This post is part of the “Ireland Special Series” for Skimbaco to celebrate “The Gathering Ireland 2013”. See also last week’s post on three very different experiences in Ireland, all within a week-long vacation, and Day in Dublin post in my own blog Destination Unknown.
Several cities have been labeled with the “city that never sleeps” title, but I don’t think Dublin has, regularly anyway, been among them.Maybe it should.Even in the midst of the economic recession, the pedestrian streets are swarming with crowds, busy hopping from store to store or stopping by a cafe only to pick up a coffee-to-go. When the sun sets, there is hardly an empty space left in the city centre pubs that just moments a go, on a sunny summer's day, had their clientele spilling on to the streets circling the establishment with merry and mellow after-work crowd.
What happens after that, I have to admit, I don’t really know anymore. For me Dublin was always the student city. The one I go back to even years after finishing university for meeting friends and reminiscing the old times, in the same old establishments we used to order our pints years ago.But now, with a toddler, things have definitely changed.To prepare for our upcoming visit I did my research and made a list of things I would like to show and do with our 19-month old. Did that list really work? No. But here’s what we found, most of it for free, in the city centre to entertain our little one while us adults also enjoyed the buzz of the city. I know this wouldn’t suit all, as looking back, we didn’t really do much. So if you want some specific ideas for activities, please see the end of this post, that’s where I put all the possibilities we were going to try out. Maybe not in a day, but it’s always good to have couple of options for plan B and plan C. And maybe even D…
08:00 Breakfast at the hotelThe most important meal of the day, they say, and at the Kilronan House our toddler had an ample choice of breakfast items from the 3-course breakfast menu suitable for little ones. With the decision made by us parents, she went for the fruit salad with yogurt, an omelette and some toast with butter. Her favorite? The toast basket that also doubled as a hat.10:00 Visit to St. Stephen’s Green ParkSt. Stephen’s Green Park is situated in the heart of the city, at the southern end of the pedestrian Grafton Street. On a sunny day the park quickly fills with sunbathers, picnic baskets, families, students and professionals on their lunch breaks, surely hot in their suits.The main attraction, or so I thought, was the large play area for kids, but we got majorly held back by a beautiful swan and its cygnets. And after, the ducks. And then, pigeons. By the time we were ready for the play area our little one was fast asleep in her pram. The play area seemed to be very popular among kids though, and there was a great variety of different activities from slides to slings for entertainment.12:00 Lunch while toddler napsThese days Dublin is filled with interesting cafeterias and small restaurants offering delicious lunch. Check back on Skimbaco next week when I revisit some of my favorite lunch spots in the Dublin city centre. All these spots are naturally stroller friendly.
13:30 Stop at the Science GalleryWe were unlucky with our date choice as the exhibitions were being changed when we visited the gallery, but with the free entry, it was still a perfect quick stop on our way to our next destination: the Pearse Street Dart Station. The Gallery was recommended us by friends as a great place for kids to discover and learn about different aspects of Science. Check the opening times and current exhibitions on the Science Gallery website.15:00 Train ride on the Dart to the sea sideWhether you go south or north, the Dart will take you to the seaside spot of your choice. When the tide is in, swim at Seapoint in the south or head to the fishing village of Howth in the north.18:00 Picnic-style dinner at the hotel and sleep-timeBusy day, tired little toddler, and a picnic-style dinner at the hotel. Perfect end for a sunny day in Dublin!
I landed in Ireland for the first time in 1998, fresh from school and ready for my university studies in Dublin. As I sat in the taxi from the airport to my hostel, I did not understand a word the taxi driver said with his thick northern Dublin accent. All I could think was “what have I done! I don’t even understand the language here…”. I quickly fell in love with the people, country and the “craic”, and after almost five years of living in Dublin, I still return to my old home at least once a year. This Ireland series for Skimbaco, which will run over the next few weeks every Tuesday, is here to celebrate “The Gathering Ireland 2013”, as throughout this year, Ireland is opening its arms to hundreds of thousands of friends and family from all over the world, calling them home to gatherings in villages, towns and cities.Next Tuesday in the Ireland Series: discover Dublin's best lunch spots
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