If you were a tourist, how would rate Dublin?

jetsonx

If you were a tourist, how would you rate Dublin as a tourist destination?

For example, do you think that Dublin has more or less "character" compared to Galway or Cork? Or, is Dublin just another example of a globalised and generic capital city?

pjohnson

Well I'd probably ask in the Dublin forum.

Silentcorner

jetsonx wrote: »

If you were a tourist, how would you rate Dublin as a tourist destination?

For example, do you think that Dublin has more or less "character" compared to Galway or Cork? Or, is Dublin just another example of a globalised and generic capital city?

Dublin has a different character than Galway or Cork, or Limerick and Waterford for that matter.

It certainly isn't an example of a globalised and generic capital city....it has a very unique character and history...

I'd say what you take from Dublin (or any city) depends on what you bring to Dublin...

Remember, tourists are like a flock of sheep...not always a trustworthy guage as to what makes a city...

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Galway has the best character. Dublin okay if you know where to go but to be honest if I was a tourist it wouldn't leave a great impression on me

arybvtcw0eolkf

pjohnson wrote: »

Well I'd probably ask in the Dublin forum.

But the're mostly Dubliners and not tourists.

I'd rate Dublin pretty high, if you come here with your research done then there's enough to keep any visitor occupied for a while, more than the usual city break time of 3-5 days.

We're let down by being very, VERY expensive. Esp in Templebar pubs.

And the amount of addicts and drug dealers along the quays (north and south), O'Connell St and O'Connell Bridge and the usual congregation of addicts at the junction of Jury's Christchurch is disgusting.

I've worked on doors in Templebar for over twenty years and these really are the issues highlighted to me by visitors.

Rumpy Pumpy

Loads to see, plenty of decent restaurants, places like Howth, and the Bray to Greystones walk within an hour on the train. Ya, I’d like it.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

biko

Smaller and with less things to see/do than London

Great choice of restaurants pubs and evening entertainment- enough to keep you busy for a weekend visit. Come visit and spend your Stg and Euro

riffmongous

It's grand for about a day. I always tell people going to Ireland, spend the first day in Dublin, go out on the lash and then get the f**k out of there and enjoy the countryside.

Howth is probably the best part of Dublin.

listermint

Most people have never seen their home city properly. This applies the world over . It's actually not a great question to ask a local contrary to what you would think locals are crap to judge from a tourists viewpoint

Knex*

Dublin is great. The more I actually travel to other cities, the more I appreciate it tbh.

The main Irish cities are improving all the time, imo. I've noticed steady improvement in both Cork and Dublin over the past couple of years in particular. Sure, there's issues, but not as bad as some people would make out.

Aglomerado

I'm here right now because there are things on here that aren't on in other parts of the country! (SPAMALOT!) Third event in Dublin this month alone for me. Happily my next gig's in Galway which makes a change. I like coming here but fcek it's expensive.

Klinkhammer

We have the Guinness Storehouse which is great if you like paying money to look at a few old ads with a couple of thousand other people and have a pint at the end for lots of money. I can see why the tourists flock there.

whoopsadoodles

Miriam Ugly Bearer wrote: »

We're let down by being very, VERY expensive. Esp in Templebar pubs..

It is mega expensive....but.....it's great fun for tourists.

And tbh, of all the places I've been in the past year it's on par with a few and certainly not the dearest of the bunch.

RobbingBandit

Travel very difficult lots of sightseeing very expensive for food and drink very dreary place too. Tourist trap is how I'd rate it purely from a tourist point of view.

Solomon Pleasant

Knex. wrote: »

Dublin is great. The more I actually travel to other cities, the more I appreciate it tbh.

The main Irish cities are improving all the time, imo. I've noticed steady improvement in both Cork and Dublin over the past couple of years in particular. Sure, there's issues, but not as bad as some people would make out.

Actually, there are some very serious issues, especially in Dublin.

The housing crisis and ever increasing rents is as bad as its being made out to be. As is homelessness and drug abuse.

Don’t sugarcoat the truth.

Aglomerado

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

It is mega expensive....but.....it's great fun for tourists.

And tbh, of all the places I've been in the past year it's on par with a few and certainly not the dearest of the bunch.

+1. Try going on the batter in Oslo or Reykjavik and it'll hurt you in the wallet. I did find €5 pints in Dublin last week ... Underdog on Dame Street!

Jimbob1977

There's a few good attractions for tourists, but nothing to detain a person in the city any longer than 48 hours.

