After three separate trips to Dublin (plus time spent exploring other parts of Ireland), I’ve come to really love how the city blends history, culture, and an excellent food and drink scene. It’s one of those places that somehow feels lively and cozy at the same time, whether it’s your first visit or you’ve been before. This Dublin travel guide is based entirely on places and experiences I’ve personally done and loved. There are definitely more day trips and hidden gems out there, but these are the spots I keep coming back to—and the ones I’d recommend if you want a really solid Dublin itinerary.
🏨 Where to Stay
If you want a comfortable, well-located spot that won’t completely break the bank, I highly recommend Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin.
It’s usually reasonably priced, the rooms are modern and comfortable, and the location is great for exploring. You’re within walking distance to places like the Guinness Storehouse and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, but not right in the middle of the busiest tourist chaos.
Tip: Dublin is super walkable, so you don’t need to stay right in Temple Bar to be central.
🍻 Things to See & Do
🥃 Booze-Focused Experiences
Dublin does drinks very well, and these are all worth your time beyond just grabbing a pint.
- Guinness Storehouse
A must-do. You’ll learn how Guinness is made, dive into their iconic advertising, and end with a pint at the Gravity Bar overlooking the city.
Don’t skip the “Stoutie”—they’ll print your selfie onto the foam of your beer which is honestly just fun. - Jameson Distillery Bow St.
The regular tour is great, but if you can, do the cocktail class. It’s about an hour, you make 3 cocktails, and you leave with a recipe book. - Teeling Distillery
A really informative tour with a more modern feel. You can choose between a full tasting or one paired with a cocktail, and the bar is a nice place to hang after. - Roe & Co Distillery
The space is beautiful. Even if you skip the tour, go to the Powerhouse Bar—the cocktails are organized by flavor (coffee, herb, apple, etc.) with both classic and more creative versions. - Pearse Lyons Distillery
One of the coolest settings—it’s built inside a restored church, which makes the whole experience feel a bit different.
🏛️ History & Iconic Sights
There’s so much history packed into Dublin, and these are some of the spots I always make time for:
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral – Ireland’s largest cathedral, with stunning Gothic architecture and a really peaceful interior that’s worth slowing down to take in.
- Dublin Castle – A fascinating mix of medieval and more modern history, with beautifully preserved state rooms you can tour.
- St Stephen’s Green – A scenic park right in the city center that’s perfect for a relaxing walk or a quick break from sightseeing.
- Trinity College Dublin – The campus is beautiful, and the Book of Kells experience lets you see the famous Long Room library in person which is architecturally stunning.
- Christ Church Cathedral – One of Dublin’s oldest buildings, known for its impressive architecture and underground crypt.
- The Brazen Head – Dating back to 1198, it’s the oldest pub in Dublin and a fun place to grab a pint with a side of history.
- Samuel Beckett Bridge – A sleek, modern bridge designed to resemble a harp, especially nice to see lit up at night.
- Famine Memorial – A powerful tribute to the Great Famine that really puts Ireland’s history into perspective.
- Custom House – An impressive neoclassical building along the River Liffey that’s great to admire as you walk by.
- Kilmainham Gaol – A former prison turned museum that offers one of the most impactful insights into Ireland’s fight for independence.
Tip: Book Kilmainham Gaol in advance—it sells out quickly.
🍽️ Where to Eat
🍔 Casual Meals
- Bull & Castle – Great steak and a solid drink selection
- Chequer Lane by Jamie Oliver – Definitely try the ravioli
- The Cobblestone, Darkey Kelly’s, Porterhouse Temple Bar – Classic Irish pub food
- Gallagher’s Boxty House – A great place to try boxty
- The Cheeky Piglet – Really good Irish breakfast
🍷 Upscale Dining
- Variety Jones – One of my favorite restaurants in Europe, every visit has been amazing
- Uno Mas – Great for sharing plates
- Mr Fox – Creative, modern Irish food
- Wilde – Beautiful setting inside The Westbury
- Trocadero – A classic Dublin spot
☕ Cafés, Bakeries & Quick Eats
- Two Pups Coffee – My go-to; the cruffins are unreal
- Griolladh – Get the spicy beef toastie + tots
- Bakeology Treats – Great for Argentinian baked goods (they have a restaurant as well called Bakeology In where you can sit down and enjoy empanadas and more)
- Bread 41 – One of the best bakeries in the city
- Legit Coffee Co – Coffee + casual food
- Boom Coffee Roasters – Solid coffee stop
- Brew Lab Specialty Coffee – Tasty coffee options with great pastries too
- Butlers Chocolate Café – Hot chocolate + take-home treats (the whiskey ganache bars are so good, I always bring one home)
🍺 Where to Drink
- Temple Bar – Yes it’s touristy, but it’s iconic and fun at least once, plus they have live music going all day
- The Hairy Lemon – Classic pub vibes
- The Old Storehouse – Lively but a bit less chaotic than some of the other options in Temple Bar
- O’Donoghue’s – Great for live traditional music
- The Cobblestone – One of the best spots for authentic sessions
Tip: If you want good live music, go a bit earlier to grab a spot—especially on weekends.
