IT is the city of a thousand welcomes, or so says a new initiative which has started in beautiful Dublin.

The Little Museum of Dublin is like a history of the city in a chocolate box, with all the items exhibited having been donated, and in the past few months they have launched their new City of a Thousand Welcomes initiative.

The concept behind it sees locals from the area welcome tourists and visitors to the city with a pint of Guinness or a simple cup of tea.

It also affords those new to Dublin the opportunity to learn more about the rich and cultured history behind Ireland’s capital.

But, as I find during my stay, this initiative is just an extension of the warm reception you receive from the people who live here.

To start my journey, I took Bournemouth Airport’s latest service direct to Dublin, thanks to Aer Lingus Regional, which sees you take a plane direct to the city centre in around an hour-and-a-half.

Not only is it efficient but thankfully you also avoid the lengthy airport queues normally associated with a holiday.

There is such a lot to do once you get there and there really is something to attract every type of traveller.

An absolute must is The Brazen Head, which is Ireland’s oldest pub, reportedly dating back to 1198, which more recently was voted Number 1 for nightlife entertainment in Dublin by Trip Advisor.

On the day I went in, there was a visiting storyteller who delighted diners with stories of folklore and fairies all based in the city.

Another must, and I should warn you that there are many, is Trinity College, where a recommendation from the locals is The Book of Kells, a 9th Century manuscript containing the four Gospels in Latin. On your way out, children can gaze up in awe in The Old Library, housing more than 300,000 books on shelves reaching high up to the ceiling which could have come straight out a film set.

If you only do one thing, visit the Guinness Storehouse, which consists of five levels of history about how the famous brew is made, culminating in a lesson on how to pull the perfect pint.

You can then bring your drink up to the glass-fronted Gravity Bar, which offers 360-degree views across the city, where you can see many of the landmarks and, thanks to helpful signs, you can work out what all the buildings are.

Agreat experience I got to try was some Gaelic games, which included hurling, gaelic football and handball, which are more skilled than you think and can really bring out your competitive side once you remember the rules. The over-riding feeling I got from my time in Ireland is the pride that the locals feel for where they live.

These people want to talk to you about their city, they are happy to help, and they are so friendly, which makes the stay even more memorable, and certainly a place you want to go back to.

Getting there

Caitlin flew with Aer Lingus Regional, which operates flights seven days a week direct from Bournemouth to Dublin. For more information, go to Aerlingus.com