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Dublin, Ireland is a beautiful city with so much to discover. As the capital and largest city of Ireland, most visitors to the country will arrive in Dublin before taking off to see other parts of the country. Dublin is so much more than just a transit city, though and has many top activities to discover. The city is rich in history and culture, making it a great introduction to the country of Ireland.
I spent 3 days in Dublin and feel like I barely scratched the surface of this wonderful city. If you’re like me and only have a few quick days to explore Dublin, you’ll want to make sure to experience the best that the city has to offer. I suggest purchasing a Go City Pass before your visit to get free admission and skip the lines to many of the top sights in Dublin. I found it so easy to pull up the pass on my phone and get rigth into every sight I wanted to see.
Keep reading to discover Dublin’s top 10 activities for the perfect first visit to the city.
Dublin’s Top 13 Activities:
1. Tour the Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle is a must visit sight while in Dublin. Located in the city center, Dublin Castle is a convenient and easy place to spend a few hours. Constructed in the thirteenth century, Dublin Castle has served many purposes throughout history. It has been a residence, a defense fortification, and the site of the country’s administration under British rule. Currently the Castle serves as a government complex and museum. The castle is also the location of Ireland’s presidential inauguration ceremony.
Guided and self-guided tours are available at the Dublin Castle. On the tour you’ll visit the State Apartments inside the castle. Each apartments is elaborately decorated with furniture and artwork. Signage in each room explains the history of the castle and Ireland. It’s a great way to learn about Irish history over time and modern day.
I found Dublin Castle to be very interesting, mostly due to the fact that it doesn’t feel like the traditional type of castle that I picture when I think of Ireland. The Dublin Castle felt more like a Royal Palace due to layout and construction, which makes sense if the castle was constructed to be a residence. Regardless, the Dublin Castle is a great activity while in Dublin.
Tickets: 8€ for a self-guided tour
2. Tour the Guinness Storefront and Brewery
Guinness is the quintessential Irish drink. Any visit to Dublin should include tasting a pint of Guinness and a tour of the Guinness Brewery at St. James’s Gate. The Guinness Brewery at St. James’s Gate was established in 1759. At that time, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease and so the Guinness Brewery still stands at this same location.
Attached to the brewery is the Guinness Storefront which serves as a museum of the history of Guinness. This was one of my favorite museums in Dublin! I like beer but didn’t know anything about Guinness or much about beer production before touring the Guinness Storefront. There are multiple levels to the museum, each covering a different aspect of Guinness’s history and production. While touring the Storefront you’ll learn about hop harvesting and cooking the hops, as well as the importance of the local water used in producing Guinness. There’s also a tasting room to sample Guinness as well
Tickets: 26€ which includes a Guinness tasting and a full pint of Guinness
3. Take a Tour of Jameson Distillery
No visit to Ireland is complete without sampling local Irish whiskey! While in Dublin, one of the top activities to do is to take a tour of the Jameson Whiskey Distillery. Whiskey has a long history in Ireland and is one of the Irish’s most famous drinks. Jameson Distillery was established in Dublin in 1780 and has been producing whiskey ever since.
All visits to the Jameson Distillery include a guided tour. On the tour you’ll learn about the history of Jameson whiskey, what makes it different than other whiskey, learn about the distilling process, and sample many different varieties of Jameson whiskey. Tour admission also includes a drink at the bar once the tour concludes.
I’m not a huge whiskey drinker, but I found this tour to be very interesting! The tasting room was my favorite part of the experience. We got to sample 4 different varieties of Jameson. Prior to this experience, I thought all whiskey was the same. But this tasting experience taught me how to taste for different flavors and smoothness levels. I can’t say I’ll be ordering whiskey more often, but I’m glad I got the chance to try.
Tickets: 45€ for a 45 minute guided tour (includes whiskey tasting and a drink)
4. Visit EPIC -The Irish Emigration Museum
EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum is one of the top sights to visit in Dublin. This museum tells the story of the more than 10 million people who emigrated from Ireland, who some of those people are today, and the impact that these emigrants have had on the world. One of the many interesting facts I learned at EPIC is that the country of Ireland today has a population of around 6 million people, but over 70 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry. That means Irish emigration has had a huge impact all over the world!
