Wonderful Tourist Places to Visit and Things to Do in Dublin

September 15, 2020 Mustafa Natalwala 3112 Views

Dublin is the national capital of the Republic of Ireland located at the east coast bay where river Liffey meets the Irish Sea. One of the biggest reasons to visit Dublin is that it used to be the land of Vikings. There are numerous places to visit in Dublin rooted in the Celtic culture. Dublin is a very lively and happening city. You will always find fun things to do in Dublin, Ireland. One of the best days to embark on Dublin travel is St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrating this amazing festival is one of the best things to do in Dublin.

Dublin has been home to some of the biggest names in English literature like James Joyce, Bram Stoker, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Thomas Moore, and many more. There are house museums and exhibits dedicated to the life and works of these geniuses among places to visit in Dublin. For any reader, student, practitioner, or admirer of literature, these Dublin tourist attractions would be exhilarating. One of the best Dublin attractions to visit for literature enthusiasts is Trinity College Library and the National Library of Ireland. As for fans of Bram Stroker’s Dracula, you can enjoy an experience exhibition among the top things to do in Dublin. There are also a few house museums you can visit during Dublin sightseeing pertaining to several artists. Dublin has also been home to some of the biggest names in sports, music, and entertainment across the world. There are numerous things to see in Dublin associated with artists, writers, painters, musicians, and athletes.

There are also a few incredible distilleries and breweries among Dublin attractions. The most famous brewery to visit during Dublin travel is Guinness Storehouse. Irish Whiskey distilleries are equally famous places to go in Dublin as the breweries. You can also Irish Whiskey Museum among Dublin’s top attractions if you are interested in the history of the spirit. This usually varies from person to person. Some people like beer on their trips to Dublin while some prefer whiskey.

City sightseeing in Dublin will take you through various palaces, cathedrals, monuments, castles, and museums. The most popular historical places to go in Dublin are St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, and Glasnevin Cemetery. There are two particular unusual things to do in Dublin, Ireland which you would enjoy. The Little Museum and Leprechaun Museum are among the fun places to visit in Dublin. The Leprechaun Museum especially has gained a great amount of popularity as among the unique Dublin top attractions. For a genuine dive into history visit various sections of the National Museum of Ireland. The archeology and natural history sections are popular exhibits for tourists visiting Dublin.

Outside the city, there are several outdoor activities in Dublin. Ireland is gifted with some of the most beautiful natural landscapes and coastal areas. There is no shortage of beaches and bays you can explore for leisure, swimming, water sports, and other best things to do in Dublin. The Dollymount Strand among coastal places to visit in Dublin is particularly popular for Kite Surfing and Kite Boarding. Besides the coastal activities in Dublin, you can also explore nature by hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing. You would have to make day trips from Dublin for some of these activities, but the experience is worth the travel.

This Blog Post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything from that link then I may earn a small part of the commission and for that, you do not need to pay any extra amount.

Table of Contents

A Complete 4 Days Travel Itinerary To Visit Dublin Tourist Attractions

This itinerary covers some of the most popular places to visit in Dublin. It allows you to make the most of your time spent in the city and explore all the major places. The itinerary is divided into 4 days based on the popularity of Dublin tourist attractions and their proximity to one another.

When you visit Dublin for a day then, here I have listed out some of the top-rated activities to do and unique tours in Dublin. I suggest you must try these tours to get some unique experience in Dublin.

Day 1

1. Trinity College (Coláiste na Tríonóide)

The College of Holy and Undivided Trinity of Elizabeth is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It is the nation’s oldest college and one of Great Britain’s 7 ancient universities. The college has a great history associated with it and is known for its incredible architecture. You will need about an hour to explore this university.

2. Ha’Penny Bridge (Droichead na Life)

The Ha’Penny Bridge was first constructed in 1816. This metal bridge is an important landmark among things to see in Dublin. It won’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes of your time.

3. Temple Bar Area (Barra an Teampaill)

This area includes a lot of well-known cultural and historical buildings including the Gallery of Photography, the Irish Stock Exchange, the Art House Multimedia Center, the Irish Film Archives, and more. All of these are worth exploring during Dublin sightseeing. You will have an hour for this area. Do not forget to spend some time at the famous Temple Bar on the bar’s eponymous street.

4. Dublin Castle (Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath)

The castle was originally built for King John of England. There are several Dublin attractions within the castle including museums, gardens, exhibition halls and more. You will need at least 2 hours to explore this historical complex.

