Dublin - as a tourist destination

this isn't a travel question per se thats why its in off topic.

When I was younger and experienced few different clutures, i always assumed Dublin was the best place to go for a weekend or possibly longer. Then I realised that not everyone just goes on away weekends to experience the atmosphere, craic and the drinking. I always thought Dublin would be one of those places that would get second-time visitors, but then as I thought a little more, I wondered what does it actually have really? Is it somewhere that would get people coming a second time ( I dont think so )? Finally how does it compare to other european cities?!
So what does it have:

Wax museum
Dublin Castle
Guiness Brewery
Croke Park ( yes believe it or not )
Trinity tour thing ( book of kells etc )

and then bar a few other small things I cant really think, its a city that could really be done in 2 days. Whereas if you look to other cities they have more historical buildings, better architecture, better restaurants ( variety etc ), better museums and so on and so forth.

Its disappointing really as I always felt dublin was up there with the best of them. Reading the restaurant thread got me thinking....

Wax museum
Dublin Castle
Guiness Brewery
Croke Park ( yes believe it or not )
Trinity tour thing ( book of kells etc )
Kilmainham Jail
IMMA
National Gallery
National Museum
The Spire :o
Hugh Lane Gallery
and of course Temple Bar

Isn't the wax museum gone now?
You could add the open top bus tours, the zoo (I seem to always end up in the zoo wherever I go), Christchurch, IMMA, National Art Gallery and the Abbey off the top of my head.
Still probably a city you could see most of in a weekend. You could say the same about places like Edinburgh though, yet I keep going back there.

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National Gallery
National Museum

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i actually didnt think of them, kilmainham gets a lot of tourist ppl alright, the others im not so sure, temple bar is just an area though, not necessarily an attraction ( different to what i mentioned above )

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

i actually didnt think of them, kilmainham gets a lot of tourist ppl alright, the others im not so sure, temple bar is just an area though, not necessarily an attraction ( different to what i mentioned above )

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I think the National Museum gets a decent amount of business as its free and the Luas stops right outside it.

Smithfield and the Jameson distillery are probably two other tourist attractions.

Golf, horse-racing, greyhound racing, Christchurch could be added to the list of attractions.

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

(I seem to always end up in the zoo wherever I go)

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You're not a gorilla by any chance?:p

Phoenix Park, Wicklow Mountains, pubs in general. A travel magazine I read recommended a trip on the DART. Depends on how you define Dublin though.

Think a lot of tourist guides recommend Temple Bar with caution, given it's a tourist trap of sorts. Don't know if it's as much of a draw as we think.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

You're not a gorilla by any chance?:p

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A gorilla that got a lap top and a Foot.ie account for Christmas? :)

EDIT - (who has a command of English and can type also).

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

I wondered what does it actually have really? Is it somewhere that would get people coming a second time ( I dont think so )?

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I think one of the things that makes people visit a place a second time is when, even after visiting all the tourist attractions in the travel guide, you still want to go back to experience the atmosphere.

Very basic stuff like walking down a clean street, nice parks to visit, shops having interesting products for sale, people being friendly and helpful, no transport problems to creat hassle.

I'd imagine it is simple stuff like that wich generates repeat visits.

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Originally Posted by Wolfie

A gorilla that got a lap top and a Foot.ie account for Christmas? :)

EDIT - (who has a command of English and can type also).

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They're an intelligent species;).

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Originally Posted by osarusan

Very basic stuff like walking down a clean street, nice parks to visit, shops having interesting products for sale, people being friendly and helpful, no transport problems to creat hassle.

I'd imagine it is simple stuff like that wich generates repeat visits.

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Pretty much exactly what makes me go back to Edinburgh and why I loved Karlsruhe. I'm not a drinker and neither is the girlfriend so it's not atmosphere and craic in the pub sense that we look for. It's really about the feel of the place in general. Good public transport/pedestrian access is definitely a massive plus.


**Edit - I should add that since the recent haircut and shave I'm far less gorilla like, maybe next time I'll avoid ending up in a zoo -**

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Originally Posted by Wolfie

A gorilla that got a lap top and a Foot.ie account for Christmas? :)

EDIT - (who has a command of English and can type also).

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im not so sure about the last bits ;) whoops that was aimed at you wolfie :D *jokes* - btw i hate writing like a nerd like that

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Originally Posted by Wolfie

A gorilla that got a lap top and a Foot.ie account for Christmas? :)

EDIT - (who has a command of English and can type also).

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Just dawned on me - didn't the above text appear as an advert for a Sun Sport Reporter post recently?

The Square
Watergate Park,
Hellfire Club,
The River Dodder,
Views of the Wiclow Mountains and Dublin Hills,
Jobstown Inn.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

You're not a gorilla by any chance?:p

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Wouldn't it be brilliant if a well considered Foot.ie member, with about 5,000 posts, turned out to be a Gorilla in the zoo with a laptop!!! :D

Everyday pondering such topics as "The David Connolly Thread" :D

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Originally Posted by Wolfie

Wouldn't it be brilliant if a well considered Foot.ie member, with about 5,000 posts, turned out to be a Gorilla in the zoo with a laptop!!! :D

Everyday pondering such topics as "The David Connolly Thread" :D

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ah thanks wolfie ;)

Dublinia is worth a visit for people who like history and especially if you have foreigners travelling with you to Dublin. Also Irish Whiskey Corner... like the Guinness tour for spirit lovers. And of course if you are football fan and not a barstooler, there's always the away fixtures at places like Tolka Park, Dalymount Park, Richmond Park, The UCD Bowl, Carlisle Grounds ( it's on the DART Bray fans) and of Glenmalure II in Tallaght coming soon!

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

ah thanks wolfie ;)

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I just checked your post count there, Paul!! :D

I'd picked 5,000 off the top of my head :D

Sketch - here's the Zoo Keeper!!

Don't think any one mentioned the Botanic Gardens, well worth a visit for those with green fingers.

Howth on a fine day is still a good way to spend a few hours.

There's a few miles of a walk along the cliff's at Balscaddan Bay, Howth which has some nice scenery.

A lot of well flash gaff's along the route if you're into burglary as well.

Fatima Mansions is a lovely, lovely location!!:eek::D

Actually, Dun Laoghaire is a very nice, posh spot with a lovely walk along the promenade.

What about Leeson Street??:D:D:D

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

i actually didnt think of them, kilmainham gets a lot of tourist ppl alright, the others im not so sure, temple bar is just an area though, not necessarily an attraction ( different to what i mentioned above )

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If you go out to Kilmainham, right beside there is the Memorial Park on the banks of the Liffey, lovely place for a late afternoon early evening stroll towards the "rapids".
That park is an oasis in the middle of an urban sh** hole.

Sorry to tell you thunderblaster but Fatima Mansions are gone a few years now new apartment blocks their instead now.

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Originally Posted by sliced pan

Sorry to tell you thunderblaster but Fatima Mansions are gone a few years now new apartment blocks their instead now.

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Are they now called Fatima Apartments??:confused::eek::D