| Dublin - General Information |
Currency
Since January 2002 Irelands currency has been the Euro (€). Banks are open from 10.00-1600 Monday to Friday, with some opening late on Thursdays until 1700. Credit cards are widely accepted and most ATM machines accept card displaying the Plus and Cirrus symbols.
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Getting Around |
Dublin is a very easy city to get around on foot, as it is fairly compact and most of the attractions are within a short walk of each other. For sights further away, the bus service is cheap and efficient and links all parts of the city, while taxis are abundant and reasonably priced.
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When To Go / Climate |
Dublin has a mild climate, without extremes of weather, due to the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the gulf stream. January and February are the coldest months with July and August being the warmest. There can be showers at any time of the year although these are usually quick to pass.
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| Dublin Climate Chart |
| The following are approximate daily temperatures for Dublin: |
| JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUN |
JUL |
AUG |
SEP |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
| 6°C |
7°C |
9°C |
11°C |
14°C |
17°C |
19°C |
19°C |
16°C |
13°C |
8°C |
7°C |
| 43°F |
45°F |
48°F |
52°F |
57°F |
63°F |
66°F |
66°F |
61°F |
55°F |
46°F |
44°F |
Shopping |
Shopping hours in Dublin are normally 0900-1800 Monday –Saturday, with some city centre shops staying open until 2000 on a Thursday. Some shops open on Sundays, usually between 1200-1800.
Grafton Street and St Stephens Green Shopping Centre have a good selection of high street stores, as well as Brown Thomas, Dublins most exclusive department store with a great selection of designer brands. Nassau Street has a whole array of gift shops selling traditional items, Irish clothing, pottery and Waterford crystal. Larger department stores, and shopping malls can be found on and around O’Connell Street. |
Daytime Entertainments |
| Open-topped bus tours are a great way to familiarise yourself with the city, and you can hop on and off as you please. They leave from various points in the city every 15 minutes or so. The Guinness Hop Store, Jameson’s Distillery, Kilmainham Gaol, Phoenix Park, Dublin races and also Dublinia, the purpose built heritage centre are all worth a visit, or you may wish to just soak up the atmosphere in one of the many pubs.
Evening Entertainments
Dublin has a whole host of evening entertainment on offer to suit everyone. There are three theatres in Dublin, the Abbey, the Gate and the Gaiety, all providing a variety of shows. Two main highlights of the year are Opera season and the Dublin Theatre Festival in September. Dublins club scene is also very varied. Jazz, R&B, Salsa, Trendy or Seventies Disco to name but a few. Leeson Street has a good selection of clubs to suit all tastes, while Temple Bar is the place to go for a huge range of pubs, especially traditional Irish pubs where there may be live music to enjoy. Karaoke bars, comedy clubs and casinos also prove popular. There are lots of venues offering traditional Irish music and dance nights, which are a must when visiting Dublin.
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Eating Out |
| Eating out in Dublin can be as International or Traditional as you like. There is a wide range of cosmopolitan restaurants with American, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Lebanese, Russian, Japanese and even Transylvanian cuisine! However, no trip to Dublin is complete without sampling some traditional Irish fare. Irish stew, champ, boxty, mussels and stout, soda bread and Guinness cake are all on offer, and a hearty meal can be had in one of the many pubs or cafes. There are also fine restaurants within many of the hotels with Clarence, La Stampa and Shelbourne being among the best. |