5. Chester Beatty Library

This Library has won the European Museum of the Year Award and is the only Irish museum to have won the prestigious award. The museum exhibits a vast collection of books and manuscripts from different cultures around the world. You will need 1 hour to explore this museum.

6. St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Ard-Eaglais Naomh Pádraig)

This church was originally built in the 5th century with wood and later built in stone in 1260. It is the largest cathedral in Ireland. You will need about an hour to explore it.

I suggest you should get your Admission Ticket to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in advance.

7. Marsh’s Library

This Renaissance Library was opened to the public in 1707 and was the first public library in the nation. You will need about an hour to explore it.

8. Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church

This church is known to house the relics of St. Valentine. Being associated with St. Valentine has made it a major Dublin tourist attraction for couples. You will need about 30 minutes to explore this church.

Day 2

1. Kilmainham Gaol (Príosún Chill Mhaighneann)

This prison was built in 1796 and was the center of several historical events of the country. The prison art and multimedia presentation are the biggest attractions at this Gaol. You will need an hour and a half to explore this historical prison.

2. Irish Museum of Modern Art – IMMA (Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann)

Also known as IMMA, this museum features the finest collection of modern and contemporary art. It is one of the best places to visit in Dublin to explore the region’s art scene. You will need about 2 hours to explore this museum.

3. Guinness Storehouse

This company is one of the most well-known brands in the world. The storehouse tour lets you explore several aspects of the company’s history and its production area. You will need about an hour for this tour.

I suggest you should get your Entrance Ticket to Guinness Storehouse in advance.

4. National Museum of Decorative Arts & History (Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann – Na hEalaíona Maisiúla ⁊ Stair)

This museum is housed in an army barracks building. You can explore exhibits of decorative arts collected from different countries around the world. You will need 2 hours to explore this museum.

5. St. Michan’s Church

This protestant church was first built in the year 1095 to serve the Vikings. Before that, it used to be a Danish Christian Chapel. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this church.

6. The Old Jameson Distillery

This distillery tells you how Irish whiskey is made. This distillery was the first one of the well-known Irish Whiskey brands and now serves as a museum of sorts. You will need one hour here.

I suggest you should book a Guided Tour of The Old Jameson Distillery with Whiskey Tasting.

Day 3

1. The Book of Kells and The Old Library

The Book of Kells is one of the most well-known manuscripts in the world. This manuscript dates back to 800 A.D. and is believed to be created by the Abbey of Kells. Though you only need a few minutes for the Book of Kells, there are several other wonderful exhibits in the Library. You should at least spare an hour to explore it.

I suggest you should book a Guided Tour of The Book of Kells and The Old Library with a Fast-Track Entry Ticket.

2. Old Parliament House / Bank of Ireland

This former parliament house is now a bank. The building is known for its Greco-roman style facade and decorative interiors. You would need 20-30 minutes here.

3. Grafton Street (Sráid Grafton)

If you are looking for a place to shop among things to do in Dublin, Grafton Street is the place for you. The street also has a few historical buildings to enjoy while shopping. You will need about an hour to explore this street.

4. St. Teresa’s Church

This 18th-century church is known for its beautiful architecture and even more artistic interiors. You will need an hour for this church.

5. Little Museum of Dublin

This museum exhibits artifacts dating between 1900 and 2000. Located in a quaint Gregorian building, this museum is an interesting place to visit among Dublin tourist attractions. You will need an hour to explore it.

I suggest you should get your Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket to the Little Museum of Dublin in advance.

6. St. Stephen’s Green (Faiche Stiabhna)

This large park features victorian structures, gardens, ponds, baths, and more. It is also the center for many events and things to do in Dublin. You will need an hour to explore this park entirely.

I suggest you should go for a Guided Walking Tour of St. Stephen’s Green Park.

7. Newman House

This house was originally the Catholic University of Ireland. This building is primarily well known for the murals in its interior as well as the plaster work. There are not many exhibits to explore in this building, so you won’t need more than 30 minutes here.

Day 4

1. National Gallery of Ireland (Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann)

The National Gallery exhibits a collection of over 15,000 pieces of fine art from Ireland and Europe. This gallery features some very well-known works of European art as well as works of several well-known Irish artists. You will need at least 2 hours to explore this entire gallery.

2. Irish Houses of Parliament / Leinster House

The house of parliament today used to be a mansion built in 1747. It was originally owned by James Fitzgerald and was designed by Richard Gassels. You will need about an hour to explore it.

3. National Library of Ireland (Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann)

This circular building is known for its exterior architecture as well as interior beauty. Some of the attractions inside the National Library of Ireland include floor mosaics, carved wood panels, and stained glass windows. This library also holds the National Photographic Archive, which is worth a visit. You will need about an hour to explore this library.

