Things to do in Dublin | Trainline

A Pint-Sized Guide of Things to Do in Dublin

1. Trinity College and the Book of Kells

Closest station: Dublin Pearse

Anyone who’s been to Dublin will insist that you prioritize the Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College. The Old Library is absolutely stunning and seeing the 9th-century Book of Kells just as memorable. 

2. Guinness Storehouse 

Closest station: Dublin Heuston 

Having a pint of Guinness on a rooftop bar overlooking Dublin? Say less. 

3. Dublin Castle 

Closest station: Tara Street 

Nearly a thousand years old, Dublin Castle was initially built on a Viking settlement, evolved throughout the Middle Ages into State Apartments by the 1700s.  

4. St. Patrick’s Cathedral 

Closest station: Dublin Pearse 

Another relic of Dublin’s past, St. Patrick’s Cathedral was built in the 1200s and still functions as the Church of Ireland’s national cathedral.  

5. Glasnevin Cemetery and National Botanic Gardens 

Closest station: Drumcondra 

Find the fields of Glasnevin blooming with beautiful stonework and flora when you wander the Glasnevin Cemetery and explore the formal gardens surrounding the Victorian palm house at Ireland’s botanic garden.  

6. Irish Whiskey Museum 

Closest station: Trinity (tram) 

If you’ve already had a pint at the Guinness brewery, head over to the Irish Whiskey Museum for a tour that finishes with a tasting.  

7. Dublinia

Closest station: Trinity (tram) 

A museum focusing on Dublin’s viking and medieval history with a twist: living history guides provide a more immersive experience that’s ideal for younger visitors.  

8. Vicar Street

Closest station: Dublin Heuston 

Dublin has as few popular thoroughways and Vicar Street is the one to visit for live performances like standup comedy and concerts.  

9. Casino Model Railway Museum

Closest station: Malahide 

Call us crazy, but we’ll gladly take the train just north of the city center to the Casino Model Railway Museum in Malahide. With over 300 models, it tells the history of the Irish railway system and makes for a great last-minute stop before heading to the airport 10 minutes away. 

10. Dún Laoghaire Harbour & National Maritime Museum of Ireland 

Closest station: Dun Laoghaire 

South along the Irish seaside, yet still within Dublin’s limits, you’ll find the suburb of Dún Laoghaire. It’s an awesome place to chill with a basket of fish and chips, tour the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, and visit the James Joyce Tower and Museum nearby. 

11. Kilmainham Gaol

Closest station: Dublin Heuston 

A brutal look at a darker part of Dublin’s history, Kilmainham Gaol is now a museum housed in what once was a prison where countless political criminals were either held or put to death. 

12. St. Stephen’s Green 

Closest station: Dublin Pearse 

One of the best places in Dublin to sit and do nothing — aside from a pub, that is. St. Stephen’s Green is in the city center and is a convenient place to take any kids or pets traveling Ireland by train with you. 

13. Museum of Literature Ireland

Closest station: Dublin Pearse 

With the Dublin Writers Museum now closed, the Museum of Literature Ireland is the best place in the city to explore the famous Irish authors you’ve grown up reading. 

14. Hiking and horticulture at Beechpark 

Closest station: Clonsilla 

Farther west in Dublin, you’ll hop off at the Clonsilla train station for the rare species found at Shackleton Gardens in Beechpark, lessons at the Dublin Falconry, or a stroll along The Royal Canal Way.  

15. Bridge hop along the River Liffey

Closest station: Tara Street 

For some of the best waterside photos of Dublin, find your way to bridges like Ha’penny Bridge, Millennium Bridge, and Samuel Beckett Bridge during sunset.  

16. GAA Museum

Closest station: Drumcondra 

Do as the Irish do and get onboard with Gaelic sports at the GAA Museum. Check the schedule ahead of time and cop tickets to a Gaelic football or camogie game. 

17. National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland 

Closest station: Jervis Luas Stop 

Silly? Yes, but also sweet when visiting with little ones. The National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland tells the tales of the Emerald Isle’s mythical creatures.  

18. Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum Of Vintage Radio 

Closest station: Howth 

Housed in a Napoleonic Tower, the Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum Of Vintage Radio has a collection of over 1,000 exhibits spanning the history of Ireland’s radio broadcasting.  

19. Sweny’s Pharmacy

Closest station: Dublin Pearse 

The very same pharmacy mentioned in Joyce’s Ulysses is now a secondhand bookstore ideal for picking out your next train-ready read.  

20. Temple Bar

Closest station: Tara Street 

Temple Bar is a busy neighborhood in Dublin, known for its pubs and pedestrian-friendly streets. Locals will insist you go elsewhere, so wander over, have a pint to say that you did, maybe pop into the Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum, then head to Stoneybatter or Glasnevin where smaller crowds sip.  

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