Hello Dublin - 4-day itinerary & travel guide to the Irish capital

16/02/2023

What is the first thing that comes to your mind about Ireland? Red-haired leprechauns, cosy little towns, picturesque landscapes, lucky four-leaf clovers, Guinness beer and loads of pubs? Believe me, there's much more to Dublin and its surroundings.

I have to admit that the Irish capital, Dublin, was never on my bucket list and I never planned to visit. However, my goal this year is to visit as many countries as possible that I have never been to before. So when I came across a cheap flight, there was no question of taking the plunge. I didn't arrive with high hopes, but after an incredible 4 days here, I was completely captivated by the atmosphere of the city and the beauty of Ireland's picturesque landscapes.

Practical information:

Getting there: Ryanair headquarters are in Ireland, so the easiest way to get there is with the low-cost airline's regular flights, often at a bargain price.

Transportation: You can get around the city by bus or tram. The city, like London, is divided into zones, so ticket prices vary between €1.3 and €3.9. You can buy a 'Leap Visitor Card', which gives you unlimited use of the bus and tram. The price is €16 for 3 days. The city centre itself is quite small, so it is easy to get around on foot.

How long?: 3 days is perfectly enough to explore the city, if you stay longer than that you should visit the surrounding coastal towns or hike in the Wicklow Mountains.

When to visit: The best time to visit is between June and August, when it is the hottest in the country, but don't expect a heatwave. In summer the average temperature is around 18 degrees Celsius, while in winter it is between 5 and 7 degrees. Winter is the wettest season, but during the 4 days we spent here in January, it never rained once and the sun even shone several times.

How expensive is it?: Ireland has the second highest minimum wage in Europe at €11.3 per hour, which is around £740,000 per month. In restaurants we paid between €30-40 per 2 people and in supermarkets the prices were similar to Europe.

Accommodation: We stayed in an apartment called 'Beckett Locke', it was very modern and in a great location, I highly recommend it.

4-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival, explore the city centre - Trinity College, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Temple Bar and surrounds
Day 2: Excursion to Bray and Greystones, exploring some of the many free museums in the afternoon
Day 3: Phoenix Park, Guinness Storehouse
Day 4: shopping on Grafton Street, one last walk in the city centre, then home

Things to do and see in Dublin

Trinity College

When in Dublin, don't miss the oldest university in Ireland. The university was established in 1592 in a former monastery building. For lovers of reading, the beautiful and unrivalled university's library is a real heaven, where you can see the Book of Kels, an early 9th century book of gospels. The university boasts famous students such as Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, William Campbell and Jack Gleeson

St Patrick's Cathedral

St Patrick's Cathedral, originally founded in 1191 as a Roman Catholic cathedral, is now the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Admission is €9, but to be honest it's not really worth the price. More worth a visit is the park next to the cathedral. There you can relax and enjoy a splendid view of the cathedral in between your sightseeing.

Guinness Storehouse

Dublin is the home of Guinness, the distinctive black beer. Founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, it is one of the world's most successful alcohol brands, brewed in nearly 50 countries and available in over 120 countries. 850 000 000 litres were sold in 2011. This beer will be with us for some time to come, as Arthur has signed a 9,000-year lease with St James's Gate Brewery for just £45 a year, a really good deal.

The Guinness Storehouse (you can buy tickets here) has 7 floors of brewing demonstrations and a tasting. The exhibition itself is truly 21st century with breathtaking displays. The main attraction of the brewery, however, is the Gravity Skybar on the 7th floor, which offers spectacular views of Dublin.

Ireland is famous not only for its black beers but also for its whiskies, and if you prefer that to beer, there are several whisky distilleries to choose from (e.g. Jameson, Teeling, Pearse Lyon).

Temple Bar and pub tour

Temple Bar is a cultural quarter on the south bank of the River Liffey. Its bustling cobbled streets are lined with pubs and restaurants, where you can enjoy live folk music and Irish steak in the evenings. The most famous pub in the district is The Temple Bar, from which the district takes its name. It's been open since 1840 and its red building and flowers have made it a true symbol of Dublin.

Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park is Europe's biggest park, with over 700 hectares located in Dublin city centre. The park has many attractions like Dublin Zoo, the residence of the President of Ireland, and the American Embassy. Visitors can search for the free-ranging herd of deer around Papal Cross, which is one of the park's top highlights. Due to its vast size, renting a bike would be an excellent way to explore the park.

Free museums

Dublin has a number of museums that are free to visit. Despite our limited time, we were able to visit three of these museums.

Here are some museums that you can visit for free

Dublin Castle Museum
National Gallery of Ireland - National Gallery.
Irish Museum of Modern Art - Museum of Modern Art
National Museum of Ireland - Natural History - National Museum of Modern Art
National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology - National Museum of Ireland.
Hugh Lane Gallery - Gallery
Chester Beatty- Library
National Library of Ireland- National Library

Bray, Greystones and Howth - Head to the beach

If you're in Dublin for a few days with extra time, hop on the train to one of the quaint seaside towns. For just €2.9, you can travel to Bray in 50 minutes. The train tracks run mainly along the coast, giving lovely glimpses of the rocky shoreline. If you enjoy hiking, be sure to try the 6km coastal walk from Bray to Greystones, which is presently out of service due to poor weather conditions, but will reopen during the summer. Another location to visit is the charming, lighted tower of Howth.

Let's have a good Irish breakfast!

Irish breakfast is very similar to English breakfast. It traditionally includes bacon, sausage, eggs, baked beans, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, chips, soda bread, butter, white and black pudding. But not the pudding we know! It's more like sausage.

Overall, Ireland surpassed my expectations. I would relish the opportunity to visit again and discover more of the countryside. I encourage others to venture to less luxurious or lesser-known destinations, as these trips often prove to be the most enjoyable. If you wish to see more of Dublin, please follow my pages. Instagram and Tiktok page.

Save travels!

Heni

Accomondations

I always use booking.com for my reservations. We stayed at Beckett Locke. You can find more accommodation on the link below.

Booking.com

Further programmes

Ireland is a country where exploring the countryside is a must. If you have time, you can pick one-day trips from these itineraries. The Way of the Giants and the Cliffs of Moher are stunning locations that you can visit.