Dublin

Two Days Exploring Ireland’s Capital City of Dublin

Dublin is the largest city in the Republic of Ireland and a popular tourist destination for pub culture, Georgian architecture, and literature.  Whether it is your starting point for an adventure to other parts of the country or the sole destination of your visit, this post will provide some insights for planning your trip.

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My husband and I visited Dublin as part of an 8-day road trip through the southern part of Ireland during the month of July.  Summer is one of the best times to visit the Emerald Isle because the landscapes and gardens are in full color.  The only downside is likelihood of more crowds at popular tourist spots. 

To read an overview of our full eight-day itinerary through Ireland, click here.

Day 1: Trinity College, Temple Bar

Like most international flights coming from the US, we arrived in Dublin early in the morning. We headed directly to our hotel to drop off our luggage and have it stored for us so we could enjoy the day ahead hands-free.

We stayed at The Shelbourne Hotel, a Marriott Autograph Collection property and historical landmark in the heart of Dublin. We loved The Shelbourne.  The lobby and accommodations were so pretty.  The location was also key since we were strictly on foot.

Above photo: The Shelbourne Hotel

Above photos: Dublin, Ireland

We immediately set off in the direction of Trinity College to visit The Books of Kells and the Old Library. The campus has many old buildings surrounding the main quad that are also worth a look as you make your way over to the exhibit.

Above photos: Trinity College

The exhibition for the Book of Kells walks you through a presentation of the history and significance of the manuscript before you enter the area where the book is displayed.

Above photos: Exhibition for The Book of Kells

Afterwards, your ticket for the Book of Kells includes entrance to The Old Library in the Long Room. It is completely amazing!  It looks exactly as it does in photos, but the scale of the room can’t be fully imagined.  It was a bit surreal, to be honest.  

Above photos: The Old Library, Trinity College

From Trinity College, we headed towards the River Liffey and crossed the Liffey Bridge, or Ha’penny Bridge as it has become known.

Above photo: The River Liffey

On the other side of the bridge there was a really interesting old bookstore called The Winding Stair. It is one of the oldest independent bookstores in Ireland. There is a cafe above the bookshop (that was completely booked, otherwise, we would have had lunch here).

Above photos: Buildings along The River Liffey

We headed back over the river to Temple Bar to find a pub.  The menu at Quays was exactly what we were craving, traditional Irish dishes like cottage pie, chowders and stews.

Above photo: Quays, Temple Bar

After lunch we took to exploring more of Temple Bar.  This neighborhood is so colorful and lively.  The cobblestone streets display evidence of good times had and every pub had masses of flowers lining its window boxes and planters.  

Above photos: Temple Bar

Our walking route back towards our hotel passed down Suffolk Street, quite intentionally so we could visit the Avoca store. This 7-level mini-department store was my absolute favorite place to shop in Dublin. It was easy to see why Vogue UK listed it as one of the Best 100 Shops Outside London.  They are known for their textiles, but have many other home, fashion, and beauty finds. I came home with several of their cashmere scarves:)

Above photo: Textiles at Avoca on Suffolk Street

Suffolk Street intersects with Grafton Street, and is another one of the main shopping strips. Here you will find all kinds of high-end shops and fun places to duck into.  

At some point we decided that we needed to try a Guinness and popped in to McDaid’s Pub on Harry Street for pint of Ireland’s best.  Neither Jason or I are beer drinkers, but it is almost a requirement to have a Guinness when in Dublin.  While the beer was just okay, the pub was complete gem. This traditional Irish pub has great ambiance and is one of the most iconic Literary Pubs of Dublin thanks to Brendan Behan, so we learned.

Above photos: McDaids Pub on Harry Street

With a little more time to kill before we could check-in to our hotel, we were able to visit the National Library of Ireland and the National Museum of Archeology.  The library was a quick stop.  It is a gorgeous domed building with a rather grand reading auditorium.  

Above photos: The domed ceiling and tiled floor of the National Library of Ireland

The National Museum of Ireland-Archaeology was really interesting.  The building itself was a sight with its beautifully tiled floors and intricate iron work staircases.  The collections are, of course, focused on Irish history.  If you make it here, the Cross of Cong and other religious artifacts are especially impressive. There are several other National Museums, such as the Decorative Arts, Natural History, and Country Life museums that we didn’t have time to visit on this trip.

Above photos: The National Museum of Ireland – Archeology

Our last stop of the afternoon was St. Stephen’s Green. This beautiful urban green space is a perfect escape from the busy sidewalks and traffic. We paused for a while at the gazebo on the pond and watched the ducks. On the other side, we found the bandstand and a fountain before circling back towards our hotel.

