Things to do in Dublin
The capital city of Ireland, Dublin is a vibrant and exciting place for a holiday. Founded in 841 and originally settled by Vikings, the city has an exciting history for you to explore as well a fantastic nightlife and some top restaurants.
Botanic Gardens
Located just 5km from the city centre, the National Botanic Gardens are a beautiful place to visit. The gardens are spread over 19 hectares and were founded in 1795. The collection of plants includes over 15,000 different species from all over the world and many of them are grown in wonderfully restored glasshouses. The gardens also have a special visitor centre which has information on notable botanists and the gardens themselves. If you want to grab a bite to eat the visitor centre is perfect as it also has a restaurant.
Drink Guinness
The Guinness Storehouse is the home of Guinness. Inside across seven floors you can explore the heritage of the Guinness brand, and you can even learn how to pour the perfect pint of the black stuff. Learn about how whiskey is made with just three ingredients at the Old Jameson Distillery in Smithfield. Your guided tour will include whiskey tasting, complete with a coveted Whiskey Taster Certificate. Try the Temple Bar if you fancy tasting more whiskies or Guinness – it has also won Irish Music Pub of the Year for 2002 to 2012. It is also famous for a great beer garden, oysters and of course a great atmosphere.
A St Patrick's Day holiday is the perfect opportunity to visit the Guinness Storehouse. Covering several floors, it pays homage to Ireland's iconic drink. Finish with a pint of Guinness while enjoying panoramic views from the top-floor Gravity Bar.
Watch some sport
If you're a sporting fan look out for midweek breaks to Dublin or a weekend in Dublin package that lets you take in some Gaelic football or hurling, both at the heart of Irish culture. Or, visit the Curragh and Leopardstown for some exciting horse racing.
Shopping
Grafton Street is Dublin's main shopping spot while Arnott's, the city's top department store, is on Henry Street. Good souvenir choices are knitwear and Guinness-related products.
Nightlife
With over a thousand pubs to choose from, a lively night out is always going to be a feature of last minute holidays to Dublin. Discover venues for every taste, from traditional pubs to the latest hipster bars. If you want to jig along to traditional Irish music visit Gogartys, The Cobblestone or O'Donaghues.
Museums
The Old Library is home to the breathtaking Book of Kells while EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum gives a poignant look at at a difficult point in Irish history.
Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo
Phoenix Park is Europe's largest enclosed urban park and this green oasis is home to herds of deer, impressive public buildings and Dublin Zoo.
Historic Dublin
If you’re a history buff you’ll love Dublin as it has an excellent collection of historic buildings for you to discover. A great place to start is with Dublin Castle which, up until 1922, was the seat of British rule in Ireland. Today the castle is used by the Irish Government and is an interesting place to visit. There’s a museum which offers insight into the long history of tax collection in Ireland as well as a great café and gift shop.
Christ Church Cathedral
After you’ve seen the castle you should head to the oldest building in Dublin, Christ Church Cathedral. Dating back to the 11th century, the cathedral is an exciting place to explore and has the largest crypt in the whole of Great Britain and Ireland. Tour historic Dublin Castle while Dublinia's interactive exhibits take you back to the Viking and medieval city. More recent political history is explored at Kilmainham Gaol.
