With one thing for everybody, Dublin, the cosmopolitan capital of Eire, will enchant you and lure you again repeatedly. This compact metropolis blends the previous with the brand new. Whether or not you might be into historical past, literature, nature, music, clubbing, politics, meals, or procuring, Dublin delivers…massive time! In case you have a protracted weekend in Dublin you possibly can hit the highlights and even get out to the countryside.
Dublin’s measurement makes it simple to discover this splendidly walkable metropolis. On our most up-to-date go to to the Emerald Isle, we spent two days within the metropolis middle and one on a whirlwind day journey to the countryside and Belfast. Observe this three-day Dublin itinerary to launch your journey to Eire. If you’re in search of the good Eire itinerary, begin in Dublin after which add on time in Northern Eire, Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, and discover the Wild Atlantic Method.
Is Three Days in Dublin Sufficient?
Sure! Three days is an ideal period of time for exploring Dublin. Even if you wish to go to all of the sights, from Dublin Fort to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse to the various superb museums in Dublin, you should have time to suit all of it in. Or, you possibly can simply hit just a few sights after which take in the tradition within the pubs. Frankly, as a result of Dublin is pretty compact, you possibly can see the highlights in two days and nonetheless have time for a day journey to Northern Eire.
Dublin Lengthy Weekend Itinerary
Dublin Itinerary Day 1: Welcome to Dublin
DISCLAIMER: Lisa and her daughter had been supplied with discounted and/or complimentary excursions in order that she might attempt them and evaluate them in your data. All opinions are her personal. This publish accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. In case you click on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I could obtain a small fee.
Morning in Dublin
When you land in your lengthy weekend in Dublin, you’ll want to combat the jet lag and hit the bottom operating. We suggest you are taking a non-public switch or airport shuttle into city and driving in Dublin isn’t simple, even if you’re absolutely rested.
Begin your day by getting acquainted with Dublin on a “pay-as-you-wish” tour with Sandeman’s New Europe Free Strolling Tour. The guides are educated and sometimes fairly humorous too! This tour hits lots of the highlights of the two,000-year historical past of this metropolis, such because the Dublin Fort and Temple Bar space.
After the tour head over to Eire’s Harvard equal, the famed and picturesque Trinity School. Merely wander round campus or be part of the thirty-minute light-hearted tour, the place a co-ed will hold you entertained whereas highlighting the varsity’s historical past, neoclassical structure, and numerous legends.
Simply ensure you see the crown jewel of Trinity School with a self-guided tour of the world-famous E-book of Kells Exhibition and Lengthy Room, positioned in the midst of campus. After taking a peek on the illuminated manuscript of the E-book of Kells, Eire’s best-known cultural treasure and one of many world’s most well-known medieval manuscripts, enter the spotlight of the Trinity expertise — the Lengthy Room of the Previous Library.
This magical 200-foot-long room teeming with 200,000 books conjures up pictures of Hogwarts. The aroma of leather-based and previous books is a dream come true for avid readers. To keep away from ready in very lengthy strains, contemplate getting tickets to this top-selling attraction on-line effectively earlier than you arrive in Eire and e-book a timed-entry ticket.
Afternoon in Dublin
After lunch on Grafton Road or within the Temple Bar space, it’s time to decide your afternoon adventure一either to observe within the footsteps of Irish literary greats or soak within the ambiance of the city oasis which surrounds you.
Bestill the hearts of devoted followers of Irish literacy giants like Wilde, Beckett, Joyce, and Swift…Dublin is a UNESCO Metropolis of Literature! Different locations to discover relying in your pursuits embody the James Joyce Heart, the Dublin Writers Museum, and the Nationwide Library of Eire. It’s also possible to take an Irish literature strolling tour that features the Dublin Writers Museum, the Nationwide Library of Eire, and a number of other favourite pubs of well-known authors.
James Joyce followers, like my daughter, ought to drop into the historic Victorian-era Sweny’s Pharmacy, featured in Joyce’s “Ulysses.” Some days the pharmacy even hosts group Joyce readings!
For individuals who crave a zen break in spite of everything this touring, decide out of your favourite nature choices. Search for deer in Phoenix Park, Europe’s largest middle metropolis park. Or, step again in time as you stroll the luxurious 22-acre St. Stephen’s Inexperienced (youthful kids will benefit from the duck pond). In the summertime, St. Stephen’s Inexperienced holds free out of doors live shows.
