11 Sights worth Seeing
Once you've mastered the language of Dublin (see the 12 Words for Learning post), you are ready to explore Dublin. Below you'll find the 11 locations in Dublin that stole my heart during my sojourn on the Emerald Isle. Most of these aren't "touristy" spots because I've realized that some of the best parts of the city are those that people are unaware of!
1. Phoenix Park - On days where I actually woke up early enough to go for a run, I would always get to Phoenix Park. The park is home of the US ambassador, has a 10k running trail, is home to the Dublin Zoo, and even has some deers living in parts of it. My favorite part about the park is that every time I go, I discover new little alcoves or gardens or trails.
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| Deer in Pheonix Park. |
2. Trinity College's College Green - Trinity College has loads of green spaces, but the College Green is by far the largest. On any given day, you can see summer campers running around, teams practicing, cricket games being played, and more. My favorite times to go to the green, however, are on sunny days when it looks like every single student in Dublin decides to gather on the College Green.
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| Students hanging out around the College Green. |
3. Ha'Penny Bridge Area - Ha' penny bridge, photographed below, is such a key landmark in Dublin. I haven't grown tired of see it and the shops on the north side of it are fantastic! (This might just be because there's a store with dairy free ice cream, yogurt, and other goodies, but still.)
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| A view of Ha'Penny Bridge from the River Liffey taken on my kayaking trip on the river! |
4. River Bar's SalsaDublin - About twice a week, I've been going to River Bar and dancing the night away. It's lots of fun because the night starts with two (sometimes three) hours of classes following by a social dance club until every one has gone. I've improved incredibly in many genres including: Salsa on 1, Cuban Salsa, Bachata (both Dominican and Sensual), and even took a kizomba class!
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| My salsa teachers, Angelica and David, both from Venezuela. |
5. Dun Laoghaire - Dun Laoghaire is one of the piers around Dublin, and I love this one simply for the fact that it's where I learned to sail. Dun Laoghaire is also home to many seals that you can see floating around the marina, especially near the fresh fish market.
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| Dun Laoghaire marina. |
6. The River Liffey - The River Liffey is central to Dublin and is the main source of orientation for people all around Dublin. I like to walk along the side of it, watching young (stupid) boys jump off the bridges into the dirty water, sitting on one of benches, or just looking at all the bridges.
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| A selfie alongisde the River Liffey! |
7. Merchant's Arch Hidden Bookshop - The Merchant's Arch is what I like to consider as Dublin's equivalent to Diagon Alley. The Merchant's Arch is a hidden alley that connects the River Liffey to the Temple Bar area. The temple bar area is known for pubs and good times, so I was surprised to find a bookstore amidst it. This bookstore is up a small, narrow staircase and allows you to buy or trade books. It came in very handy when I was going through the Game of Thrones series this summer!
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| The inside of the hidden bookstore. |
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| The very narrow, easily overlooked stairs to the hidden bookstore! |
8. The Lab - Of course, after spending all these hours here, I've grown fond of the Molecular Population Genetics lab at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics. From messing with biohazardous chemicals to writing scripts at my desk, it's all been a great educational experience.
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| Me and my gel electrophoresis skills. |
9. Cafe Nero - On my third day in Dublin, I visited Cafe Nero for breakfast and fell in love. The cafe is two stories with patterned carpets on the floor and couches and tables as furniture. It looks as though you're stepping into your grandma's living room or dining room and is super comfortable to read a book in. They also have a really wide variety of teas!
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| A chocolate pastry and tea at Cafe Nero! |
10. The Fairy Park - Now, I'm not actually quite sure where this park is, but I sometimes walk through it on my way home. I do not know its name, I do not know its significance, but it makes for a fun detour because of the fairies that live in it! Yup, fairies! The local children create doors and windows so that the fairies can live more comfortable and be friendly with them. As it turns out, I learned that leprechauns are actually the only kind of fairies who can tell you where the fairies have hidden their gold. If you find a leprechaun and look at it in the eyes, the leprechaun is honor-bound to tell you the truth so long as you don't break the eye contact!
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| One of the many walls decorated with fairy doors and windows and stands. |
11. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre - Stephen's Green is a beautiful park in the middle of downtown Dublin. It is quite famous for its swans and beautiful gazebos. Next to the park lives the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre which not only looks beautiful, but has my favorite lunch spot inside of it! (It's basically the baked chicken version of Kentucky Fried Chicken.) I love browsing through the shops and then eating lunch as I look down on the street performers and people filing in and out of Stephen's Green!
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| Stephen's Green Shopping Centre. The seating area for the cafeteria is actually right along the corner of the building. |
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