Phoenix Park and Environs

Far and away Dublin's largest park, Phoenix Park (the name is an anglicization of the Irish Fionn Uisce, meaning "clear water") is a vast, green, arrowhead-shape oasis north of the Liffey, about a 20-minute walk from the city center. It's the city's main escape valve and sports center (cricket, soccer, Gaelic games, and polo), and the home of the noble creatures of the Dublin Zoo. A handful of other cultural sights near the park also merit a visit.