Temple Bar District

Temple Bar occupies the cobblestoned streets on the south bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin, and while its name is best known for nightlife, the district by day holds galleries, the Irish Film Institute, and independent shops tucked between the pubs. The area's dense concentration of pubs, many with live traditional music sessions running most nights, makes it the most visited nightlife district in the city, and its colorful shopfronts, particularly around the junction of Temple Bar and Fleet Street, are among Dublin's most photographed streets. On Saturdays, Meeting House Square hosts a food market with stalls selling artisan produce, a useful counterpoint to the area's reputation for tourist-priced pub food. Prices for drinks and meals here run noticeably higher than in neighboring streets just a few minutes' walk away, and visitors on a budget often use Temple Bar for its atmosphere and music while eating and drinking slightly further afield. A couple of hours covers a walk through the district and a stop in a pub for music, while a full evening out can easily run four hours or more. The area is busiest and loudest on weekend nights, particularly during stag and hen party season in summer, and comparatively calm and easy to photograph in the early morning before shops and pubs open.