Above photos: St. Stephen’s Green

After our very full day sightseeing, our hotel room at The Shelbourne was finally ready for us.  As we got settled in, we took a walk through the hotel’s common and dining areas and gave ourselves a pat-on-the-back for our pick. Since our visit, The Shelbourne has undergone a multi-million euro refurbishment. I can’t wait to go back and see it!

Above photos: The Shelbourne Hotel

Before we could kick our shoes off for the day, we headed out to find some dinner.  We ended up walking around an area just a few blocks away from our hotel.  Down one of the little side streets, we spotted this umbrella art installation bursting with color, like so much of Dublin.

Above photos: Umbrellas on Anne’s Lane

We ended up eating at a little casual pub.  Struggling to stay awake at this point, we were all too glad to get back to our hotel to sleep off the jet lag and re-energize ourselves for our second day.

Day 2: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch, Dublin Castle

When we stepped outside the door the following morning, we had the most gorgeous blue-bird day for our second day in Dublin. We started off our morning with breakfast at Hatch & Sons, this tiny little unsuspecting restaurant across from Stephen’s Green. Sadly, this wonderful eatery didn’t make it through the downturn of the pandemic.

Above photos: Hatch & Sons

It was about a 15 minute walk to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. On the way, we passed the entrance to Marsh’s Library, which is the oldest public library in Ireland. In hindsight, we should have stopped here. But, we were so excited to see the cathedral we couldn’t be diverted.

I love old churches. As many as I have seen, I am always amazed at the grandeur and glory of these amazing houses of worship. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, founded in 1191. While the cathedral is a stunning place to visit, I imagine that it would be even more meaningful to attend mass. It is the only remaining cathedral in Ireland with daily sung services.

Above photos: St. Patrick’s Cathedral

From St. Patrick’s, it was just a short walk to Christchurch Cathedral. That’s right, back-to-back cathedrals! Christchurch is even older than St. Patricks’s. It was originally a Viking church, founded in 1030. The architecture is amazing! We also toured the crypt, which was a little eerie, but totally fascinating!

Above photos: Christchurch Cathedral

Dublin Castle is just across the street from Christchurch. The castle was built in the 13th century and later used for government purposes. We toured the prestigious State Rooms, which are still used for high profile events. The colorful floors and opulent painted ceilings were my favorite aspects.

Above photos: Dublin Castle

Quick Tip: We purchased the OPW Heritage Card at Dublin Castle in lieu of the regular admission. The Heritage Card provides free access to over 45 other heritage sites throughout Ireland. When we reviewed the list of sites, it included at least six other places that were already on our road trip itinerary. The math worked out in our favor to purchase the Heritage Card for $40 per adult instead of the individual admission fees for each site. I definitely recommend looking at this as an option if you will be traveling throughout Ireland and visiting multiple historic sites.

It was well past lunch hour and we were starving. We backtracked a bit and walked down Lower Bridge Street to Usher’s Quay where Dublin’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head, is located. The history of this pub and hostilery is really neat. This area was the location of the original crossing of the River Liffey. The bridge was comprised of matted reeds that were layered on the river bed and could be walked on at low tide. Cool, right?

Today, The Brazen Head is a gastrobar where you can enjoy lunch, drinks, and live music. We sat outside in their courtyard and really enjoyed our lunch, while learning the story behind the pub.

Above photos: The Brazen Head

We decided to take a walk along the River Liffey instead of re-tracing our steps up the hill. We had such a great afternoon for it. We ended up going back through the Temple Bar area as we navigated our way back to the hotel, but we tried to weave down different streets this time, popping into shops along the way. Aunt Nellie’s Sweet Shop was one of our favorite little finds. Lots of old fashioned sweets and fudge here in case you need a sugar fix.

Above photos: Temple Bar

For our final evening in Dublin, we had tickets to the Riverdance performance at the Gaiety Theater. Purely by chance, we passed by the theater earlier in the day and saw that tickets were still available for that evening’s performance. Riverdance is an incredible theatrical show featuring traditional Irish music and dance. The show was amazing! To see it in Dublin was so special. It was easily the highlight of our visit.

Above photo: The Gaiety Theater

Q: Is two days is sufficient for a visit to Dublin? A: Since Jason and I had plans to see much more of Ireland on our road trip, two days was enough to see the major points-of-interest and get a feel for Dublin. However, we could have easily filled a couple more days visiting the parks and museums.

To continue reading about our Ireland Road Trip and visit to Kilkenny, click here.