The majority of city breaks follow the same basic structure: a tour of the city’s ’must-see' tourist sites, and a visit to each of its major museums and art galleries. Whilst you can learn a lot about a place in this way, it would be a shame to spend your whole time in a city reading bits of text on the walls of stuffy buildings, especially if you’re only there for a short stay. In Dublin some of the best places to see are outdoors, so you break up time spent exploring the city’s famous buildings with some fresh Irish air.
Picture spending a day walking through stunning parks and secret gardens, and finishing off with a pint of Guinness (of course) in a cozy pub. Sound good? So what are you waiting for? Book your transport, check yourself into a great hotel, and start planning your Dublin city break. To inspire your trip we’ve put together this list of the top three outdoor spaces in the city.
Dubh Linn Gardens
It’s amazing that so few tourists know about the Dubh Linn Gardens, which are hidden behind the very popular Dublin Castle. These gardens are the original place of the ‘dubh linn’ (dark pool) from which the city drew its name, so a stroll through them is definitely a must for new visitors of the city. Aside from being a great spot from which to view the castle, the Dubh Linn Gardens are also scattered with some bright and beautiful artworks, such as colourful ceramic tiles at the birdbath and a giant glass snake.
Trinity College
Walk in the footsteps of the likes of Oscar Wilde and Nobel laureate Samuel Beckett in the beautiful grounds of Trinity College. Early on Sunday morning is the best time to visit the college as it’s likely that most of the students will be asleep and you‘ll have the grounds to yourself. Here you’ll find elegant gardens as well as classical and contemporary buildings. If you’re visiting in the morning then you'll also get to hear the church bells whilst walking through the garden – a real treat.
Phoenix Park
With its herds of Fallow Deer and stunning floral gardens, you'll forget that you’re in the city when you visit Phoenix Park.Originally established in 1662 by the Duke of Ormond on behalf of King Charles II, the park provides a perfect escape after a day of sight-seeing. Popular attractions in the park include deer-spotting, its range of wildlife habitats, and The Victorian People’s Flower Gardens. The flower gardens in particular are a great spot to visit as a tea kiosk here serves lunches in an outdoor picnic area, allowing you to take in the ornamental lakes and the beautiful scenery.
Copyright © 2014 by Traveling Ted. This article was written by Ted Nelson and originally published on travelingted.com.
*Image of Linesman statue in Dublin via Shutterstock
*Image of Dublin Castle in Dublin via Shutterstock
