Dublin-born icon, Oscar Wilde wrote, “It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious!” If there’s one thing that’s central to Dubliners, it’s the dry wit you’ll find here; the tongue-in-cheek, good-hearted humour that makes teasing just as much a sign of the welcome as it is part of the vernacular.
The biggest draw to Dublin has to be its people. They’re the reason the city was recently voted in the top 10 friendliest cities in the world; why it has the greatest nightlife; why its art and culture is some of the most influential and vibrant to be found anywhere. And with over 17% of the capital city’s population hailing from overseas, you’ll settle in here no matter where you call home.

Phoenix Park Dublin in Autumn
Art and history
Dublin has a spectacularly rich history, teeming with grand architecture and internationally renowned museums. The National Gallery and the Chester Beatty Library are two of the finest and most diversely populated; while across the city, from Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park to Christ Church Cathedral, Trinity College, The Hugh Lane Gallery and Dublin Castle itself, beautiful buildings tell centuries worth of stories.
Musical, dramatic and literary pedigree
From writers like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Patrick Kavanagh, to bands and musicians like U2, Thin Lizzy and Sinéad O’Connor, Ireland’s creative legacy is painted across the city. Designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2009 with over half a dozen book festivals, the internationally prestigious Dublin Literary Award and a world-class new city library in the planning, it’s safe to say Ireland’s capital has literature in its blood.

The Gate Theatre auditorium
Music and comedy venues from Vicar Street and the Button Factory, to theatres like the Olympia, the Gate and the Abbey are the beating heart of Dublin, nurturing new talent as frequently as they honour the classics. And when it comes to festival season, you don’t want to miss this city: St Patrick’s Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival, Culture Night, Dublin Fringe Festival, Dublin Dance Festival, Dublin Pride, Oktoberfest, Bloom… You’ll never be stuck for choice.
Food
Home to no fewer than five Michelin-starred restaurants (Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Chapter One, Liath, l’Ecrivain and The GreenHouse), Dublin’s foodie pedigree is growing every year. Ireland’s premier food and drinks festival, Taste of Dublin, takes place each June in the city’s beautiful Iveagh Gardens.

With the coast to the east and Ireland’s famed farmland to the west and south, the fresh produce on offer here is second to none – and the city’s restaurateurs are making the most of it. Traditional treats, pub seats and cutting-edge chefs combine to make eating and drinking in Dublin a peak pleasure.