20 amazing things to do in Dublin

Cool, quirky, and slightly weird things to do for a guaranteed rip-roaring time in Ireland's fair city

21 November 2022

Ireland’s capital city takes you in and envelops you in a type of warmth and joy that only Irish people can achieve. Dublin rivals any European city with its rich history, lush surroundings and one-of-a-kind boozers. The world knows Dublin for its famous export, Guinness, but the city has so much more to offer. From exploring Francis Bacon’s erratic studio to moodily lit speakeasies to touring a whiskey distillery inside a church, these are the 20 best things to do in Dublin.

How many days should I spend in Dublin?

We recommend spending three – four days in Dublin to explore all that the city has to offer while leaving some time to take a day trip outside the city if you please.

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1. Have the most invigorating swim of your life
Irish people are hardy. To prove it, they love jumping into freezing-cold water (just observe the blueish bathers, teeth clenched, braving the chill on beaches during the so-called 'summer'). But at the colloquially known Forty Foot bathing pool – a deep inlet in Sandycove on the southern tip of Dublin Bay – they take it to the extreme. Christmas Day is a particularly popular time to dive into the icy Irish Sea – well, naturally. But if you're gutsy enough, you can take the plunge at any time of the year (wetsuits for lightweights).
2. Learn to play the ukulele in one night
You don't need to be in tropical Honolulu to have a bash on a tiny guitar. Jamming sessions are held every Tuesday at the Stag's Head pub. When they're not leading musicians in high-tempo covers of hits such as Psycho Killer, the organisers can be found carrying out ukulele flash mobs on Dublin's streets.
3. Get into Joyce in a curiosity shop
Sweny's Pharmacy is a curious place that looks like a cross between an apothecary and a delightful old bookshop. A location mentioned in James Joyce's Ulysses, it is run entirely by volunteers who introduce people to the author without bashing them over the head with a heavy copy of his most famous work, but instead hold lively reading groups amid the glass bottles of elixirs and bars of sweet, lemony soap.
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4. See the best view of the city (from a pub)
Climb the winding road up into the Dublin Mountains to find the Blue Light, a pub built in the 1800s which sits squat on the hillside. Inside there are open fireplaces and cosy, higgledy-piggledy rooms where traditional musicians often spark up an impromptu session. But on a sunny day the terrace is where you want to be, as the whole of Dublin is laid out before you.
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5. Find the coolest small shops
The patchwork of side-streets near the grand Powerscourt Townhouse is known as Dublin's creative quarter for its boutiques and design shops. Costume stocks high-end labels such as Isabel Marant, Roland Mouret and Zadig & Voltaire. Rhinestones is a magpie's dream for antique and modern costume jewellery and Article has lovely displays of modern Irish-designed tableware and patterned linens.
6. Watch the world's fastest, fiercest field sport
The Gaelic game of hurling has been played for more than 3,000 years, yet it still inspires the same fanatical following as a World Cup final. Go to a match at the impressive national stadium, Croke Park (which also houses a museum about the sport), to experience 'the clash of the ash' – the sound of players' wooden hurleys colliding fiercely as they hit the leather ball.

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7. Bag the hottest new table in Dublin
Once the head chef at The Ninth, a Michelin-starred restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia neighbourhood, Kevin Burke returned to his Dublin roots in 2019 and recently opened arguably the city’s finest new restaurant. Offering a menu of Irish seasonal food with French and Italian influences, Burke’s philosophy at Library St is all about sharing. Amid light and breezy decor, choose from splendid small plates such as chargrilled porcupine bank langoustine, roast saddle of lamb and chargrilled pork chop. Anne-Marie Duignan’s carefully curated wine list is exceptional, too.
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8. Go somewhere haunted for a few spirits
With its pencil-like watchtowers and Celtic crosses, Glasnevin Cemetery gives a great insight into Ireland through the centuries. Enthusiastic tour guides tell grisly tales and take visitors to the graves of key Irish figures such as Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, Eamon De Valera and Brendan Behan. Afterwards, stop into the wonderfully old-school pub, the John Kavanagh – locals call it 'The Gravediggers' due to the profession of many of the punters. It's said that, in the past, coffins were left outside the door for days during particularly lively wakes.
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9. Take the best daytrip out of the city
Take the Dart train to the seaside village of Howth and walk the gorse-covered cliffs of Howth Head. Spy the uninhabited island of Ireland's Eye from the top or take a 15-minute boat trip to explore the wildlife-rich isle more closely. At weekends there's a farmers' market opposite Howth harbour – great for an alfresco lunch.
10. Settle in at a speakeasy
When you've had your fill of Guinness and Tayto crisps in old-man boozers, seek out the Prohibition-style Vintage Cocktail Club for canapés on silver trays and killer liquor combos. Behind an unmarked, black door down an alley in Temple Bar (because all the best cocktail spots should have that slightly illicit feel), it's a moodily lit space of chintzy wallpaper and velvet armchairs serving merry-making whiskey punches and more. Make sure to book your table.
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11. See Dublin from a new angle
You’ve probably wandered across the O’Connell Bridge or the Ha’penny Bridge hundreds of times, but how often have you been under them? Dublin probably isn’t the first city that springs to mind in regards to watersports, however the guys at City Kayaking are breaking the mould by offering the chance to get out of your comfort zone and see the city from a quirky new perspective. Rent a kayak, take a guided tour or even hear the unique acoustics of a music session underneath a bridge.

