Dublin is Ireland’s main capital and one of the highlights for travelers. Most of the people visit Dublin during the weekend like we did. The big benefit is that during the weekend the city is at its best. Dublin is mainly known for its historic buildings, its fabulous live music, the charming streets, and of course the incredible pubs. After spending time in this fun city here are my all-time favorite places to visit in Dublin, Ireland…
How many days do you need for Dublin?
We recommend staying at least two nights in Dublin. If you want to do a day trip or discover some of the surroundings as well then we recommend staying three nights. In this article, you read what you can do in Dublin itself but also some recommendations which are located outside the city.
Trinity college – a popular place to go in beautiful Dublin
The Trinity College and the buildings surrounding it is easily one of the highlights when visiting Dublin. The buildings are beautiful, especially if you take the time to look at all the details that it contains. Once you have walked around the Trinity college then its time to visit the“the book of Kells”. This book is considered as one of the best national treasures. For us, however, the highlight wasn’t the book of Kells itself but the long room. In this room, you see towering bookcases that are magnificent.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
If you like visiting cathedrals you have to visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. It is the biggest cathedral in Ireland. From the outside, the cathedral is great to see but when you enter it’s even more beautiful. Besides St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin has another cathedral called “Christ Church Cathedral” which is just a few minutes’ walk away.
Temple Bar – famously one of the best places to visit in Dublin
When you’re in Dublin you’ll definitely want to visit some of pubs, it’s easily one the best things to do in Dublin! The most popular area to visit is Temple Bar but many locals believe that this area has become a little bit too touristy. If you want to experience the real pub live with locals you need to know where to go. We’d personally recommend going to Aul Dub instead, it’s a great place where they serve good drinks and play excellent live music.
Guinness Storehouse – the most popular places to visit in Dublin
Guinness is the national drink in Ireland, which you certainly need to try. If you want to know more about it you can follow a tour. Did you know that the Guinness Storehouse is the most visited place in Dublin by tourist numbers? It’s a great tour where you will learn the history of the Guinness and why the Irish people are so proud of it.
Visit Howth – one of the most beautiful places to visit in Dublin
Dublin is a great place to visit only outside the city are also awesome things to discover. One of the best and easiest things you can do is to visit the town Howth and have a walk next to the cliffs. It’s a 12km walk and can be completed in +/- 3 hours. From Dublin you can take the DART, in 25 minutes you will arrive in Howth. In Howth there are different signs which clearly map out the wonderful walks you can go on, it’s that simple!
Kilmainham Gaol
Did you ever visit a prison? Are you interested to visit one? If you are, you should visit Kilmainham Gaol. Together with a tour you can visit the cells, gardens and get to know the history of the historic prison as well. The tours lasts one hour. Visiting a prison isn’t the most enjoyable place to visit, but it’s definitely a very interesting and informative one!
Relax in St. Stephen Green
St. Stephen Green is located middle of the city center. It is a beautiful park to walk through and you should definitely visit on your Dublin trip especially if you’re blessed with nice weather. Tip: buy a drink in Grafton street and sit enjoy it in the park,like we did. Watch how the locals enjoy their weekend in this park.
Dublin Castle
Many other travelers don’t mention Dublin castle directly when they are talking about Dublin, but we can tell you that it is a great building to visit. Dublin castle was in the 13th century a Viking Castle, later it became the headquarter of the English and British. In 1922 the castle was given back to the original owners, the Irish people. The castle now houses a museum which is also worth a visit.
A live music performance
Dublin is a city where you will hear a lot of artist playing live music and this adds to the really wonderful atmosphere in the city. We loved it, especially when you are in the pub and you can listen to traditional Celtic music.
Tip: when you stop walking to listen you can give a small fee.
Phoenix Park
Do you want to walk in the biggest city park in Europe? If so, you have to visit Phoenix park. At this park you can see also see deer wandering freely. This park is a piece of Dublin history as it has been open for 350 years. You walk through the park or rent a bike.
Tip: definitely buy a sandwich and have a picnic in the park, although watch out for the deer because they are very curious!
Old Jameson Distillery
Do you love Irish whiskey? Want to know everything about it? If so, you need to follow the Jameson Whiskey Distillery Tour. The big benefit of this very fun and informative tour is that you also taste the whiskey at the end of it!
Swords Castle
Love castles? Dublin has some really fantastic ones to visit. Swords Castle is more then 800 years old and I would really recommend if you want to find out about Dublin’s rich history. It’s located just outside the city, and in a 10-minute drive by car, you will be there. You have the option to buy a ticket to discover the castle on your own or follow a tour.
Where to eat in Dublin?
Dublin is a fantastic place to eat. I would recommend trying fish and chips in Leo Burdocks. This place is great and this little shop even has a wall of fame. Have you ever had dinner in a church? Dining in “The Church” is very special due to its location. The menu is great, a recommendation is to dishes which are prepared in Guinness. If you want to eat healthily and visit a cool restaurant you need to visit “The Fumbally”. there are many other great places to find to eat well. We recommend having dinner in a characterful Dublin pub with traditional Irish food and a good drink as the atmosphere tends to be great! Enjoy!
Written by writers and entrepreneurs, Cynthia and Alexander who are Dutch natives who were inspired to travel the world. ‘Normal’ 9-to-5 jobs were not for them, they decided to follow their dreams and started Travel your memories #1 adventurous travel blog for everyone. This with a vision: sharing their travel passion. They like adventure and sports. They spend most of their “down-time” out in the wilderness, climbing, hiking, and beyond, and are passionate about travel, sport, and health.
