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Top 10 Things to see in Dublin

01

The Little Museum of Dublin

If you’re stuck for time but you still want to see everything Dublin has to offer, the best place to start is the Little Museum of Dublin.

Ideally located on Stephen’s Green, this museum is packed with artifacts that capture the heart and soul of the city. Experience the highs and lows of Dublin through the wonderfully mismatched array of memorabilia. The nostalgia factor is strong at the Little Museum of Dublin where the entire collection has been donated by Dubliners from all walks of life. This people’s museum is a gift to Dublin from Dublin and it is a must visit spot for locals, tourists and everyone in between. Get your money’s worth with a tour of the main collection, a walking tour of St Stephen’s Green and round it off with some self guiding upstairs. What more could you want?

www.littlemuseum.ie
02

Stephen’s Green

Once the oldest square in Europe, this 22 acre park is the perfect place for a stroll.

The green is steeped in history and you can learn a lot simply by walking around the meandering paths, stopping to admire some of Dublin’s most beautiful tributes to the past. It is situated in the heart of the city within walking distance of the Little Museum of Dublin, MoLI and the National Museum, making it the perfect place to take a break from the museum circuit, get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine*. One word of advice: Watch out for the seagulls!

*Sunshine is not guaranteed.

www.ststephensgreenpark.ie
03

Trinity College

There is no better place in Dublin to feel like a time traveler than Trinity College.

Explore this cobbled campus and retrace the steps of notable graduates like Robert Emmett, Oscar Wilde and Mary Robinson. Go on the guided tour and get all the goss from a current Trinity Student or wander the campus yourself and soak up the atmosphere. Trinity College has something for everyone. Stand in the breathtaking Long Library, home to over 200,000 books (drool), see the incomparable Book of Kells and top it all off with a visit to the science gallery!

www.tcd.ie/visitors
04

The Doors of Dublin

A front door might not sound very impressive but the Georgian doors of Dublin are a sight to see in their own right.

As brightly coloured as skittles, with elegant columns and delicate lattice windows, these doors are a portal back to the Golden Age of Dublin of the 18th Century. Traverse Merrion Square to admire all that Gerorian architecture has to offer and take a few door   traits along the way for your instagram. Because who says a front door can’t also be a work of art? 

Finish up in Merrion Square park and while you are there, please give my regards to Oscar!

merrionsquare.ie
05

The Ha’penny bridge

Dublin has many beautiful bridges but none of them come close to overshadowing the humble Ha’penny.

The vaulting white arches and delicate ironwork have a closer resemblance to lace (or a masterfully iced wedding cake) than metal, and yet this bridge has stood the test of time. A relic of Dublin’s past it was first built in 1816 to unite the north and south sides of the city. Back in the day you’d spend a ha’penny to cross the bridge, today you just need to watch out for trolls.

All in all, very instagramable.

www.bridgesofdublin.ie
06

Christ Church Cathedral

Christchurch cathedral has been a feature of Dublin since the time of the Vikings.

It is located in what was once the heart of Medieval Dublin and it truly is a sight to behold. They just don’t build em’ like they used to. The crypt is open to the public where you can see original manuscripts and artifacts that span 1000 years. Most noted among their collection is their 14th century copy of the Magna Carta and the mummified Cat and the Rat who both appeared in Finnegans Wake no less! 

www.christchurchcathedral.ie
07

Kilmainham Gaol

The prison of Irish revolutionaries, many of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising met their end in Kilmainham Gaol.

Visit the gaol today and learn about a darker side of Dublin’s history. Their guided tours bring you on a journey through prison life and the conditions experienced by some of Ireland’s most notorious criminals and rebellious rebels. Bonus fact: The gaol, particularly it’s chapel, is said to be haunted making this a must see for purveyors of the spooky and supernatural.

www.kilmainhamgaolmuseum.ie
08

MoLI

Dublin’s extensive literary legacy finally has a place of its own to call home, The Museum of Literature, Ireland, or MoLI for short.

Visit this museum to immerse yourself in the written word and Ireland’s greatest writers both past and present. MoLI is in partnership with the National Library of Ireland making it the perfect place to view literary treasures that might otherwise have gone unappreciated. 

More than just a museum, MoLI also gives you a chance to escape the grey cityscape and sit in its own secret garden. The reader’s garden is a great place to relax. While you’re there why not get a selfie with the tree James Joyce took his graduation photograph next to? Maybe some of the literary genius will rub off.

www.moli.ie
09

The GPO

A monument of Neoclassical architecture the GPO is one of the few tangible remnants of Ireland’s revolutionary past.

One of the most important historical landmarks in the city, the GPO is where the proclamation was first read aloud, where the Irish flag was raised and where the first shots of the 1916 Easter Rising were exchanged. Stand in the shadow of the great front pillars and note their bullet holes still visible to this day. This is history you can reach out and touch. The GPO also offers an interactive museum experience where you can immerse yourself in the Rising and the Modern Ireland that emerged from it.

www.gpowitnesshistory.ie
10

The Guinness Storehouse

No visit to Dublin would be complete without a pint of the black stuff!

At the Guinness storehouse you will learn the story of Ireland’s most famous beer, the family who pioneered it and the international phenomenon that it is today. After your tour, pull your very own pint in the Gravity Bar at the top of the Guinness storehouse and admire the 360 degree views of the city. As Flann O Brian himself put it: A pint of plain is your only man!

www.guinness-storehouse.com