The 31 most brilliant things to do in Dublin

Get a feel for the conditions in which prisoners lived – and died – at this former jail. Hear stories of the rebel leaders and Irish Republicans imprisoned at Kilmainham, and the key role the prison has played in Irish history. It’s just outside the city centre, and nearby you’ll also find the Irish Museum of Modern Art and, if you fancy something to eat, neighbourhood favourite Storyboard.

🤫 Insider tip: Be sure to book in advance, and tour slots regularly sell out, particularly on summer weekends.

Glasnevin Cemetery on the city’s northside is the final resting place of some of Ireland’s most influential people, including some celebrities and many who played major roles in the East Rising and the War of Independence. Book a tour with a guide and learn about Luke Kelly, Brendan Behan, Micheal Collins, Éamon de Valera and more. Oh, and the Gravediggers pub beside the cemetery pours one of the best pints of Guinness in Dublin.

🤫 Insider tip: There’s a secret (ish) entrance to the neighbouring National Botanic Gardens, up in the northeastern part of the cemetery. 

📍 Check out more of the best pubs in Dublin

Fact; all the great European cities have a great city park. In Dublin’s case, Phoenix Park gifts the urban landscape its requisite flash of green. A popular haunt of locals with dogs, Phoenix Park is home to both a herd of deer and the Irish president, who lives at Áras an Uachtaráin. If you’re a big animal fan, you can also visit Dublin’s zoo while you’re here.

🤫 Insider tip: Rent bikes from the stall at the main entrance, and you can zip around the park and see far more than you would on foot. 

Ireland is the land of storytellers, and this recently opened museum showcases Irish literary talent past and present. The Museum of Literature is set in a gorgeous building on the edge of St. Stephen’s Green (on the original site of University College Dublin). Today the space honours former students-turned-literary prodigies – like James Joyce, Flann O’Brien and Maeve Binchy – through interactive exhibits spread across several floors.

🤫 Insider tip: If you’re in town on the first Friday of the month, book a ticket to their free evening event First Fridays, with live readings, music and drinks. 

While the Stephen’s Green building is being refurbished, there’s a temporary set up a short walk away. The original set up should be back open in Spring 2025. 

Tucked inside a Georgian townhouse overlooking the beautiful St. Stephen’s Green, this quirky museum offers a whistlestop tour through Irish history. Informative, entertaining guides and engaging exhibitions (including one charting the story of U2) make this a must-see. 

🤫 Insider tip: Keep an eye out for the adults-only evening tours, where the guides spill some of Dublin’s naughtier secrets. 

In 1759 Arthur Guinness signed a lease for the St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin and started to brew. More than 250 years later, Dublin is still synonymous with the Guinness brand. Pay a visit to the Storehouse (open seven days a week) to learn about the brand’s history, then finish off your tour with a pint at the seventh-floor Gravity Bar, which offers excellent views over the city.

🤫 Insider tip: There’s no avoiding the crowds, but to minimise the queueing try to book a morning slot – who says Guinness can’t be for breakfast? 

With its city-centre location, cobblestoned squares, large playing fields and beautiful buildings, Trinity College is well worth a wander. And that’s before you consider that Ireland’s oldest university is also home to one of the world’s most famous books. The brand-new Book of Kells Experience not only gives you a close up look at the ancient manuscript, but also includes a cool, immersive art installation that tells the story of the text. 

🤫 Insider tip: In the university holidays, you can stay in the student accommodation on campus. It’s been jazzed up recently, and the rates are some of the best in the city. 

Hear the story of how Irish people spread across the world to such a point that over 50 million people claim Irish ancestry at EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum. See how Irish people have impacted the world of sport, politics, the arts and more on the self-guided and interactive tour on Dublin’s Northside. 

🤫 Insider tip: Head next door to Urban Brewing, where you can tour the microbrewery and get some pub grub in the bar afterwards.

It’s a cracker of a building from the outside, but things are even more impressive inside the National Gallery, with a huge collection of art from Ireland and around the world. There are paintings by Caravaggio, Turner and Monet, and it’s also home to the National Portrait Collection, with one new piece added every year from the Portrait Prize. You could easily spend a whole afternoon wandering between the various wings and rooms, but there are free guided tours if you’re pushed for time and want to see the highlights. 

🤫 Insider tip: Visit on a Sunday or Thursday to catch a glimpse of the famous watercolour painting that’s hidden in a cabinet to protect it from the light – it’s revealed for just one hour on each day (check the times online). 

You can’t come to Dublin without hearing a bit of live music. And while there’s loads to be found in Temple Bar, it’s best to avoid the tourist traps and head to a pub where a session is taken seriously. Try the Cobblestone up in Smithfield, a Dublin institution with music every night of the week, or the more casual O’Donoghue’s in the city centre, where there’s also a beer garden at the side if you need a breather. 

🤫 Insider tip: If you’re standing close to the musicians in a trad session, keep yourself quiet – chatter won’t be appreciated.