Dubliners are fiercely proud of their city, and while
DUBLIN
is the Republic of Ireland's capital it is quite apart from, and can be dismissive of, the rest of the country - one Dublin wag once remarked with characteristic caustic humour that "the only culture outside Dublin is agriculture". Over the past decade, as young people from rural Ireland and all over Europe, gravitate toward the city to share in the wealth, not experienced since Dublin's much celebrated Georgian heyday, this urban/rural divide has started to wane. As a result Dublin exudes the style and confidence of any cosmopolitan European capital - most apparent at night when Dubliners party with a panache verging on the reckless. Dublin's economic upturn is impacting on the city's rapidly changing urban landscape too, with restaurants, cafés, bars and clubs opening in abundance, and Dublin's famous pub scene is now matched by an equally celebrated club scene. On the downside, however, its reputation as one of the party capitals of Europe has attracted droves of "alco-tourists" who arrive in the city for booze-fuelled weekends; they have become such a problem that some areas of the city, such as Temple Bar, have actually banned stag and hen parties.
Arrival And Information :
Buses from out of town, the airport included, will drop you at or close by the
Central Bus Station
, or Busáras (tel 836 6111), in Store Street, behind the Custom House. Right by the river, this is dead central for almost anywhere in the city and is one of the few places you can leave luggage during the day (£2-3/?2.54-3.81). The city is served by two main
train stations
: Connolly and Heuston (tel 836 6222). The former is on Amiens Street, behind the bus depot, while Heuston Station is in the west of the city just south of the river from Phoenix Park.
Coming in from the
airport
, six miles north of the centre, you can take the official airport bus for £3.50/?4.44 or a scheduled city bus (#41A or #41C) will do the same job for £1.15/?1.46. Either takes around half an hour to reach the bus station. Alternatively, a taxi will cost you not more than £12/?15.24. If you arrive by
ferry
, you'll come in at one of two harbours: Dún Laoghaire (pronounced Learey ; for Stena Line services), six miles south, is on the efficient DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) city train network, which will whisk you into town in about twenty minutes; Dublin Port (Irish Ferries/B&I), one mile east of the centre itself, is served by local buses #53 and #53A, though it is common for coaches from the UK to continue to Busáras in Store Street.
The telephone code for Dublin is 01
More Dublin information... |
Call toll free..
US and Canada: 1-800-780-5733
Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
Use discount code: 89865
