Dublin city guide: introduction and basics

Jacket Lining Dublin lacks the must-see monuments and museums of rival weekend-break cities, but it more than makes up for this shortcoming with a host of other more subtle civic virtues. Its appeal lies for the most part in its rich literary heritage, its cosy, time-warped Victorian pubs, and in the red-brick elegance of its Georgian streets and the easy-going and gregarious nature of its people.But there are also architectural, and cultural, surprises – from the needle-like, 400-foot-high steel Spire on O'Connell Street, to the powerful Jack B Yeats paintings in the underrated National Gallery.If you haven't visited the Irish capital for some time, you will also be struck by how much it has changed. A booming economy has transformed Dublin into an affluent and cosmopolitan European city. These days, you are spoilt for choice for chi-chi shops and trendy bars, fancy restaurants and luxury hotels.