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Weekend

in Dublin

Livelier than ever, the Irish capital promises

culture and craic a-plenty – plus wild

adventures in the great outdoors, right on its

doorstep.

The River Liffey, which flows

through the centre of Dublin

Friday

Saturday Sunday

ST STEPHEN’S GREEN

Nine bucolic hectares flanked

by Georgian townhouses, St

Stephen’s Green is an ideal spot

for a leisurely stroll or a picnic.

Its tree-lined paths wind beside

lakes and flower gardens, while

manicured lawns are dotted with

Victorian bandstands and statues

of the city’s great and good, from

Irish patriots to writers Joyce and

Yeats (ststephensgreenpark.ie;

7.30am–dusk, from 9.30am Sun).

Packed with rare treasures from

across the globe, this is one of

Europe’s best small museums.

Highlights include early biblical

parchments, papyrus poems,

Chinese jade books and the

world’s finest collection of

illuminated Islamic texts. Make

time for its temporary

exhibitions, the Mediterranean-

and Middle East-inspired Silk

Road Café and the Zen-like roof

terrace (cbl.ie; Dublin Castle;

10am–5pm, from 11am Sat and

1pm Sun; free).

SOPHIE’S

Slip into a booth and watch the

sunset at Sophie’s, above the

Dean Dublin hotel. This

industrial-styled restaurant has

360-degree views of the city

through its glass walls. The menu

riffs on Irish, Italian and New

York cuisine, from calamari and

spiced chorizo bolognese to lamb

shank with champ mash, plus

barbecues and pizzas on the roof

terrace. Post-dinner, sip craft ale,

whiskey or cocktails as DJs spin

tracks ’til late (sophies.ie; 33

Harcourt St; breakfast, lunch &

dinner daily; mains from

US$12.50).

THE WINDING STAIR

This bookshop and restaurant is

a local institution, inside a

rickety townhouse by the Liffey.

Riffle through its new and

second-hand titles over a coffee

or head upstairs for home

cooking of seasonal local

produce, the likes of 28-day-

aged Irish beef, Dingle Bay crab

and chocolate torte (winding-

stair.com; 40 Lower Ormond

Quay; noon–5pm & 5.30pm–

10.30pm; mains from US$25).

GATE THEATRE

Ireland’s famously literary capital

is an excellent place to catch a

play. Head to the Gate Theatre,

whose elegant 18th-century

surrounds have hosted many a

historic debut. Irish, European

and American classics make up

the bill, and you might even

catch a movie star sharpening

their craft, as Orson Welles and

many others did before them

(gatetheatre.ie; Cavendish Row,

Parnell Sq; tickets from US$21).

THE COBBLESTONE

With its wood-panelled walls and

well-trodden floorboards, the

Cobblestone is an old-school

boozer that’s well off the tourist

trail in one of the city’s oldest

neighbourhoods. Billing itself as

a ‘a drinking pub with a music

problem’, the convivial spot hosts

nightly music sessions where

traditional musicians and new folk

talents let rip – settle in with a

good pint (cobblestonepub.ie;

77 King St N; live music from

US$5).

THE HUGH LANE

Set in a Georgian pile, this gallery

houses an excellent collection of

modern and contemporary art,

running the gamut from

Impressionist masterpieces by

Degas, Monet, Manet et al to Irish

artists such as Sean Scully. There’s

also the studio of Dublin-born

Francis Bacon, transported from

London and reassembled piece by

piece (hughlane.ie; Parnell Sq N;

closed Mon; free).

AQUA

Perched at the end of Howth’s

pier, Aqua serves up just-caught

seafood and locally sourced beef,

lamb and chicken, paired with

veggies from its own garden.

With floor-to-ceiling windows,

there’s a side order of sweeping

sea views, and, on Sunday

afternoons, a soundtrack of live

jazz. Wind down with a drink in

the bar before a walk around the

harbour (aqua.ie; 1 West Pier,

Howth; lunch & dinner Tue–Sun;

mains from US$19).

Chester Beatty Library is home to

many old books, such as this bible

Diners at The Winding Stair

restaurant above the bookshop

Smoked Irish salmon gravadlax

at Aqua, on the West Pier

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MINI GUIDE

COASTAL CYCLES

With more miles of beach than

Barcelona, Dublin’s coast is a

glorious place for a cycle. The

Irish Centre for Cycling offers bike

hire and tours such as Wheels

and Waves, pedalling from the

seaside town of Malahide, via its

sprawling castle grounds, to and

from the fishing village of Howth.

Cyclists also take a short boat trip

to an island known for its rare

birds and ancient ruined church

(irishcentreforcycling.ie; tour

US$31).

CHESTER BEATTY

LIBRARY