Dublin is a city which has embraced, and been embraced, by some of literature’s most famous heroes. Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett studied at Trinity College, crafting the timid beginnings of glittering careers, albeit in wildly contrasting styles. The city’s most famous, and perhaps favourite, son is James Joyce, who immortalised and satirised the cobbled streets and diverse voices in his epic novel Ulysses. Written between 1914 and 1921, and published in 1922, Ulysses charts one chaotic 24-hour period in the life of Leopold Bloom.

But one could just as easily say that the novel in fact charts a 24-hour period in the life of the city: a city which, then and now, is a hub of cultural, familial and industrial activity, where politicians, students and tramps share bars and street corners; and with glorious countryside as well as galleries, castles and luxury hotels, there is always something sparkling in the Emerald City. Plus, with cheap flights and ferries from several major UK destinations, getting there is no problem.

Why not take a look at Lastminute.com for a few inspiring ideas for city breaks in Dublin? The website offers a range of top-notch hotels around the city centre to make your stay comfortable and indulgent both day and night. It might be worth grabbing a Dublin Pass once you arrive in Ireland: this card allows you free transport from the airport to the city, and free entry into 27 of the city’s most popular attractions, including Dublin Castle and the eerily Gothic Kilmainham Gaol.