‘Dublin is an easy place to blow through your budget fast.’ You’re preaching to the converted here.
We love Dublin and we love it when outsiders express their admiration for the capital so we have to be able to take it on the cheek when a little bit of constructive criticism comes our way.
The influential Condé Nast Traveler recently published an online article titled ‘What Not to Do in Dublin’, which sought to provide an alternative guide to our capital city than what you’d find in most travel publications.
The article was largely positive and states from the outset that “regardless of what you do in Dublin, you’ll fall in love with its charm and history”.
For every tip on what not to do in Dublin, there’s a suggestion of what to do instead and it really does make for an interesting read.
Still, the pot shots at some-well known tourist attractions can’t be ignored.
Regarding Temple Bar, author Emily Westbrooks writes: “You’ll be surrounded by crowds of tourists, and will pay twice as much for a pint.”
Speaking about Grafton Street, she says: “Grafton Street is, unfortunately, lined with chain stores you’ll find in any city and packed with people all day long.”
And as for Irish breakfasts, Westbrooks opines: “Consisting of bacon rashers, pork sausages, fried eggs, pudding, toast and fried tomatoes, the full Irish breakfast is heavy fare at best and gluttonous at worst.
“Unless they’re hungover and looking for something to soak up the last night’s pints, locals won’t typically order it, let alone cook it for themselves.”
Westbrook also has a go at overpriced tourist attraction and advises against hop-on, hop-off bus tours, but the recommendations she does make illustrate that she did invest a lot of time in exploring what she describes as “Ireland’s beautiful capital”.
Have a read of the article in full for yourself here.
She’s spot on about Temple Bar, mind.
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