4. National Museum of Archaeology

This museum is home to more than 2 million archaeological artifacts collected from Ireland. The museum itself is divided in several parts. It will take you 2 hours to explore the National Museum of Archaeology.

5. National Museum of Natural History

This museum exhibits several exhibits of natural history and gives great insight into the various species that existed in the region. The building itself has a great history associated with it. You will need 2 to 3 hours to explore the museum.

6. Number 29 Gregorian House Museum

This house depicts the life of a middle-class family during the Gregorian period. The house has been well preserved and has a little refurbishing. You will need an hour and a half at this museum.

If you plan to visit Dublin for more than 4 days or if you are looking for more places to visit and things to do in the city, do check out the section below. We have created an exhaustive list of various Dublin attractions for you to explore.

Things to do in Dublin

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Dublin

Dublin Castle
Kilmainham Gaol
Malahide Castle & Gardens
Powerscout House & Gardens
Christ Church Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
The Spire Monument
National Gallery of Ireland
Chester Beatty Museum
Little Museum of Dublin
Irish Museum of Modern Art
Trinity College Library
Dublin Writers Museum
General Post Office Museum
Glasnevin Cemetery Museum
National Museum of Ireland
Dublinia Museum
National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland
National Wax Museum
Jeanie Johnston Museum
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
The Custom House
The Book of Kells at Trinity College Library
Farmleigh House & Estate
Irish Whiskey Museum
Howth Castle
Hugh Lane Gallery
Wellington Testimonial Obelisk
Castletown House
National of Ireland
James Joyce Center
Irish National War Memorial
Dalkey Castle & Heritage Center
Poolbeg Lighthouse
James Joyce Tower & Museum
Dublin City Hall
GAA Museum
Killruddery Garden House
St. Michan’s Church
Irish Rock n Roll Museum
Aras an Uachtarain President’s Residence
Royal Hibernian Academy Gallery
The Famine Memorial Sculptures
GPO Museum
Swords Castle
14 Henrietta Street Museum
National Transport Museum
Rathfarnham Castle
Leinster House
Ashton Castle

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Dublin

Powerscourt Waterfall
Dublin Bay
Bray Head
Bull Island
Ireland’s Eye Island
Killiney Hill
Great Sugar Loaf Mountain
Dalkey Island
Lambay Island
Montpelier Hill
Bray Greystones Cliff
Howth Cliff
Three Rock Mountain
Dublin Mountains

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Dublin

Guinness Storehouse
The Church
Phoenix Park
Dublin Zoo
Trinity College
Jameson Distillery
National Botanic Gardens
Teeling Whiskey Distillery
Johnie Fox’s Pub
Iveagh Gardens
Casino of Marino
Aquazone Sport Ireland
St. Anne’s Park
Sea Life Bray Aquarium
Science Gallery Dublin
Imaginosity Dublin Children’s Museum
Garden of Remembrance
Airfield Estate
Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery
Bram Stokers Castle Dracula Experience
Vaults Live Attraction

Shopping in Dublin

Dundrum Shopping Center
Henry Street
Moore Street
O’Connel Street
Temple bar Market
George’s Street Arcade
Powerscourt Townhouse Center
Grafton Street
Liberty Market
Cow’s Lane
Drury Street

Beaches & Islands in Dublin

Portmarnock beach
Forty Foot
Sandymount beach
Sandycove beach
Killing Beach
Dollymount Strand beach
Velvet Strand beach
Dalkey Island beach
Balcarrick beach
Donabate beach
Portrane beach
Seapoint beach
Skerries beach
Burrow beach

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure Things to Do in Dublin

Viking Splash Tours
Dubin Bay Kayak Tours
Kite Surfing
Mountain Biking Trail
Hike Trail
Sailing
Wakeboarding
Rock Climbing

Sightseeing in Dublin

Dublin City Centre
Ha’penny Bridge
St Stephens Green Park
Merrion Square
Molly Malone Statue
Samuel Beckett Bridge
Marlay Park

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Dublin

Temple Bar
147 Deli
L. Mulligan Grocer
Dublin Pizza Company
Oxmantown
Chimac
Fish Shop
Little Mike’s
Da Mimmo
Bunsen
Chapter One
Han Sung
Mr. Fox
The Butcher Grill
Terra Madre
Rolling Donut
Rosa Madre
Man of Aran
Piglet
Shelbourne
Chameleon
Allta Wine Bar
Klaw
Pepper Pot Cafe
Greenhouse
Hatch & Sons
Taste at Rustic
Ramen Bar
Two Pups Coffee
Etto
Cirillo’s
Ely Wine Bar

Where to Stay in Dublin?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Dublin. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Dublin.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Dublin

How to Reach Dublin?

