Updated 2016
If you want to get off the beaten path and have an indie travel experience, then follow these tips.
- Instead of getting a room in a hotel or hostel, consider Couchsurfing so you can meet some locals and have some authentic Irish experiences.
- When checking out a famous site like St. Patrick’s Cathedral, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for nearby locations that aren’t as famous like Marsh’s Library, the first public library in Ireland built in 1701.
- Go to the Temple Bar area, then start walking in the opposite direction. Head out of the main part of the city and make your own pub crawl. You’ll probably end up in some authentic Irish pubs with great music. Grab and Guinness or some Jameson and enjoy!
Read: How to Spend a Perfect 24 Hours in Dublin.
Why you should add Dublin to your RTW travel list
- Guinness – black gold, Irish tea
- It doesn’t rain as much as you think
- Walk along the River Liffey – it’s beautiful at night
- Explore the rest of Ireland easily
- Get unholily sloppy in the pubs of Temple Bar
- Small and compact, makes for easy walking and sight-seeing
- Chill out in Phoenix Park and St. Stephen’s Green
- Walk across the famous ol’ Ha’penny Bridge
- Free pints at the Guinness Brewery!
- It’s easy to get around the rest of Europe from Dublin.
Read: Tips for Dublin.
Why you should not add Dublin to your RTW travel list
- Like all of western Europe’s large cities, it’s expensive and difficult to do on a budget.
- Many RTW traveler’s are looking for adventure and uniqueness, and while Dublin is a great city, it won’t seem very exotic compared to other alternatives.
Overview
The Republic of Ireland’s bustling capital city of Dublin is disproportionately large for the size of the country, which makes it a busy and popular European city to visit. Dublin boasts an active nightlife and top tourist attractions, and despite its large size the main points of interest are easily navigated on foot.
Read: With the Sea Always on my Right: County Dublin.
What to do
Plenty of people visit Dublin each year to trace the family tree and to find their place in it. History buffs of all stripes have plenty to explore, from the National Museum of Ireland and Trinity College (home of the Book of Kells) to Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral, there’s plenty in Dublin to excite just about anyone on the subject of Irish history – whether your family is part of it or not.
Of course, not everyone comes to Ireland for the history – some just come for the Guinness! Enjoy your pint of Dublin’s most famous drink at the Guinness Storehouse or in any number of pubs around the city. The oldest pub in Ireland is in Dublin, as well – The Brazen Head. Smoking in Irish pubs has been illegal since March 2004, and pubs tend to be open until 11:30pm on weekdays (sometimes until 3am on weekends). Be sure to check out some of the live music in the city as well, especially in the more traditional pubs.
NileGuide’s Dublin Travel Guide and Trip Planner can help you organise your visit to the Irish capital.
Getting there
You can book a flight into Dublin Airport (code: DUB), which is by far the busiest airport in Ireland. Shannon Airport (code: SNN) has many flights on low-cost airlines, most notably Ryanair, but it’s over 200 km from Dublin and ground transportation isn’t too cheap. If you’ll be exploring Ireland outside of Dublin, you might find that a Ireland Pass is right for you.
Read: Traditional Irish Pubs: Dublin.
Where to stay
Dublin is not an inexpensive city to visit, and cheap accommodations tend to fill up early during busy seasons. Be sure to reserve your hostel well in advance. And if you’re not the hostel type, no worries – there are plenty of hotels in Dublin to choose from.