Dublin - Ireland
Overview: Highlights of Dublin, featuring stops at the most famous breweries and distilleries.
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Locations visited: Trinity College & Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, Temple Bar, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, Jameson Distillery, Dublinia
How to get there: Fly into Dublin Airport (DUB)
How to get around: Uber/Taxi, Bus Tour, Walking
When to go: Summer likely offers the best weather. Certain attractions, like the Book of Kells and the distilleries, may be closed for extended periods around holidays.
Pace: Slow to Moderate
Future trips: Explore outside of Dublin
A few of the many bridges in Dublin
Note: These days can be done in any order, and activities can be switched around. Day 2 can be split into 1 or 2 days, depending on how much time you have.
Day 1: Bus Tour, Jameson Distillery, and Temple Bar
I’ve always been a big fan of the double-decker bus tours popular in large cities (Big Bus Tours are my go-to). They’re a great way to get a feel for the city and identify attractions and areas you might want to revisit. Plus, after a long day of traveling or exploring, it’s nice to just sit for a few hours. I generally avoid the hop-on-hop-off aspect and stay for the whole loop to get the best seats.
To start the day, we took the Big Bus tour for the full loop, boarding near Trinity College. Depending on traffic, the loop typically takes 2-3 hours. Grab a warm coffee and enjoy your introduction to Dublin. This tour passes all the major landmarks in Dublin and provides a great overview of its history, from the Vikings and Medieval times to recent revolutions.
Afterward, we walked to the Temple Bar area for some food and drinks. The area is full of restaurants and traditional Irish pubs. Its namesake comes from the Temple Bar Pub, which opened in 1840. If you’re inclined, check out the pub—it often features live music. It’s usually crowded and has a slightly gritty vibe, but the staff is friendly and helpful.
Next, we crossed the bridge over the River Liffey to the Jameson Distillery for a tour. We chose the Bow St. Experience tour, which delves into Jameson’s history, whiskey-making process, and, of course, includes a tasting! There are other options, too, such as a cocktail-making class, rare whiskey tastings, and bottling experiences. Many tours include a complimentary drink at the bar afterward.
Day 2 (and 3): Trinity College & Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, Dublinia
Start the day at Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and associated exhibits. The Book of Kells is an illuminated Celtic gospel believed to have been created around 800 AD in either Ireland or Scotland. This visit also includes access to a portion of the Trinity College Library. (Note: Trinity College was closed for winter break during my last trip, so I don’t have recent pictures.)
A short walk from Trinity College brings you to Dublin Castle. The castle has several distinct parts: the State Apartments, Royal Chapel (now deconsecrated), Gardens, and Medieval Tower. There are also Viking ruins under the Medieval Tower. The chapel is free to visit, and you can take a 15-20 minute self-guided tour of the State Apartments for a small fee. It’s an enjoyable, but not outstanding, experience. Unfortunately, the Medieval Tower is currently closed for restoration (as of December 2023), with no reopening timeline.
From here, Dublinia Museum is about a 5-minute walk. The museum brings to life Dublin’s history, from the Vikings to the Medieval period. It’s well done and enjoyable for both adults and children. At the end of the museum, you can climb to the top of St. Michael’s Tower for city views.
There’s a bridge connecting Dublinia to Christ Church Cathedral, which began as a Viking church about 1,000 years ago and has been rebuilt and expanded over the centuries. Exploring old Gothic cathedrals isn’t really my thing, but if it’s yours, stop by. Similarly, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is nearby and one of the most popular tourist spots in Dublin.
Finally, grab a cab or take a 20-minute walk to the Guinness Storehouse. Ranked Ireland’s top tourist attraction, it’s worth a visit. For better or worse, Guinness has heavily commercialized the experience. Once inside, you’ll ascend multiple floors dedicated to Guinness’s history and the beer-making process, with a tasting experience included. The upper levels feature several restaurants and bars. The crown jewel is the rooftop bar on the top floor, which offers city views. You can pre-book tickets, which is advisable during peak months.
This wraps up the Dublin experience! Be sure to check out a traditional Irish pub if you haven’t already!
