Dublin, with its cobbled streets and quiet Georgian squares, is just the ticket for a weekend break. The city that fathered such cultural icons as James Joyce and Samuel Beckett has a new cosmopolitan sheen with vibrant bars, cafes and shops springing up at a rate of knots.
Grafton Street
Karen Millen's stunning three-storey flagship store is on Grafton Street, home of the highest quality retail therapy in Dublin. This pedestrian thoroughfare also houses the department store Brown Thomas and its range of designer labels.
Karen Millen, 72 Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland (00 353 1633 9546)
Use the store finder for details of all Karen Millen's Dublin stores.
Castle Market & Drury Street
Wander west from Grafton Street to explore the cobbled streets of Castle Market and Drury Street, lined with one-off boutiques, restaurants, shoe shops and antique jewellery dealers. Avoid Temple Bar, once the city’s cultural hub, but instead wander up to Cow’s Lane, an avant-garde fashion street with its own unique boutiques.
Nassau Street
Where Dublin excels in the shopping stakes is in locally crafted goodies from woolly jumpers to hand-woven rugs, gorgeous pots to elegant furniture, glass, jewellery and fashions. Beautiful items from all over Ireland can be found on Nassau Street.
Ireland’s rich literary history is celebrated in The Winding Stair (40 Lower Ormond Quay +353 1 872 7320), a café bookshop overlooking the River Liffey, which has tens of thousands of new and secondhand titles including rare and valuable first editions.
Recommends
Dylan
Eastmoreland Place
Tel: +353 1 660 3000
Find out more about The Dylan
Book The Dylan Hotel with Mr & Mrs Smith
This boutique hotel is at the cutting edge of cool in Dublin. Ireland’s hot chef Padraic Hayden is in charge of the Still Restaurant, making this a great place to sample some new Irish cooking as well as gorging on the eye candy on the terrace. More LA than Ireland, this place is hot.
The Shelbourne
27 St Stephen’s Green
Tel: + 353 1 663 4500
Dublin’s largest 5 star luxury hotel has recently had a facelift and it’s a hit with everyone. The cocktail bar is one of the best in Ireland, and the luxury guestrooms are a treat with floating feather beds.
The Merrion
Upper Merrion Street
Tel: + 353 1 603 0600
There may be cooler places to stay in Dublin, but the relaxed grandeur of this hotel attracts those in the know. The cellar bar has a wonderful new wine by the glass menu which attracts a buzzier fashionable crowd. There’s a great art collection and it’s perfect for afternoon tea.
Locks
1 Windsor Terrace, Portobello
Tel: +353 1 454 3391
This classic old haunt recently reopened, and now it’s nearly impossible to get a reservation. The Irish-French food is great, the interior simply but warmly done and there’s a real buzz about the place. The canal-side location is dynamite in summer, whilst open fires make it a cosy hideaway in the winter.
Chapter One
18/19 Parnell Square
Tel: +353 1 873 2266
This fine Northside restaurant (the less fashionable part of town) is deserving of it's a reputation as a foody favourite and well worth a visit. It’s won Best Restaurant in Dublin on a number of occasions and serves some of the best Irish inspired cuisine around. The charcuterie trolley is a must.
Fallon & Byrne
11-17 Exchequer Street
Tel: +353 1 472 1010
This top floor brasserie above the Dean & Deluca style food and wine market, showcasing the best of Irish produce, is a great lunch spot. Try the fish pie with creamy mash. Downstairs in the cellar is a well-stocked wine bar.
Town Bar and Grill
21 Kildare Street
Tel: + 353 1 662 4724
Still going strong, it's the busiest, buzziest restaurant in Dublin, and reservations are hard to come by. The food is good, specialising in modern Italian, but the real draw is the mix of people it attracts.
L’Ecrivain
109a Lower Baggot Street
Tel: + 353 1 661 1919
Derry Clarke’s ultra competent menu is legendary and has won this unstuffy Irish institution a Michelin star. Downstairs there’s a piano bar which gets rather jolly, but the food is the real star – here.
Kehoe’s
9 South Anne Street
Tel: +353 1 677 8312
A Dublin pub is an excellent place to experience the craic – that quintessentially Irish sense of bonhomie that improves as the evening wears on and the glasses empty. This old-timer has maintained its no-frills spit-and-sawdust character and is famous for its snug atmosphere. What’s more it hasn’t turned into a point at the locals amusement park for out of towners, but keeps a loyal and local clientele.
South William Street
South William Street is destination in itself for the well-heeled traveller. First up there is bar of the moment The South William, then Dakota and also Spy a small club where many of Ireland’s top models come to unwind after a hard day on the catwalk.
Lillies Bordello
Adam Court, Grafton Street
Tel: +353 1 679 9204
More tabloid inches have been devoted to this club than any other in Dublin, the high VIP count making it the ideal spot to see and be seen. The Lillie’s door staff are picky, so make sure you dress to impress. Also try Krystle – a chic club for the young crowd, (21-25 Harcourt St, www.krystlenightclub.com).
The Morrison Hotel
Ormond Quay
Tel: +353 1 887 240
Designed by John Rocha, this supremely vibey hotel bar has an amazing cocktail menu. Limber up with a frozen strawberry margarita and then move on to the Long Island iced teas. Visiting popstars on tour can sometimes be spotted being recklessly cavalier here.
National Botanic Gardens
Botanic Avenue, Glasnevin
Tel: +353 1 804 0300
The beautiful rose gardens and cedar woods criss-crossed with pretty paths make for a leafy escape.
Art
Irish Museum of Modern Art
Military Road, Kilmainham
Tel: +353 1 612 9900
A powerhouse of modern art showcasing exhibitions by Ireland’s major painters including Anne Madden as well as prominent international artists.
