After spending some time on the mainland of England, I took a budget flight to Ireland and suddenly entered this energetic yet elegant Georgian metropolis with wide streets, gracious squares and great houses, neatly bordered by its two canals.

At first I couldn’t tell whether it was the friendly people, the historical places, the cosmopolitan feel or their famous Guinness beers, but Dublin, fondly pronounced “Doeblin” by the locals, has immediately captured my imagination. Without hesitation I got myself booked into one of the many youth hostels and was well on my way to a great time. Dublin can easily be used a base to explore other counties to discover the beautiful Irish countryside and interesting medieval and coastal villages. That’s after all why we’re backpacking, not so? But, withy regards to the city itself, It is easy to spot O’ Connell Street as the main street, lined with tourist shops and eateries for every taste and style. The street is also well known due to the bridge over the river Liffey. I lifted the backpack and started exploring Dublin on foot, and from hop-on-hop-off tour buses that criss-crossed the city. I decided that the Dublin Pass was a good idea, which gave me free entry to over 30 favourite attractions.

During the day I found it interesting to experience the cosmopolitan atmosphere in the city by casually walking along O’Connell Street on both sides of the river, Grafton Street - Dublin's smartest shopping area with fashionable stores, as well as Henry Street which are traditionally more frequented by the locals than tourists. On some days I took lunch breaks by buying bread and cheese and going to St.Stephen's Green. This is a 27acre park in the heart of Dublin city centre, which offers a welcome quietness from the hustle and bustle around.

And this is how I eventually found Temple Bar District – on foot. If I still had any doubts about Dublin before I found this vibrant place, my mind was destined to be changed right here. In this district, an integral part of the Dublin Cultural Quarter, some of Dublin's best nightspots, restaurants and unusual shops line narrow, cobbled streets running between the Bank of Ireland and Christ Church Cathedral. This is the place to hang out for the young at heart and those embracing alternative styles, also a great place for nightlife, music, art, clothing, bookshops, internet cafes and coffee bars. I literally spend my nights here listening to music, tasting the variety of beers and sending emails to the less fortunate at home. How can you try and explain the atmosphere and ambience when everybody is jubilant, Guinness’s are being packed away at record speeds and those lovely Irish country songs fill the narrow streets and make one long for places you’ve never been to? Surely this was a cultural campfire experience for my soul, true to Irish hospitality and heartfelt passion. And, when the travel bug bites and lures the spirit to what’s beyond...