Night in Dublin
For dinner, we adopted the locals to Purple Torch Ginger, my daughter’s favourite meal in Dublin. This busy and classy upscale Asian restaurant filled with native Dubliners gives a wonderful menu and probably the most personable employees. Try Purple Torch Ginger’s well-priced early chook menu.
We completed our introductory day by becoming a member of the locals and vacationers within the Dublin ritual of pub hopping! Your journey to Dublin wouldn’t be full with out experiencing the fabulous dwell music scene.
Pubs serving meals welcome under-18 teenagers through the day and into the early night. These over the ingesting age of 18 can seize a pint, and benefit from the raucous occasion scene. Head to the winding streets of the world-famous Temple Bar neighborhood and pub hop to your hearts’ content material.
Whether or not you might be in search of wild or serene, pop music or Irish ballads, you’ll discover them right here. Sure, it’s tremendous touristy! However that’s what makes it a lot enjoyable! Sing alongside, people-watch, and chill out after a protracted day of sightseeing!
Dublin Itinerary Day 2: A Day of Dublin Delights
Morning Meals Tour
Meals excursions are at all times a success with our household, together with ones in Vienna, Amsterdam, and Rome. E-book a meals tour for a scrumptious introduction to Dublin’s foodie scene intertwined with studying concerning the metropolis’s historical past.
Our enthusiastic information led us on our journey to pattern quite a lot of treats together with a gourmand breakfast at an award-winning historic café, a full lunch at a famed atmospheric pub, a well known Irish seafood dish, mouth-watering artisanal ice cream, a selection of native cheeses in a uber-cool meals emporium, and Irish whiskey samples for these 18 and older. The tour ended with full stomachs, new pals, and a need to proceed exploring this metropolis’s culinary delights!
Afternoon Exploration
After the tour, take your selection between procuring or museum hopping. Dublin abounds with boutiques, markets, and malls. Begin by strolling down Dublin’s pedestrian-friendly, uber-famous Grafton Road, filled with buskers, crowds, eating places, and all kinds of outlets.
Gawk on the architecturally grand Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, a high-end boutique procuring middle housed in a grand Georgian townhouse. Wander the slender lanes of George’s Road Arcade, a Victorian Buying Heart relationship from 1881, filled with quirky and eclectic outlets.
An enormous plus for households touring to Dublin is the bounty of high-quality FREE museums! Think about popping into the Nationwide Gallery, the Pure Historical past Museum, the Dublin Metropolis Gallery, the Irish Museum of Trendy Artwork, or the Science Gallery. Our favourite free museum is the beautiful Chester Beatty Library filled with historical books, non secular scrolls and a lot extra.
Or, when you have the time and are keen to pay the ticket price, we are able to’t suggest the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum extremely sufficient! This interactive museum may be very participating for all ages and every gallery tells the story of various teams of Irish individuals who have made a long-lasting impression on the world and their emigration journeys.
In case you have the time and abdomen for it, take a tour of the Kilmainham Gaol. This fascinating hour-long tour of a historic, and at occasions spooky, jail that operated from 1796 by means of 1924 will captivate your crew. Take heed to the tales of tragedy and heroism surrounding the Gaol, which housed a lot of Eire’s most well-known political and navy leaders together with the likes of Charles Stewart Parnell, the 1916 Rising leaders, Eamon de Valera, and Robert Emmet.
Your gang will thrill in wandering this deserted facility, together with the ominous demise row, the eerie execution courtyard, and the grand cavernous Victorian-era room the place you may be surrounded by jail cells. Getting into one of many slender chilly cells gives a glimpse into what it could have been wish to be a prisoner.
Since this attraction is common, contemplate reserving your tickets upfront, and save time for the well-curated museum on the finish of the tour. Simply take care with youngsters which might be frightened simply.
Night Indulgences
Now, it’s time to make a pilgrimage to the Guinness Storehouse. This temple of all issues Guinness is a success with teenagers and adults alike. A spotlight is toasting with pints on the spectacular 360-degree view from the top-story Gravity Bar!
You may join self-guided tickets, a connoisseur expertise, and even mix it with a go to to the Jameson Distillery.