Guinness Tour

Glasnevin Cemetery

Dublin Zoo

Trinity College

Apart from that, Dublin tourist life is centred on pubs.

Howth and Dun Laoghaire are nice options also

corner of hells

Solomon Pleasant wrote: »

Actually, there are some very serious issues, especially in Dublin.

The housing crisis and ever increasing rents is as bad as its being made out to be. As is homelessness and drug abuse.

Don’t sugarcoat the truth.

A tourist is hardly going to voice an opinion on housing or rental cost and most likely make just a passing comment in drug use and homelessness .

McMurphy

As others have already said, Dublin is let down by the price gouging that does go on in and around the Templebar area (though I find grub reasonable, but gargle is rip off) but so is any other tourist trap like it around the world.

The junkies are really problematic , and I don't know how that epidemic can ever be solved, they are everywhere .

In saying that, I still love the place. Great atmosphere, great city and (not being biased) dubs are salt of the earth people. I have lived all over the world, and it's in Dublin only that the the locals strike up random conversations with ya at bus stops or waiting on a luas etc.

You just don't get that friendliness elsewhere in cities.

Rumpy Pumpy

Dublin really isn’t that expensive, even around Temple Bar. Try London, Paris, Venice etc and see what expensive is. Loads of free attractions as well.

LirW

When I got together with my man I came here plenty of times as a tourist doing touristy things. Once I started living there it quite changed. That said I never found Dublin was a super exciting or charming city.
If you're staying in Temple Bar, doing Temple bar things and Guinness storehouse and maybe catch the Dart to Bray/Howth you'll have a nice time for a handful of days. But beside that Dublin doesn't have exciting districts like loads of other cities do, Dublin has a serious lack of public bins and you can see that when you're not on the main shopping streets.

The public transport is incredibly poor and a nightmare to get around. When I had family members over and they'd stay at an Airbnb and they wouldn't simply wanna go to the city centre there were a lot of awkward journeys on public transport involved. Transport from the Airport into the city is awkward too.
If you wanna come on a quite short notice is a nightmare to find half decent accommodation and you sometimes end up paying top dollar for some grimey Airbnb rooms or you have to go with the top end because everything affordable is long gone.

Now that I'm not living in Dublin anymore I sometimes go up for a night or two to see the In-laws and it's nice going for walks or having a wide variety of amazing food but I'm quite happy being back home again.

worded

Temple Bar is the cultural quarter of Dublin ... more culture in a tub of yoghurt

Franz Von Peppercorn

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Travel very difficult lots of sightseeing very expensive for food and drink very dreary place too. Tourist trap is how I'd rate it purely from a tourist point of view.

All tourist spots in Europe are tourist traps.

andekwarhola

corner of hells wrote: »

A tourist is hardly going to voice an opinion on housing or rental cost and most likely make just a passing comment in drug use and homelessness .

The first thing I look for when booking a continental weekend break is somewhere with a significant housing crisis.

andekwarhola

LirW wrote: »

When I got together with my man I came here plenty of times as a tourist doing touristy things. Once I started living there it quite changed. That said I never found Dublin was a super exciting or charming city.
If you're staying in Temple Bar, doing Temple bar things and Guinness storehouse and maybe catch the Dart to Bray/Howth you'll have a nice time for a handful of days. But beside that Dublin doesn't have exciting districts like loads of other cities do, Dublin has a serious lack of public bins and you can see that when you're not on the main shopping streets.

The public transport is incredibly poor and a nightmare to get around. When I had family members over and they'd stay at an Airbnb and they wouldn't simply wanna go to the city centre there were a lot of awkward journeys on public transport involved. Transport from the Airport into the city is awkward too.
If you wanna come on a quite short notice is a nightmare to find half decent accommodation and you sometimes end up paying top dollar for some grimey Airbnb rooms or you have to go with the top end because everything affordable is long gone.

Now that I'm not living in Dublin anymore I sometimes go up for a night or two to see the In-laws and it's nice going for walks or having a wide variety of amazing food but I'm quite happy being back home again.

If you can only afford a crappy Airbnb miles outside the city, it's going to impact your stay.


You're better off visiting a cheaper location if cost is such an issue.

I know you lived here but I'm thinking from the perspective of a potential tourist.

Plus as others have pointed out, there's quite a few cities in Europe that are as or more expensive than Dublin

humberklog

Solomon Pleasant wrote: »

Actually, there are some very serious issues, especially in Dublin.

The housing crisis and ever increasing rents is as bad as its being made out to be.
Don’t sugarcoat the truth.

