City Specific Information
Dublin
Georgian elegance aside, Dublin mightn’t seem as sexy or as sultry as other European capitals, but Dubliners will tell you that pretty things are as easy to like as they are to forget. Their beloved capital, about which they can be brutally unsentimental, has personality, which is much more important and lasts far longer. Garrulous, amiable and witty, Dubliners at their ease are the greatest hosts of all, a charismatic bunch whose soul and sociability are so compelling and infectious that you mightn’t ever want to leave.
Dublin has been making waves since the 9th century, and while you may have to dig deep to find traces of its Viking past, the city’s rich history since then is in evidence all around you, from its medieval castle and cathedrals to the splendour of the 18th century, when Dublin was the most handsome Georgian city in the Empire and its magnificent public and private buildings reflected the elevated status of its most privileged burghers. How power was wrested from their hands is another story, and you’ll learn that one in its museums and on its walking tours
Read more on Lonely Planet
Galway
The largest city in the county to which it lends its name, Galway is often referred to as the ‘most Irish’ of Ireland’s cities; it’s only one where you’re likely to hear Irish spoken in the streets, shops, and pubs!
Steeped in history, for sure, but the city buzzes with a contemporary and cultured vibe as students make up a quarter of the population. Remnants of the medieval town walls lie between shops selling Aran sweaters, handcrafted Claddagh rings and stacks of second-hand and new books. Bridges arch over the salmon-stuffed River Corrib, and a long promenade leads to the seaside suburb of Salthill, on Galway Bay, the source of the area’s famous oysters.
Read more on Lonely Planet
Belfast
In the not-so-distant past, Belfast was synonymous with internal strife, division, and the ugliest parts of the separation of Ireland from the United Kingdom. The city has made a remarkable transformation in recent years and now, the capital of Northern Ireland is home to seemingly innumerable restaurants, bars, shops, and attractions for nearly any kind of visitor. The murals and fenced-off neighborhoods found throughout the city remain to tell the story of a different time and a people tragically divided.