Dublin for lovers

Ireland has become one of the richest countries in the world, with Dublin's at its lively centre. Get there in about an hour and make it a romantic short break

Many cities have the trappings of romance - graceful architecture, stunning views, perfect little spots for a snog. While Dublin has them too, it is the site of a host of bittersweet love stories and unconsummated longing throughout history - the perfect place to celebrate the fact the two of you are actually together.

Visit St Valentine himself
In Roman times, Saint Valentine secretly married couples against the wishes of the Emperor Claudius II. In the 1800s Pope Gregory XVI passed on some remains of the famed saint to an Irish Carmelite named John Spratt because of Spratt's great oratory skills as a preacher. The remains arrived in Dublin in 1836 in a solemn procession to Whitefriar Street Church but were later put into storage as interest faded. During a renovation in the 1950s the relics were enshrined again at the church, where you can see them today. On the saint's feast day on 14 February the relic is placed on the high altar. At the 11am and 3:15pm masses there are special sermons and a short ceremony for a blessing of the rings for engaged couples.

Pay homage to Tristan and Isolde
The legend of Tristan and Isolde is a timeless tragic love story. Isolde, an Irish princess, was intended for an English king, who sent the knight Tristan to escort her to England. Isolde drank a love potion and she and Tristan fell deeply in love, although they could never be together. Later, as Tristan lay dying, Isolde rushed to his side, arriving only after he had breathed his last. She died of a broken heart.

Isolde's tower is in Dublin Castle on Exchange Street Lower in the middle of the city. While the remains of the tower are hidden behind an iron grill work about midway on the river side of the street, visitors can tour the state apartments, peruse exhibits at the Chester Beatty Library or stand in the middle of the Great Courtyard and show their love the way Tristan and Isolde never could (easy now - we mean with a kiss).

After visiting the Castle, take in some shopping nearby at the George's Street Arcade, which runs between South Great George's Street and Drury Street, with its bookstalls and bohemian fashions or go upscale at Brown Thomas, Dublin's answer to Harvey Nicks, on pedestrianised Grafton Street.

Check into an old-fashioned Georgian townhouse
Browne's Townhouse, a home converted into an intimate hotel of just 11 rooms, faces St Stephen's Green, one of the city's original commons and a perfect park to wander hand-in-hand. The hotel is the kind of place where guests relax in front of the sitting room fire and leisurely read newspapers and the concierge jumps up when you enter to offer a cup of tea or coffee. The Brasserie, pleasantly packed on the night we visited, draws celebratory groups and canoodling couples.

With all the extras in hotels these days, we frequently find it hard to relax, we're so busy checking out the pool, the gym, the in-room video games. As a result, we enjoyed the genteel vibe at Browne's. Our large room including a walk-in dressing room, a four-poster bed and glass doors leading a small outside space for a breath of air in summer. While it had a TV with several channels and a CD player (if only we'd packed the Barry White), we found ourselves enjoying a long hot shower then reading in four-poster bed, happy to not be in thrall to cable TV or movies on demand. The décor is the opposite of the latest hotel chic - the fabrics were richly coloured and our entire room was wallpapered in pastoral scenes. It's not pristine - a corner of the bathroom wallpaper was peeling and the fixture above our bed was loose. But we felt like we were staying in a lovely old aunt's home rather than a bought-and-paid-for room.

Just down the block sits the Shelbourne Hotel, one of only four remaining Dublin landmarks mentioned in Ulysses. James Joyce wrote in the hotel bar, and Graham Greene penned part of poignant The End of the Affair while living here. Stop by for a drink in the historic bar or have tea in the high-ceilinged sitting room.

Experience sky-high city views
Even before you enter through the brick wall surrounding Guinness' massive St James Gate compound, you can smell the roasted barley. Inside, the company has turned a former fermentation plant into a visitor attraction called the Guinness Storehouse (pictured at top of article). More an art installation than a brewery tour, the Storehouse contains five floors of exhibition space, with old equipment on display (we would have loved more explanation on its use), an interactive exhibit of old Guinness ads (including the famous one with the Perez Prado soundtrack) and a video of traditional cask-making, among other things. Whether or not you buy into the company's reverential schtick, the view from the top-floor 360-degree Gravity Bar, where you're served your complimentary pint, is undeniably worth the visit. A high-spirited atmosphere reigns, with university students sitting on the floor, couples reading Joyce quotes stencilled on the windows and women taking in the views. A café and bar two floors below serves tasty soups, salads and light meals. Note that the Storehouse is quite a way from the middle of town; take a cab or one of the buses that regularly stop there from the city centre.

Marry romance and literature with an affordable literary lovers tour of Dublin

Get more tips and ideas for visiting in our Dublin City Guide

Address book and flights

Whitefriar Street Church
56 Aungier Street
Dublin 2
+353 1 4758821

Dublin Castle
Dublin 2
+353 1 677 7129
www.dublincastle.ie/

Brown Thomas
88-95 Grafton Street
Dublin 2
+353 1 605 6666

Browne's Townhouse
22 St Stephen's Green
Dublin 2
www.brownesdublin.com/home.htm
+353 1 638-3939

Guinness Storehouse
St James's Gate
Dublin 8
www.guinnessstorehouse.com/info.asp

Flights
We flew with the AirMiles Travel Company, which can organise flights and hotels - you don't have to be an AirMiles collector to travel with them. They run return flights from Birmingham to Dublin. Call 0870 60 737 41 or visit www.airmiles.co.uk