Green Island three-leaf clover

Dublin and its attractions

Ireland is a country where you can meet a Pole as often as an Irishman. Thus, even without knowing the language, it is possible to communicate. Even though the climate is temperate, the actual Irish weather is changeable and capricious - it's best to carry an umbrella with you. But not only the aura can surprise you. For example, who knows that you give gifts to postmen before Christmas? And that Halloween comes from here, not America? Or how to explain the uncertainty of sellers who see in the hand of a tourist a banknote with a face value of more than 100 euro?

The capital of this interesting country is Dublin. To the south it is adjoined by the Wicklow Mountains, and the city itself is separated by the River Liffey. The easiest way to visit here is the "Hop on, Hop off" method, that is, traveling by bus. The local ones are multi-storey, they run every quarter of an hour, they stop in many places, and you can get off at any time - if the passing monument caught our attention. Then you can get on the next one and continue exploring.

Guinness Brewery

The Guinness Storehouse is a must-see. The brewery itself cannot be visited, but there is a kind of brewing museum here, where we will learn about the stages of beer production and the history of the company. The brewery has a lot in common with the initiator of the well-known book, but it is famous primarily for the production of dark beer. The "Gravity" bar is located on the top floor of the building, which offers a beautiful view of the city. You can admire it while sipping a creamy and coffee Guinness, which each visitor gets for free.

St. Patrick

From beer close to the patron saint of Ireland, i.e. St. Patrick's Day. On March 17, his feast is celebrated each year. It's a day off from work. The houses and streets are then flooded with green color, and the grand party with Irish beer, food and lively music lasts as long as five days. And here is another surprise - the official drink associated with Patrick's Day is not beer at all, but whiskey. For the tradition to be followed, on this day you have to drink a glass of whiskey, i.e. "Patrick's pitcher".

It is worth stopping at the figure of the Irish patron for a moment. The symbol of his holiday is a three-leaf clover. According to legends, on her example he explained to the first Irish Christians that God exists in three persons who form unity. Today we can admire the Dublin Cathedral of St. Patrick's Day. Admission to it is paid, but inside you can see interesting tombs and monuments. One of the most impressive is the 17th-century statue of the Boyle family.

Some sights

Situated on the Dublin Bay, the city occupies a unique position among cultural centers. Several Nobel Prize winners come from here, such as William Butler Yeats or Samuel Beckett. The largest Irish libraries are located here, including the National Library of Ireland. Ireland's most famous university is located in South Side - Trinity College, the first European university to begin awarding degrees to women. The library of the university houses the Book of Kells (Gospels of Kells), a manuscript from around 800, illuminated by Celtic monks.

Dublin Castle, built by the Normans on the site of the former Viking fortifications, is also noteworthy. The 12th-century Christ Church Cathedral is nearby. It was also built on the site of a building erected by the Vikings. Its present shape is the result of renovation from the end of the 19th century. We will also pay for admission here.

Afternoon and evening relaxation

After the sightseeing, and before the night madness, you can breathe fresh air and understand the idea of the Green Island. On the left bank of the river, there is Phoenix Park, home of wild fallow deer and one of the largest city parks in Europe. In the center, however, there is another, St Stephen's Greek, to which Dubliners go on Sunday walks with their children. Grafton Street, the city's most expensive shopping arcade, runs next to the park.

Dublin comes alive in the evening, echoing with the bustle of local pubs. Most of the beer pubs are concentrated around the city center. Especially a lot of them on Wexford Street and Harcourt Street. As there are a lot of young people in Dublin, the capital has adapted to them - not every city has that many live music clubs.

Tourists most often have fun in the vicinity of Temple Bar, where the streets have a specific medieval layout, which is why many consider this area a cultural district. The residents themselves prefer to party in other parts of the city, and this, according to them, is artificial and commercialized.

Another attraction in Dublin is easier to spot at night. It is the Monument of Light, a tall conical steel spire. We find her on O'Connell Street, the main shopping street. The spire is the focal point of the city and a symbol of the 21st century, and at night it emits light that is visible even in distant parts of the city.

While here, we'll quickly find out why sellers make a strange face when they see a large-value banknote. They will politely say that they are practically not used here. And if someone is interested in the idea of gifts for postmen, each Irishman will explain that gifts are given to people whose services were used during the passing year. Is it the milkman or the postman. After this explanation, you can continue sipping Guinness and enjoy your evening in a Dublin pub.