Our time in Scotland and North East England has finished and the next part of our journey took us to Ireland. We left Chester and headed to Holyhead to catch a ferry to Dublin. We thought we would use the Irish Ferries Service as it seemed to be the quickest crossing the seas.

Like most modern cities, Dublin can be divided up into various sectors or quarter. The Medieval Quarter is the oldest part of the city, encompassing the area around Dublin Castle, Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedral. Dublin’s Antique Quarter is right next door and has an abundance of antique, art and collectibles. Running from St Stephen’s Green and Trinity College to the canal, the Georgian Quarter is the epitome of gentrification, while Dublin’s trendy Tech Quarter can be found in the Grand Canal Dock area of the city.

We started with a hop on - hop off bus tour to experience the city and locate where the various attractions are.

Things to do:
* Guiness Storehouse / St James Gate Brewery- Brewery experience telling the tale of Ireland's famous beer, with tastings and a rooftop bar.
* Book of Kels - The Book of Kells Exhibition is a must-see on the itinerary of all visitors to Dublin. Located in the heart of Dublin City, a walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College Dublin will bring visitors back to the 18th century, when the magnificent Old Library building was constructed and which displays the Book of Kells.
* Dublin Castle - is the heart of historic Dublin. The city gets its name from the Black Pool - 'Dubh Linn' which was on the site of the present Castle garden. The Castle stands on the ridge on a strategic site at the junction of the River Liffey and its tributary the Poddle, where the original fortification may have been an early Gaelic Ring Fort.
* Colourful Georgian Squares - The 5 Georgian Squares of Dublin – Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square and St. Stephen’s Green in the south city and Parnell Square and Mountjoy Square on the north side – are some of the most iconic features of Ireland’s capital. They are probably the best examples of the stunning, formal architecture for which the city of Dublin is famous. If you’re looking to take a walk around Dublin to admire the city’s Georgian architecture, start at Baggot Street and work your way up to St. Stephen’s Green. If you want to admire all 5 of Dublin’s Georgian Squares, it’s probably best to travel by car or public transport as they are scattered throughout the city.
* St Stephen's green - is a historical park and garden, located in the centre of Dublin city.
* Trinity College - is situated in the heart of Dublin's city centre, at the centre of the country's transport hub, in a beautiful campus which contains a wonderful mix of modern and historic facilities
* Statue of Molly Malone
* The Ha'penny Bridge is the best known of Dublin's bridges. It was built in 1816 and was the first iron bridge in Ireland.

We spent two nights in Dublin at the Academy Plaza right on the River.