The Emerald Isle…Dublin. The capital city of the Republic of Ireland is bursting with culture and history. Situated along the River Liffey you’ll find and abundance things to do from castles to museums to cathedrals. Dublin has it all. Walk the cobblestone streets of Temple Bar, listen to some Irish music, and take in the vibrant atmosphere.

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Pub Scene

Step inside a pub for a cider and meet some friendly locals. We chose to stay in the Temple Bar area. While it is very touristy, crowded, and can be noisy at night I definitely recommend it. We like to be in the center of it all. The Temple Bar Hotel was perfect. Walking distance to all the hot spots. Visit Grafton Street and pose for a photo with Molly Malone, often referred to as the tart with the cart. Legend has it she sold fish by day and her beauty by night to survive.

Dublin History

While in Dublin there are many things to do. The Big Bus Tour is a great way to see a lot of sites. Take a tour of Dublin Castle, once a medieval fortress. We chose the guided tour and were able to see the underground areas that date back to the 13th century. Don’t forget to walk through the castle gardens. Just next door is Chester Beatty Library. Make sure to stop by, entry is free. Here you’ll find an array of books, manuscripts, paintings, and other artifacts from the personal collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty.

Beautiful Cathedrals

There are many beautiful cathedrals you can walk to like Christ Church Cathedral with its medieval crypt, where you’ll find a mummified cat and rat. Of course, St Patricks Cathedral with its unique gothic architecture. Here you’ll find the tomb of Jonathan Swift, author of “Gulliver’s Travels”. While there make sure to visit Marsh’s Library where you’ll find rare books about Dublin history. Pay a visit to The National Gallery of Ireland to admire Irish and European Art. Admission is free.

Iconic Dublin

No trip to Dublin is complete without a tour of Guinness. We chose the self guided tour and spent a couple of hours there learning the history and how it is made. At the end of the tour is the Gravity Bar where you can enjoy a pint of Rockshore with incredible 360 degree views of Dublin. Buy your tickets in advance as it gets very crowded.

If beer isn’t your thing you can do a tour of the Jameson Whiskey Distillery or the Teeling Distillery. We did tours at both, my husband is a whiskey guy. Check out the Brazen Head Pub, it’s a little walk from Temple Bar, maybe 15 minutes, but worth it. It is Ireland’s oldest pub, dating back to 1198. We sat in the back for a couple of hours having drinks (they have Rockshore) and chatting with the locals. It was a great time! Save up to 50% on Dublin attractions with Go City!

Natural Beauty

I absolutely recommend a visit to the National Botanical Gardens. Quite possibly the most beautiful gardens I have ever been to. We walked there. It seemed close at the time. It wasn’t. We took a cab back and got to know the most wonderful cab driver! https://www.botanicgardens.ie/

My post Day Tours From Dublin will give you ideas for making the most of your visit to the Emerald Isle. Read Eating in Ireland with Celiac for all of my celiac safe favorite restaurants in Ireland. It was a breeze eating in Ireland!

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