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Compact, cosmopolitan and convivial, Dublin is a small capital with great heart. Its rich heritage is visible all over the city from Viking remains to Georgian grandeur, historic churches to august colleges, and in leafy parks and along meandering canals.

Known for its traditional pubs, diverse literary connections and witty banter, it's a place to wander museums and galleries, brush up on Irish political history and enjoy a pint of the black stuff. Set between the Irish Sea and the Wicklow Mountains, Dublin also offers easy access to the great outdoors.

Youthful energy, a vibrant music scene, green spaces, a tumultuous yet proud history, burgeoning craft beers and dishes that break with Ireland’s ‘meat and potatoes’ stereotype: this is what makes me particularly fond of Dublin.

UK & Ireland specialist Marissa

Things to see and do in Dublin

St Patrick's Cathedral

Supposedly built on the site of a well used by Saint Patrick, this Anglican cathedral is the largest in Ireland. Although a church has stood on this spot since the 5th century, construction on the current building began in 1220. Over the next 700 years it suffered from fire, collapse and neglect at various times and has been remodeled on numerous occasions.

The structure remains largely Gothic, with a soaring nave, ornate decoration and a lavish Lady Chapel. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, was dean here in the 18th century. The cathedral also has a distinguished choir, who perform here every day during the school term.

Ireland's oldest university was established in 1592 by Elizabeth I and sits right in the heart of the city. An assembly of stately Georgian buildings surrounds a series of tranquil squares and greens that have played a central role in Irish history. Many of the country's most famous politicians, entrepreneurs and writers, such as Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett, studied here.

Today, Trinity has more than 16,000 students and you can wander with them around the grounds, admiring the buildings and soaking up the atmosphere. It's also worth visiting the Long Room in the Old Library. A magnificent 65 m (213 ft) hall lined with towering bookshelves, it’s one of the city's most enchanting spaces and home to the university's oldest books, documents and instruments, including the Book of Kells.

Book of Kells

Trinity's greatest treasure, the wondrous Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript depicting the four gospels of the New Testament. It dates from about 800 AD, making it one of the oldest books in the world.

The incredibly intricate and vivid illustrations, on which many Irish souvenirs are based, were probably created by Irish monks at Saint Colmcille's Monastery on the remote island of Iona in Scotland. Fleeing attacks by marauding Vikings, they brought the book to Ireland in about 806 AD.

Although only two pages of the manuscript are on show at any one time, its setting in the Long Room and its near incomprehensible age make it a fascinating relic to seek out.

Guinness Storehouse

One of Ireland's biggest global brands is crafted at the St James's Gate Brewery by the banks of the River Liffey in central Dublin. A whopping 2.5 million pints of stout are produced here every day, and you can get an insight into the process at the Guinness Storehouse, a visitor attraction that has sophisticated interactive displays on the brewery's history and the processes involved in making the perfect pint.

The Guinness Storehouse is set over seven floors in a former fermentation plant and is topped by the lively Gravity Bar, where you can sip a pint of the black stuff while admiring the panoramic views down over the brewery and the city.

St Stephen's Green

Set in the heart of south central Dublin, St Stephen's Green is a large, leafy square surrounded by grand Georgian townhouses. In summer, its lawns, benches and playground are packed with lunching office workers and families, while dog walkers make the rounds of the fountains and ponds.

The main entrance is through the Fusiliers' Arch, which commemorates the 212 Royal Dublin Fusiliers who died in the Boer War. Around the green are some of Dublin's finest properties, including the imposing Shelbourne Hotel, the Royal College of Surgeons, Newman House where you can see an example of Georgian style in the city, and the secluded neo-Byzantine Newman Chapel.

Georgian Dublin

In the 18th century, Dublin was still a very poor city, laid out on a medieval plan, full of slums and severely lacking in infrastructure. The wealthy Protestant professionals and clergy who were sent from Britain wanted to transform the city and set about widening roads, creating leafy squares and building stately, Palladian-style buildings. By the time they were finished, central Dublin was the finest outpost of the British Empire.

Across the city their legacy remains in the palatial townhouses of St Stephen's Green, and Merrion and Fitzwilliam Squares, as well as in the monumental public buildings such as the Four Courts and the Custom House, both of which overlook the Liffey.