Dublin Things to Do

Ireland’s lively capital never fails to win over visitors with its blend of historic sights and laid-back social scene, but before you plan your itinerary, here are a few things NOT to do in Dublin.

Largely regarded as one of the most quintessentially ‘Irish’ of Ireland’s cities, Galway is the gateway to Western Ireland’s many sights and makes a hugely popular inclusion on any visitor’s travel itinerary.

Around 2.5 hours from Dublin, Galway is well connected to the capital, with daily trains and buses running to the west coast and a wide range of options for day trips and tours from Dublin. Galway’s main attractions lie along the rugged Atlantic coastline of Galway Bay, straddling the border of County Clare and County Galway.

With its penchant for lively Irish dancing and beer-fuelled pub sing-alongs, it’s no surprise that Dublin’s music scene makes a popular haunt for music lovers. While music fans will find plenty of variety in the Irish capital, most popular is the chance to watch some traditional Irish music and many of the city’s historic pubs host live music sessions.

Gaelic football might be the national sport, but rugby is the sport of choice for many of Ireland’s sports fans and such is the popularity of the rough-and-tumble sport, that if there’s a rugby match on, you’ll be hard pushed to find a pub in Dublin that hasn’t tuned their TVs into the game. A major competitor in the annual Six Nations Championship (contested against England, France, Italy, Scotland and Wales) and 11-time champions, Ireland’s love of rugby shows no sign of waning.

With its heavy drinking reputation and abundance of bars, pubs and clubs, Dublin’s nightlife is legendary and whether you’re looking to listen to live music, tour the city’s historic pubs or dance until the early hours, there are options to suit all tastes. The party atmosphere is in full swing during the city’s annual festivals, especially St Patrick’s Day, but whenever you arrive in Dublin, they’ll always be a good excuse for a pint, or several, of Ireland’s national brew, Guinness.

Held in honor of the region’s world-renowned prawns – large, flavorsome crustaceans that originated from Dublin’s coast – the Dublin Bay Prawn Festival is one of the city’s most exciting food events, running over 3 days each spring in the coastal suburb of Howth.

From riotous pub-crawls to a packed calendar of city festivals, Dublin knows a thing or two about how to throw a party. Vibrant parades, talented buskers and an endless supply of Guinness are on the agenda at the city’s annual street festivals – here’s the lowdown on the best events.

St Patrick’s Day, held annually on March 17th, is one of Ireland’s biggest celebrations with Dublin at the center of festivities. Held in honor of St Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, St Patrick’s Day, or St Paddy’s Day as it’s often nicknamed, is the most traditionally Irish day of the year, a national holiday on which huge crowds of revelers take to the streets wearing shamrocks, donning green clothing (the symbolic color of Ireland) and downing pints of Guinness.

With an abundance of scenic landscapes and historic sights easily reachable from Dublin, there are plenty of options for getting out of the city. Wicklow, known as the ‘Garden of Ireland’ thanks to its diverse and beautiful greenery, makes for a popular day trip and hikers can enjoy the varied terrain of the 132km-long Wicklow Way walking trail that crosses the county. Combine a visit to the town with a look at the 6^th century monastic ruins nearby Glendalough located in the rugged Wicklow Mountains National park, where scenes from Braveheart and, more recently, PS.I Love You, were filmed.

Dublin might not boast an iconic lookout point like the London Eye or the Eiffel Tower, but there are still a number of ways to get a great view of the city. Whether sipping a hearty pint of Guinness in the city’s highest bar or watching the sunset from the nearby mountaintop, here are 5 of Dublin’s best viewpoints.