Five unique activities to make the most of Dublin

U2, The Cranberries, Metallica and The Rolling Stones are just some of the bands whose careers are linked to Ireland's most famous audio production facility, Windmill Lane Recording Studios. Although they are still open for business and always buzzing with activity, a one-hour tour is offered, covering the history of the most famous tracks that have been recorded here.

As well as taking in the curiosities and anecdotes that have taken place within its walls over its four decades of history, the most fun part of the visit is undoubtedly the interactive activities. We can learn how to splice tracks together, mix our own session with a virtual band and briefly feel we’re like Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga and the rest of the stars who have spent time in these legendary studios.

A shiver will run down visitors’ spines as they enter Kilmainham. Its icy and foreboding walls are fraught with the echoes of a sinister history that lasted until 1924, when it was closed down as a prison. It is impossible not to be affected by this enclave, where many of the leaders who fought for Irish independence were tortured and executed, and to discover the overcrowding, squalor, and brutal conditions in which they lived.

The guided tour takes you through the stuffy and claustrophobic narrow passages that led to the cells, until you reach a large room where the famous film In the Name of the Father was shot. The route ends in the courtyard, whose walls hold the memories of the execution of several revolutionary leaders, and the museum where you can see a mournful collection of prisoners’ personal belongings.
 

Fierce Vikings, lonely hermits and remote, wild, islands are all on display on the pages of one of the most important manuscripts in history, the Book of Kells. This magnificent early Christian manuscript, riddled with extraordinarily complex ornamental motifs, is a masterpiece. It can be visited in the Treasury of Trinity College, on a tour that passes through the Long Room library, one of the most spectacular on the continent, with more than 200,000 ancient books.

Don't miss the chance to stroll around the college campus, which dates back to 1592 and has been visited by famous writers such as Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift. Nor should book lovers miss a library which was often used by such authors, March's Library, the oldest in the country, which holds literary treasures, fascinating Victorian "reading cages" and, according to a legend, the ghost of its founder, who bangs on tables and frantically turns the pages of books in search of a missing note.

The Guinness Storehouse, home of the famous stout, is another unmissable highlight of the Irish capital. This former brewery, now converted into a museum, is a temple for beer lovers, who can witness all the steps involved in the production of this world-famous beverage and see old bottles, barrels and advertising posters for the brand. The tour of the building covers seven floors, the top floor being the Gravity Bar, where you can enjoy one of the best panoramic views of Dublin and, of course, a nice cool pint of stout. 

If you prefer whiskey, you might rather visit the historic Jameson Distillery to learn all about the process of making Ireland's most famous and best-selling spirit. During the guided tour, which usually lasts around 40 minutes, you'll learn about the brand's 200-year history and the different processes involved in distillation, before ending up at the JJ’s Bar for a whiskey tasting.
 

Every June 16th, Dublin turns into a live stage as a tribute to one of the great authors of Irish literature, James Joyce, and his iconic novel Ulysses, considered by many to be the best novel written in English in the 20th century, and which takes place on a single day, June 16th. Literature enthusiasts, tourists and casual visitors drawn by curiosity all gather in the streets of the Irish capital on a day known as Bloomsday to retrace the footsteps of the main character, Leopold Bloom.

In the morning, hundreds of people dress up in Edwardian-era attire and head to the iconic Martello Tower in Sandycove, where the literary journey begins, which can be enjoyed on your own or taking part in themed tours. The settings featured in the book are brought to life with concerts, plays and readings of passages from the book. Participants, some dressed in period outfits, stop at the pubs and cafés mentioned in the novel to enjoy an authentic Irish breakfast  or a tankard of stout.