Photograph of Francis Bacon Studio by Perry Ogden (1998). Collection & image © Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin (Reg. 1963.14). © The Estate of Francis Bacon.
12. Get a look inside an artist’s studio
Fueled by alcohol and a thirst for hedonism, Dublin artist Francis Bacon’s life was erratic and mercurial so it’s no surprise that his working studio was just as chaotic. What is a surprise, however, is that his studio has been preserved for all to see at Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery. Even more remarkable is that Bacon spent most of his life in London, and thus the entire space was broken down into thousands of parts and painstakingly reassembled in his home city. Head over to the Hugh Lane on Parnell Square for a window into a wild talent who lived an equally wild existence.
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13. Venture down into Dublin’s mummified past
Brave the narrow stone steps leading down to a dusty church basement to see the final resting place of Dublin’s elite. Housed beneath St Michan’s Church, the five long burial vaults contain the mummified remains of many of the city’s most influential families as well as a few other curiosities, including an 800-year-old mummy known only as ‘the crusader’ and the death mask of legendary rebel Wolfe Tone. If you’re in Dublin for Halloween, then this could be the perfect spooky spot.
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14. Explore Ireland’s oldest public library
When you think of things to do in Dublin, you may not place a cosy read at the top of the list. However, when libraries are this stunning, priorities change. A favourite haunt of Jonathan Swift, James Joyce and Bram Stoker, Marsh’s Library is the oldest public library in Ireland and contains over 25,000 books and 300 manuscripts. Hidden away in a quiet corner of the St Patrick’s Cathedral grounds, the library opened back in 1707 and is one of the last 18th-century buildings in Ireland still used for its original purpose. On a darker note, some of those bookcases still bear scars from the dramatic events of the 1916 Easter Rising. The morning of Sunday 30 April saw a British army machine-gun spray the library with bullets, the holes of which are still visible today on the original oak bookcases.
15. Tour a whiskey distillery inside a church
The sight of gleaming copper pot stills backed by ethereal light emanating through colourful stained glass windows makes a trip to the Pearse Lyons Distillery a wholly unique whiskey experience. Built in 1859, St James’s Church is easy to spot with its glass spire soaring above the stone nave, making for a bizarre architectural contrast. There are four separate tours to choose from (including a VIP tour led by the head distiller) and plenty of opportunities to hear the stories behind this quirky spot and, of course, to sample their quality Irish whiskey.
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16. Spot wild deer in an epic park
For a relatively small capital city, Dublin’s Phoenix Park is a widescreen heavyweight when it comes to urban greenspaces. Covering a grandiose 707 hectares (1,750 acres) and lying just west of the city centre above the River Liffey, the park is also home to around 600 fallow deer. Introduced to the park back in the 1660s for hunting, the deer now live a more languid life and can often be seen in the fields surrounding the Papal Cross. Morning is a good time to see them and, due to the park’s yawning size, it’s a wise idea to hire a bike.

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17. Find a sublime statue
Lying back lethargically on a large quartz boulder wearing a green smoking jacket with a pink collar, the Oscar Wilde statue in Merrion Square Park very much reflects the Dublin poet and playwright’s wit. Sculptor Danny Osborne's quirky statue of Wilde was made using semi-precious stones such as jade and thulite and was unveiled in 1997 to unanimous acclaim. The park is also home to the Joker’s Chair sculpture, a tribute to comedian and Father Ted star Dermot Morgan.
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18. Take a day trip south and tackle an iconic mountain
While Great Sugar Loaf might not trouble Ireland’s tallest mountains (a height of 501 metres makes it the 404th–highest in Ireland), its photogenic conical peak and 360-degree views make for an alluring day trip. Less than an hour’s drive from central Dublin, the walk to the summit from the car park is a fairly straightforward climb that should take an hour or so to reach the craggy top (some scrambling will be required over these loose rocks). On clear days, it’s possible to see all the way 150km across the Irish Sea and make out the distinct peak of Snowdon, Wales’ tallest mountain.
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19. See how Ireland’s most famous export is made
The Guinness Storehouse is a brewery unto its own – and a compulsory addition to any things to do in Dublin round-up. Spanning seven floors and with a story over 260 years old, the ubiquitous stout has a brewery experience to match its notoriety. This is perhaps best exemplified by the building having an entire floor dedicated to Guinness’s heroic advertising feats, both in print and on film. And while it’s interesting to see how the black stuff is made, the real pièce de résistance is finishing at the top floor Gravity Bar which has panoramic views over Dublin and a perfect pint included in the ticket price.
20. Delve into the world of Dublin’s literary masters
Ireland’s gift for the written word is such that it has a museum dedicated to the quality of its literature. Branded MoLI in homage to James Joyce’s fictional heroine Molly Bloom, the Museum of Literature Ireland is a walk through 1,500 years of writing that’s put together thematically rather than a dry chronological walk-through. Situated between the bucolic pair of St Stephen’s Green and the Iveagh Gardens, MoLI showcases author-focused installations and immersive audio-visual displays, giving it more of a gallery feel. And don’t miss the landmark ‘Copy 1’ of Joyce’s epic Ulysses.

TopicsCity Breaks Dublin Ireland Europe