Grafton Street

One of Dublin's two main pedestrian shopping areas, Grafton Street is a car-free zone paved with charming bricks. A wide street that doesn't feel at all claustrophobic, it is particularly known for its famous — or soon-to-be-famous — street musicians who give wonderful live musical performances. If you don't have time to walk the whole street, head to the section near St Stephen's Green, where you'll have an excellent opportunity to people-watch. Dublin's main shopping area runs right through the city center, south of the River Liffey. A pedestrian zone during working hours, Grafton Street owes much of its lovely atmosphere to the red brick it is paved with. Stretching for several "blocks" — if such things existed in Dublin — Grafton Street is the Irish equivalent of the British high street, with plenty of international and local shops, as well as the famous Irish department store Brown Thomas, in case you fancy Chanel or Gucci.