All through December we'll be showcasing the best of the holiday season in cities around the world. Today it's Christmastime in Dublin and we've asked local experts for the essential ways to enjoy the winter's best. Visitors and locals alike come together to celebrate the holidays and the New Year, and we encourage you to share your own favorites with us in the comments below. You can find all of the cities we've already visited and stay up to date on the rest by bookmarking the series here.
Àine Kavanagh, Marketing
Dublin Tourism
- Dare to bare like a true Dub and take a dip in the Forty Foot. This popular bathing spot in the pretty seaside town of Sandycove has been featured in the writings of James Joyce and it is customary for locals and brave visitors alike to take the plunge every Christmas Eve and New Year's Day!
- Wander through Temple Bar, the Old City where the cobbled streets are lined with festive market stalls.
- Wrap up in your winter woolies and take to the ice at one of Dublin's seasonal ice rinks.
- Visit one of Dublin's restored Edwardian houses. Farmleigh, in leafy Phoenix Park, will be decorated in traditional Edwardian Christmas style; food markets, storytelling, flower arranging, and plenty of singing will help you get into the spirit of the season.
- Housed in a historic former church, the Dublin Tourism Centre is your one-stop shop for an unforgettable Christmas in Dublin. Find out what's happening throughout the city, book accommodations and tours, and purchase unique Irish Christmas gifts in the gift shop. On Sunday, December 14, Saint Andrews Choir, Westland Row will sing Christmas Carols in Dublin Tourism Centre, Suffolk Street from 1- 2 p.m.
- Indulge in a white hot chocolate or a steamy cappuccino served with a handmade chocolate at one of Dublin's Butlers Chocolate Cafés. Pick out a box of truffles to take home.
- No Dublin Christmas would be complete without having a pint of
Guinness with friends. Visit the home of Guinness at St. James' Gate and with the best views in the city at the Gravity Bar. Or drop into one of Dublin's
many traditional pubs and enjoy your pint by a cozy fire.
Sean Lally, Head Concierge
The Merrion Hotel
- The live crib outside the Mansion House, on Dawson Street, which is a gift from the farmers to citizens of Dublin. The crib is life-size with real animals and is open to the public until Christmas Eve.
- The new eco Christmas tree which is lighting up O'Connell Street this year. The 60-foot French-designed structure is created with 100,000 bulbs of different sizes and is an eco-friendly substitute to the normal large evergreen Christmas tree.
- Afternoon tea in The Merrion Hotel with Christmas carols, surrounded by fireplaces and our magnificent art collection.
- Ice skating in Smithfield.
- Enjoy Christmas carols at St Patrick's Cathedral, sung annually by the
Cathedral choir on Christmas Eve.
- Christmas events in the Phoenix Park held every Sunday morning in December. Children join to make Christmas decorations, cards, and meet the deer in Phoenix Park.
Sinead Cox, Manager of Public Relations The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, County Wicklow
- Take a stroll down Grafton Street, our main shopping area, which is decorated with twinkling white lights - both to entice shoppers and create a magical feel. The Christmas windows in the leading department store, Brown Thomas, should not be missed.
- Stroll down the boardwalk of the Liffey river to Dublin's Docklands and visit the 12 Days of Christmas Festival as it returns to George's Dock this year from now through Dec. 23. This charming yuletide festival brings together over 80 market traders selling a range of Christmas gifts (handmade jewelry, stained glass, wooden toys, artwork, and home accessories), seasonal food, and stocking fillers. Enjoy mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, along with other delicious Christmas treats.
- Traditional Irish Christmas fare in Ireland consists of roast turkey and ham with brussel sprouts and potatoes. For dessert, plum pudding, mince pies, and trifle are all popular as families share gifts and children start to relax after the excitement of Santa visiting on Christmas Eve. A drink for Santa Claus and his reindeers is left out on Christmas Eve with perhaps a slice of cake or a mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph. Families start to bake Christmas cakes and puddings from the beginning of December.
Photo: Shoppers on Grafton St. by Ben Millett, via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool
Subscribe to RSS feed
Subscribe to RSS feed
Hi, just wanted to say thanks for using my photo on this post. Happy to have my photo on national geographic!
Thanks Ben! It's a gorgeous shot. Thanks for joining our Flickr pool.
this is one of the nice blog i ever visted. keep it up. you are doing a great work.
When Christmas season come in Dublin it increases the pleasure of the people of this city.
I have also celebrated it.
sorry mates got bit a bit in responding.actually i was having an extended new year celebration(jokin!!!!)..but I must say that your shots are great.really liked it.
I've never understood why so many people seek out Bewleys (in the picture). There are so many great cafés in Dublin - you only ever hear about the pubs - so there is no need to go into Bewleys. Metro Café just a 100 metres from where Stephens Green and Grafton Street is one of my favourites but there are so many others of course!
And for scones, the best place in Dublin is Keogh's on Trinity Street. Keogh's lived up to the drunken Irish lass's rambling recommendation.
I have been to Dublin Ireland few times and I am lucky enough to celebrate my Xmas and New year events there, since I got my best friend living and working in Dublin its fun being there, just being as a local and getting the best out of my trip....I find Ireland / Dublin a hot spot for travelers and tourists, and guess, I daily meet so many travelers and tourists here in our Coach Company premises which use our airport pickup and aiport transfer service, coach hire, minibus hire and limo hire and mostly they are going Ireland....God bless Ireland.