There are cities you visit. And there are cities that visit you. Dublin belongs to the latter category.
We didn't really expect it. We had in mind a misty Irish capital, smoky pubs, green everywhere. There were three of us, two brothers and a sister, travel enthusiasts, with a tradition we had set for ourselves: every year, a European capital. Not an organised tour, not a chain hotel. A plane ticket, a neighbourhood to explore, and that bond between us that transforms any city into an adventure. And then Dublin opened its door to us, that old Georgian door painted in red, blue, yellow, and we understood that we were in for something different. Something human, authentic, deeply alive. We came back changed. Not radically. Just a little more whole.
This blog is our way of telling you: go there. And here's how to make the most of it.
Why Dublin deserves more than just a weekend
Dublin is often underestimated. Too small to rival London, too unknown to attract the crowds of Paris or Rome. And that's precisely why it's precious.
Here, the human scale of the city is a quality. You can walk everywhere. You get lost without really getting lost. You meet people who have time to smile at you, to point out an address, to explain the history of a building as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Dublin has that rare gift of making you feel expected, even when you arrive for the first time.
What to visit in Dublin? Our must-sees
Temple Bar — the neighbourhood that never sleeps
Temple Bar is the beating heart of Dublin. Cobblestone streets, colourful facades, pub signs reflected in the wet pavements, and music pouring out from everywhere – violins, guitars, voices. All mixed in an atmosphere that is as much a party as it is poetry.
It's noisy, it's touristy, it's sometimes chaotic. And yet, you can't help but love it. Because Temple Bar isn't a show, it's Dublin fully embracing itself, with all its energy and joy of life.
Stroll through independent art galleries, push open the door of a record store, stop in front of a street musician. And when night falls, let the music guide you to the pub that beckons you.
The pubs — a philosophy of life
You don't come to an Irish pub just to drink. You come to experience something.
The pub in Dublin is the antechamber to everything: encounters, stories, endless debates, unexpected bursts of laughter. It's where a stranger becomes a friend over a pint. Where time slows down. Where you put down your phone without even realising it.
Mulligan's on Poolbeg Street, founded in 1782, serves the most perfect pint of Guinness in the city – a reputation built over centuries, and we can confirm it. The Long Hall on South Great George's Street is a Victorian jewel with its dark wood panelling and gilded mirrors, a setting that hasn't changed in 150 years and doesn't need to.
And then there's Guinness itself. The first sip in a real Dublin pub is a special moment. Creamy, just bitter enough, with that head that lasts to the bottom of the glass. It's not the same beer as anywhere else. The Irish will tell you, and they're right. We still remember it, all three of us, elbows on the bar, not saying a word for a few seconds. Some moments don't need commentary.
This is also where our Irish T-shirt was born, from that lasting foam, from that enduring spirit of celebration, and from the Irish way of embracing life with disarming sincerity.
Trinity College and the Book of Kells
Amidst the urban bustle, Trinity College is a timeless interlude. Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, the university is an open-air campus in the heart of Dublin, with manicured lawns, granite facades, and students reading under the trees as if the outside world didn't exist.
Inside the Old Library is the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from the 9th century, the work of Celtic monks, considered one of the most beautiful objects created by human hand. Standing before this open page, gazing at these intertwining gold and colours twelve centuries old, one feels something difficult to name. A connection to something greater than oneself. Art that transcends time and touches you where words cannot. We stood side by side, all three of us, and no one spoke for a long time. That's what family trips are about, those shared silences that are worth all conversations.
Book your tickets online, queues can be long, and it would be a shame to miss it.
Dublin Castle and the Georgian Quarter
Dublin's history is written in its stones. Dublin Castle, built in the 13th century by order of King John of England, was for centuries the centre of British power in Ireland. Today, it welcomes visitors to its state apartments and gardens, a place that carries the weight of centuries with a quiet elegance.
A stone's throw away, the Georgian Quarter reveals another side of Dublin. These rows of 18th-century houses with brightly painted doors—cherry red, midnight blue, Irish green, mustard yellow—have become a symbol of the city. Each door is different, each facade tells a story. We took dozens of photos. We never had enough.
Grafton Street and Dublin shopping
Grafton Street is Dublin's commercial backbone, a lively pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes, and street musicians whose skill would make many professional concert halls blush.
Here you'll find international brands, but also Irish designers who are truly worth a visit. Local crafts, Irish tweed and wool, handmade Celtic jewellery, pieces with soul that travel well in a suitcase.
The Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, right next door, is an 18th-century mansion converted into a charming shopping centre, with independent boutiques, cafes, and galleries. An address you'll never regret visiting.
Celtic culture — the invisible soul of Dublin
Dublin is best understood when you take the time to learn about what came before it. Celtic culture is everywhere: in the intricate carvings on market jewellery, in the uilleann pipes melodies escaping from a pub, in the Gaelic street names, in the way the Irish speak of their land with a gentle, deep pride.
The National Museum of Ireland (free entry) houses a collection of stunning Celtic artefacts: the Tara Brooch, the Ardagh Chalice, gold torcs three thousand years old. It's a dive into a civilisation that shaped Europe long before modern nations existed.
And if you want to go further, the Wicklow Mountains, an hour from Dublin, are home to megalithic sites and landscapes that seem to come from another time, or another dimension.
When is the best time to visit Dublin?
Dublin can be visited all year round, but a few periods stand out.
Spring (March – May) is magical; parks are in bloom, days are longer, and Saint Patrick's Day on March 17th transforms the city into a week-long giant celebration. If you can be there that day, don't miss it for anything.
Summer (June – August) offers the longest days, with the sun sometimes setting after 10 PM. The city is lively, terraces are full, and the surroundings (Howth cliffs, Wicklow) are at their most beautiful.
Autumn (September – October) is our favourite. Fewer tourists, golden light on the Liffey, and a mildness in the air that makes long evenings in the pub even more precious.
Winter (November – February) has its own charm: Christmas markets, the cosy atmosphere of pubs, and Dublin returning to its rhythm as a lived-in city rather than a visited one.
A few practical tips before you go
A few landmarks:
- ✈️ Flight from France: approx. 2 hours, many low-cost connections
- 🗓️ Ideal duration: 3 to 4 days
- 💷 Currency: Euro (Ireland is in the Eurozone – no exchange needed!)
- 🌡️ Weather: unpredictable. Always bring a raincoat, even in summer
- 🛂 Post-Brexit: Dublin is in Ireland (EU) – no complications for French citizens
- 🍺 Guinness pint budget: 6 to 7€ in a neighbourhood pub
- 🏨 Accommodation: prefer Portobello or Rathmines neighbourhoods – cheaper than the city centre and very well served
Dublin awaits you. With its colourful doors, its warm pubs, its centuries of history, and its unique way of making you feel at home from the very first evening. Go alone, as a couple, with friends, or like us, with siblings, with that complicity that makes every capital a little more magical. Come back with something you didn't expect.
If Dublin has inspired you as much as it has inspired us, take a look at our collection; each HVA CO. piece has a story, and Dublin's is just beginning.
HVA CO. 🍀
Clothes that travel with you.