10 Fun Things To Do In Dublin
Dublin is high on the list of most appealing European cities for a lot of international travelers. Known for a deep history and a patriotic and enjoyable local population, it seems to exude a lot of what we look for in a European capital.
Truthfully, those who get the chance to spend some time in Dublin should also look into exploring Ireland more broadly. It’s a fairly small country but one full of interesting and beautiful things to see. You can’t see it all, but you can do quite a bit of exploring in a couple of days. Dublin is still the main attraction though, so here we’re going to delve into some of the fun things you can do there.
1. Tour Trinity College
You may well have seen a photo of Trinity College without ever realizing it before because the college happens to have a very famous library – one that’s often compared to scenes from inside the fictional school of Hogwarts. It’s largely because of this library that Trinity College was the first item listed on a bucket list of things to do in Dublin. We’d second the recommendation.
2. Take A Food Tour
The same Dublin bucket list article that began with Trinity College noted that “Dublin is cooking up a storm,” which is to say the city’s food scene has evolved in some interesting and impressive ways. There are actually numerous options for food tours of the city, which help you to try a little bit of everything.
3. Visit Guinness
This might be the ultimate cliché for a trip to Dublin, but the Guinness Storehouses are certainly among the city’s most famous attractions. It’s worth going, both to learn about the making of one of the world’s most famous beers and to sample a little bit of in-house brew.
4. See A Match At Aviva Stadium
Ireland in general isn’t quite up to the English standard when it comes to sports, or by extension stadiums. Nothing can quite match the intensity (or the wealth) of the English Premier League. However, Dublin is an exception. The 50,000-seat Aviva Stadium, opened in 2010, is every bit as impressive as most EPL venues, and is where the Irish national team plays. The stadium also hosts most of the nation’s major rugby matches, meaning you stand a pretty good chance of seeing a match of some kind there during your visit.
5. Hang Out At St. Stephen’s Green
St. Stephen’s Green is simply a large public park in the middle of the city, and it’s almost casually beautiful. It’s been open to the public since the late-19th century, but remains very well maintained. There aren’t many better places to spend a nice day in Dublin.
6. Head To Temple Bar
We covered the Guinness Storehouses already, but beyond its most famous beer, Dublin is also known for having a great pub scene in general. The Temple Bar is actually a whole neighborhood by the river, home to several great local bars. But the main Temple Bar Pub, which was established in 1840, is considered by many to be the best in the city.
7. Visit A Casino
If anything in the gaming arena, Ireland has actually become known for a strong online casino market of late. In addition to traditional poker sites and the like, the country has also produced platforms for the most popular games in the slot arena – which is actually the busiest corner of this industry. As much attention as is paid to online gaming though, Dublin still has some nice little brick-and-mortar casinos. They’re not big, loud venues like you find in so many cities, but actually classy establishments that make for a fun few hours out in town.
8. See St. Patrick’s
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is definitely one of the most famous landmarks in town, and while there’s not a lot to do there, you should certainly take the tour inside and out. The cathedral dates back to the late-12th century and remains one of the most imposing buildings in Ireland.
9. See Dublin Castle
Similar to St. Patrick’s, Dublin Castle is more of a visual attraction than anything else, but one you should prioritize. Many are surprised to learn that this is still a functioning government building, despite having first opened in 1204. The really remarkable thing is that it looks as if it could still withstand a fairly serious assault!
10. Wander Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is the main alternative to St. Stephen’s Green in terms of Dublin park space. Located just north of the River Liffey, it’s over 350 years old and has come to be a main attraction for tourists. A Dublin events and activities site wrote up 21 things to know about the park that should help to give you an idea of why it’s such a popular spot. From the Dublin Zoo to a Viking cemetery, there’s just a lot to see within the boundaries.
