Dublin's Fair City - What to do in Dublin, Ireland in 48 Hours

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Dublin is a city I currently call home and is located on a little island we call Ireland (#islandlife). Because of that, most visitors will need to fly into the country regardless of their final destination. The biggest airport in Ireland is in Dublin, and our little, big city will probably be your first stop on your Ireland tour!

When I get visitors (usually from the US), they always want to know what the MUST dos are in Dublin City and advice on what to get done in one weekend. Therefore, I’m using up my inaugural post to help YOU plan your first 2 days in Dublin before you move on to the rest of Ireland, or a new country entirely.

DAY 1

If you are arriving in from one of the many US flights, you will probably land in the morning, and you will probably be jet-lagged (unless you have super sleeping on plane powers).

I recommend NOT going to sleep and doing a walking tour of Dublin instead! Dublin is a very walkable city (you can get pretty much everywhere you need in 30 minutes or less), so a walking tour helps you stay awake and get your bearings on the city so you can decide what attractions you might be interested in exploring further.

Here are two free ones some of my visitors have used:

Sandman’s New Europe Tours – Dublin

Dublin Free Walking Tour

After the walking tour, you’ll probably be thirsty, and what better way to quench your thirst than a fresh pint of Guinness! One of the best places to get a pint of the black stuff (in my personal opinion) is the Guinness Storehouse itself. It’s a self guided tour where you learn about the history of Guinness and experience classic Guinness advertising, but you can even get certified in pouring the perfect pint! You can also catch an Irish dancing performance or trad session (traditional music), and even grab a bit to eat at one of the many restaurants. At the end of the exhibit, you end up on the top floor at the Gravity Bar with the best views of Dublin!!

After the Guinness Storehouse, head to Temple Bar for some more music and another pint! Contrary to popular belief, Temple Bar is the cultural hub of Dublin – full of pubs, theatres, restaurants, and art galleries (the most famous being the Temple Bar pub, bearing the same name as the area). Some of my favorite pubs in the area to catch a trad session are Oliver St. John Gogarty’s Pub, The Auld Dubliner, and The Quay’s Bar.

Day 2

You probably already know that Ireland is a very wet country. It rains nearly once per day (even in summer), and in the winter, it rains…. ehhh pretty much all the time. Your second day itinerary will probably need to flex, depending on the weather during your visit.

If it’s a dryer day, I highly recommend taking a DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) Train to a little fishing town just north of Dublin called Howth. The town is located on a peninsula and is only 30 minutes from the Dublin City Centre. In Howth, you can hike up to the cliff for some AMAZING views of the Dublin Bay. Again, do this on a dryer day.

Once you finish with the cliff hike, there are some delicious seafood restaurants along the harbour as well as a nice little market where you can find some Dublin made gifts for friends and family at home.

If you end up in Dublin during one of the many rainy days, there are two things that I try to get all of my visitors to do.

Book of Kells Exhibition at Trinity College Dublin: You most likely went to Trinity College during your walking tour, but what you wouldn’t have seen is the Book of Kells and the Trinity Library. Personally, the library is one of the most breathtaking rooms I have ever been in. There is usually a line to get in, but it’s absolutely worth the money and the wait!
Kilmainham Gaol: So, Gaol is the Irish Gaelic word for ‘Jail’, and that’s exactly what this is. Kilmainham Gaol was the prison many of the leaders of the 1916 uprising were imprisoned and executed by the British. The tour is one of the best in Dublin and the stories told by the tour guides are both chilling and heartbreaking. If you do want to do this tour, get there at opening or buy tickets online in advance.