The 10 best attractions to visit in Dublin
Dublin is a great city with many attractions to see and visit all year round. If your time is limited you might want to check out this list of the top 10 visitor attractions in Dublin, a valuable list for any first time visitors to the Irish capital!
Guinness Storehouse
Guinness Storehouse is the most visited attraction in Ireland. Located in one of the most historic parts of Dublin, you will find Guinness Storehouse in the heart of St Jame’s Gate Brewery. It is a fantastic building with 7 different floors filled with interactive experiences. You will learn the history of the ‘black stuff’ and how it is processed and finish the tour learning how to pour the perfect pint as well as enjoying a pint with the most amazing view at the rooftop gravity bar.
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College was founded in 1592 and is the oldest university in Ireland. It’s right in the heart of Dublin city centre and one of the most visited sites. You can join a guided tour of the campus or simply visit its principal attraction: The Old Library building. This beautiful building dates back to the 18th century and displays the famous Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript gospel book in latin which was written in 800AD.
Trinity College/Book of Kells’s website
St Patrick’s Cathedral
St Patrick’s cathedral is the largest cathedral in Ireland and has been part of the city and country’s history for over 800 years. Built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint it is one of the few medieval buildings left in the city. Visitors can join one of their guided tours to learn all about the cathedral.
St Patrick’s cathedral’s website
Old Jameson Distillery
Jameson Distillery Bow Street is located in Smithfield where the old distillery was founded in 1780. The visitor centre has been refurbished in 2017 and the visit follows three different formats now. You can choose between the Bow Street Experience (a fully guided tour with tasting), The Whiskey Makers (a whiskey masterclass) or the Whiskey Shakers (a cocktail masterclass). The tours vary in length and price.
Old Jameson Distillery’s website
Temple Bar
Every single visitor to Dublin wants to check out the Temple Bar district and pose in front for a photo in front of the Temple Bar pub. Named the cultural quarter, this part of the city centre is filled with Irish pubs and shops and has a buzzing nightlife. Many locals tend to avoid it since drinks are more pricy than anywhere else in Dublin. Don’t miss the Temple Bar food market on Saturdays (you can visit it during our food tours).
Ha’Penny Bridge
Ha’Penny bridge, the most iconic bridge in Dublin, was the first pedestrian bridge to cross the river Liffey when it was built in 1816. It is a beautiful cast-iron structure and holds its name to the time when crossers had to pay half a penny to cross it.
Phoenix Park
If you’re looking to get out of the busy city centre without having to go to far, head to the Phoenix Park. With its 1,752 acres, it is one the largest city parks in Europe. It’s the perfect place to go for a stroll, jog, cycle or picnic. One thing we love about the park is the herd of fallow deers, so great to see some wildlife in an urban centre.
Kilmainhaim Gaol
Kilmainhaim Gaol opened in 1796 as the new county jail for Dublin and closed in 1924. The building symbolises the tradition of militant and constitutional nationalism from the rebellion of 1798 to the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. It has held some of the most famous political and military Irish leaders. It is now a museum you can visit through a guided tours, advance booking is recommended
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle was built in the 13th century on Viking settlement and was fortress, a prison, treasury, courts of law and the seat of English administration in Ireland for 700 years. It was rebuilt from the 17th to the 20th century and now hosts important receptions and events.
National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland is a fascinating place to visit if you are interested in archaeology. Wander around the different exhibitions and learn about prehistoric Ireland, the Vikings and make sure to visit the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibition to see some Iron age bog bodies and bog butter too!
National Museum of Ireland’s website