The museum is beautifully done. Each exhibit is colorful and interactive with displays, videos, and touchscreens so you can learn from a variety of different methods. Throughout the museum you’ll learn about Irish history, the great famine, and different reasons that led to masses of people leaving the country. Additionally, throughout EPIC you’ll also learn about influences that the Irish have had around the world on things like sports, dance, music, food, drink and politics. As an additional fun gimmick, you’ll even receive an museum passport that you can get stamped in each room as you travel through Ireland’s history.
Tickets: 18.50€ per adult or 17.50€ if purchased online
5. Visit Trinity College and See The Book of Kells
Trinity College is an activity university situated in the heart of Dublin Center. The university, founded in 1592, is one of the oldest universities in Ireland. Even if you are not a student, touring Trinity College is one of the top activities while in Dublin. The campus is beautiful – it’s old and beautiful preserved. You’re able to take a tour of campus or walk around on your own. I opted to walk around on my own and admire the campus buildings.
One of the main reasons to tour Trinity College is to visit the campus’s old library and see the famous Book of Kells. The Book of Kells is a religious manuscript that contains the four Gospels from the New Testament. The manuscript is illustrated with extravagant decoration, borders, and images. Along with the Book of Kells, the Long Room in the old library where the book is located is a sight of its own. The room has towering arches and is lined floor-to-ceiling with endless shelves of books.
Tickets: 18.50€ to enter the library and see the Book of Kells. Tickets should to be purchased in advance. We tried to buy tickets when we arrived and none were available for the remainder of the day. Wandering around campus on your own is free.
6. Grab a Pint and a Bite in the Temple Bar Neighborhood
Temple Bar is one of the most famous neighborhoods in Dublin. In Temple Bar you can find a plethora of pubs, restaurants and shops. No trip to Dublin is complete without grabbing a drink or bite to eat somewhere in the Temple Bar neighborhood. The aptly named Temple Bar is one of the most famous pubs in the neighborhood, but there are so many other great options. Temple Bar neighborhood is lively and get crowded and loud in the afternoon and evening. Many pubs have live music throughout the day and makes for a great place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere after a long day of exploring Dublin.
7. Tour Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is a beautiful, large cathedral standing in the heart of Dublin city. The cathedral is more than 1,000 years old and holds so much history. Walking through the cathedral you’ll see towering, vaulted ceilings and beautiful stained glass. One of the most interesting and unique portions of the cathedral to visit is the Crypt. Both spiritual and non-spiritual people may find Christ Church Cathedral worth a visit. As a non-spiritual person myself, I really enjoyed walking through the cathedral admiring the decorations and architecture.
Tickets: 10€ per adult.
8. Eat Murphy’s Ice Cream
There’s no better treat after a long day of exploring than a nice cold ice cream, and Ireland knows how to make it! Murphy’s Ice Cream technically comes from Co. Kerry, but there is a store in Dublin where you can get this delicious treat. Murphy’s Ice Cream is made with all local ingredients from Ireland, including sea salt pulled directly from the bay in Dingle, Co. Kerry.
Murphy’s makes some delicious, unique flavors. Irish brown bread was my favorite flavor. The ice cream is smooth with chunks of crunchy brown bread mixed in. Other unique flavors include chocolate whiskey, Dingle sea salt, and Dingle gin and pink peppercorn. Traditional flavors like chocolate, coffee bean, and strawberry are also equally delicious.
9. Try Local Irish Cuisine
I’ll be honest and admit that other than potatoes, I really didn’t know much about Irish cuisine before visiting Ireland. But after visiting Dublin I am a convert – Irish cuisine is delicious! It is heavy on potatoes, but also local meats and veggies. It reminded me of British food but with a local twist and always local ingredients. Many pubs and restaurants throughout town serve traditional foods and are easy to find, especially the pubs in the Temple Bar neighborhood.
Key foods to try include: Bangers and mash, fish and chips, lamb stew, Guinness beef stew, coddle (white stew with sausage and bacon), brown soda bread, Irish curry, full Irish breakfast complete with black and white pudding.
10. Admire Dublin’s Famous Colorful Doors
While walking around Dublin city, you’ll pass by many red brick buildings. After a while, these red brick buildings tend to look the same, except for their doors, that is! So many of the doors on these buildings around town are painted different vibrant colors. It’s so fun to see each building with a pop of color and uniqueness. I saw these fun doors in a few different places around town. Walking the streets near Christ Church Cathedral and the streets surrounding Marion Square are great places to admire fun, colorful doors while visiting Ireland.
Did I Miss Anything?
There is so much more to Dublin than I was able to do on my short visit. Let me know what I missed in the comments!
