City Break in Dublin, Ireland - what to do 3 days in Dublin?
What do you think of when you hear Ireland or Dublin?
Until I visited this country, my first thoughts led me to the red-haired leprechaun, dressed in green, and with the shamrock symbol, to the green color, to the capricious weather, to the slightly stilted English accent and to St. Patrick . Oh... and beer, a lot of beer.
But Ireland is much more than that: it is such a beautiful country, with its very green landscapes that come to life, with the ocean shore, with cheerful cities, with a rich culture and with super friendly people.
Visiting Dublin, and having the opportunity to sight-see the country, Dublin and Ireland exceeded all my expectations. In this article I described how we spent 3 days in the capital of Ireland and its surroundings, and why we would have needed at least as many more days to discover the rest of the island.
Content
- What to do in Dublin - Daily Itinerary
About Ireland
Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland, is located in western Europe, on the island of Ireland. The island is divided into two countries - the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the latter being part of the United Kingdom.
The Republic of Ireland, or Ireland, as I will call it from now on in this article, won its independence from the United Kingdom in 1922. Ireland is part of the European Union, joining the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union, in 1973.
The official language in this country is English, but Irish is also spoken in certain areas. The official currency is Euro.
Ireland has several strengths for which it is so famous:
- Beautiful natural landscapes, with impressive rocks and wide meadows, with that spectacular green that you can find only here.
- Traditional Irish music and Irish dance
- Guinness beer and Irish pubs
The weather in Ireland is quite changeable and capricious, as is the case for United Kingdom. With humid oceanic climate, the temperatures are moderate, with mild winters and cool summers, but the precipitation is very abundant, with rains almost every day. In March, we had maximum temperatures of 12-13 degrees. Out of 3 days, only in one afternoon we caught a heavy rain, otherwise the weather was fine for us - we had 2 partly cloudy days.
Located on the eastern coast of the island, Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland, and also the country's largest city, with a population of over 500,000 inhabitants, and over 1.1 million in the metropolitan area. GDP per capita (current US$)).
About Dublin
Situat pe coasta estica a insulei, Dublin este capitala Republicii Irlanda, si totodata cel mai mare oras al tarii, cu o populatie de peste 500.000 locuitori, si peste 1.1 milioane in zona metropolitana.
The city is crossed by the river Liffey, which flows right into the Irish Sea.
Dublin este plin de cultura, istorie si atractii pentru tinerii in cautare de distractie. Este un oras unde au locuit scriitori si artisti celebri, cum ar fi Bram Stoker, autorul cartii Dracula, sau Bono (U2). Cateva locuri faimoase din oras, pe care le-am inclus si noi in vacanta noastra si despre care voi detalia in acest articol sunt: cartierul Temple Bar, Trinity College, Grafton Street, Dublin Castle sau fabrica de bere Guiness.
How do you get around in Dublin?
Dublin, like any other developed European city, also has a well-developed public transport infrastructure.
Although the city center is not very large and it is easy to reach by foot from one place to another, public transport is an alternative, and it circulates very well, especially if you want to get from the airport to the city, from a neighborhood on the outskirts or towards Howth, the village at the Irish Sea, which we also visited.
I would not recommend renting a car to visit the city, unless you want to make other trips to the rest of the island. Just be careful that Ireland applies the British driving style, with the steering wheel on the right side.
Leap Visitor Card
In Dublin, I recommend purchasing the Leap Visitor Cardfor tourists, which you can buy at any tourist center point in the city or authorized store. We bought the card from a store in the airport, and therefore we were able to use this card also on our way from the airport to the center.
For the Leap Visitor Card, you can choose one of the following options:
- 1 day (24 hours) – €8.00
- 3 days (72 hours) – €16.00
- 7 days (168 hours) – €32.00
During the validity period of the card, you have unlimited trips in the city on any bus from the local network, tram or train, you just have to validate the card when you get on the transport. Read more details about this travel card here: https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card.
