Your Base Dublin - Grand Canal Square

The thing that bothers me here is the litter in the water. People leave empty bottles, plastic wrappers and other bits of rubbish behind, and it seems so unnecessary. They should enforce littering fines more often. I like coming early, before the office crowd arrives and traffic gets busy. You can sometimes catch a spectacular sunrise then. Nearby, Il Valentino, Gerard’s Deli and Creed Coffee all open early if you want coffee and a bite, or you can bring your own. There are plenty of benches, so even when the square fills up around lunchtime, finding a place to sit usually isn't a problem. After dark, the lights come on and the crowd changes to theatre-goers and young people hanging out. When the weather’s warm and sunny, the place gets lively, and in spring or summer you might spot swan families with their little ones. There’s a Weatherspoons beside the square for cheap drinks. Nut Butter does healthy vegan bowls, and Herb Street serves brunch and lunch, but only opens for dinner when shows are on, so check first.

I love seeing the lights here after dark. During the day, it’s a relaxing spot in the middle of the business quarter, especially for a coffee when the sun’s out. One of my favourite places in Dublin.

Spoons, the pub across the way, is worth a visit. This is a lovely part of Dublin, transformed quite a bit over time. We like its mix of old and new.

Grand Canal Square is a great place to be in Dublin, and a perfect gateway between work and leisure by the Liffey River.