Did you know approximately one-third of Ireland’s population call County Dublin home? Famously welcoming, Dublin is a must-see destination for international students. Excellent transport routes mean hassle-free travel. London is just a 60-minute short-hop flight from Dublin Airport, while European cities such as Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam are easily accessed.
Ireland’s capital is a culturally diverse powerhouse steeped in history and architecture with legendary music, festival, and pub scenes.
Renowned for spawning literary heavyweights and famous names, Dublin County boasts many attractions. Dublin lays claim to a formidable artistic legacy from James Joyce and Bram Stoker (author of the Gothic masterpiece Dracula) to Bono and Colin Farrell.
Take a trip to Merrion Square, the birthplace of the flamboyant and often controversial, Victorian poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. A trio of memorial sculptures reclining on top of boulders presents visitors with the perfect photo opportunity. Spend an afternoon browsing the exhibitions within The Irish Museum of Art or stroll through St Stephen’s Green. James Joyce immortalised this beautiful urban park in his epic ‘Ulysses’.
Places of interest in County Dublin
So, what about the ‘Craic’? Dublin is famed for its friendliness, nightlife, and buzzing social scene. Located on the southern banks of the River Liffey, the cobbled streets of Temple Bar are alive with pubs, music venues, and restaurants. These intermingle with vintage shops, art installations, and quirky museums (including one solely dedicated to the mischievous fairy-like leprechauns of Irish mythology).
Don’t miss the crowd-pleasing Guinness Storehouse. Situated inside St James’s Gate Brewery, this is where Arthur Guinness’s world-famous beer started life in 1759. Other highlights include the Irish Whiskey Museum and Jameson Distillery Bow Street. These attractions celebrate Ireland’s other acclaimed alcoholic beverage, single-malt whiskey.
Why not spend a day discovering the diverse history and culture of the Emerald Isle? The Book of Kells Exhibition should feature highly on your what-to-do list. Located at the heart of Trinity College Dublin, The Book of Kells is a world-renowned 9th-century medieval manuscript considered one of Ireland’s top cultural treasures.
Dublin is also home to the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum, which charts Irish emigration to other countries across history and its impact. The museum was voted Europe’s leading tourist attraction at the World Travel Awards in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
An impressive array of international exhibits are displayed at Chester Beatty Museum and Library, the only Irish museum to be awarded European Museum of the Year. Described by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet as ‘not just the best museum in Ireland but one of the best in Europe’, this extraordinary institution should not be overlooked.
Is it any wonder Dublin tops wishlists for international study? There are many reasons to explore this fascinating county and the island beyond. An epic adventure and a lifetime of memories are only an email away.
