KEY POINTS:
Got 48 hours to explore Dublin? Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors make the most of Ireland's largest city:
SATURDAY
9am - Arriving at Dublin airport, hop on a commuter bus to go straight to O'Connell Street, the heart of the city, to drop off the
suitcases. Walk south towards the River Liffey.
11am - Crossing O'Connell Bridge to the south side and Ireland's oldest university, Trinity College, Dublin, founded in 1592. Trinity College is one of Ireland's leading historical sites, attracting more than 500,000 visitors a year. A highlight is the Book of Kells which was written by Celtic monks in about A.D. 800 and is a richly illuminated manuscript containing the four gospels of the Bible in Latin. Also take a walk through the college grounds - an oasis in the heart of the city.
1.00pm - A few minutes south is Grafton Street, one of two main shopping streets in Dublin, with its decorated shops where buskers perform for shoppers. It's the setting for the 2006 movie Once starring Glen Hansard from Irish rock band The Frames as a fictional struggling musician.
Turn left into Duke Street and drop into the Davy Byrne's pub for a sandwich lunch washed down with a pint of Guinness. Davy Byrne's is one of Dublin's most famous pubs and references in James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses means it is very much on the tourist circuit.
2.00pm - Continue to the top of Grafton Street to face the Fusilier's Arch which marks the northeast entrance to St. Stephens Green, a 22 acre park. The arch commemorates the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who lost their lives fighting for Britain in the Boer War. Stroll to the southeastern gate of the park that leads to the top of Kildare Street, home of the National Museum, the national parliament (Oireachtas) and the National Library.
4.00pm - A right turn at the end of Kildare Street takes you to Merrion Square, another green park surrounded by some of the finest Georgian buildings in Dublin, including the childhood home of Oscar Wilde. A short walk up the west side of the square brings you to the imposing offices of the taoiseach (prime minister), known as Government Buildings.
Opposite is the Merrion Hotel, a great place to stop for tea in sumptuous surroundings decorated with a private collection of Irish art. Like much in Dublin it is not cheap but it is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the interior of the adjoining houses that make up the hotel, one of which was the birthplace of the Duke of Wellington.
5.00pm - Back on Merrion Square, head west along Nassau Street, which will bring you back to College Green. Opposite the main entrance to Trinity College are the magnificent 18th century porticoes and colonnades of the Bank of Ireland building which once housed the Irish Houses of Parliament. The warren of old, narrow, cobbled streets behind the bank is known as Temple Bar which has been reinvented as an entertainment hub.
6.00pm - After a day of walking, the Temple Bar area is a popular location with tourists to choose from an array of restaurants and bars for a meal and drinks, but watch out for the stag and hen parties. The western part of Temple Bar is also the home of Viking Dublin. The Vikings settled on the banks of the River Liffey in 841 and in doing so founded Dublin city. Traces of these early inhabitants are still being uncovered.
SUNDAY
9.00am - After a hearty Irish breakfast, head to Abbey Street to take the Luas electric tram to Kilmainham Gaol which was the setting for a list of movies including The Italian Job with Michael Caine and In the Name Of The Father. Here you will be immersed in part of Ireland's history tracing events from 1790 to 1924.
11.00am - Hop off the tram on the way back to the city at Collins Barracks, a former military base, now a Museum of Decorative Arts and History displaying items from fine lace to heavy weapons. Entry is free. Just across the River Liffey lies the famous Guinness Brewery, which also does tours.
11.30am - Before walking over Dublin's newest bridge, the Sean O'Casey footbridge, you will notice a bronze monument depicting starving people on their way to the famine ships. From the bridge you get a fine view of the Customs House.
12.00pm - Take a taxi to Sandytown and stop for lunch at Caviston's Restaurant for a selection of local seafood and finish off with a mango and passion fruit tart. Make sure you arrange a reservation in advance.
1.00pm - Just 100 metres from Caviston's lies the rocky shore of Dublin bay where you can follow the coast road skirting Sandycove Harbour and winding its way past James Joyce's tower where he wrote and set the first chapter of Ulysses, celebrated every year on June 16.
2.00pm - Continue along the coast to arrive at Bulloch Harbour, a protected fishing village in medieval times which is still a small, working Port. In warmer months it's a popular spot for anglers and visitors hiring fishing boats.
3.00pm - Opposite the harbour is Bulloch Castle which was built by the Cistercian monks to protect their fishing rights. By the side of the castle is a set of steps leading into the quaint, heritage town of Dalkey which is home to a list of Irish celebrities including singers Enya, U2's Edge, Chris de Burgh, and former Formula One star driver Eddie Irvine.
Continue up the hill to the park for a panoramic view across the bays of Dublin and Killiney stretching to the Wicklow mountains. No wonder the stars choose this as home.
6.00pm - For dinner try the Guinea Pig Restaurant which is actually a fish restaurant or the Thai House Restaurant boasting a spicier Asian influence.
8.00pm - Pop into Finnegan's Sorrento Bar for a nightcap where you might find yourself sharing a table with author Maeve Binchy or film directors Neil Jordan or Jim Sheridan, all of whom are locals before heading to Dalkey train station to return to Dublin.
- REUTERS
