Last updated on April 13th, 2024 at 10:11 pm

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This post contains my best Dublin travel tips.

Dublin is one of my favourite cities that I have ever visited. It is rich with history, beautiful, and has the friendliest locals. I recently spent two weeks there, exploring the city and taking day trips to other amazing spots in Ireland. I’ve put together this list of Dublin travel tips, with all of the best things to do in Dublin, as well as tips to help you get around, and tips about what to pack.

1. Best things to do in Dublin
2. How to get to Dublin from the airport
3. Getting around Dublin
4. Packing tips
5. Getting a SIM card for Ireland

Best Things to Do in Dublin:

Dublin has SO many things to do. In my opinion, these are the best ones:

1. Visit Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle is a great place to visit to learn about the history of Ireland. A self-guided tour through the castle will give you lots of insight about the history of power in Ireland. Also, the castle and the grounds are beautiful, so even if history isn’t your thing, you won’t want to miss out on exploring this awesome sight.

• cost: €8.00 for a self-guided tour

2. Visit the Guinness Storehouse

Of course, trying Guinness is an essential when visiting Ireland. A trip to the Guinness Storehouse not only will give you some samples, as well as a free pint, but also gives you an incredible overview of the history of Guinness, and how it is made. Even for a non beer drinker like myself, the Guinness Storehouse made for an amazing afternoon. Plus, the tour ends on on the top floor of the building, with beautiful, panoramic views of Dublin. Not a bad spot to enjoy a complimentary pint of Guinness!

• cost: €26.00

3. Get fish and chips at Leo Burdock

I was told by a local that Leo Burdock is the best place in Dublin to get fish and chips. And after trying it, I have to agree! Leo Burdock is famous worldwide for their amazing fish and chips. It is said that many celebrities have eaten there, including Bruce Springsteen, Jackie Chan, and Snoop Dogg. A stop at Leo Burdock is an essential part of the Dublin experience, and was one of the best Dublin travel tips that I received.

• cost: about €15 for cod and chips

4. Visit EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum

I visited many museums during my time in Dublin, but EPIC was by far my favourite. It explores the history of the Irish population, and the many people who have emigrated from Ireland in the last few centuries. EPIC provided such a fascinating insight to the struggles that the Irish people have faced, and the huge impact that Irish emigrants have all over the world today.

• cost: €17.50

5. Visit the Little Museum of Dublin

The Little Museum of Dublin was another one of my favourite museums in Dublin. This funky little museum has many artifacts outlining Irish history, right up to present day culture. A visit here includes a guided tour. My tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much information about Ireland.

• cost: €13.00

6. Watch Buskers on Grafton Street

Buskers flock to Grafton Street to show off their musical talents. It is a great spot to enjoy some live music or other entertainment. Many now famous people have busked on Grafton Street before, including Bono! With lots of shopping and cafes nearby, this lively area is a great spot to visit for an afternoon.

• cost: free

7. Visit 14 Henrietta Street

14 Henrietta Street was recommended to me by a local, and although it didn’t sound super interesting to me at first, I’m so glad I went! This former Georgian townhouse turned tenement house is very well preserved, and now serves to educate visitors about what life was like for the people that used to live there. This single house started out as a home for the wealthy, and over time became a home to many families- over 100 people at once! There is so much history to be explored at 14 Henrietta Street.

• cost: €10.00

8. Have a Drink at Temple Bar

A visit to Dublin would be incomplete without a stop at Temple Bar. This iconic bar opened in 1840, and is home to Ireland’s largest whiskey collection. Although you may find drink prices a bit higher here compared to other pubs, I definitely think it is worth it to stop in for a drink or two. There is also live music every day, making it a very lively atmosphere. Definitely a must-see!

• cost: entry is free! pay for whatever you drinks you might want

9. Go on a Dark Dublin walking tour

A more unique activity I did in Dublin was a Dark Dublin walking tour. This evening walking tour stopped at locations that have dark histories- from murder to torture, to cannibalism. The guide I had for this tour was so funny, and managed to keep the tour quirky and entertaining while talking about the dark side of Dublin that you might not hear about at the museums. Definitely worth checking out if you like spooky stories.

• cost: €14

10. Visit Kilmainham Gaol

This former prison was a solemn, yet fascinating site to visit. The prison held many common prisoners, as well as political prisoners. A guided tour through the prison will give you a lot of insight on the political climate of the past that caused so many people to end up there, and the heartbreaking reality of what life was like for those inside.

• cost: €8.00

11. See the Long Room and the Book of Kells at Trinity College

Trinity College was probably my favourite spot in all of Dublin. It is home to the famous Book of Kells, a beautifully decorated 8th century manuscript. You need a ticket to enter, and it does book up, so make sure you book in advance. While the Book of Kells was lovely, I was absolutely blown away by the Long Room, a library that you walk through on your way out from viewing the Book of Kells. This Harry Potter-esque room was filled from floor to ceiling with books, and was complete with marble busts and spiral staircases. Even if you are not interested in the Book of Kells, it is absolutely worth it to buy a ticket, just for the opportunity to visit the Long Room. Truly a magical place!

