When I finally booked my flight from the United States to Ireland, after a decade and a half of fantasies of this gem of a country and all it has to offer, I certainly was not most excited for Dublin. The small villages bursting with character and charm, the beer, the dang CLIFFS OF MOHER, yes. I couldn’t contain myself thinking about them. Dublin, though? Not so much. As someone who is somewhat less enthralled by cities than nature when I’m traveling, I saw Dublin as a necessary evil for me if I was going to spend any time at all with one of my best friends, Rebecca: current residence Birmingham, England, and only available for one night.
I knew that I wasn’t going to be in the city for long, but I wanted to fit in as much as humanly possible in the time we had. The good news, though: many people won’t recommend staying in Dublin for longer than two or three days anyway, because Dublin is a relatively small capital city and it is easy to see the highlights in a short amount of time. And it is extremely walkable; we did everything that we wanted to do within 48 hours of arriving and never had to navigate public transportation once. Here is what I recommend most highly.
Do
Trinity College Campus
Rebecca had been to Dublin a few months before we met there, and Trinity College was the first place she took us. This university dates back to the 1500s, and it is mainly just really, really beautiful. Amazing architecture, you will notice during your time in the city, is a theme of Dublin, and Trinity College encompasses that better than anywhere else. We tried not to stare at a gorgeous bride and her new groom, who had chosen the campus for their wedding. Their WEDDING. It’s that nice.
Trinity’s most famous attraction is probably its library, which is the largest library in Ireland, and home to the Book of Kells, a 1,200 year old manuscript, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament. It’s also home to the Long Room, a wood paneled room of floor to vaulted ceiling bookcases that gets my book-loving heart racing with JOY.
Dublin Castle
Ireland is chock full of castles, but Dublin Castle is smack dab in the middle of the capital city, and it has a lot of historical significance. The existing structures were first built in the 18th century, and up until 100 years ago, it was the seat of the British government’s administration in Ireland. Today, it is a major Irish government complex. Visitors can take a paid, guided tour of the castle, or visit the grounds for free.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Everyone knows St. Patrick (I am writing a post in March in his honor), so it’d be a crime to visit Dublin and forego this cathedral, which also happens to be Ireland’s largest and tallest church.
St. Stephen’s Green
If you need a reprieve from the urban streets of Dublin, there is 22 acres of clean, well-kempt greenery that is perfect for picnics, leisurely strolls, or Instagram photo shoots.
National Gallery of Ireland
We knew we wanted to hit one museum in the time that we had, and we decided on the National Museum of Ireland, which houses a national collection of Irish and European art spanning from the 14th to the 20th century. The best part? Entry into the permanent exhibitions is FREE.
The Doors of Dublin
We lucked out and were drenched in sun rays all weekend, delighting in the bright blue skies and our lack of umbrellas. However, Ireland is well known for its climate consisting of lots and lots of rain, and residents are used to the days being frequently drab and damp.
Enter: the Doors of Dublin. Chances are you’ve seen them on a postcard or travel guide at one point or another, and if you find yourself in Dublin, you’d be hard-pressed not to run across at least one or twelve. They are especially concentrated around Fitzwilliam Square, but you can find the bright and colorful doors all over the city (seriously, all over). These doors are especially reflective of Georgian Dublin, which refers to the period between the initial development of Dublin in the early 18th century and the death of King George IV in 1830. These townhomes, with their symmetrical, arched doorways reminiscent of classical Greek and Roman architecture, were built according to very specific and uniform guidelines. Because of this, residents began painting their doors wild colors to differentiate their homes from all the others, so you’ll find bright yellow, red, green, and purple doors all throughout the city. This is iconic Dublin, and it’s fun seeing how many you can find.
Drink
Nightlife
You’re not in Europe until you experience the European nightlife. America may be shamed by its frats, but some of the pubs in Dublin are nearly as lawless and obstreperous. If you’re lucky (or not), you’ll find yourself accompanied by some random boys from England, dancing in a club in a way that seems sexy and enticing at the time, but probably actually just looks extremely unsophisticated and American, emerging onto the streets as the sun emerges over the horizon, and vomiting amidst a throbbing headache a few hours later. If you’re smart, though, you’ll enjoy yourself like a normal adult person and not feel like you got hit by a truck the next day due to a well-deserved hangover.
