Top 10 things to do in Dublin this summer

TOP 10 things to see and do in Dublin this summer

Dublin is one of the best places to be this summer, with so many things to do! The city is extremely colorful when the sun is out and it is just as exciting on cloudy days too, whatever the weather Dublin won`t disappoint, with an event filled summer ahead.

On a sunny day in Dublin you have so many options to choose from, the best of which are outdoor activities where you can enjoy the sunshine, but don`t forget the sunscreen, as the sun can get really strong if we`re lucky!

1. Dublin Fringe Festival: this event takes place in the city between 5th and 20th September and is all about theatre, comedy, dancing, music and different kinds of spectacles all over Dublin city centre.
During these amazing 16 days we are bringing you some of the most interesting new and innovating artists from Ireland and from other countries too, who will surprise you with their great, fresh vision, besides the audience will also get involved in what is happening on stage, giving everyone a chance to participate in all the fun that the 2014 Dublin Fringe Festival has to offer.

2. Phoenix Park: one of many ways to appreciate Dublin outdoors is spending a few hours in the magnificent Phoenix Park, with its 707 hectares it is one of the biggest parks within a European city where you can spot some beautiful wild animals, like deer. This is the best place for a nice long walk followed by a hearty picnic sitting on a blanket in the grass, accompanied by a bottle of nice wine… how romantic! The park also houses the Dublin Zoo in case you are up to some more wildlife.

3. The seaside town of Bray: if the weather is on your side, then we suggest you to visit the beautiful seaside town of Bray in north County Wicklow, just 20 minutes away from Dublin City Centre. In this small and picturesque city you will be amazed by the Bray Beach, the Bray Head and the work of art Victorian townhouses lining the Bray Promenade. Besides all this beauty, the Bray Summerfest is on this summer with exciting programs every weekend between 4th July and 3rd August. And by the way, attendance is free!

4. Dublin Tour Bus: a comfortable option for a bright day when you just don`t feel like walking but you are keen to see as much of Dublin as possible in a single day, the Dublin Tour Bus is your best choice. Buses operate from 9 am every day and as you can hop on and hop off at any of the 33 stops located at the most popular Dublin sightseeing spots you can make sure not to miss any of the city`s big attractions!

5.The Dublin Horse Show: one of the year’s most spectacular social and sporting events, not only for horse lovers but also for people who would like to get a taste of the exciting arts and crafts exhibitions, shopping stalls, live music and restaurants & bars, apart from the jumping competitions. It takes place in the RDS between 6th and 10thAugust.

6. Airfield in Dundrum: this is a 38-acre urban-farm with a woodlands area that consists of more than 2000 native woodland trees, hedgerows and a farm with sheep, pigs and chicken that provide the eggs for the farms‘restaurant! You can get here easily with the green Luas line.

7. The Little Museum of Dublin: this is a relatively new exhibition located in Dublin City Centre, just five minutes from St Stephens Green. Their aim is to introduce their visitors to the 20th century Dublin, showing more than 5000 artifacts on exposition.

8. National Botanic Gardens: located just a five minutes’ drive from Dublin City Centre, this is the ideal place for a stroll on a sunny day where you will marvel at the most interesting species of exotic plants, apart from the National Herbarium and several glasshouses. And yes, the entry is free here as well!


9. Riverdance: see the icon of Irish Dancing, the famous Michael Flatley with his spectacular show, in Dublin`s Gaiety Theatre between 26th June and 2nd September. The first Riverdance was performed at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest as the 7-minutes intermission act and it had so much success that it got developed into the full show soon after, and still running!

10. Guinness Storehouse: you cannot leave Dublin without visiting the birthplace of the tasty Irish Stout! Located at St James`s Gate Brewery, in this seven-storey historical building you will be guided through how the most popular Irish beer is being produced, introducing you to the company`s rich history and giving you a chance to pour your own pint of the best Guinness in town. After this you can enjoy your brew in their Gravity Bar, with 360° views of Dublin!

