Dublin Information - hotels, restaurants, golf, weather, maps & more

While the last 20 or 30 years have been very kind to Europe, perhaps no city has flourished the way that Dublin has over that time. With a real end of “The Troubles” in the rear view mirror, Dublin has gotten on with the matter of becoming a cosmopolitan world capital, and it is accomplishing that task at a rate that many never thought possible. It isn’t just the fact that more and more young people are graduating from the many city universities and then deciding to stay put, it is the fact that young people from all over Europe seem to descend on the city every weekend for parties, events and even for business. It’s not that older folks won’t enjoy this magical place, there is still quite a lot of history and reverence to go around, but Dublin is, without a doubt, the most popular spot in the world for people under 30. Be prepared to deal with that if you decide to vacation here.

If you were to start a list talking about everything that has improved and changed in the last 15 years here, we would be here all day. In short, the hotels, restaurants and the incredible Dublin nightlife have all mushroomed to become the envy of the continent. When you add to that all of the old world charm that is still quite evident here, well, you have a city that is ready to take on Paris, London and Berlin for tourist capital of Europe for the next decade. But that doesn’t mean that this sudden growth spurt has come on without the requisite growing pains. Depending on how long you choose to stay in Dublin, it is probably wise not to rent a car, since traffic here is absolutely terrible when the city fills up with people. If you plan on visiting during the summer months, the height of tourist season, make sure you book your hotel at least three months ahead, as the city can sometimes run out of places to sleep. And, of course, if you are pub hopping, watch your back. Pickpockets are out in force here and there is sometimes rowdy behavior at some of the most popular spots. But these warts are shared by every large city on Earth, and if this is the cost Dublin must pay to be the city it has become, the residents here will gladly pay it.

Above all else, however, the best reason to visit this wonderful city is the incredible Irish hospitality that will likely greet you at every turn. From the people that run your hotel to the caretakers at the local museums and tourist attractions to the bartender who serves you your pint, there are likely more smiles per capita here than anywhere else. And when it gets right down to it, don’t we all want to vacation in a place where the residents seem absolutely giddy to live there?

So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and grab your camera, let’s go to Dublin!