If you don't want to buy this card and want to pay for each trip separately, keep in mind that a bus trip costs 1.30 euros, and you have to pay the driver only in cash.
Dublin: Go City Pass
In Dublin you also have a tourist city pass, starting from 65 euros. We haven't used it, but if you consider that you get more advantages with the price of this card and combining the entrances to the desired tourist attractions, then this card can be a good idea.
Here is a link from GetYourGuide with the different combinations for the tourist card.
How do you get from the airport to the city center?
There are several means of transport to the city from the airport, but I recommend you the yellow buses, from the local public transport network of Dublin, such as buses 16 or 41. A ticket costs 3.3 euros, but it is included in the Leap Visitor travel card.
The other buses that run from the airport, such as DublinExpress (buses 782, 784) or Aircoach shuttle buses (700, 702, 703), are private networks, where the tickets are also more expensive – 6 euros for Dublin Bus, or 7 euros for Aircoach. Their advantages would be that they are faster than public buses, having fewer stops. Tickets for these buses are not included in the Leap Visitor Card.
What to do in Dublin - Daily Itinerary
We had 3 days to explore Dublin and discover the beauties of Ireland. We allocated two days to visit Dublin and its surroundings, and one day we decided to travel through the rest of the country, choosing a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most spectacular places in Europe.
Day 1 - Center, Free Walking Tour
Free Walking Tour
Having a plane in the morning, we arrived quite early in the city. We chose for this first day to participate in a Free Walking Tour, to easily enter into the atmosphere of the city and to learn interesting things about the history, culture, politics, arts and entertainment options in Dublin and in Ireland. You can book such a guided tour here: https://www.freetour.com/dublin/free-tour-of-dublin.
Among sporadic episodes of rain, this day I took the main attractions in the city center, which I will point out below:
Center
O’Connell Street & O’Connell Bridge
O'Connell Street is one of the largest and most important streets of the city, a very active, busy street with many shops and cafes. Having accommodation in the area of this street, this was our starting point in visiting the historical and touristic center of the city.
At the end of O'Connell Street is the O'Connell Bridge over the Liffey River.
The Spire
The Spire is a 120 meter long stainless steel sculpture in the shape of a pine needle located on O'Connell Street. It is one of the tallest statues in the world, and is considered a symbol of the city.
Grafton Street
Grafton Street is the central point of the city, the crowded pedestrian street, full of shops, just like in any other major European city.
What I found most interesting here is the fame this street has when it comes to street music. Many of Ireland's best-known musicians started their careers or sang here, on Grafton Street, including Ed Sheeran or Bono from U2. We also caught musicians playing live on this street, even if, at the moment, maybe not as famous as the previous ones.
Temple Bar
Temple Bar is the district in the center of the city of Dublin very famous for its cultural and active night life: many pubs, clubs, restaurants and art galleries create the most energetic and effervescent area of the city.
Arhitectura este tipic irlandeza in acest cartier, prin strazile pavate si cladirile colorate si vechi. Daca te-ai intrebat vreodata ce inseamna un pub irlandez in toata esenta lui, aici vei simti cu adevarat: agitatie, galagie, muzica, oameni prietenosi, si evident, multa bautura traditional irlandeza.
You might think that Temple Bar only refers to that bar in the red building, with the big name Temple Bar written on it. I admit, I thought so too. But Temple Bar is the name of the whole area full of pubs and restaurants, very crowded, especially in the evenings and weekends.
Molly Malone Statue
The statue of Molly Malone is a famous attraction in the city center and represents a fictional character from a traditional Irish song. It is about a woman who sold mussels and clams on the streets of Dublin and who died prematurely from typhoid fever. Today, Molly Malone is considered a symbol of the city of Dublin.
Ha’penny Bridge
Ha'penny Bridge is one of the important tourist points of the city of Dublin, often used in representative images about Dublin. The pedestrian bridge crosses the river Liffey and is surrounded by shops, restaurants and pubs and offers a wonderful view of the river and the buildings in the centre.