Yeah, that's really tarnished any experience of a foreign city I've visited.
But I try my best to take on the domestic socio political woes of the locals wherever I go. Makes the experience feel real.

Then I retire to me cheap as chips air b and b 3 bed apartment on my own.

worded

Went to Coopers on Wed night and the ventilation was excellent.

My mate and I got hit on by a young wan as well, Couldnt recomend the place enough

tonycascarino

Overrated, overpriced with walking zombies and beggars everywhere

pauliebdub

I had visitors over a few years ago who had never visited Dublin before so I took a few days off and did some touristy stuff some of which I'd seen before.

The highlights were Kilmainham Gaol, St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Castle and the Chester Beatty library, the stunning Georgian architecture , Howth and a trip around Dun Laoghaire, Killiney and Dalkey were enjoyed as were the pub crawls around some of the better bars in Dublin some of which had live music and a great atmosphere.

Low lights were the Guinness store house, which we thought wasn't interesting enough to justify the expensive fee, temple bar an expensive kip, Trinity college and the book of keeps were considered underwhelming. Eating out was also expensive if we wanted something better than carvery lunches or fast food. The city centre can be dirty and run down in parts with an anti social element.

Knex*

worded wrote: »

Went to Coopers on Wed night and the ventilation was excellent.

There's always people in there sucking the face of each other alright, I'm sure that contributes on the ventilation front.

Odyssey 2005

Overpriced kip. Best thing in it is the airport.

whoopsadoodles

I've done loads of touristy things. I've gotten the hop on hop off bus. The Viking splash tour. Kilmainham Gaol. Guinness tour. Collins barracks. All of the museums.

Spent a fortune in temple bar to dance with the real tourists!

Honestly a great town. I really like it. Possibly because I know it so well and am so comfortable in it perhaps? The only time I've ever felt unsafe was when a few years ago down near Solas on wexford street and there were a few heads about the place looking for trouble. Other than that, never crossed words with a soul and never felt unsafe. Again, I guess because I know it. Also I grew up in a not very affluent area so maybe that helps?

corner of hells

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Overpriced kip. Best thing in it is the airport.

The airport's a tourist attraction now ?

fatknacker

I'd say tourists rate it quite high, considering they're fvcking everywhere.

LirW

andekwarhola wrote: »

If you can only afford a crappy Airbnb miles outside the city, it's going to impact your stay.


You're better off visiting a cheaper location if cost is such an issue.

I know you lived here but I'm thinking from the perspective of a potential tourist.

Plus as others have pointed out, there's quite a few cities in Europe that are as or more expensive than Dublin

Well some people travel for family. I always had a stay with my partner but I had a few quite spontaneous visits from my mother for example because she wanted to visit us but also see a specific art exhibition.
If you're having a certain budget, you'll have a tough time finding something on short notice when you can't pay 200 quid per night.
If you have more time to plan, it's no problem at all.

Other, more expensive cities usually have more to show than Temple bar and Guinness in all fairness.
Copenhagen is expensive but it's a wonderful, clean nice city where it's easy to get around and loads of things to see.

Nettle Soup

I would advise any tourist to give Dublin a max of 1 day and then head immediately to the west coast counties (Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal).

Otherwise they are wasting their time. Unless they are on a stag or hen.

meeeeh

andekwarhola wrote: »

If you can only afford a crappy Airbnb miles outside the city, it's going to impact your stay.


You're better off visiting a cheaper location if cost is such an issue.

I know you lived here but I'm thinking from the perspective of a potential tourist.

Plus as others have pointed out, there's quite a few cities in Europe that are as or more expensive than Dublin

I think LirW has a point about public transport. Dublin is also dirty and frankly there are only so many fast food joints and mobile phone shops one finds interesting. From a tourist perspective there are plenty of things to do and see but just wandering around city is not great at all. Too much traffic, dirt/rubbish and not enough pedestrianised areas. Part of it is also weather, Dublin will never have the outdoor cafe culture some warmer cities have. On a positive side, service in Ireland is miles ahead of some other (especially European) cities.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Nettle Soup wrote: »

I would advise any tourist to give Dublin a max of 1 day and then head immediately to the west coast counties (Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal).

That would be a crap and very very long city break.

I’ve done the tourist thing in Dublin twice when I lived abroad. My brother does it every year with a school group from the continent. There’s lots to do.

To the heard of understanding in general a trip to a city tends to be a few days. 3 days max. Very few people spend two weeks in a city unless visiting relatives or for work. Plenty to do in Dublin.

Odyssey 2005

corner of hells wrote: »

The airport's a tourist attraction now ?