By Air

Your best option for Dublin travel is the city’s international airport. You can get direct flights from various European cities to visit Dublin via Air Lingus. There are also several other airlines serving the airport. You can get direct flights from major European cities like London, Manchester, Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt, Reykjavík, Santorini, Chișinău, and so on. Once you are at the airport you can take the express bus known as Aircoach to reach Dublin City Center. An Aircoach bus leaves the airport every fifteen minutes. The bus directly takes you to places to visit in Dublin. Another alternative is the public bus, which takes several stops across the city. You have to plan the bus depending on where you want to reach when you visit Dublin. This bus also helps you get to several Dublin tourist attractions directly from the airport. Finally, you have the option of taking a cab, which is expensive but offers the most freedom of movement. If you are not sure of the bus routes for things to see in Dublin, better stick to a cab. You can also take a bus to the city centre, enjoy a little bit of Dublin sightseeing, and get a cab from within the city. Airport cabs charge higher fares compared to city cabs.

By Road

There are two major train stations for Dublin travel. You can get a train from numerous cities in Ireland connecting to the capital city. You can also get a train from Belfast & Silgo in Northern Ireland to visit Dublin. You can purchase tickets at the station or book them in advance. You do get cheaper tickets for booking Dublin travel in advance.

The bus network in Ireland is wonderful for traveling around the country. You can explore several places to visit near Dublin as well via buses. Almost every major town and city in Ireland offers bus service for trips to Dublin. There are also private bus tours to visit Dublin tourist attractions.

If you zoom out on map of Ireland, it will seem that all major roads emerge out of Dublin. This is true in many regards. There are several roads to take for trip to Dublin depending on where you begin your journey. You will also get to enjoy several places to visit near Dublin along the way. Some of the most prominent routes to take for Dublin travel are route M1, M11, M2, M4, M7 and M9. Route M50 encircles the city and is the main entry road to visit Dublin. Each of the aforementioned routes connect with M50. It is also the route people take to explore Dublin tourist attractions most commonly.

By Water

Dublin is a very important port of Ireland. You can get passenger ferry service to visit Dublin from Wales & England. The most prominent junctions for ferries on Dublin travel are Liverpool and Holyhead. You can also book combined train & ferry tickets for trips to Dublin and back.

Image Reference

Trinity College (Coláiste na Tríonóide) – h s / PixaBay
Ha’Penny Bridge (Droichead na Life) – Ron Cogswell / Flickr
Temple Bar (Barra an Teampaill) – Leonhard Niederwimmer / PixaBay
Dublin Castle (Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) – papagnoc / PixaBay
Chester Beatty Library – PersianDutchNetwork / Wikimedia Commons
St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Ard-Eaglais Naomh Pádraig) – Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ / Flickr
Marsh’s Library – William Murphy / Flickr
Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church – Can Pac Swire / Flickr
Kilmainham Gaol (Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) – Owen Byrne / Flickr
Irish Museum of Modern Art – IMMA (Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann) – William Murphy / Flickr
Guinness Storehouse – Dan Mongosa / Flickr
National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History (Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann – Na hEalaíona Maisiúla ⁊ Stair) – William Murphy / Flickr
St. Michans Church – Andreas F. Borchert / Wikimedia Commons
The Old Jameson Distillery – Ben / Flickr
The Book of Kells and The Old Library – IdaT / PixaBay
Old Parliament House / Bank of Ireland – CraftyCaedus / Wikimedia Commons
Grafton Street (Sráid Grafton) – Ronan Darby / PixaBay
St. Teresas Church – Jcmurphy / Wikimedia Commons
The Little Museum of Dublin – Jean Housen / Wikimedia Commons
St. Stephen’s Green (Faiche Stiabhna) – Ron Cogswell / Flickr
Newman House – Michael Foley / Flickr
National Gallery of Ireland (Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann) – NTF30 / Wikimedia Commons
Irish Houses of Parliament / Leinster House – Leandro Neumann Ciuffo / Flickr
National Library of Ireland (Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann) – YvonneM / Wikimedia Commons
National Museum of Archaeology – Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) / Wikimedia Commons
National Museum of Natural History – William Murphy / Flickr
Number Twenty-Nine – Georgian House Museum – Paolo Trabattoni / PixaBay