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One of the city’s two great cathedrals, illustrating the importance religion has always played in Dublin life, Christ Church was the first to be built, in 1038. Although nothing of the original wooden church now stands, there are plenty of beautiful medieval features and decorations to appreciate, including floor tiles and stone carvings. The “Treasures of Christ Church” exhibition, housed in the 12th-century crypt, includes a gilt plate donated by William III in 1697.

Thomas Cooley built this stately building between 1769 and 1779. He had won the commission as a result of a competition, beating his better-known contemporary James Gandon who designed the Four Courts and Custom House. Cooley made a fine job of City Hall, which was originally built as the city’s Royal Exchange. City bureaucrats latterly used it for various purposes but, having undergone extensive restoration, it is now open to the public. There is an excellent permanent exhibition in the reconstructed vaults entitled “The Story of the Capital”, covering 1,000 years of Dublin’s fascinating history.

Only two of the museum’s three sights are south of the river: the Natural History Museum and the branch on Kildare Street which examines Irish archaeology and history. The latter’s 19th-century building is almost as impressive as its collections, decorated with marble and mosaics.

Dublin’s “second” cathedral and long-time rival to Christ Church. Apart from the many monuments and plaques commemorating deceased dignitaries, and some fine architectural features, St Patrick’s most interesting association is with Jonathan Swift. Appointed dean at the beginning of the 18th century, Swift carried out much of his work from the cathedral. You can see his death mask, writing desk and chair in the north pulpit and the memorial to himself and “Stella” lies just inside the entrance.

This hugely popular area is the heart of south Dublin and has a seemingly limitless array of cafés, restaurants and bars as well as interesting little shops and cultural centres. On the banks of the Liffey, the term “bar” meant a riverside path. Its bustling atmosphere and trendy businesses, residents and clientele are the personification of Dublin’s emergence in the 1990s as one of Europe’s most fashionable and popular cities.

Ireland’s premier institute of education was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I on the site of an Augustinian monastery. A Protestant-only college at its start, Trinity did open its doors to Catholic students in 1793, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the Catholic Church relaxed its opposition to the college. Its quadrangles are peaceful havens, and its priceless Book of Kells a highlight.