THINGS TO DO
VISIT DUBLIN
An Experience
Many cities project ‘personalities’ and, if Paris is romantic and Vegas hectic, our guests tell us that Dublin is fun and friendly. Despite our cosmopolitan aspirations and increasing international population, Dublin has retained its friendly, open character and small city feel.
Some of our favourite things to do in Dublin are:
- Visit museums, churches and exhibitions that give a flavour of Dublin, Ireland and the Irish.
- Take fun walking tours of the city or day trips to picturesque surrounding areas.
- Soak up the literary, cultural and historical heritage of ancient ‘Baile Atha Cliath’.
- Relax in tranquil parks or stroll the promenades, cliffs and beaches by the Irish Sea.
- And of course eat, drink and be merry!
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Trinity College Dublin
The historic university campus is a quiet haven in the bustling city centre. View the Book of Kells in the beautiful library; walking tours also available.
Creepy but fascinating, with excellent guided tour. It can be chilly, but a real favourite with our guests.
Unique visitor attraction charting 250 years of brewing history. Don’t miss the views from the gorgeous Gravity Bar.
MUSEUMS & IRISH INTEREST
Museums of Decorative Arts & History in Collins Barracks and Archaeology in Kildare Street, both with excellent permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. Free admission.
Housed in a beautiful Georgian building on Parnell Sq, the museum celebrates the rich literary heritage of Dublin and Ireland
The NLI houses the most comprehensive collection of Irish documentary material in the world. Fantastic family history and Irish heritage research resources. Free entry.
DAY TOURS
Wicklow/Glendalough
spectacular countryside scenery and a 6th century monastery not too far from Dublin. It’s the location for films such as ‘P.S. I love you’ and ‘Braveheart’.
Newgrange
a prehistoric monument in County Meath, which is actually older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. It is aligned with the rising sun and sunlight floods the chamber on the winter solstice
The Cliffs of Moher
the famous cliffs are Ireland’s most popular natural attraction. The breath-taking attraction draws nearly 1 million visitors every year.
PARKS AND SEASIDE
Hidden (literally!) behind St Stephen’s Green (entry via Hatch St), this ‘secret garden’ is a great place to relax with a book or a coffee between sightseeing visits. Free admission.
The Phoenix park
Enormous enclosed park housing The Dublin Zoo, the residence of the President of Ireland (Aras an Uachtaran) and many other treasures.
Bikes available for rent in the Park are a great way to enjoy this amenity.
FOOD, MUSIC & DRINKS
Here is a comprehensive guide to Dublin restaurants, with updated reviews and useful menu snapshots. Maps can be a bit hit-and-miss, so check the restaurant address.
Check out also our blog posts on ‘the best tapas bars’ and ‘healthy places to eat’
Dublin is probably just as well known for its nightlife as it is for anything else, and with good reason! In the famous Temple Bar area (just 2 min walk from Ashfield) you have everything you could need for a night out, great restaurants, traditional pubs, live music, bars and night clubs.
However, there’s lots of greats spots a bit further afoot so be sure to check out our blog posts on ‘10 Nightclubs in Dublin’, ‘8 Bars with great atmospheres ’and our ‘staff picks’ of where to go out in Dublin.
Dublin also has lots of great music venues, large and small. So check out Vicar Street, The Olympia, The academy and The 3
Arena to see if there’s any good gigs on while you’re here. There’s also lot’s of great live music in the pubs of temple bar, any night of the week.
Abigails Hostel
