Dublin

Dublin is where Ireland Spots begins. It's a small capital by international standards, which means most of what's worth seeing is within walking distance or a short bus or tram ride away — from the Georgian squares of the south city to the quays along the River Liffey and the coastal villages just a DART ride from the centre.

Our Dublin coverage focuses on things that are genuinely useful to know before or during a visit: what's worth doing, what's free, what's easy to miss, what needs booking ahead, and what's happening this weekend. Every practical detail is checked against an official source and dated, since opening arrangements in this city change more often than guidebooks update.

Start here

Best Things to Do in Dublin is the flagship overview — the sights, neighbourhoods and practical basics that most visits are built around, and the best first stop if this is your first time here.

If you're short on time, the day-by-day itineraries below (one day, two days, three days) turn that same coverage into a route. Best Day Trips from Dublin covers how to get out of the city for the day, including Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains, Howth and the coast north of the city, and the Boyne Valley — and our own Howth Guide goes deep on the closest and easiest of those, a 25-minute DART ride away.

For the practical basics — what's free, what's worth it on a tighter budget, and how to get in from the airport — see Best Free Things to Do in Dublin, Dublin on a Budget, and Dublin Airport to City Centre.

Day trips into Wicklow are common enough from Dublin that we cover the county in its own right, too — see our Wicklow guides for Glendalough and the wider Wicklow Mountains National Park on their own terms, not just as a day out from the capital.