Dublin, Ireland
Dublin opened and anchored our big Ireland adventure in summer 2024 — we flew in from Minneapolis on Aer Lingus in late July, stayed near Ship Street in the old city, then picked up a rental car to explore the country before flying home in August.
Our experience
The Irish capital is compact and full of character: Georgian doorways, literary history on every corner, snug pubs with live trad music, and the River Liffey running through it all.
We love that you can walk most of the center, ducking from a cathedral to a museum to a pub session. It made the perfect base before heading west toward Galway and beyond.
Dublin's name comes from the Irish "Dubh Linn," meaning "black pool." The city has been a UNESCO City of Literature since 2010, home to four Nobel laureates and countless writers — and the Guinness brewery's lease famously runs for 9,000 years.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Trinity College & the Book of Kells — the medieval manuscript and the breathtaking Long Room library.
- Guinness Storehouse — the brewery experience ending at the panoramic Gravity Bar.
- Temple Bar — the cobbled nightlife and live-music quarter.
- Dublin Castle & Christ Church Cathedral — the historic heart of the old city near where we stayed.
- St. Stephen's Green — a Victorian park for a city breather.
- Kilmainham Gaol — a sobering, essential lesson in Irish history.
Our pro tip
We found Dublin best as a walkable base of a few days before renting a car for the countryside — driving in the city itself is a hassle. Remember they drive on the left.
Pack a rain layer no matter the season, and seek out a neighborhood pub away from Temple Bar for the most authentic trad-music sessions.
If you want to combine two of the city's major historic sights, a half-day guided tour can include Trinity College, the Book of Kells, and the exterior of Dublin Castle and its gardens. Guinness Storehouse admission is another easy one to lock in ahead of time.
Book a Dublin Book of Kells & Castle Half-Day Guided Tour on Klook, which includes Trinity College, the Book of Kells, and the exterior of Dublin Castle and its gardens.
For another classic Dublin experience, book Guinness Storehouse admission on Klook.