The name of the bridge - Halfpenny Bridge - comes from the toll for crossing it, worth half a penny, which had to be paid when the bridge was built, in 1816. From 1919, crossing the bridge became free.
Dublin Castle
The castle in the center of the city was built in the 13th century and was used as a royal residence, and later as an administrative headquarters. Today, the castle is renovated and is open to tourists, in exchange for a 8 euros ticket.
Forced by a torrential rain that started suddenly and with the desire to shelter somewhere warmer, we decided to visit the castle, and it didn't leave us a bad impression. It is an well-ordered castle, we had the opportunity to see the Throne Room and the former residence rooms. But it is not a tourist attraction that I would necessarily recommend, especially if you are already familiar with the lavish palaces of Versailles or Schonbrunn.
Near the castle there are other attractions of Dublin, such as Dublinia and Christ Church Cathedral.
Dublinia
Opposite the castle is Dublinia, an interactive museum that presents the history of the Vikings and medieval Ireland. An adult ticket costs 15 euros. Unfortunately, we did not manage to visit this museum, arriving 5 minutes later than the closing time.
Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is one of the two cathedrals in the city, along with the Cathedral of St. Patrick. The church dates from the 12th century, with an architecture that really impresses.
To visit the cathedral, you need an entrance ticket, which costs 10.5 euros / adult.
St. Patrick Cathedral
Cathedral of St. Patrick is an Anglican church, being the other cathedral in the city. Construction began in the 12th century, on the site of a former wooden church from the 5th century, founded by Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
An entrance ticket costs 9 euros here.
The Irish Emigration Museum
The Irish Emigration Museum is an interactive museum dedicated to the history of Irish emigration from the 17th century to the present day. Over 10 million Irish people left the country over time, mainly because of the famine, and these emigrations had an important contribution to the spread of Irish culture throughout the world.
We didn't have time to visit this museum, but it is a must-see in Dublin, especially for those interested in history. An adult ticket costs 19 euros: https://epicchq.com/.
Day 2 - Trinity College, Guiness Storehouse, Howth
The next day we continued to visit the other attractions that presented interest to us. We started with Trinity College, then the Guinness brewery museum, and after the meal we went to Howth, the village on the outskirts of Dublin, with a beach at the Irish Sea.
Trinity College, Library, Book of Kells
Trinity College is one of the most prestigious universities in Europe, founded in 1592. It is a special attraction of Dublin, mainly due to its old library. It houses an impressive hall of old books and manuscripts, and the most important book is The Book of Kells, a manuscript from the 9th century, considered one of the most important works of medieval art in Europe.
Access to the university campus is free, but to visit the library you need an online entry ticket, worth 18.5 euros: https://www.tcd.ie/visitors/book-of-kells/tickets/.
Guiness Storehouse
I think most of us know, or at least have heard about the famous Guinness dark beer. Even if you are not a beer drinker (neither am I 
), a visit to the Guinness brewery museum can be a pleasant and interesting experience.
The factory was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guiness, a small factory in the beginning, which developed and created one of the most important brands of the country.
Today, visitors can discover the beer manufacturing process, and at the end of the tour, on the top floor of the factory, they can have a glass of Guinness, included in the ticket.
If you want to get here, I recommend you to buy your ticket online in time, because there is a very high demand for tickets, and they are sold out by the time of the visit. It costs 30 euros and you can find it here: Guinness Storehouse: Entrance Ticket.
If you arrive in Dublin and you have time, visit the Jameson distillery to see how traditional Irish whiskey is produced.
Howth
After visiting all the sights in the city, we wanted to get to the sea a little, and the best option was to go to Howth. This is a village located 15 kilometers from Dublin, which can be easily reached by train.
Howth is a popular weekend destination for Dubliners and tourists, and it's easy to see why: beaches, harbour, fish and seafood restaurants.
We also walked on the beach, on the shore of the Irish Sea and through the port, and it was like a breath of oxygen for us, after a day spent only in museums.
