The Irish capital has a lot to offer, but here are my personal favourite things to do in the city!
We visited green Ireland back in February and I fell in love with the country, its landscapes and kind inhabitants. We had a great time everywhere we went, but here I will focus on Dublin. Of course, we have not seen everything there is to see about the city, but there are a few spots that I loved and that you would love to. Here are the six places you should check out on a trip to Dublin!
☘️ Explore the Dublinia Museum, to learn about Viking history
Dublin became a city thanks to Viking settlements, so the city’s history is very rich in Viking trivia and culture. The Dublinia Museum is the best place to learn about this. The museum takes you back in time, chronologically, from early Viking settlement in Dublin to life in Medieval Dublin. There are many interactive displays and games to play throughout the museum, which is great fun for children and adult alike. My favourite part of the museum was the “illness and death in medieval Dublin” gallery. (I swear, I’m not a psychopath. Just go there and see: it’s fascinating!)
📍 Dublinia Museum, St Michael’s Hill Christ Church, Dublin 8. Open 10am-5.30pm
💵 Adult: 14€ | Child: 6.50€ | Concession: 12.50€. Online booking recommended.
☘️ For literature geeks: check out Oscar Wilde’s statue in Merrion Square
I have always loved Oscar Wilde’s writings, so finding out about his statue in Dublin was a highlight. Wilde was Irish, even though he travelled around and did not spend all his life in Ireland. Merrion Square is a peaceful little garden, where you can easily sit for a picnic or to read a book. In one of the corners of the park you can admire Wilde’s statue. He sits on top of a rock and is made out of colourful marble – very fitting for his persona! This spot is a quick one which you can see in passing, but maybe not as famous as other sights in Dublin – so in case you’re an Oscar Wilde fan like me, don’t forget to visit him in Merrion Square! On the other side of the street, you will also find the Oscar Wilde House, a small museum dedicated to the iconic writer.
📍 The Oscar Wilde Memorial, North-West corner of Merrion Square
☘️ Enjoy Dublin’s free art and history museums
The great thing about museums in Dublin is that a lot of them are free. The university museums, such as the Archaeology Museum and the National Gallery, are free and contain big collections with some significant displays. In the National Gallery you will find amazing European paintings, and in the Archaeology Museum you can see exhibits about Dublin’s Viking past. Other notable free museums in Dublin (that are worth visiting) are the National History Museum, the Chester Beatty Library, the Decorative Arts and History Museum, the Irish Museum of Modern Art…
☘️ Have a delicious brunch at The Cake Café
There are many places in Dublin where you can enjoy brunch or traditional Irish breakfast. One place that really stood out to us is The Cake Café, located a short walk away from the immediate centre of the city. The café is located on the side of a building, which makes it a little hard to find, but very quiet. The food is great quality and the twists on traditional brunch foods are really fun. They even do baking classes!
📍 The Cake Café, The Daintree Building, Pleasants Place, Dublin 8
☘️ Enjoy a pint of beer in a pub… but avoid the Temple Bar area!
Of course, one can’t go to Ireland without going to the pub. Guiness or no Guiness, that’s up to you – I personnally don’t enjoy Guiness, but we did go to the pub where I had beers and ciders. The best pubs in my opinion are those with live music – we went to Daly’s of Eden Quay. The staff was very friendly and there was live music. For food, we had a great dinner at The Parnell Heritage Pub and Grill. If you want the full-on experience, show up on a football or rugby evening – I bet the atmosphere is great!
📍 Daly’s of Eden Quay, 10 Eden Quay, North City, Dublin 1
📍 Parnell Heritage Pub & Grill, 72-74 Parnell St, North City, Dublin 1
☘️ Escape to the fairytale castle of Malahide
There are many castles in Ireland. I highly recommend visiting Malahide Castle and Gardens, which is easily accessible by train from Dublin. The tickets give you access to the castle (with a guided tour) and two gardens. The castle was inhabited for as long as it was built, until the 20th century. The interiors are beautiful and the tour guides teach you all there is to know about the house. In the gardens, there is a cute fairy trail for families, and the botanical garden includes a butterfly house. You can easily spend a whole morning or afternoon there, before going down to the beach in Malahide town.
📍 Malahide Castle and Gardens
☘️ Take a breath of fresh air at Wicklow mountains
If you have a car, you absolutely have to drive to Wicklow mountains. There are not too far out of Dublin and great for a day trip in nature. As we don’t have a car, we booked a tour through GetYourGuide and I do recommend it if you can’t drive but still want to enjoy a day in Wicklow. I loved the Glendalough lakes, where you can do some easy hikes and walks, as well as see the ruins of old monasteries. In Wicklow there are some cute villages too, like Hollywood, the village pictured in the famous movie PS: I Love You. If you go to Wicklow, make the most of the hikes and bring some food with you to make a day of it.
📍 Glendalough, Wicklow Mountains
