- IRELAND v ENGLAND
Weekend packages to follow England as they make the journey to Dublin to take on Ireland at Croke Park in February 2009.
From £649 per person
Dublin
Dublin is the capital city of Ireland, and has long been recognised as a superb place to enjoy a weekend away due to its thriving nightlife and its abundance of things to see and do.
In the wake of a remarkable economic boom, Dublin's landscape has changed immeasurably over the past decade. These days Dublin ranks among the top tourist destinations in Europe, largely due to the people who ensure that, despite whirlwind changes, Dublin remains one of Europe's most down-to-earth, friendly and accessible cities.
For partiers, the first stop is still Temple Bar, with its winding cobblestone streets and dozens of touristy bars. From there, it’s a short walk to Dame Street, which is lined with slightly more upmarket restaurants and pubs. This is also where you’ll find the towers of Dublin Castle once the seat of English colonial power in Ireland.
Heading west, Dame Street becomes College Green, leading to Trinity College, alma mater to Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Jonathan Swift. Trinity’s 16th-century campus makes for a pleasant stroll, and its Old Library holds the most famous book in Ireland: a medieval illuminated gospel known as the Book of Kells. From here you are within striking distance of Grafton Street.
The other end of Dame Street is the city’s church zone. First are the whitewashed walls of Christ Church Cathedral founded in 600 by Strongbow, the first conqueror of Ireland. A few blocks away, St Patrick’s has a glorious nave.
Head further west and you’ll find the Guiness factory where €14 entry fee buys two hours of black-stuff madness and a trip to the Gravity Bar.
