-Europe.Ireland.Dublin-
Before visiting Dublin, my only association to it was St. Patrick’s Day where people come out in droves in funny green hats with a pint in their hands. Dublin has since surpassed my initial picture of it. When I decided to visit , it was due to the threat of Brexit looming overhead and I wanted to visit both the North and the South of Ireland and both areas did not disappoint.
Getting Here:
The Dublin International Airport has 2 terminals (1 and 2) . I flew in with Aer Lingus and landed at Terminal 2. However I had pre-booked my transport into the city with Airlink Shuttle. *Money saving Tip: If you book with Booking.com it has additional 10% discounts for the Airlink tickets.
I had to find my way to Terminal 1 to the DoDublin at the ground floor to get my ticket. From one terminal to another there is an indoor link and you just need to look out for signs leading to the terminals – it is less than 5 minutes walk. To catch the bus, you only have to exit the terminal1 to the left and you find bus stops there.
For *Cruise Terminal from the Airport Bus 747 from Airport to Port Arena – also part of airlink shuttle. To get to the city center from the cruise terminal would be the same on Bus 747 to College Green / Temple Bar stop.
Seeing Dublin:
Dublin is surprisingly walkable and I managed to see the sights without the need of taking the local transportation. With just a set of my trusty legs, I set off to explore the city.
Guinness Storehouse
Out of all the names associated with Ireland is the brand Guinness and in Dublin it is an attraction to visit the brewery which by now has a visitor’s experience from visiting the roots of Guinness to the very top roofbar where a pint is included. Check out the Tickets and opening times link.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
About a 1.4km walk from the city center I come to think of as Trinity College (College Green) is the Cathedral. The interior is impressive – look for the stained glass. Here is the link for opening hours and tickets.
Marsh’s Library
Next door to St. Patrick’s is the Marsh’s Library, the oldest working library in the world. For a small fee you can go in and take a look just to say I’ve been there and done that. The library however is not open all days. Here is the link to check opening times and admission fees.
Christchurch Cathedral
The oldest building in Dublin , it has seen its fair share of significant events of the royal sort , crowning of Kings are just one of them. The church also houses medieval and ancient manuscripts. Here is the link for opening times.
Dublinia
Is a really interesting museum if you have time to spare. It showcases life in Dublin during the Viking times. Here is the link for the opening times for the museum.
Old City Wall
The wall reminds me of the old wall in Berlin , there are also strips showing where the original wall in Dublin was. It is centuries old and while did not have the same function as the Berlin wall , it shows the old medieval walled city of Dublin. Great for historians and its about a 300m walk away from Dubinia.
Dublin Castle
The castle has changed hands with the different administration running Ireland. It houses government complex and it is free to enter the compound but need to pay admission fees to see the interior. Here is the link to the admission fees and opening times.
Drury Street
Drury street is a trendy area of the city center. I did not know of it but was drawn to it nevertheless. The architecture around here is unique. The area has a lot of cafes and restaurants which may be why I hung around this area a lot 🙂
The George street Market arcade is a walk through street with shops as well as mobile stores.
Temple Bar
Temple Bar is a happening area , a street parallel to the River Liffey. Plenty of cafes and a high concentration of pubs are here. They offer live music , pub food and there is plenty else culturally happening like outdoor musicians, street artists. Definitely a must-visit especially in the evenings.
Ha’penny Bridge
There are a total of 21 bridges built over the River Liffey – the first iron cast bridge is the Ha’penny Bridge. This bridge by now very famous synonymous with Dublin. The Bridge took on the name of how much toll was charged to use it at the beginning.
Molly Malone Statue
Walking around Dublin, you will run into many statues around the city. One of more famous ones is the Molly Malone Statue based on a popular song in Dublin. The statue is currently situated on Suffolk Street.
Trinity College
Is Ireland’s top ranking University. The campus is open to visitors and tourists and man are there lots of visitors around. Its a good looking campus , it has a compact looking area and directs visitors well to where people want to go.
The Library in the Campus houses about 5 million books and keeps growing annually. It is the biggest research library in the country. The Book of Kells is by far the most famous ancient manuscript on display. It is not allowed to use the camera in the old library where the Book of Kells is. Here is the link to check opening times and entrance fees.
