Fancy a visit to Dublin?  There are a lot of great things to see, but what are the best?  Here are my top recommendations for a great time out in the city.

1) Malahide Castle - Entrance is 7.50 EUR.  This castle used to belong to the Talbot Family, but they sold it to the state, so now it is open for all to enjoy.  It shows a glimpse of what it used to be to live in a castle.  Of the most famous rooms is the dining room, where eerily enough, 14 members sat down to eat breakfast, and went off to battle.  None of them returned alive.  Creepy!

2) Irish Music and Dancing -  There is one place to go for great Irish Dancing, and that's at the Arlington Hotel.  The show starts with a band that plays traditional Irish folk songs, and is later followed (at around 21:30) by an Irish dancing group.  The show goes on 7 nights a week, but arrive early if you want to get a good spot.   They have a set dinner menu if you are hungry too. The best thing of all, is that its totally free.

3) The Bleeding Horse -  This pub recently celebrated 360 years in business.  It's a great place to go if you want a typical medieval Irish pub, with all the modern comforts.  This place gets busy on Friday's at around happy hour, and it goes on until the late night.  Take a look at the architecture, as there are many nooks and crannies to enjoy your pint of ale. Open until 02:30.

4) Howth - There are actually 3 things of interest here for the daytripper.  Plenty of seafood restaurants line the pier, you can take a boat trip out to the Eye of Ireland too.  My two favorite attractions are the ones you can't pay for.  You can buy some fresh fish from the stands and feed it to the seals.   I enjoy the visit to Howth Castle.  Even though you can't go in, it's really a great site to see from the outside.  If you want to go for a hike, there are some hills in the area that give you a fantastic view from the top.

5) The Book of Kells - This latin manuscript was written betwen the 6th and 9th century.  Each page is beautifully decorated, and it is considered a prize possession of the Irish State. The only way to see it is to take the Trinity College tour(10 EUR).  Well worth it if you are a fan of books and ancient manuscripts.

6) The House of Oscar Wilde - There is actually a college that operates in this building, but it is a rather nice place to see from the outside.  As an added bonus, you can see the statue of Oscar Wilde directly across the street in Merrion Square Park.  You'll see that he is gazing at his old home.

7) Cafe en Seine - Forget about Dublin for a minute and imagine yourself at a high-class turn-of-the-century Parisian cafe. Well that's exactly what being in this place is like.  The style is art deco, with a big touch of class and elegance.  The main hall is an open atrium that magically closes when it rains.  And don't think its that expensive either. Take some time off for tea(2 EUR) and enjoy their free Wi-Fi for a quiet afternoon.  If you are in the mood to dance, come after 22:00 and be ready to shake your groove thang.

8) Ashtown Castle - This little known castle was found hidden in Phoenix Park.  Yes, that's right, it was hidden inside of another building that apparently had to be demolished.  You'll find this hidden jewel at the Phoenix Park Visitor's Centre.

9) The Temple Bar - There is no better place to go if you want to hear Irish music, and sing along to it too.  Lots of the pubs in Dublin boast Irish Music, but this is one of the only places that manages to get its customer base a singing. Your guaranteed to wake up with a tune stuck in your head(not to mention a hangover!)

10) Hiking in the Wicklows - This mountain range is nearby enough to Dublin that you could easily make a day trip out of it.  Just make sure to bring your boots, as you will usually encounter a muddy trail.

You'll notice that I left out the Guinness Storehouse.  I don't believe that its a must-see, but many people flock to this attraction by the bus-load nevertheless.  Keep in mind that you are paying 15 EUR to enter a museum that feels more like an advertisement than a museum.  It is mildly interactive, and the best thing is the 360 degree views of Dublin.  If you're lucky and get there on a clear day, there is a great deal to see, but Irish weather really ruins the visibility.