Things to do in Dublin

Nature · North-west of the centre

One of Europe's largest enclosed city parks, with a free-roaming herd of fallow deer and the President's residence inside it.

Local tip: The deer congregate near the Papal Cross in the mornings. Rent a bike at the Parkgate Street entrance — the park is far too big to cover on foot.

Neighborhood · North inner city

Red-brick terraces, small bars and independent coffee, a short walk from the centre and much less touristed.

Local tip: Manor Street and Stoneybatter proper are where locals drink. It's the neighbourhood people move to when Temple Bar has worn them out.

Nature · North coastal, end of the DART

A looped clifftop path around a fishing village headland, thirty minutes from the city on the DART.

Local tip: Do the purple route for the full loop and eat at the harbour afterwards. Go on a weekday — weekend DARTs to Howth are packed.

Culture · South inner city

Dublin's oldest quarter — the Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery and St Patrick's Cathedral within a few streets.

Local tip: Skip the Storehouse queue and do Teeling or Roe & Co instead; smaller, cheaper, and you'll actually talk to someone who works there.

Neighborhood · South of the canal

Leafy Victorian suburbs full of restaurants, a twenty-minute walk or short Luas ride from town.

Local tip: Ranelagh village has the best concentration of good restaurants in Dublin outside the centre, and you can actually get a table midweek.

Nature · South coastal

A rocky sea-bathing spot where Dubliners swim year-round, including Christmas morning.

Local tip: Locals swim here in January without wetsuits. Go in summer first, bring a flask, and don't underestimate how cold the Irish Sea is.