Irish Party

Dublin centre is very nice indeed with large historical buildings and statues, modern shopping complexes and performers down the pedestrian areas. It’s a great atmosphere. The Guinness factory is not to be missed. The tour itself is very modern, it was very well designed into the shape of a Guinness Glass, with a 360 degrees viewing gallery at the top of the building which give great views all round Dublin. It is expensive to get in about 12 euros, but complimentary pints are on offer at the top.

The tour bus, which can be caught on O’Connell Street is also very historically informative and is open topped, very breezy but nice after a night on the ole black stuff. It takes you on a hop on and off tour around Dublin and costs about 7 euros. Traditional Irish music is easy to come by and if you walk out onto the edge of Temple Bar area there is a great pub called the porter house, they sell beer from all over the world and have a very large selection. Prices are average at about 5 euros a pint, they also do a good selection of bar food.

Quick Tips:

Temple Bar area is great if you’re up for a cheesy boogie, but should be avoided, very busy and there are loads of stag and hen parties staggering around the area. It can be quite expensive here too. The bus tour and Guinness factory are a must to soak up the Irish culture and history. All the time that I was there I felt safe and the locals are really friendly, don’t be scared to ask for help or directions. Be prepared financially it can be expensive if you are living like kings.

Best Way To Get Around:

Most sites are within walking distance; the tour bus is a good way of getting around all the main ones and is relatively cheap at 7 euros, you can use this from 9am to 4pm. Public transport is not hard to come by, there are a large selection of buses and taxis. You even get horse and carts taking you home after a night on the town, they are expensive but an experience not to be missed.

The accommodation was very welcoming and the reception staff friendly and always joking about something or another. We booked a double room for about 60 Euros. The room was very clean and modern. We also had breakfast included in the price and were provided with unlimited amounts of food while we caught up on the news and relaxed in the comftable dining area. This would be a nice place to stay for a few days if required, right in the heart of Dublin with all sites within walking distance.

The factory itself is split into seven or eight different levels -- a layout that represents the Guinness glass. The top of the Guinness is where the complimentary bar can be located; it has a 360-degree window view of the whole of Dublin. On a nice day, the view from the top makes the admission worth paying for. The displays and explanations are very modern, incorporating all different types of media -- including video and print -- music waterfalls, and units to smell the Guinness-making processes.

You really get a taste of Irish culture by having a drink in here. The bar staff is friendly and the place has a large selection of home-brewed beers, draughts, and ales. You can also grab some pub grub in here and catch some live Irish music to finish off the atmosphere. It's very warm, cosy, and decorated with historic photographs, artifacts, and a large collection of beer bottles.

The tour runs every 15 minutes, and you can get off at particular sights of interest and rejoin the tour at the same stop.

It started off very well when we had an Irish guide who explained all the historic buildings and sites of interest -- he was cracking jokes all the time and making everyone laugh. Once we hopped off to grab a bite to eat and jumped back on again it was an automated recording briefing us on the sites and it was a little less interesting and I almost fell asleep. They also do a selection of tours outside the city -- they're worth looking into if you want to see a bit of the countryside.