A visit to Ireland usually starts in Dublin with most flying into Dublin International Airport. While the best scenery is found outside of the cities, I think the bustling capital is worth spending at least a couple of days in with plenty to see and do. Plus, it will give you some time to beat jet lag before getting out on the road.
If you’re visiting for the first time, make the most out of your stay by putting at least a few of these things to do in Dublin on your itinerary.
Explore Phoenix Park
The largest city park in Europe, Phoenix Park lies just outside the downtown core and is ideal for a stroll after your long-haul flight as the perfect way to beat jet lag. But it also offers many attractions. Watch for the herd of wild fallow deer that often hang out in the meadows of Fifteen Acres and the woodland around the park’s northern perimeter. You might enjoy a break in the Phoenix Park Tea Rooms, or even visit the Dublin Zoo. The President’s House is here too – look for the candle in the window that burns as a reminder to those who’ve left Ireland that they’re welcome “home.”
A Pint & a View at the Guinness Gravity Bar
When bringing friends or family members to tour around Ireland, I almost always start with a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. St. James’ Gate Brewery was founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759 and the company still holds a 9,000-year-old lease on the property. While the self-guided tour of the Guinness-making process is so-so, it’s worth it for the visit to the Gravity Bar.
The Gravity Bar sits on the top floor of the building which is shaped like a pint glass. It’s surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows with little tidbits of information about Dublin and some of its landmarks while offering a panoramic view of the city.
Trinity College and the Book of Kells
Trinity College is considered a must-visit with its Library displaying one of the world’s most magnificently illuminated manuscripts. Written by Irish monks around 800 AD, it lay buried for centuries after being hidden from Viking invaders. It was eventually recovered and given to the college in 1653.
Your visit not only includes the medieval manuscript and information about its rich symbolism but also access to the Long Room with a quarter-million of the institution’s most ancient books.
Viking Gold & Bog Bodies at the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
The National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology is free to visit and it offers more than enough to fascinate for hours. The collections include Irish and other antiquities dating from the Stone Age to the Late Middle Age, with some of the most intriguing including the bog bodies. Thousands of years old, they were preserved in peat bogs around Ireland, with the acidic conditions naturally mummifying them. Take a close look – you can still see fingernails, eyelashes, and even nose hairs.
The museum holds the most substantial collection of post-Roman era Irish medieval art and an extensive collection of Viking artifacts. With so much gold to be found during the country’s early years, the Vikings even created miniature ships out of gold and all sorts of jewelry. There are Viking swords and coins too.
The early 8th-century Tara Brooch is considered to be the most complex and ornate of the surviving medieval examples, made of cast and gilt silver while elaborately decorated on both faces.
Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour
The Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour makes it easy to see many attractions, with multiple routes to choose from, including as many as 30 different stops. You can hop off and hop on at any of the stops which can include highlights like Kilmainham Gaol (the haunted historic jail), the National Museum, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin Castle, the Temple Bar area, O’Connell and Grafton shopping streets, and the Guinness Storehouse.
Shopping
Speaking of shopping streets, Grafton and O’Connell are one of the top spots for shopping in all of Europe. If you like to shop, be sure to pack an empty bag in your suitcase so you can bring your treasures home, like Aran sweaters, items from luxury brands like Cartier, Hermés, and Chanel, jewelry, high-quality knitted and leather goods, and all of the usual kitsch.
Grafton is the most trendy and fashionable, running south from College Green. This is where many of the talented buskers hang out providing the opportunity for a break enjoying the performances in between shopping at places like the chic Brown Thomas department store. For bargains, head to Mary and Henry, the streets that run west from O’Connell.
Live Traditional Irish Music at the Brazen Head
The Brazen Head is legendary, although the story behind it has been embellished a bit. It’s said to be the oldest pub in Dublin, with pints poured here since 1198, but the present building dates to 1754. There has been a hostelry at the site since 1198 and the pub also appears in documents dating back as far as 1653. There’s also no doubt that its rich history includes the planning of the Dublin Rising right beneath its low timbers.
This is a great place to enjoy a pint and a bowl of delicious Guinness stew while checking out the walls, which are covered with photos, ads, and old newspapers. The highlight of a visit is the live music that’s hosted every night, however. If you listen carefully enough, you might even hear the whispers of Robert Emmett, the Irish Revolutionary who was executed for his role in the Thomas Street disturbance.
A Day Trip to Newgrange
There are many great day trips from Dublin. Just a 45-minute drive northwest of Dublin (also available via a private guided tour), Newgrange is even older than the Great Pyramid of Giza and Stonehenge, constructed around 3200 BC. Head to the Visitor Center to sign up for a guided tour that will take you out to the massive mound built from white quartz to inspire life-giving energy. Its most notable element is a small opening called the roof box, just above the entrance. At sunrise on the winter solstice every year a beam of sunlight enters the chamber via this opening, marking the start of the New Year for the Neolithic culture as a sign of renewed life for crops, humans, and animals.
As you’ll need to win a lottery to experience this phenomenon, visiting on any other day of the year your guide will duplicate the unforgettable experience.
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