19 Best things to see & do in Dublin

Dublin’s largest international export, this festival from 14-18 March celebrates the arrival of Christianity to Ireland and raises Irish flags the world over. A massive parade on 17 March aims to showcase the talent and skills of Irish people of every age and background and project it onto a world stage.

The only Irish national holiday celebrated globally, if you can handle the crowds, this is a must-do – at least once.

You can’t visit Dublin without walking over the cobbled stones of Trinity College, where Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde was born and studied, among other literary greats. Founded in 1592, Trinity College Dublin was modelled after Oxford and Cambridge, though only one ‘college’ was established.

The university library – of which the famous Old Library is a part – is one of six legal deposit libraries in the British Isles and holds 4.5 million books (and counting).

The star of the show is the Old Library, home to the Book of Kells, an iconic 9th-century gospel manuscript. The Long Room houses 200,000 of Dublin’s oldest books.

After, and weather permitting, Trinity has an attractive green space where you can relax in the sun with a drink from the college bar, known locally as the ‘Pav’.

Arthur Guinness started brewing ales at the St James’ Gate Brewery in 1759, and in 1778 began selling a dark beer called ‘porter’, alongside stronger versions of the same beer, known as stout. Their popularity caught on and within a century, Guinness had become a public company, exporting more than a million barrels of the dark stuff beyond Ireland’s shores.

Today, attached to the original St James’ Gate Brewery, is this towering seven-storey grain house. Inside is a high-tech homage to Guinness is an educational, historical and fun way to pass a few hours, especially in bad weather. Along with an interesting tour of what was once a working Guinness factory, you’re treated to a free pint in the GRAVITY Bar, where 360-degree views of Dublin stretch out to the sea and mountains.

For an extra charge, you can sign up for the ‘Connoisseur’ experience in the Guinness Connoisseur Bar, which offers a guided tasting of the four most popular variants: Draught, Original, Foreign Extra Stout and Black Lager.

This Dublin museum offer expert-led guided tours to discover the origins and evolution of Irish Whiskey, how it has developed through the ages, the secrets of how to make it, and the leading Irish Whiskey brands. Tours end, of course, with a tasting.

Dublin has been designated as a UNESCO City of Literature. It’s the birthplace of James Joyce, and Nobel Prize for Literature winners William Butler, Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett, and home to some of Literature’s greatest minds. Hence this two-hour crash course in Irish literature and history.

Educational, sociable and thoroughly entertaining, the actors/guides summarise the history of the most illustrious Dublin pubs, acting out literary passages by Joyce, Beckett, Oscar Wilde and Seamus Heaney. The ‘pub crawl’ evening tour option includes, of course, the added bonus of pub stops along the way. For non-pubbers, there’s a day walk alternative.

Combining street theatre with the ‘craic’ that makes Dublin pubs world-famous, it’s no wonder this was listed among the world’s best 50 walks by the Sunday Times.

Ireland’s National Museum is the nation’s premier cultural institution, dedicated to the preservation of Irish heritage, with an emphasis on art, culture and natural history.

The archaeological collection is the highlight, boasting artifacts from prehistoric, Viking and medieval times. There is a massive decorative arts section too, containing one of the world’s largest collections of silver and artifacts such as the famous Ardagh Chalice and the Tara Brooch.

Set in the elegant 17th-century Royal Hospital on the outskirts of Dublin, this small permanent exhibition has works by great Irish artists such as Jack B Yeats and Louis Lebroquy, supplemented by regular temporary exhibitions. The manicured grounds are full of topiary and sculptures.

This important, award-winning collection of ancient manuscripts, books and objets d’art is a real treasure, housing the world’s oldest surviving examples of the Gospels of Luke and Mark, along with Islamic texts, Ancient Egyptian papyrus texts and European Renaissance manuscripts – all held in high-tech cabinets with excellent signposting.

The library is located in Dublin Castle which has been in continuous occupation since it was founded in 1204, not long after the Norman invasion of England. It served as the seat of English rule in Ireland until Irish independence in 1922. The castle also has a lovely rooftop Japanese garden.

Right on the edge of the beautiful Merrion Square, the National Gallery is a giant and cavernous space that feels like a calming reprieve from the city. This sprawling collection of rooms feature works in spaces that are as striking as the art itself – the Grand Gallery, in particular, is a masterpiece. The collection is eclectic, ranging from pieces by Caravaggio to the giant contemporary mural in the atrium.

Kilmainham opened its doors in 1796 as the city’s County Gaol, and over the next century and a half, many leaders of the Rebellions, and the Republican movement, were imprisoned within its walls.

One of the city’s oldest markets, Temple Bar comes to live every Saturday when the best local food producers come to sell everything from charcuterie and cheeses to artisan breads and cakes.

Built by the Vikings in 1030, this grand Gothic structure features one of the largest medieval crypts in Britain and Ireland – and the earliest surviving structure in Dublin.

Sitting on a peninsula north of Dublin Bay, the beautiful suburb of Howth began life as a small fishing village and is home to a castle, a pretty harbour, scenic walking trails, seafood restaurants, quaint pubs and a weekend market.

If you’ve had your fill of Guinness, hop on the local DART railway and instead drink in Dublin’s wonderful rugged coastline during the pleasant 20-minute scenic ride to get there.

A historical museum that documents and ‘re-creates’ life in Dublin during Viking and medieval times. It’s a ‘living’ museum with interactive displays and staff dressed up. Great for families.

This atmospheric library dates back to 1707 and has barely changed in the last 300 years – the mahogany shelves groan with books. A bibliophile’s paradise.

A giant, airy gallery right on the edge of the historic Parnell Square, Hugh Lane has the foremost collection of contemporary masterpieces in the city. Visit on Sunday for free music recitals.

A chic mix of speciality shops, art galleries and restaurants housed in an atmospheric, 18th-century Georgian mansion that retains many of its period features. Centrally located, just off Grafton Street.

Dublin’s equivalent of Fortnum & Mason, this elegant department store first opened its doors in 1849 and remains the city’s go-to place for designer brands.

Known locally as ‘the wedding cake’ this architecturally interesting Shopping Centre looks like a traditional paddle-steamer from the outside, with glass and ornate white iron work used throughout to create a historic look (in spite of it being built in the 1980s).