How to Spend 3 Days in Dublin

Dublin isn’t always the first choice for family summer vacations to Europe, but Michelle, a Trippy user from Scottsdale is different. Michelle knew that from historical attractions and literary heritage to local Irish pubs and innovative restaurants, Ireland’s vibrant capital Dublin is getting more appealing. She planned to visit Dublin with her son, aunt, and cousin before heading to Italy. Michelle sought help from other Trippy users while planning her trip. Here’s her question:

Three days in Dublin in early June: what can we do in 3 days?
I'm taking my son on a grad trip to Italy in early June and decided to stop in Dublin first. What are some great things to do on a quick three-day trip? He's a musician and has never been to Europe. We're bringing along my aunt and cousin and staying in a flat near Dublin Castle.

Whether you like history, literature, architecture, nature or stout, Dublin will not disappoint. Here are recommendations by Dubliners and travelers on how to spend three days in Dublin.

Day 1

Start your first day at Trinity College’s 18th-century Old Library. We recommend booking your tickets online to see the Book Of Kells, a ninth-century manuscript. These well protected glass-encased books attract thousands of tourists per year. And photography is not allowed. Get tickets for early visiting hours to avoid crowds. After the tour, head upstairs to the Long Room.

The Long Room is the main chamber of the Old Library with 14 marbled white busts, scalloped ceilings, soaring bookshelves, and 200,000 old books. You’ll see marbled busts of philosophers and writers, and the oldest harp in Ireland.

Dublin is a very walkable city. After visiting the Old Library, you can join a historic two-hour walking tour conducted by Trinity College’s history graduates. Learn about Irish history while you walk through famous attractions like Trinity College, House of Lords, Temple Bar, Christ Church Cathedral, City Hall, Dublin Castle, Grafton Street and more. If walking is not your thing, you can get tickets for the Hop-on-hop-off bus as suggested by Trippy user Abby.

Abby wrote:

Get tickets for the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus! We stayed on for the whole route first and made a list of places to stop, then spent two days getting on and off to see everything. My favorites were the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College and Book Of Kells, Christ Church Cathedral, and walking along the River Liffey. Hit as many pubs as you can!

Fuel up at The Bernard Shaw before heading out to the next stop: Guinness Storehouse. The Bernard Shaw offers pizza, coffee, beer, vegetarian options and more.

Crystal from Anchorage suggested:

Guinness Storehouse is probably of the most famous attractions in the city. They offer tours, and you can have a free pint in their Gravity Bar which has excellent views of the city. Legal drinking age is 18.

If the weather is beautiful, enjoy the National Botanic Gardens.

St Patrick's Cathedral is one of those must-see monuments.

Science Gallery Dublin is one of Dublin's more unique museums.

You can visit The Old Jameson Distillery to learn about another iconic Irish beverage.

If you have an active family, consider Experience Gaelic Games to get a taste of traditional Irish sports.

There are tons of city tours to choose from if you want to learn more about the city. You can choose from walking tours, pub tours, boat tours, hop on hop off bus tours, bike tours, day tours that take you out of Dublin, boat tours, and so many more!

After a whole day of tours and walking, head over to the south bank of River Liffey for the most romantic sunset views at Liffey Bridge (also known as Ha’penny Bridge).

We suggest dinner at Market Bar, a gastro bar and tapas restaurant. If you’re wondering whether you should go to the touristy Temple Bar after dinner, Paul from Dublin said:

Ignore the naysayers. Temple Bar is good fun, and you should visit it. There’s a load of pubs/restaurants, and it’s very buzzy. Yes, you can get some drunks occasionally, but I’ve never not had a good time there.

Day 2

Maria from Dublin suggested:

Get a one day Dart ticket (Dublin Rapid Rail transport) The Dart train runs along the coast connecting Howth head (North Dublin) with Greystones in Wicklow. It's a beautiful scenic trip, and the villages at either end have lovely seafood restaurants and decent bars.

I suggest taking a half day (the train trip takes about 2 hours in total) maybe have lunch in Howth, go for a walk on Howth head or the pier, then hop back on the Dart and book dinner in Greystones. The beach in Greystones is good for a walk. Or stop in Dalkey on the way for dinner.

In Dublin City, the National Gallery of Ireland and Irish Museum of Modern Art are worth a look also the Guinness Storehouse for the view of Dublin. The Chester Beatty Library is good. There's always lots of music on in Dublin! Maybe have a pint in O'Donoghue's Pub where you will hear impromptu artists play Irish music. Enjoy the trip.

If taking public transportation is not your ideal way of vacationing, we suggest joining a full day tour to Cliff Moher. Cliff Moher is part of the UNESCO Geopark and is one of Ireland’s top tourist attractions. Cliff rises 702 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy the unforgettable views of the Cliff and explore the moon-like landscape of Burren National Park. Most Cliff Moher day tours also include stops in small villages like Doolin. You can enjoy local pubs and traditional Irish music.

In the evening, join one of the fun pub crawls in Dublin. Here are three of our top choices:

Dublin traditional Irish music pub crawl

Dublin literary pub crawl

Backpackers pub crawl

Dublin has over 1,000 pubs, and you’ll need a local guide to show you the best.

Day 3

After seeing all the major tourist attractions, you may want to take a breather on the third day. Maria, a Dubliner suggested:

Take a wander around parts of old Dublin like Stoneybatter and, if you have time take a trip on the DART from Tara Street Train Station to Dalkey (Southbound) or Howth (Northbound) to get coastal views and take a walk by the sea. There are wonderful views of Dublin from Killiney Hill Park ( a 15-minute walk from Dalkey DART station) or walk along Howth Head or pier and have a good seafood lunch/dinner in either village.

Katica recommended a few places to shop for souvenirs and Irish goods for yourself or your loved ones:

There is Grafton Street where you will find Brown and Thomas with famous brands.

On the other side of River Liffey in O'Connell Street, you can find cheaper brands.

If you want to buy nice traditional products like Irish sweaters, scarfs, crystal, and Waterford Christmas balls head to Nassau St close to Trinity College.

Book lovers will want to visit Ulysses Rare Books. Find rare books and first editions which you may never find elsewhere. If you’re in Temple Bar area, check out Gutter Bookshop where you can find books for children too.

Those who like flea markets, antique markets or food markets will find Dublin City Council’s website helpful. You will find a list of markets, opening hours and directions to Dublin’s markets. Our top pick is Liberty Market, the longest running market in Dublin.

Dublin is suitable for all seasons. But here are tips from two Trippy users about the weather in Dublin:

Maria:

You can get all seasons in a day in Ireland, so you need to be prepared by bringing at least a light raincoat/jacket. You can get rain and wind, even in June and July. Mostly, though, it should be relatively warm or at least mild. I remember temperatures of 10 - 29c during June-August. The days will be long which is lovely. It won't be dark until about 10 pm and will be bright from before 6 am. Have a lovely time.

Oisin said:

You never know with the Irish weather. There can be four seasons in the one day. I would bring a rain jacket. Max temperature would be doing well to break 20C (68F) with min down to as low as 6/7C (43F). Hope that helps