Dublin was the first stop on our two-week Ireland trip in June 2024, and we spent 2 full days here. Ireland was the last country we visited during our 4-month European Adventure. Luckily, we have a friend who is local and was able to help us out with what to see and do and show us around to some areas outside the city center. Because our time in Dublin was quite short, we have included a list of suggestions of things that we didn’t get to do but came up quite a bit in our research. There is a map at the end of the post with all this information as well.
If you want to check out where we ate during our 3 days, our gluten free guide is here.
In this guide you’ll find:
When is the best time to visit Dublin?
We travelled to Dublin in mid-June, and it was pleasant weather. We lucked out and didn’t have rain! One day was sunny and one day was overcast and we only needed a light jacket. The best times to visit Dublin and still get decent weather are the typical shoulder seasons of May and June, or September and October.
While July and August have the warmest weather, you’re also likely to run into more crowds and higher prices. March is also popular for tourists due to St. Patrick’s Day. November to February plus April tend to be considered low season, as the weather can be unpleasant (cold, grey, and rainy). Another downside to low season is that not all restaurants and accommodations will be available – check your desired towns to see what is open if you plan on going in these off-season months.
Where to stay?
Many guides will tell you to stay right in the city center if you’re visiting for the first time, so that you can be “in it”. However, we also read that while staying in Temple Bar will be right “in” the hustle and bustle, it will also be loud and expensive. Because of this, we stayed slightly out of the Temple Bar area, at the Premier Inn City Center on Gloucester Street. It was very walkable to anywhere in the city center we wanted to visit, and it was affordable. It was also easy to get to from the airport using the 782 Airport Express bus.
Two other neighbourhoods in the city that come recommended are the area near St. Stephen’s Green and the neighbourhood of Smithfield, which is about a 20-25 minute walk to the center. Many warn that staying on the north side of the river will come with its challenges. Traffic can be quite bad, and it can take quite a bit of time to get where you want to go (as most of the tourist attractions and areas of interest are south of the river).
If you’re okay saying outside the city center, many guides will also recommend Malahide or Howth for a more small-town vibe and experience. Keep in mind these are not really in Dublin itself and are separate villages. However, you can get to Dublin by train from these areas.
This is a great site that lays out the pros and cons of different neighbourhoods.
Places to visit IN Dublin
This is a beautiful university, where Oscar Wilde and several Nobel laureates went to school. It is free to walk around the grounds, but you can also book tours. The Book of Kells experience is here as well, which requires tickets (book ahead!).
A massive park in the center of Dublin! Lots of paths to wander through, and benches to stop to take it all in. It seems like a popular spot for locals to take their lunch break. The streets nearby are super cute to walk around, especially if you head towards the Portobello neighbourhood.
The national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. You can take a free guided tour, but they don’t take place on Sundays. Adjacent to St. Patrick’s Park, which is free to walk through.
Famous for their bells! The cathedral is almost 1000 years old. They have a crypt and a belfry that you can visit as well. Tickets are required to enter.
Major government complex in the center of Dublin. You need tickets to enter, but it is not expensive. The grounds, however, are free to enter and walk around (though you can see much more if you pay the entrance fee). You need about an hour here.
While you’ll find statues and other nods to Oscar Wilde throughout the city, one of the most popular is the monument sitting in Merrion Square Park. You don’t need much time to visit the statue itself, but the park it’s in is pleasant to walk around.
7. John Kavanagh, aka “Gravediggers Pub”
Over a hundred years old, this pub sits beside Europe’s largest cemetery (it is built into one of the cemetery walls!). The gravediggers from the cemetery used to take their breaks by coming to the pub. Not only is it a super cool spot that is true to its roots, but many say it is where you can get the best pint of Guinness in all of Dublin!