• €18.50

12. Go for a Walk in St. Stephen’s Green

St. Stephen’s Green is a lush oasis in the busy city center of Dublin. This park is a great spot for a walk, or to sit and enjoy a coffee or a picnic. There is also a lot of important history in this area. Wander around the park and see several statues and monuments.

• cost: free

13. Eat a traditional Irish breakfast

Any trip to Ireland would be incomplete without trying a traditional Irish breakfast. These breakfasts include bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, bread, tomatoes, and black pudding (and maybe an Irish coffee on the side). Make sure you’re hungry! There are many cool cafes around Dublin to get a good breakfast. My favourite was Keoghs Cafe.

• €11.50 for a full Irish breakfast at Keoghs Cafe

14. Visit the Chester Beatty

The Chester Beatty is a great spot to visit if you have a spare few hours. It contains the collections of American-British man, Chester Beatty, who collected artifacts from all over the world. Although it does not contain a lot of information specific to Ireland, it is still a very neat place to visit. Entry is by donation, so you if you are on a budget, this is a great place to check out!

• cost: free. €5 suggested donation

15. Have Dinner at an Irish pub

I already mentioned Temple Bar in this list, but I thought it was worth it to throw this in as well. It is essential to visit a pub in Dublin! Temple Bar does not serve food, so make sure you make time to stop at another pub for dinner, a pint of Guinness, and as the locals would say, some craic. I had a delicious Irish stew at Brazen Head, which is the oldest pub in Dublin. It also had a great, lively atmosphere!

• cost: free entry

Dublin travel tips: Getting to the city from the airport

Dublin city center can be reached from the airport by city bus, private coach, or taxi. The public transit in Dublin is excellent (in the day time anyway), and there are a few options to take transit from the airport. Bus routes 16 and 41 both go from the airport in to the city center.

Another option is to use one of the coach services that are available. A popular one is Dublin Express, which charges €7 for a one way ride from the airport to the city center. This ticket can be booked in advance, and paid for online, making it a pretty convenient option. I have had issues with the reliability of scheduling with this service, and I have read online that others have as well. So don’t panic if your coach doesn’t show up at the exact time you expect it, it will come eventually!

The last option is to take a taxi or Uber. While this is definitely the most expensive option, it is definitely the most convenient. There is a taxi queue right outside of the arrivals door, making it very easy to get a taxi. A taxi to Dublin city center costs about €30

Dublin travel tips: Getting around

Dublin is very walkable! If you are staying in the city center, you should be able to easily walk to many attractions, shops and restaurants.

If you need to go anywhere outside of the city center, you can take advantage of Dublin’s public transit. As I mentioned above, the public transit in Dublin is quite good. I found the bus system very robust and reliable. It is also quite affordable, costing only €2.00 for an adult for one bus ride. If you are going to be bussing quite a bit, I would recommend getting a Leap card. These cards can be purchased in many stores across the city, and be easily topped up from your phone.

Dublin also has Uber and taxis available. I only got Ubers a few times while I was in Dublin, but never had any difficulty finding one.

Dublin travel tips: Packing essentials

Dublin is a very walkable city. If you’re going to be doing a lot of sightseeing, I would highly recommend packing some good walking shoes. It also is a very rainy city, especially if you’re not visiting in the summer. Definitely pack a good rain jacket or umbrella! Don’t worry too much about bringing cash for your trip to Dublin. I found that pretty much everywhere takes credit or debit cards. I brought a few hundred euros with me in cash, and barely used any of it! If you do need cash while you are there, there are many ATMs available throughout the city.

Dublin travel tips: Getting a SIM card for Ireland

If you’re like me, and rely on your phone for navigation when you’re travelling, then I would definitely recommend getting a SIM card when you arrive in Ireland. You may not have this issue if you live in Europe, but coming from Canada, my roaming fees were going to be $13/day to use my phone plan!

My favourite way to get data when I’m travelling is to get an e-sim. If your phone is e-sim compatible, then you can just download a SIM card and avoid buying a physical SIM card at your destination. I always use Airalo– they have e-sims available for more than 200 countries!

I sometimes also switch out my SIM card for a local one when travelling to avoid roaming fees, and found this very easy to do in Dublin. I bought a SIM card in the airport as soon as I arrived at WHSmith in the arrival terminal. It was on the network Three, and cost €25 for 20GB of data.

I hope these Dublin travel tips help you plan an amazing trip to Dublin! It’s such a lovely city, and you’ll want to make the most of your time while you’re there. Start planning an unforgettable trip today!

Ready to get out of the city? Check out my post here about my favourite day trips from Dublin.