The ticket to see the Book of Kells is including access to the Long Room.
In the impresive Long Room there is the display of the Brian Boru Harp which is one of the three oldest surviving Harps from Medieval Gaelic. You might recognize the Harp as the symbol of Ireland.
Outside the Berkeley Library wing, stands Arnaldo Pomodoro’s Sphere Within Sphere sculpture.
O’Connell Street
Across the Bridge on the Northside is O’Connell Street – it is a wide avenue with tribute statues lined along the length of the street. It is a busy street and on the main bus route and so the best time to see it is early in the morning as I did around 06:30 as I made my way to Parnell Square to catch a bus. It is fantastic to see this normally busy area in quiet mode and admire those statues along the way. There is also nice architecture like the General Post Office and Garden of Remembrance.
Off the Beaten Path
- If you have never experienced staying on a university or college campus, here is your chance! Stay at Trinity college– during the summer months (May till August) – it has the advantage of being at a very central location in Dublin.
- Go on a Musical Pub Crawl. You meet at a pub and follow your musician guides around from pub to pub learning about the Irish Music and culture scene. With a ticket your place in the pub is secured. Picture source is https://www.musicalpubcrawl.com/musical-pub-crawl
Important and Useful Things To Note
- The Tap Water is drinkable here.
- I did not feel obligated to order drinks in Dublin in the eateries, freely ask for tap water with your meals.
- Even though Republic of Ireland is part of Europe, people drive on the left side of the road, same as in the UK.
- This applies for the Power plugs as well, instead of the Europe standard , the UK standards are widely used.
- People are really friendly here, if you have to use the facilities to answer nature’s call just ask.
- Most restaurants open at noon and closes at 10pm.
- Euro is the currency used here.
- Baggage keep: In case you have a heavy bag you don’t want to bring along while sightseeing. You can keep your bag at Trinity College opposite of Book of Kells for 3 euros per bag. Directions: Enter the cafe across the field from the Book of Kells entrance – turn right past the coffee shop and go down a short flight of stairs and there you find the Baggage Keep.
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Ireland is very high up on my list. Hope to get to see it someday and visit Dublin as well. The city doesn’t have a great tourist reputation. People say it’s an industrial city with not much charm. However, after reading your post, I think that’s kind of an unfair characterization. I’d love to go see it myself.
Dublin is one of the last European capitals I still haven’t visited. I must admit I haven’t heard a lot of great things about Dublin but after reading your post, would love to visit it soon. I especially appreciated your off-the-beaten-path suggestions
I really hope to visit Ireland soon. Kerry and Dublin, top my list of places to see in Ireland.
I wouldn’t miss Guinness Brewery for sure. Christ Church cathedral looks fascinating.
I’ve heard much about Trinity College’s library. Would definitely see it too!
Ireland is one of my favorite countries! It is such a fun destination. I loved St. Patrick’s Cathedral And Dublin Castle too. We also enjoyed the music and pubs in Temple Square. Great guide to a great city that’s full of culture!
I love Dublin. Your article brings back great memories of my visit two years ago. Dublin has a certain vibe even round touristy Temple Bar which you have to visit. The market there on Saturday’s is great too! There is nothing better than a pint of Guinness in a pub listening to a great Irish band!
Am so glad I stumbled across this now. I have been wanting to visit Ireland now which I shall before leaving UK and this article has made the job quite easy.
Would definitely love to do a Music Pub crawl apart from going to the Guiness warehouse.
I had a nice time combining visiting Dublin together with day trips to other cities. Im sure you will have a nice time too.
Great list of places to visit in Dublin. I appreciate the additional information on getting into town from the airport. I also like that you can walk to most of the highlights by staying downtown, saving on a rental car. The musical pub crawl was the most unique experience on your list and a fun way to see the town. Trinity College’s library is definitely on my list.
I still haven’t made it to Ireland yet. The Dublinia museum sounds interesting. Also interesting that you can stay at Trinity College during the summer months!
