As Ireland's capital as well as its largest city, Dublin is many people's first port of call when travelling to the Emerald Isle. People visit Dublin for a variety of reasons, whether they're drawn by the city's history and cultural attractions or to its lively night spots.

If you are visiting Dublin to gain insight into its past, one of the best places to go is Trinity College Library, which contains a number of significant artefacts including the Book of Kells, a gospel collection dated back to 800 AD. The university itself is a marvel of 18th century architecture, and its vast library contains more than 200,000 books.

You can find out even more about Irish history at the prestigious National Museum of Ireland, which collects rare items from throughout history, including Bronze Age relics and spectacular gold jewellery. The building itself is again worth mentioning, featuring an eye-catching dome and attractive Victorian façade. If your interests are more artistic than historical, Dublin doesn't disappoint with its excellent range of galleries - chief among them being the National Gallery of Ireland itself. The gallery collects some of the finest examples of Irish art, by notable artists such as Jack B Yeats, as well as other works from the European Middle Ages to the present day.

You shouldn't visit Dublin without discovering its numerous fascinating churches either, regardless of your own religious views. St Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral are the most famous, and charge entry fees for visitors, but there are many other churches that are free to enter - including St Mary's Pro-Cathedral on Marlborough Street and Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Whitefriars Street, reputed to hold the relics of Saint Valentine.

Another aspect of Dublin's heritage that remains enduringly popular with visitors is its brewing industry, and the Guinness Storehouse is another top tourist destination in the city. You'll have the chance to try some Guinness and find out more about the national drink in this converted brewery, which is easily reached from a centrally located hotel Dublin.

If this is your first visit to Ireland, you owe it to yourself to get out of the city and explore some of the surrounding area. Howth Harbour is a nearby destination that offers stunning coastal scenery and views of the cliffs, and a visit to the harbour also gives visitors the chance to see wild seals, depending on conditions and the time of year.

Fiona Roy writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.