For the grand finale of this present day of culinary decadence, we headed to Pacino’s which serves scrumptious genuine Italian dishes. As soon as your dinner is completed, these of age ought to contemplate ending the night time on the identical restaurant’s uber-cool hidden speakeasy referred to as The Blind Pig!
Dublin Itinerary Day 3: Belfast and Past
Any go to to the Emerald Isle deserves a minimum of sooner or later past town limits. We craved an exhilarating and academic day…and boy did we get it! Our spotlight was taking the top-rated Giants Causeway, Belfast Metropolis & Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge Day Tour from Dublin by Wild Rover Excursions. This firm lived as much as its fabulous opinions!
In a single whirlwind day, we set off to expertise a “best-of” tour of the Irish countryside. Due to Wild Rover we had been in a position to pack every week of exploring into one marathon day journey. Plus, a visit to Northern Eire meant we obtained to go to two nations in a single weekend! The all-day bus journey took us to Belfast the place we had the selection between touring the state-of-the-art Titanic Museum or taking a Black Taxi Tour.
We opted for the taxi tour guided by an area which included a stroll alongside the Peace Wall which divides the 2 non secular/nationwide communities of east Belfast in addition to listening to concerning the heart-wrenching tales of the troubles of this area.
Our subsequent cease was the dramatically stunning Large’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, with roughly 40,000 basalt columns rising from the ocean. Youngsters (and adults!) may have a blast scaling the piles of columns. Lastly, we mustered the braveness to stroll throughout the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, excessive above a deep chasm! Our skilled and enthusiastic information Lisa stored us on schedule, offered related background data, and handled us all so professionally. It was an absolute pleasure to haven’t any worries about driving ourselves to handle this tour on our personal.
Tip: Put on sneakers or sturdy sneakers! This all-day tour gives loads of time to stroll up hills and throughout rocky areas which may be slippery from the rain. Additionally convey alongside a bottle of water, snacks, and waterproof jackets. Through the tour, you should have time to cease for a fast lunch within the Titanic Museum’s cafe (which was surprisingly excellent) or on the Large’s Causeway cafe.
Getting back from the journey, we had been ravenous and wearing informal garments. We determined it was time to pub hop once more. After a protracted day, a pint with some pub grub hit the spot!
The place to Keep in Dublin
The Conrad Dublin is the right well-located luxurious base in your keep. This award-winning resort faces the gorgeous gardens of St. Stephen’s Inexperienced and appears out on the enduring Nationwide Live performance Corridor.
We beloved the fashionable rooms impressed by Dublin’s literary heritage stuffed with books and well-known quotes. The employees lived as much as their stellar popularity, particularly after they had scrumptious breakfast-to-go packed for us earlier than our early morning departure.
Examine charges, learn opinions, and see photographs on TripAdvisor
Different good decisions for 3 days in Dublin could be:
- The Davenport Lodge close to Trinity School. It gives sensible luxurious with out being overpriced.
- The Morgan Lodge within the Temple Bar space is hip and enticing to millennials or households with teenagers.
What to Pack for a Lengthy Weekend in Dublin
Remember to pack layers, even in summer season! Convey a raincoat or umbrella every single day. Locals say you expertise 4 seasons in sooner or later…and they’re proper! In case you plan to discover the countryside, pack a pair of sturdy strolling sneakers or sneakers.
You don’t have to get too dressy in Eire. Denims, sweaters, and cozy sneakers will match proper in. Get a full Eire packing listing right here.
Connoisseur meals, family-friendly sights, historic gems, spectacular countryside…and a lot extra. We are going to always remember our magical three days visiting the Emerald Isle…and might’t wait to return to discover extra of this magical nation!
Plan Your journey to Eire:
Concerning the Creator
This visitor publish was written by Lisa Grabelle. Lisa, a journey author for Hilton Suggests, has been touring all her life…30 nations and loving it! Initially from the sunny skies of Miami, Lisa, a former lawyer, lives close to Philadelphia together with her husband and two daughters. Lisa willingly traded in billing hours for being a full-time mother and volunteer for her alma mater, the College of Pennsylvania. However journey is her ardour. As quickly as one trip ends, Lisa busily plans her subsequent journey for her continuous household of adventurers. Lisa’s motto is “don’t simply go to the vacation spot…dwell it!” You may observe Lisa on Twitter or Instagram.
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