8. Temple Bar
We actually skipped fully exploring Temple Bar as we are not fans of crowds and weren’t feeling great by the end of our busy day in Dublin. However, for many travellers, Temple Bar is a “must see” if you’re in the city. Both a neighbourhood and an actual bar, this is arguably the most sought-after tourist spot in Dublin. The bar itself is bright red on a cobblestone road, making it a great photo spot. The neighbourhood has similarly adorable gift shops, artisans, restaurants, and more pubs. Temple Bar as a neighbourhood is a popular spot at night, often crowded and loud with live music and people out and about.
Places to visit just OUTSIDE Dublin
1. Howth
A very charming village, many guides will tell you to make the trek out to Howth (or even to stay here). It has cute buildings, lots of unique shops, and tons of seafood. Our local friend drove us out here from the city center, and we quite enjoyed grabbing an ice cream and walking along the waterfront.
2. Malahide
Another charming town, Malahide has many boutiques, cool restaurants, and a very “beach town” feel. Grab some fish and chips (we had Beshoff Bros) and enjoy the views. If you’re wanting a bit more to “do”, hit up nearby Malahide Castle and Gardens. There are often concerts in the adjacent park, too!
Just outside of Howth, you will see phenomenal views from the lighthouse and surrounding area. There is plenty of parking, but it is a bit of a trek down the cliffside to the lighthouse itself (which means a trek back up to return to your car). Worth a visit for the views alone.
Here, you’ll find a massive beach that is an easy bus ride from Dublin’s city center. While it was not beach weather, we found a stroll down the wooden bridge towards the Statue of Our Lady Star of the Sea quite pleasant. Despite the cold and overcast day, there were still swimmers and people participating in water sports.
Extra Things to Do (that we didn’t get to)
1. The Book of Kells Experience
We had read that this was well worth the time and money, but didn’t look at booking tickets far enough ahead of time. Make sure you book well in advance if this is something you’re super interested in doing. Located at Trinity College.
If you’re into beer and/or Guinness, you can visit the factory where Guinness is made. As someone with celiac disease, I can’t have it, so we didn’t want to use what little time we had here. Tickets are required, which give you a tour of the storehouse, tastings, and access to the rooftop bar.
3. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
A history museum covering the emigration of the Irish to other countries, as well as what it means to be Irish. Reviews say the exhibits are very well designed and maintained. They sometimes have days and times where entry is free.
Various tours are available here, all explaining the history of Irish whiskey. You can take classes, have tastings, or take a basic tour. The museum itself gets five stars out of over 11,000 reviews on Trip Advisor!
There are four sites, each of them is FREE! You can choose from Archaeology, Natural History, Country Life, and Decorative Arts & History. The Country Life branch is not in Dublin, though. The Archaeology one seems to have the best reviews on Trip Advisor, but Natural History also seems to be well-visited.
Day Trips
While you could arguably do a day trip to many places within Ireland, we feel like you would need and want more time than just a day in most of the top locations. The locations below we wouldn’t necessarily recommend as day trips unless that is your only chance to get to see them (we think they require more time). Please note, there are many more options depending on how far you are willing to drive for your day trip.
Short drives (under 2.5 hours):
- Kilkenny (1.5 hour drive)
- Powerscourt House and Gardens (45 minute drive)
- Wicklow Mountains National Park (1 hour drive)
- Glendalough (1 hour drive)
- Waterford (2 hour drive)
Longer drives (2.5 hours or more):
- Cobh (just under 3 hours drive)
- Cliffs of Moher (3.5 hour drive from Dublin, though!)
- Northern Ireland to see Giant’s Causeway, Dark Hedges, and/or Antrim Coast (about 2.5-3 hours drive)
- Blarney Castle (3 hour drive)
MAP of Things to Do in Dublin
HOW TO USE THE MAP: Click on the Wanderlog logo in the bottom right corner to open the full-size map up in a new tab. There, you can choose to just look at one type of activity at a time or see all of the activities on the map at once (click the 3 squares in the top right to choose). You can also export the map to Google Maps, share the map with others, or save the map.