Ziua 3 - Cliffs of Moher
On the third day, we decided to take a day trip to one of the places we really wanted to visit. This place is called Cliffs of Moher, a coastal area on the Atlantic Ocean, located in the west of the island. The best and most convenient option for us, as transport from Dublin, was to go on an organized trip.
On GetYourGuide or TripAdvisor several such trips are listed, with prices starting from 75 euros. There are other options for day trips from Dublin, such as to the Giant's Causeway, Belfast or Cork.
We chosed this trip: Dublin: Cliffs of Moher, Kilmacduagh Abbey & Galway Day Tour, where, besides the Cliffs of Moher, we also had the opportunity to visit Galway, another Irish city, and an old Celtic place of worship.
Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher offer a view that takes your breath away. It's that place where the first word that comes to mind when you see it is... Wow! I invite you to follow the images captured here, they mean more than a thousand words to describe the beauty of this dream place.
Cliffs of Moher are located on the west coast of the island, directly on the Atlantic Ocean. There are some impressive rocks, which rise above the ocean about 200 meters, on a distance of 8 kilometers along the coast.
We were lucky to have very good weather, with less wind, so we could enjoy and admire this beauty of nature.
If you don't come here with an organized tour and want to come on your own, it's good to know that you have to buy a ticket online in advance, worth 7 euros/adult: https://bookings.cliffsofmoher.ie/.
Galway
70 km from the Cliffs of Moher is the city of Galway, where we made a stop during this day trip. Here we could walk and explore the city center for almost two hours. It is a pleasant city, with an active historical center, with many cafes, shops and terraces.
Kilmacduagh Abbey
We also made a short stop at Kilmacduagh Abbey, where we could see the ruins of a former monastery, but also the Celtic cross present here, a symbol of the Celts of former Ireland and Scotland.
Besides the sights seen, this trip was also about discovering and understanding this wonderful and beautiful country. It seemed to us the greenest country we visited, and one of the most rural and natural countries in Europe.
Where to stay in Dublin
Accommodation in Dublin is not very cheap, a decent accommodation in the city center can start from 150 euros / night. A more affordable option would be to stay in a location on the outskirts of the city or in a nearby village, from where you can reach the city by train or tram.
We chose this accommodation for Dublin, in the O'Connell Street area, one of the busiest avenues in Dublin: Belvedere Hotel Parnell Square.
What to eat in Dublin
Ireland is not necessarily known for traditional Irish food, but in Dublin you can find many places to eat, generally with international cuisine. If you want to eat in the city, expect quite high prices, about 20 euros for a meal. Of course, there is also the option of fast foods, which are more convenient in price.
Where Dublin excels, and Ireland in general, is in the drink department. Guinness beer, Jameson whiskey or the famous Irish pubs have become popular and famous all over the world.
Where to shop in Dublin
The most famous shopping area in Dublin is Grafton Street, the pedestrian street full of shops and cafes, where you can find a wide variety of international brands, such as Zara, H&M or Victoria's Secret.
Did you know
- St. Patrick, the spiritual patron of Ireland, is celebrated on March 17, which is also the national day of Ireland. 3 days before, joyful celebrations dedicated to this event begin throughout the country.
- The sheep is the unofficial symbol of Ireland. I have seen so many sheep all over the country, that it is easy to understand why this animal has become a representative image for Ireland. There are more than 5 million sheep on the whole island.
- The harp is a symbol of Ireland and is the only country that has a musical instrument displayed on the country's coat of arms. The same harp appears on the logo of the famous Guinness beer
- Irish music is famous all over the world, and this can be seen in the large number of internationally recognized Irish artists, such as Bono from U2, Enya, Hozier, Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries), Sinéad O'Connor.
- Watch out for the theft seagulls in Dublin! There are many who fly and walk around the city center and yes... steal They are very attentive to everything that happens, and if they see that you have something in your hand, they fly towards you to grab what you have, thinking it is food. I experienced it too, when a sandwich was stolen from my hand by a brave seagull. It's true, it was a funny experience, in the end we were amused by the situation.
