A great time of year to visit Dublin

Ireland has perhaps been hardest hit by the global economic recession and that makes this an exceptionally good time to visit the capital city of the Emerald Isle. You are not going to have a problem making reservations, there are many great bargains like $250 return with Eithad from Abu Dhabi and the Irish remain the friendliest people in Europe.

You can start with choosing a good hotel at a rate that would make any hotelier weep. We checked into The Westbury, a modern five-star hotel off the main shopping district and secured an advanced reservation for under $160, excluding breakfast although there is a complementary coffee and croissante available in the spacious lobby until 10am.

Fine hotels

Try upgrading to a studio suite and you get an even larger room with plasma TV and seating area and a big bathroom. The wireless Internet connection is free and the hotel has a choice of stylish restaurants and several bars.

This is a minimalist hotel. If you want something in grander, imperial style then the Renaissance or Merrion hotels have even more impressive art collections.

But you will not be short of things to do in Dublin. Tourism Ireland introduced us to the excellent walking tours led by Pat Liddy whose encylclopedic knowledge of the city has produced eight books and the definitive tourist map. For an introduction to the fascinating history of Ireland nobody could do it better.

Trinity College Dublin is the home to the Book of Kells, several biblical manuscripts dating from 800AD and fabulously illustrated. And equally impressive are the Korans of the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle.

Dublin Castle itself is still the seat of government as it has been for 800 years. You can join a tour to see the main state rooms where, for example, the Northen Ireland peace deal was signed in 1998. There are also museums and art galleries aplenty and the Guinness and Jameson landmarks to explore.

Outstanding hospitality

The many public houses of Dublin offer generous hospitality and often good music too. For an evening of traditional Irish music and dance we went to The Merry Ploughboy at Rockbrook on the edge of the city.

You are spoilt for choice of restaurant. We liked The Church, a converted former chapel and Bewleys in Grafton Street where Bob Geldof once wrote his lyrics. The night life is also very lively and while casinos are illegal it is easy enough to join a club offering these facilities if you so desire.

What is really impossible to put into words is the lively and arty spirit of this very youthful city. The people are amazingly friendly, quite unlike most European capital cities and the buzz goes on until dawn.