of all European captial cities. It is a wonderful place to come for a short or long break and an ideal location from which to see the rest of the country! If you are into socialising Dublin is the place for you:-).

Dublin is my favorite Western European City. It is beautiful and lots of fun.