The Celtic Tiger might have lost its roar a decade or so ago, but judging by Dublin’s current construction boom, it never quite changed its stripes. Right now, the city is abuzz with development, with an additional 3,000 hotel rooms to be opened by 2020 – a move to keep up with the ever-increasing numbers of tourists who continue to flock to the Emerald Isle.

But while Dublin has always been popular with stag dos and American tourists eager to trace their – often tenuous – Irish ancestry, the city today draws a cooler customer. From modern art to Michelin-starred restaurants, the Irish capital is so much more than the best place to sup a pint of Guinness (though, of course, it is still very much that, too). Here’s how to spend a day (and night) in the Fair City.

A recent addition to Dublin’s hotel landscape, The Alex is also one of its most stylish. Located just a stone’s throw from Trinity College, this newly refurbished, 103-bedroom property is the perfect base from which to explore the city. The hotel’s Insta-ready interior – think sleek furniture and minimalist light fittings mixed with cool grey and sage-green soft furnishings – offers a charming point of difference to many of Dublin’s more generic properties, while its staff, as warm as they are efficient, consummately uphold Ireland’s reputation as the “land of a thousand welcomes”.

thealexhotel.ie

Skip getting to grips with Dublin’s public transport and discover the city by foot instead. Your guide? None other than Mr James Joyce, the literary titan who, despite having lived almost half of his life outside of Ireland, arguably knew Dublin better than anyone else. Up to three walking tours per week are offered by the James Joyce Centre, taking in landmarks such as 7 Eccles Street – where Ulysses protagonist Leopold Bloom began his day with a fortifying breakfast of pungent mutton kidneys – verdant St Stephen’s Green and Sweny’s Pharmacy, where Bloom famously stopped to buy some lemon soap (which, by the way, you still can, too).

jamesjoyce.ie

From Aran sweaters to linen homewares, Ireland has long been esteemed for its design exports. But the country’s contribution to art is just as significant. While the National Gallery of Ireland offers a valuable insight into the nation’s traditional masters – not to mention European greats including Caravaggio, Mr Claude Monet and Mr Johannes Vermeer – those in search of a more cerebral art fix would do well to add the Irish Museum of Modern Art to their itinerary. A landmark in and of itself, IMMA is housed in a 17th-century hospital building with extensive exhibition space that has played host to an impressive roster of both Irish and international artists, including Mr Richard Mosse, Ms Louise Bourgeois and Mr Wolfgang Tillmans.

imma.ie

Dublin might not have quite the same claim to culinary prowess as nearby Paris or London, but recent years have seen something of a renaissance, thanks not only to an abundance of local produce, but also some truly imaginative chefs who know exactly what to do with it. One of these is Mr Eric Matthews, who, as head chef of Michelin-starred restaurant Chapter One, serves up some of the city’s finest food. Try the tasting menu to sample dishes such as aged fillet of Irish beef with shiitake tart, lindi pepper cream and poached bone marrow and a dessert inspired by the flavours and textures of Irish milk and honey.

chapteronerestaurant.com

No trip to Dublin would be complete without a delectably creamy, perfectly poured pint of Guinness. For an authentically Irish experience, post up at one of the city’s hundreds of historic watering holes, such as the Long Hall on South Great George’s Street or Grogans, the fashion set’s preferred haunt on South William Street. But for a taste of modern Dublin, descend into 9 Below, a chic speakeasy nestled in the former basement of the Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, where the cocktails are just as sophisticated as the decor.

9below.ie