Dublin in Two Days

Two days gives you Dublin's historic centre properly, plus room for one thing further out.

Day One: the historic centre

Follow our Dublin in One Day itinerary in full: Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Grafton Street, St Stephen's Green, the National Gallery and National Museum, Christ Church Cathedral, and Temple Bar in the evening.

Day Two, morning: Kilmainham Gaol and the war memorial gardens

Start the morning at Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison central to the 1916 Rising and Irish independence history — it's about a 25–30 minute walk from the city centre, or a quicker ride via the Luas Red Line to Heuston Station followed by a 10-minute walk. It's a guided-tour-only visit, with the tour itself running around an hour plus time in the attached 1916 exhibition — book ahead through the official OPW system at heritageireland.ie, since tickets are released in advance and this sells out, particularly in summer. The Irish National War Memorial Gardens, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens to commemorate Irish soldiers who died in the First World War, are a 10–15 minute walk away along the Liffey if you want a quieter stop afterward before heading back toward the centre for lunch.

Day Two, afternoon: the Docklands and EPIC Museum

Head to Dublin's Docklands, roughly 20–25 minutes from the city centre on foot or a short Luas/bus ride, where EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum sits inside the historic CHQ Building, a restored 1820s customs warehouse at Custom House Quay. It's a paid, fully indoor museum covering the history of Irish emigration across 20 galleries — a good option regardless of weather, and worth 1.5–2 hours. The museum runs timed entry, so book ahead at epicchq.com. While you're in the area, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin's regenerated docklands waterfront, is a further 15-minute walk south and a pleasant place to finish the afternoon with a coffee by the water.

Day Two, evening: Howth (half-day version)

If you'd rather swap the Docklands afternoon for the coast, Howth is about a 25-minute DART ride from Dublin's city centre stations (Connolly, Tara Street or Pearse) — enough time for a shortened section of the cliff walk and fresh seafood at the harbour before heading back. Aim to catch a DART by early afternoon to leave a reasonable amount of daylight for the walk. See our full Howth guide for route options.

Planning tips

• Kilmainham Gaol tickets sell out — book before you travel, not on the day.
• Choose either the Docklands/EPIC afternoon or Howth for day two; both work, but doing both in one afternoon is tight given the DART journey time to and from Howth.
• If you do the Docklands option, EPIC and Grand Canal Dock pair well since they're a short walk apart along the river.

Related reading

• Dublin in One Day
• Dublin in Three Days
• Howth Guide