🚗 Day Trips & Tours from Dublin
🏰 Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a perfect day trip—think medieval streets, historic buildings, and a slower pace than Dublin.
You can visit the Smithwick’s Experience while you’re there, and I’d recommend stopping at The Yard for a relaxed meal.
If you don’t feel like driving, there are a lot of tours combine this with the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough, which is a really nice way to get out into nature as well.
🌊 Galway & Cliffs of Moher
Galway is about 3 hours away. You can do it in a day, but I’d recommend staying overnight if you can.
From there, head to the Cliffs of Moher—they’re just as incredible as you’d expect.
For food, Dela and Ard Bia at Nimmos are both great picks.
🚢 Belfast
In Belfast, I’d recommend spending 2–3 days, especially if you want to visit the Giant’s Causeway.
The Titanic Belfast museum is a must—it’s one of the best I’ve been to anywhere.
Other highlights:
- Ulster Museum (free and really well done)
- Botanic Gardens – nice for a walk
- The Duke of York – great pub + cool street nearby
- Titanic Distillery – easy stop after sightseeing
Where to stay: The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast
Where to eat: The Crown Liquor Saloon, TRAIT for coffee/baked goods, Darcy’s Belfast for casual food, The Muddlers Club, Roam for more upscale eats.
✈️ Travel Favorites
If you’ve followed along with my travels, you know I don’t go anywhere without a few essentials. Over time, I’ve narrowed it down to a handful of tried-and-true items that come with me on every single trip—things that make travel smoother, more comfortable, and just a little more enjoyable.
- BAGSMART packing cubes
These packing cubes are fabulous and at a great price. They help organize and consolidate clothing etc. for easy packing and organization. - Away larger carry on
The best carry on that’s super spacious but still airline-approved as a carry on. Lifetime warranty is great as well! - Away large suitcase
This has been my go-to suitcase for longer trips years, and the quality is great. Even better, they have such a great lifetime warranty that they’ll fix or replace your bag should anything happen – so it’s the last bag you ever need to buy. - Calpak Terra duffel backpack
My absolute favorite backpack for travel – it’s sturdy and comfortable to carry, plus it holds as much as a carry on but counts as a personal item on most flights. - BAGSMART toiletry bag
This bag is a lifesaver because it fits all of my makeup, toiletries, and then some, but folds up to save space and pack away easily. - Travel makeup brush holder
This super simple silicone brush holder is an easy way to pack makeup brushes when you travel, keeping them clean and separate from the rest of your makeup. - Travel pill case
This pill case folds up like a little book but holds so much – I can fit a month worth of vitamins, supplements, as well as emergency meds in it. - BAGSMART travel jewelry organizer
The perfect way to transport necklaces, rings, and more without ending up with a tangled mess. - Contoured sleep mask
This is my absolute favorite sleep mask – it’s so comfortable, with a face contour that accommodates your lashes and doesn’t squish your face at all. Perfect for sleeping on the flight, at the hotel, etc. - Portable charger
As someone who is always snapping photos and mapping my way around town when I travel, a portable charger is a must. This one is fast, small, and lightweight. - Travel luggage scale
An absolute must for anyone traveling with checked bags – no more bag overage fees! - Leakproof travel bottles
These are great little leakproof bottles that make bringing toiletries when you travel easy. - Burst travel electric toothbrush
If you use an electric toothbrush at home, then you know that going back to a manual one when you travel doesn’t cut it. This one is affordable and works great, and code LCLYJF will get you a discount! - Super bagel travel adapter
A perfect compact adapter that works no matter where you go! - Women’s packable rain coat
I take this on every trip, because you never know when it’s going to rain (especially in Dublin)! This jacket folds up super small and has a really flattering A-line shape that looks cute, but also fits in a small bag. - Travel umbrella
Dublin is notorious for rain, and it often comes without warning. Having a small travel umbrella handy is great for those random showers!
✨ Final Thoughts
Dublin is one of those cities where you can plan everything out or just wander into a random pub and end up having one of your favorite nights of the trip.
Either way, this guide should give you a solid starting point based on real experiences and hopefully a few ideas for your own Dublin adventure. Sláinte! 🍻
