How to spend an amazing weekend in Dublin, Ireland.
Ireland is a country rich in history, culture, and emerald green charm. The capital city of Dublin is often overlooked as just a gateway to the rest of the country. And I get it – it’s hard to delay the rolling hills and castles that wait in the countryside. But there is so much more to Dublin than car rental agencies and Temple Bar.
If you are on the east coast of the United States, Dublin can be the entire destination. With 1 or 2 days off, you could be dancing a jig and drinking Guinness by this weekend!
A weekend is how I first experienced Dublin. I took a long weekend trip with my mom, who is my favorite travel companion. It was the year she turned 60, and Ireland was my 20th country to visit, so we both had something to celebrate.
We flew from Boston, taking an overnight flight and arriving early on a Thursday morning. This gave us 3 full days, plus a bonus morning on Sunday before a return flight (which was a great excuse for a cute cafe).
Below, I put together an itinerary for 3 days in Dublin, including things my mom and I loved, and what I would change if I were to do this trip again.
Happy travels and sláinte!
Day 1: Getting to Dublin
The Dublin airport is about 35 minutes away from central Dublin. It is easy to take a rideshare or a taxi, which will be available outside of the airport terminal. You can book a taxi using the app Freenow.
Arriving in the morning, you probably won’t be able to check in to your accommodations right away. You can rent a space to store your luggage for the day using Radical Storage. This is a super convenient option.
I rented storage for my mom and my bags nearby Dublin Castle. Our taxi dropped us off at the castle and we found the small shop, showed proof of the reservation, and the nice shopkeeper took our suitcases to his storage room. To store 2 suitcases I paid €16.50 and could pick them up any time before 9:00 pm.
Then you are free and clear, and ready to get exploring!
Explore Dublin with a Walking Tour
My favorite way to start off in a new city is with a walking tour. It is the best way to get your bearings, or to discover the town with a local’s perspective.
You could find a foodie walking tour, which often includes enough small bites to account for a meal. Depending on your time of arrival, this could be a tour and lunch wrapped into one.
Another popular option (especially in Dublin) could be a pub crawl walking tour to try local beers and spirits as you learn about the city.
A reliable, budget-friendly option a Free Walking Tour. There are so many platforms to find free walking tours nowadays – GuruWalk and FreeWalkingTour are two that I have used in the past.
In Dublin we went on a free walking tour with Yellow Umbrella Tours, and it was great!
Please remember that a free walking tour should not literally be free to you. Your guide is working hard to remember their script, keep you safe, and edu-tain your group; please tip your tour guide generously.
It is up to you how much you tip, based on how much you value the tour. (For reference, I tip $15-20 per person, and bring extra cash for exceptional tours.)
A Calm Afternoon
After a long night of travel and a few hours of walking, this is the point of Euro-Trip-Day-1 where my energy starts to fade. Now’s a good time to grab a quick lunch and find a calm activity for the afternoon.
- Explore the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin
- See over 400 animals at the Dublin Zoo
- Touch grass at St. Stephen’s Green
Day 2: Art in Dublin
This is your first full day in Dublin, and your first day with a full night of sleep. (Unless you stayed out at the Gravity Bar a little later than planned.) Either way it’s time to dive in to the charm of this city!
The Dublin art scene is as unique as the city itself, ranging from white-walled galleries, to medieval Celtic manuscripts, to grungy street art. The depth and prevalence of art everywhere is a reflection of Irish culture, resilience, and pride,
You don’t have to try hard to find it. This affinity for expression can be seen everywhere, just walking around the city.
Day 2 of this itinerary lets you experience Ireland through various forms of art in Dublin.
National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland
There are many museums in Dublin, but I specifically recommend the Leprechaun Museum for being such a unique experience.
This museum a way to learn about the myths and magic of Ireland. Instead of a traditional museum experience, expect a guided storytelling tour.
A guide walks you through rooms with elaborate sets and lighting designs. And in each room they share a folktale, myth, or legend, while sitting in a set designed to reflect the setting of the story.
What an amazing way to learn about Irish culture. It is immersive to hear the tales, as if our grandpa was telling them around a crackling fire. Hearing the stories organically makes it easier to understand their significance in the country’s culture and traditions.
The Book of Kells
Another option to witness Irish culture is by going to see the Book of Kells. This intricate work is a piece of art, history, and religious significance.
Containing depictions of the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament, the illustrated manuscript was made in the Early Middle Ages. It is estimated the book was competed around 800 A.D. (That makes it 1,200 years old!) It contains 680 pages of intricate art and is one of Ireland’s national treasures.
The Book of Kells can be found in the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin. It is kept behind a glass display case, open to let visitors see two pages at a time. The pages are turned only a few times each year to display a different spread, usually from a different Gospel.
Make-Your-Own Claddagh Ring
The Claddagh ring is an important symbol in Irish culture celebrating love, loyalty, and friendship.
Love – the heart
Loyalty – the crown
Friendship – the hands
When you are visiting Ireland, you have the chance to make your own!
The Claddagh ring originated in Galway, so if will visit to Galway within your Irish adventure, I recommend waiting until you are there. But if you have just the weekend in Dublin, this is worth the time.
Silver Works offers a 2-hour workshop where you sit at a jewelry work bench and make a ring. You take measurements, learn how to use each of the tools, and do the metal work yourself. The class creates the opportunity for conversation with strangers and lots of giggles as everyone messes up in their own ways.
The coolest part was being able to walk out with the finished ring!
I took my mom to do this workshop together as my birthday gift to her, which made the experience all the more special. We were giddy leaving the workshop with our pretty new rings, personalized with the touches we added ourselves.
George's Street Arcade
Day 3: Day Trip to Howth
Howth is a charming fishing village with beautiful views and incredible food. And it’s also a suburb of Dublin! You can get to Howth by car/taxi/rideshare, or with a quick ride on the train.
Dublin Public Transit - Take the DART!
The Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) is a convenient public transit option in Dublin. For only a few euro and 30 minutes of your time, you can take the DART from downtown Dublin to the nearby village of Howth.
It’s comfortable and easy! I took the train from the Tara Street station, although Connolly Station is also a popular option for grabbing the DART to Howth.
Howth Cliff Walk
Start your day in Howth with the iconic cliff Howth Head Walk. I loved doing this first thing. There were fewer people, the weather was comfortable, and we could take our sweet time sightseeing.
This scenic walk is the perfect way to soak in the Irish coastline. As you walk, you will be surrounded by rolling hills of wildflowers and sea birds dancing around the cliffs.
The Howth Cliff Walk starts right at the DART station and wind through parks and neighborhoods before reaching these winding, cliffside paths.
There are multiple trails, so choose the best path according to your fitness and how long you want to walk. If you don’t feel confident with inclines, drive or take a bus to Howth Summit. The Howth Summit Walk is much shorter and less strenuous.
For an in depth review of each of the trails, I recommend reading this blog post by the Irish Road Trip.
Howth Pier
After the walk, make your way to Howth Pier. Along one side of the pier are restaurants and shops. On the other, you can watch the seals and the boats going in and out of the harbor.
This is a great place to grab lunch. If you like seafood, now is the time to order some. Talk about fresh caught!
Howth Market
When you’ve finished your walk and made it back to the pier, be sure to pop into the Howth Market. Expect to find hand made goods by local vendors and artists – sweaters, sweet treats, knitted bags, handcrafted jewelry.
When you’re all shopped out, the DART station is across the street. Get a beer or an ice cream from a nearby restaurant while you wait for the train back to Dublin.