Temple Bar is probably one of Dublin’s most famous nightlife spots, an area full of bars and pubs and tourists trying to live it up. Yes, it is expensive and it is touristy, and locals would scoff at the idea of spending a night there, but it is still fun to check it out if that’s your scene. There’s also plenty of pubs all over the city that are more low key, and many of them play traditional Irish folk music every night of the week.
Irish Whiskey Museum
The Irish Whiskey Museum taught me that I thought I like whiskey far more than I actually like whiskey (which is, actually, very little). For €20, we had an hour long tour of the museum, where we learned the history of Irish whiskey, how it’s made, and some entertaining stories of its rise to prominence. At the end, we were brought into a tasting room and allowed to sample three different types of whiskey. Rebecca and I gagged as we forced down the most minuscule of sips, and looked around in awe and horror as all the other guests swallowed every last drop, the looks of pleasure on their face disturbing. Whiskey isn’t for everyone, but it is a huge part of Irish culture and the museum is well worth the visit.
Guinness Storehouse
Nothing screams IRELAND like a black brew topped with the perfect amount of creamy white foam in a glass adorned with the famous Guinness harp logo. No trip to Dublin is complete without a trip to the Guinness Storehouse, where you’ll learn about all things Guinness, including the history and how it’s made, and where you’ll learn how to pour that elusive perfect pint of the freshest Guinness that will ever flow down your gullet.
Two pro tips: one, book your visit to the Guinness Storehouse in advance, because you’ll save at least 20% doing so, as well as secure the time slot that is most convenient for you. Two, don’t stay out until 6 am the night before you are planning on going. Just don’t.
Eat
I’ll keep it real with you, chief. Ireland is not particularly well known for their good food. This isn’t Italy or Turkey or Japan. Here are some places and meals that we found to be worthwhile during our stay.
Irish Breakfast
We stopped in at the Cathedral Cafe randomly, which is adeptly named as it is right by St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Rebecca, the adorable British girl that she is, ordered a full Irish breakfast, which consists of bacon, sausages, baked beans, eggs, grilled tomatoes, and toast. This cafe is cheap and gives you a good amount of food for what you pay.
Green Door Market
The first thing we did once we arrived from the airport was put food as our number one priority. We stumbled across the Green Door Market by chance, as it happened to be down the street from our Airbnb, and were pleasantly surprised by the variety of organic options. The market emphasizes reducing waste, which is something I can always get behind. It was also my first introduction to the people of Ireland, and they certainly left a nice impression.
The Brazen Head
This restaurant was actually recommended to me by my coworker before I left on my six month sabbatical, and he told me it was the oldest pub in the world. Unfortunately he got himself (and me) a little bit over excited, as The Brazen Head is actually the oldest pub in Ireland only, dating back to 1198. It’s very tasty, offering lots of traditional Irish dishes (think beef stew or pork with cabbage, which is way better than it sounds), as well as Irish beers (because while Guinness is good, Ireland has plenty of other delicious local beers) and live Irish music. It is a little bit pricey, but the atmosphere is well worth it.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Dublin is expensive. You’ll need to budget about €16-18 per night for a hostel, and at least €50 per night for an Airbnb. A sit down restaurant is going to put you out at least €10-20 per meal, and a pint of beer is about €5.
- Dublin is very walkable. If you’re not up for walking, though, you can purchase a Leap Card for use on buses and trams, which you refill as you go and have the option of paying by trip or getting a day pass.
- Dublin is safe. Crime rates are relatively low in the city, so you generally don’t have to worry if you find yourself walking around on your own.
- Ireland is not called the Emerald Isle for nothing: it is green as can be, even within Dublin’s city limits. This beauty comes at a price, though, in the form of unpredictable precipitation. Be sure to prepare for rain, even if it’s not in the forecast.
I would never recommend going to Ireland just to see Dublin, because the island, albeit small, is absolutely brimming with natural beauty, down to every last peninsula. But Dublin is an international hub, so you’ll probably find yourself passing through if you’re flying in from anywhere else in the world. The city is bright, vibrant, and fun, and it deserves your time, even if it’s only 48 hours.
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