STYLE DESTINATION
Style at Home’s home & style director, Ann Marie Favot, gets her Irish on in this young-at-heart ancient city filled with inspiration.
Our home & style director jets off to Dublin
DAY 1
Check into The Morrison Hotel, ideally situated on the banks of the River Liffey in the city centre. It’s a short walk from here to a ton of Dublin’s main attractions, including shopping and nightlife. Stretch your legs by taking a stroll south of the river to The Library of Trinity College Dublin to have a gander at the Book of Kells, the stunning illuminated medieval manuscript that is one of Ireland’s greatest treasures. Then wander through the maze of ancient streets that make up the vibrant Temple Bar neighbourhood just west of Trinity College. If you’re lucky enough to be here on a Saturday, start at the Temple Bar Food Market (9) and indulge in fresh scones, cheeses, breads and other snacks you can take back to the hotel (or eat right there!). Do some serious browsing in the pretty boutiques along Cow’s Lane and in the surrounding area, particularly on Drury, William and Clarendon streets. Scout (5), Cow’s Lane Designer Studio, Paula Rowan (1), The Garden (7), Find (8) and the Irish Design Shop all feature beautifully made goods to take home. Stop for a rest at Avoca (4), a divine family-run design shop/café, and then return to the hotel to put away your purchases before heading to the historic Temple Bar for a must-have dinner of oysters and Guinness, accompanied by traditional Irish music from a roster of engaging live bands.
DAY 2
Start your day with a walk to the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, located in Collins Barracks, an old army base dating to 1704. The museum houses a fine collection of artisanal Irish wares, including glass work, silverware and turned wood, as well as traditional furniture
pieces that speak to the country’s domestic history. See the exhibition devoted to Irish Modernist pioneer Eileen Gray, which includes her groundbreaking adjustable chrome table and non-conformist chair.
Leaving the museum, head south across the river. Your destination is
Iveagh Gardens, but take a detour by Saint Patrick’s Cathedral to ogle this venerable 800-year-old institution. Before reaching the gardens, have lunch at nearby Drury Street’s Considered by Helen James, where you’ll dine at communal tables side by side with the locals. Owned by Dunnes Stores, the café also features a full range of designer Helen James’s foodstuffs, tableware and accessories. Industry &
Co., a lifestyle decor store across the street, also includes a great café.
Carry on to Iveagh Gardens, one of Dublin’s best hidden spaces, and lose yourself among the statuary, rockeries, fountains, waterfall and grotto. Small (you can see it all in about an hour) and free, this verdant garden was envisioned by famed landscape architect Ninian Niven in 1865. Soak up the atmosphere at this peaceful oasis as a counterpoint to the hustle and bustle beyond the gates.
Once you’re revived by Ninian’s horticultural genius, make your way back to the hotel for a rest before indulging in a late dinner on the roof terrace at The Woollen Mills (6), an elegant eatery situated in an old mill overlooking Ha’penny Bridge and the River Liffey.
DAY 3
A trip to Ireland isn’t complete without enjoying a drink or two. Check out the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in the historic Liberties district to learn the history of Irish whiskey and do your own taste test. Don’t leave without sampling the divine whiskey ice cream at the distillery’s Phoenix Café (3). Then, if you can still walk, sign up for a tour with Fab Food Trails and enjoy an insider’s look at the city’s past and culinary heritage with one of the local guides.
Alternatively, if you’re in Dublin on the last Sunday of the month, check out the Dublin Flea Market (2) for all kinds of antique and vintage knick-knacks. Book in for dinner at
Ely Wine Bar, which stocks more than 500 wines and boasts a “pasture to plate” selection of beef and pork dishes made from livestock raised at its owners’ organic family farm. End your day at one of the nearby bars that feature live traditional Irish music.