5 Must-Visit Places in Dublin
Recently, Dan and I went on a trip to Ireland where we spent 3 lovely days in Dublin. I have to tell you: it wasn’t long enough! Ireland is an absolutely beautiful country, and Dublin is such a fantastic city. A friend stopping over in Dublin for a day asked me about what to see and do in one day. After a lot of thought, I’ve put together a list of 5 must-visit places in Dublin. If you get the chance to go to this beautiful city, hopefully you’ll have more than a day. But, if you don’t, do not miss these must-visit spots!
The Little Museum of Dublin
Located on the north side of St. Stephen’s Green, the Little Museum of Dublin is a gem hidden in plain sight. This quirky little museum is a hodgepodge of Irish history, with a welcoming and knowledgeable staff. The 50-minute guided tour is packed with Irish history, making it a great place to start off your trip to Dublin. As well, your ticket for the guided tour includes a free walking tour of St. Stephen’s Green, which is beautiful to walk through any time of the year. Another fantastic program offered by the Little Museum of Dublin is called City of a Thousand Welcomes. Sit down with a Dublin local for a pint or a cup of tea to chat, learn more about the city, and get recommendations for things to see and do while in the city. As a bonus, City of a Thousand Welcomes is completely free!
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle is a beautiful must-see piece of Irish history. Built in the early 13th century on the site of a Viking settlement, Dublin Castle served for centuries as a central government/ruling hub for the country. It served as the headquarters for the UK’s administration in Ireland until 1922, when, following Ireland’s Independence, it was taken over by the newly-formed Irish government.
The castle has a rich history, and is a must-visit place for anyone interested in Irish culture. Daily guided tours of the castle take visitors through an excavation site of Viking and medieval Dublin, into the Gothic Chapel Royal, and through the beautiful State Apartments. You can even see Queen Victoria’s throne. It’s also worth noting that in the part of the castle almost directly above the Viking ruins is the office where Bram Stoker worked as a civil servant. Stoker is, of course, best known today for his Gothic novel, Dracula.
St. Stephen’s Green
St. Stephen’s Green is named after a church called St. Stephen’s that was nearby in the 13th century. It was a fashionable place for high society to hang out through the 1700s, but quickly fell into disrepair. In 1877, Sir Author Guinness (yes, THAT Guinness) bought the Green. He had it fixed up and made it available to the public. Today, it is a beautiful park area with water fixtures, statues, and different botanical delights that is a joy to walk through and enjoy any time of the year. We went in November, and while it was cold, we still definitely enjoyed our walk through the Green. As mentioned above, you can get a free walking tour through the Green with the purchase of a tour of The Little Museum of Dublin.
National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology
The Book of Kells (which is in the library of King’s College Dublin) is the most famous Irish historical treasure. But if you want to see a whole bunch of really impressive Irish artifacts all in one place (and for free!) the Archaeology Museum is my recommendation. There is some truly impressive and intricate gold jewelry, such as the famous Tara Brooch. The museum houses preserved bodies, thousands and thousands of years old, that were dug out of peat bogs. Enormous decorated horns found in ancient burial mounds from cultures that don’t have any preserved writing are on display. There is even an enormous ornate cross that was created to house a piece of the “True Cross” (on which, according to legend, Jesus was crucified).
If none of that works for you, across the street is the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History. Amazingly, this museum still looks exactly the same as it did 150 years ago, with thousands of stuffed animal specimens displayed over several levels.
The Pubs of Dublin
James Joyce once wrote that it would be impossible to walk across Dublin without passing a pub. If anything, this is even more true today than it was in Joyce’s day. At last count there are over 600 pubs in Dublin, each of which still has its own unique character.
If you’re looking for wild parties, head to the Temple Bar neighborhood, just south of the Liffey, where raucous “hen parties” roam the cobbled streets. If you want authentic Irish traditional music jam sessions, try The Cobblestone on King Street, where the regulars crowd into corners to sit next to the fiddle players. And if it’s history you’re looking for, try the Brazen Head on Bridge Street, which dates back to the 1190s and counts almost every famous Irishman in the interim among its patrons. If you go on the right night you can still hear traditional storytelling between sips of your Guinness.