I have always found Dublin to be so quirky and lovely! I did not know that you could stay at the college during summer months, that’s a great tip! I’m definitely going to attempt to do that on my next summer stay there. I also think that a music, pub crawl tour would be the best way to see all the pubs in town. I love Irish music, beer and food, so I can’t imagine anything going wrong! 😉 Fabulous photos and great info!
Yes , I think a good way to learn about the music and culture with the pub crawl. There is also a literary pub crawl 😀 if you are interested.
Wow, I had no idea oldest working library is located in Ireland! And Long hall at trinity college looks out of this world. Would love to just stroll there and enjoy majestic architecture! Thank you for great suggestions, its about time to visit Ireland!
I loved Ireland – and now is as great time as ever since the Pound is weaker at the moment, which doesnt happen often.
Trinity College looks so beautiful. So happy to hear that it is open to the public for tourists and visitors. I wonder how the students feel about all the tourists on their campus 🙂
I can imagine not so happy – but I guess that they get use to it – I had the experience that the people were really loud when drunk and walking about when I stayed on campus.
We are heading to Ireland in 4 weeks. Thanks for helping me figure out what we are going to do. I love the idea of the musical pub crawl. Hopefully, teenagers are welcome! lol.
haha – do go and let me know if they welcome teenagers 🙂
I was in Dublin for a quick stop on a cruise. I definitely need to go back one day to fully experience it. We did have time for the Guinness Storebmhouse tour though!
I like your list. Unfortunately, I only had a couple days there and missed most of these sites. I did get to see Molly Malone and Temple Bar though.
It is so nice to know that Dublin is walkable. I would like to really walk around and see places like the Cathedral, the local streets, the Temple Bar and get around in Dublin. It is interesting to know that even though it is apart of Europe, it still has the power plugs and driving side as the UK. I would like to visit Dublin soon.
I was in Dublin for 2 days last year before renting a car and driving to the countryside. I absolutely loved the architecture and the vibe of the city. Temple Bar was amazing, with all the live music and Irish dancing going on until late night and even though a lot of people say its very touristy, for me, it was amazing! I was quite in awe of the Book of Kells as well.
wow great post thanks for sharing with me i am trying to visit in next month so it would be helpful for me thanks
Enjoy Dublin!
I love old libraries and I always take hundreds of photos of old books. They have such a different feel when you look at them, even though their content may not be the best one in the world. I would love to explore Dublin and discover these old places and bring to life new memories of the past.
I am yet to put my foot in Dublin. What an amazing list of places you put together. make me wanna prioritize it on my list. Its so cool that trinity college is open to stay. I loved the St Patricks Cathedral architect. I am saving the post to use whenever I visit in Post Corona world.
Dublin is in my bucket list due to its old age architecture. The trinity collage looks so pretty with all the details. I loved Christchurch Cathedral too.Those pictures looks so straight out of fairytale!
I was hoping to visit Ireland in the Falls, but looks like the plan has to be stalled. This post makes dream of Ireland more. The Trinity College’s library is high in my list, have been visiting some libraries in some of the European countries, want to add it to my list. Guinness Brewery sounds interesting. My itinerary for Ireland just got better.
Thanks for this post, Suying! I’ve never been to Dublin and I didn’t think there’s lots of things to do there! On top of it, these experiences look like they’re not a normal tourist trap. Hope you can include a budget for each site (for example Temple Bar). I know that Dublin is quite expensive since it’s in the EU but please correct me if I am wrong since I have not been. Xx
This is interesting. Just like you, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear about Dublin is St. Patrick’s Day. Anyway, would love to visit soon. Thank you for sharing this detailed post. It is very helpful. I would love to visit Trinity 🙂
Dublin has been on my list for a long time. Especially this fantastic library. I dream of seeing Trinity College, The Long Room. I dream of going among these bookshelves. I will also gladly visit Guinness Storehouse and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which has excellent architecture. It is interesting guide, I hope I will use it.
Dublin looks so cool! I wonder if Drury Street is the same as Drury Lane from the rhyme? I would love to visit Trinity College and visit the long room. It looks incredible!
I haven’t been to Dublin but it’s on my bucket list! Never had an idea that there are so many places to visit in this wonderful city. I would really love to visit as soon as possible! Hopefully after this COVID-19 pandemic! Keep safe!