Only at Christmas.

Franz Von Peppercorn

meeeeh wrote: »

I think LirW has a point about public transport. Dublin is also dirty and frankly there are only so many fast food joints and mobile phone shops one finds interesting. From a tourist perspective there are plenty of things to do and see but just wandering around city is not great at all. Too much traffic, dirt/rubbish and not enough pedestrianised areas. Part of it is also weather, Dublin will never have the outdoor cafe culture some warmer cities have. On a positive side, service in Ireland is miles ahead of some other (especially European) cities.

Some tourists don’t even cross the Liffey except on a tour bus. If you are ensconced in the shelbourne, the problems of talbot street aren’t an issue. But there again other European cities have problems with dirt, pick pocketing and graffiti

doolox

Many medium sized European Cities are well ahead of Dublin when it comes to tourism.

Malaga

Munich

Innsbruck

Venice

South of France

But Capital cities such as London, Berlin and Istanbul are actually more full of chancers. scumbags and overchargers than Dublin.

How Soon Is Now

fatknacker wrote: »

I'd say tourists rate it quite high, considering they're fvcking everywhere.

I honestly can't tell the difference who's a tourist and who's living here now a days in Dublin.

Here's a taught though..... the ways things are going in few years time anyone who travels over to Ireland who visits Dublin will probably learn more about South America Asian or Eastern European culture!!

Vita nova

Nettle Soup wrote: »

I would advise any tourist to give Dublin a max of 1 day and then head immediately to the west coast counties (Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal).

Otherwise they are wasting their time. Unless they are on a stag or hen.

Very much depends on the type of tourist.
Also, you left out Co. Leitrim.

SEPT 23 1989

I would say it's a great city to visit if you are into your architecture,history and gargle

corner of hells

doolox wrote: »

Many medium sized European Cities are well ahead of Dublin when it comes to tourism.

Malaga

Munich

Innsbruck

Venice

South of France

But Capital cities such as London, Berlin and Istanbul are actually more full of chancers. scumbags and overchargers than Dublin.

I see a problem with your post .
South of France may not be a city.

LirW

doolox wrote: »

Many medium sized European Cities are well ahead of Dublin when it comes to tourism.

Malaga

Munich

Innsbruck

Venice

South of France

But Capital cities such as London, Berlin and Istanbul are actually more full of chancers. scumbags and overchargers than Dublin.

In fairness you're comparing the South of France as "City" to Innsbruck (120kk ppl) to Munich (1,5 million ppl) to Dublin. I get what you mean though.

Have to agree on the Capital thing though, London I absolutely hate to travel to, Berlin I personally love but that's organic Hipster Haven now with some over glorified night clubs with crappy music. In general if you travel Southern Europe you need to lower your standards a bit (especially Italy, been there loads of time and I find it genuinely more hassle than enjoyable travelling there).

I genuinely enjoy Dublin weekends, I really do, I love going to the pub or having one of the super nice takeaways you can get or Howth I'm crazy about. But then I'm pretty glad to go home down into the sticks again.


The thing why Dublin is so popular is, it has some nice sides to it, that's out of question, but it also has a reputation abroad that attracts people. Back home a horseload of people wanted to come here for the culture of Dropkick Murphy, Pub, Temple Bar, Shamrocks and Aran Sweaters and the 3 pictures of castles they have seen on Google.
That's what Ireland sells to tourists and it does it right, because THAT sells.
It doesn't give a right picture though of how life in Ireland is like because that's nothing like it at all.

Oops69

riffmongous wrote: »

It's grand for about a day. I always tell people going to Ireland, spend the first day in Dublin, go out on the lash and then get the f**k out of there and enjoy the countryside.

Howth is probably the best part of Dublin.

Howth isn't Dublin , its a village outside of Dublin , i don't think the people you' re 'telling' would take much notice of ignorant advice .

LirW

Come on, Howth is connected to the Dart, everything that's connected to it is pretty much Dublin, will ya stop that post code snobbery jesus.

meeeeh

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Some tourists don’t even cross the Liffey except on a tour bus. If you are ensconced in the shelbourne, the problems of talbot street aren’t an issue. But there again other European cities have problems with dirt, pick pocketing and graffiti

You don't need to cross the Liffey, Grafton street isn't that great. It's one of the few pedestrianised areas and instead of cars you are avoiding buskers, people with different advertising boards or Jehovah Witnesses. It could be worse but there are a lot of central/northern European cities I would find more pleasant. If there were more rubbish bins things would improve significantly.