Shopping in Dublin
In Dublin city centre, there are two main shopping areas. One is centred around Henry Street/Mary Street on the north side of the Liffey. The other is centred on Grafton Street on the south side. Both of these are pedestrian areas and are situated within 5 minutes walk of each other. At the top end of Grafton Street lies St Stephen's Green, a pleasant park with a lake and ducks. At the bottom of Grafton Street at the junction with Nassau St, make sure to see the bronze statue of Molly Malone, the famous fishmonger of the song. Nassau Street has a large collection of shops with products ranging from shamrock-encrusted mugs to high-quality woollen garments. It is also littered with Genealogy shops for those interested in tracing family roots.
In recent years Dublin has become a very fashionable city to shop in with shops such as The Kilkenny Shop, Brown Thomas and Arnotts catering for both tourists and residents alike. They sell all kinds of Waterford Crystal, Handmade Irish sweaters, Irish gifts and trinkets.The boom in the Irish economy in recent years has seen a huge upsurge in shopping revenues. Visitors are entitled to claim back Value Added Tax on items purchased within Ireland on production of valid receipts. A V.A.T reclaim service operates in Dublin Airport so be sure to check this out before departure.
Dublin shops are open 6 days a week with many also open on Sundays. Opening hours are generally 9.30-5.30 though late night shopping has become much more popular in latter years. The city is full of little gems where you can find that perfect gift for yourself or someone back home.
Always ensure that you keep your money or handbag close to you at all times as unfortunately Dublin is no different to any major city when it comes to theft.