Amberley House is the ideal Dublin City Centre guesthouse, the best choice for Dublin accommodation located right in the heart of the city centre, with a friendly and home-like atmosphere very close to all the attractions that you will visit during your stay. When booking directly on the hotel`s website you will receive a nice bottle of wine complimentary!

Book your stay now at the Amberley Guesthouse Dublin!

Fast approaching is the 2014 Fifa World Cup. While it is heart breaking Ireland will not be taking part in the competition this year we are still interested to see which team will come out victorious in the end. There are 32 countries from around the globe taking part in the 2014 world cup. This year Brazil will host this spectacular event which is sure to bring a great economic boost to the country and thousands of international soccer fans. 

The first ever world cup took place in Uruguay in 1930 with only 13 teams participating. The teams were broken up into 4 groups and the winner from each group would compete in the semi finals. It was the host country that emerged victorious beating Argentina in the final 4-2. This marked the end of the first ever world cup and since then the world cup is played every four years with world class international soccer teams competing.

There are so many other awards up for grabs during the world cup from the adidas golden boot which

awards the top scorer during the tournament, the adidas golden glove which awards the top goalkeeper who has conceded the least amount of goals during the tournament, the adidas golden ball which is given to the player who was deemed the best player during the tournament, the fair play award which is given to the team who are deemed to have had the best disciplinary record during the tournament and finally the Hyundai young player award. 

The opening match of this year’s tournament sees host country Brazil take on Croatia and this is set to be a thrilling match marking the start of the 2014 fifa world cup. What team will emerge victorious on Sunday 13th of July it is hard to predict but what is guaranteed is that there will be surprises along the way, with some underdog teams doing better than anticipated.

Here at Amberley Guesthouse we employ staff from around the globe and while we are sad that we will not be cheering on the Irish soccer team, we will be cheering with our staff and hoping that their soccer team will emerge victorious in the 2014 Fifa world cup.

The Taste of Dublin will be taking place this summer from June 12th to June 15th in The Iveagh Gardens Dublin. This is a four day event that incorporates eating, drinking and entertainment. The aim of the event is to attract national and international chefs, local restaurants and food producers to The Iveagh Gardens to showcase their talents. The Iveagh Gardens will be transformed into a boutique style market with alfresco dining facilities. 20 of Dublin’s finest restaurants will be dishing up some of their signature dishes while over 100 producers will provide food and beverage samples. This event also gives artesian producers the opportunity to showcase their gourmet delights. 

Tickets for this spectacular Dublin City event start at €15 and are available direct from their website. In conjunction with these tickets, attendees will purchase florins either through the website or at any of designated ticket booths located around the gardens. Florins are the official currency of the Taste of Dublin and are required to purchase signature dishes from the restaurants, drink form the bars and products from exhibitors. One florin in equal to one euro and the average dish at the Taste of Dublin is 5 florins. 

Each year the Taste of Dublin brings together not just restaurants, food and drink but other innovative entertainment programmes. The Electrolux Theatre gives chefs from all over Ireland the opportunity to show case their talent and you might even pick up a few tips and tricks at the theatre. The Electrolux Chefs Secrets are an interactive space where you will get the opportunity to see demonstrations from some of Ireland’s finest chefs.  New this year is the salt of the earth test kitchen where food stylist, chef and home economist Johan Van der Merwe will be cooking up some of his signature dishes using some of the finest Irish seafood. Also new to the Taste of Dublin is podology. Podology is a unique dining experience where you can unwind in a private dining area. Each pod can seat up to 6 people, offers a waiter service and 2 glasses of wine from the featured wine partner wines of Rioja. These pods need to be booked in advance prior to attending the event. Some of the other attractions at the taste of Dublin include Electrolux secret ingredients, icing on the cake, the fire pit bbq, the Brazilian carnival outlet and entertainment from some of Ireland’s finest musicians. 

The Taste of Dublin attracts large volumes of food and drink enthusiasts and this is a Dublin City event that we would recommend attending  If you are looking for accommodation in Dublin City Centre during the Taste of Dublin, Amberley Guesthouse is an ideal Dublin City Centre guesthouse. Guests who book direct through the website will receive a free bottle of wine. 

Book your stay now at Amberley Guesthouse Dublin!