Vitamin D means exploring D8

With the first day of summer upon us, the sun is slowly creeping out from behind the clouds. There are many ways to soak up that Vitamin D. We explored three places to go by yourself, with friends or family to appreciate what we hope is the return of sunny days in Dublin.

The first place is in the north of Phibsboro,in Glasnevin: The Botanic Gardens of Dublin.

“I live ten minutes from the Botanic Gardens, and I go there to relax, to recharge my batteries, to reflect, the place, in general, soothes me,” said Edy Oliveira, a resident of the area.

A site that can “soothe” you no doubt. Going there means putting aside the noise of the city and the crowds to exchange it for a moment and share it with nature.

The main activity is a walk through the beautiful greenhouses. They offer a lot of diversity with plants from all over the world, possibly some that you have never heard of or seen before.

You can also have a stroll in the grounds park, a huge open green space. Here, there is wildlife, beautiful vegetation and a small lake. Beware of the squirrels.

After a moment of peace with nature, it’s time to come back to socialisation and perhaps go to the pub.

“You almost feel like, in your own backyard, you can talk to everyone as if you knew them, like a summer afternoon in good company”

Mike Dwyer, Back page regular.

The Back Page, on Phibsboro Road, is easily found if you follow the smell of fresh pizza.

This restaurant and café welcomes anyone and everyone – the drinkers and non-drinkers to enjoy a pint of beer, or can of coke. The buzzing sporty atmosphere is prominent within the area and the theme continues throughout the pub; its homemade pizzas are named after various sportsmen, anyone from Sonia O’Sullivan to Eric Cantona to John Giles is sure to please your taste buds.

If you’re not a huge fan of big crowds, you can head to to the bar’s terrace at the back of the pub, which is slightly hidden.

The friendly atmosphere is radiant throughout the bar and terrace.

“You almost feel like, in your own backyard, you can talk to everyone as if you knew them, like a summer afternoon in good company,” said Mike Dwyer, a regular at the Back Page.

Finally, nothing says summer like a day of outdoor sports. Enjoying the sun whilst being active is a great way to soak up that vitamin D.

Dublin offers a range of stadiums and outdoor parks: Phoenix Park and Grangegorman are the perfect size pitches and grounds for five-a-sides or full blown matches. However, being the sportsman can be tiring and often just watching a match is what it takes to really enjoy the sunny weather.

Bohemians Football club reside in their stadium, Dalymount Park, a local embodiment of the sports community.

This stadium, which can hold up to 5,000 people, is home to the Bohemians football matches all-year-round and is the perfect day out for a summer celebration.

We advise you to look online in advance for tickets for the matches due to high demand for admission.

Here in Dublin you never know how long the sun will stay, so hurry up and enjoy it!