We’re so excited to welcome hundreds of you to Dublin next month for SITE Global Conference 2022, taking place April 20-23 at the Convention Centre Dublin.
While we’ve got a packed agenda ready to help you connect with others, learn more about the latest trends and research, discover a great incentive destination, and shape the future of incentive travel, we’ve also got plenty of suggestions should you find yourself with a free moment or two!
Find out how you can discover Dublin like a local this spring with go-to recommendations for exploring the city sourced straight from some of our Ireland-based SITE colleagues.
Head to South William St for a coffee at Clement & Pekoe. If the sun is shining and you’re lucky enough to grab a seat at the benches out front, you can watch the world go by in the heart of Dublin whilst sipping on a very good coffee!
If you are up for exploring, head to Dublin 8’s Liberties area — the real rare aul Dublin some might say! A visit to Teelings Distillery can be coupled with a cool evening dinner spot called the Hen’s Teeth. I would recommend the fried octopus, the sourdough with lava salt butter and crab claws!
Take the DART (train) or bus from the city out to Howth if you want to enjoy the best panoramic views of the city and Dublin Bay. There is a guided pathway down to the fishing village of Howth, with some incredible seafood restaurants. A bowl of seafood chowder is delicious after the walk.
The Little Museum of Dublin is one of my favourite tours to do. It’s small as the name suggests but is a fantastic tour and all items in the museum were donated by locals to tell the story of the vibrant colourful past of the city. It is located right on St. Stephen’s Green.
Dublin is known as one of the Literary Capitals of the World. Step into a slice of literary history and head to Davy Byrne’s pub just off Grafton Street for a glass of Burgundy and a gorgonzola sandwich. Leopold Bloom did this in James Joyce’s Ulysses, which is re-enacted in the city on 16 June annually on Bloomsday.
If you are out and about in the city and want a coffee, try Butlers. They are an Irish handmade chocolate company who offer the best hot chocolates and coffees. You get a free chocolate of your choice with every coffee.
Dublin has many a pub and cocktail bar, but there are plenty of hidden gems and speakeasy’s to enjoy too. One of my favourites is the Blind Pig at the bottom of Grafton Street in a little underground cellar. They do great cocktails and light bites.
Dublin’s most romantic table for dinner is at Pearl Brasserie: here you’ll enjoy a secluded table for two with incredible food. You could walk past this restaurant and not know it’s there.
If you have a spare hour or two, take the DART from Tara Street or Westland Row (short walk) North to Howth or South to Dún Laoghaire. You’ll enjoy a stunning journey hugging the coastline.
In Howth you can explore the Harbour area, maybe take a trip to Ireland’s Eye (that’s an island) and eat great fresh fish and chips. Time permitting, you can walk around the Cliff Walk to the summit of Howth Head.
In Dún Laoghaire you can take the famous pier walk (it’s just over 2.7km) and continue on to the Joyce Tower in Sandycove, returning to Dún Laoghaire via Cavistons where you’ll find incredible fish and seafood.
For a traditional (and cheesy) Irish experience, I love going to the Merry Ploughboy pub for the traditional Irish Music & Dance show. You get a great meal and fantastic entertainment by some very accomplished Irish musicians. It is a proper tourist trap, but a great one! As an Irish person I love going to it myself — mighty Craic altogether!
A staple in many Dubliners’ dining repertoires, Brother Hubbard on Capel Street is a firm favourite in my house! The Moroccan Eggs Zaalouk is a must order, easily the most popular item on the menu. My sister is a manager here, so ask for Sinead Delaney if you go!
Pepperpot Café is one of my go-to spot for lunch when I’m in the city — sandwiches on proper thick sliced bread with amazing fillings, and baked goods that would tempt even those without a sweet tooth! It’s located just off Grafton Street in the Powerscourt Town Centre, but still feels like you have stumbled across a local hidden gem.
Bread41, located on Pearse Street: get there early as there’s often a queue and it sells out quickly! Burnt dark chocolate cookie with sea salt is a personal fav, but no matter what you get here, you won’t be disappointed.
Though not a native Dubliner, I’ve still found a favourite spot or two around the city.
If you’re looking for a city-adjacent escape, venture out to one of Dublin’s green spaces. It’s amazing how quickly the city noise fades at Farmleigh Estate, located on the western edge of Phoenix Park (hop on the 37 bus from town for an easy route!) or at Glasnevin Cemetery + the National Botanic Gardens adjacent to the Cemetery grounds. The Cemetery tour is also a good way to get a solid lesson in Irish history in just about an hour or so.
If Guinness or Irish whiskey aren’t among your drinks of choice — sheepishly raising my hand here! — give Craft Cocktails a go instead. With an excellent range of pre-mixed drinks, they’re well worth a try if you’re in the Dublin 7 neighbourhood just north of the city centre. Pick up an order in-person, sample their wares at Bar 1661, find them in a local stockist (Celtic Whiskey Shop usually carries at least a few of their drinks and is just off St. Stephen’s Green) or, for the ace planners amongst us, have bottles shipped straight to your hotel ahead of time so you’re ready for a post-conference nightcap!
Make your way to The Phoenix Park, Europe’s largest enclosed urban park, rent a bike, and simply cycle around spotting deer as you go. Stop off at The Papal Cross, where Pope John Paul II said mass in 1979, cycle by the President of Ireland’s Residence, glimpse the US Ambassador’s Residence and stop off at the Phoenix Cafe for a healthy and hearty lunch or drop by the Boathouse for coffee by the water. If you still have energy, take a tour of Farmleigh House, where State events take place and guests of the State reside during their time in Dublin.
If you opt to walk back to the city centre from the Phoenix Park, along the quays, stop off at Copper + Straw for one of the best coffees to be had in the city.
