How to spend 1 day in Dublin, Ireland
Welcome back to the start of another summer travel series, this one featuring Ireland and Scotland!
In this series of upcoming blog posts, I’ll be sharing about the places we visited, and give you the full scoop on how to do your own Irish and Scottish road trip, plus what to make sure not to miss while you’re there. Our trip began in Ireland and ended in Scotland.
Today, we’ll start with our first stop in Ireland, the capital itself: Dublin!
What to do in Dublin in 1 day
We spent 2 nights, and 1 full day in Dublin before moving on to our next destination in Ireland: Galway.
Our first evening in Dublin we got in late, just in time to check in to our hotel and find a bite to eat. After taking a cab from the airport to our hotel, we checked in, did a quick change, and walked over to the Temple Bar area (it’s a historic neighborhood as well as the name of a pub), which is located right in Dublin’s city center. We crossed the old pedestrian Ha’penny bridge (built in 1816) over River Liffey and strolled across old cobblestone streets looking at the colorful and historic array of buildings.
If you're visiting Dublin, then the Temple Bar area is a must-see destination that offers a lively and unforgettable experience.
Enjoy live music at Temple Bar
It’s no secret that Dublin, and Ireland in general, is known for its pubs. But if there’s one iconic pub that you absolutely can’t miss experiencing, especially if you’re short on time, it’s Temple Bar pub, and you’re in luck because it’s right in the middle of the area you’re already exploring.
There’s live music inside, a roaring pub atmosphere, and overall communal energy like no other. People are lively and jovial, and the bartenders are kind and considerate. From pining love ballads to historical jigs, or roaring ditties, these pub musicians effortlessly vacillate between an endless arsenal of options, bringing everyone along with them.
We had an unforgettable first evening here and highly recommend you add Temple Bar Pub to your Dublin pub crawl list. It’s a pretty popular pub and is perfect to while away an evening. Get a taste of the Irish pub and live music atmosphere here!
Other bars and pubs in Temple Bar neighborhood to consider:
The Porterhouse
The Oliver St. John Gogarty
Quays Bar
The Auld Dubliner
2. Explore St. Patrick’s Cathedral
One of the most famous landmarks in Dublin is St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Founded in 1191, with the cathedral itself built in 1212, St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland is a stunning Gothic church. Named for Saint Patrick, the 5th-century patron saint of Ireland, it’s an architectural beauty, with pointed arches, stained-glass windows, ancient staircases, and somewhat menacing spires.
The cathedral is made all the more interesting for its long history which you can learn about while self-touring. Ever read the children’s book Gulliver’s Travels? I vividly remember a picture in the book of a “giant” named Gulliver tied down with rope by “little people” after his untimely shipwreck. It was written by Jonathan Swift, who would not only become a classic writer but was also the dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral from 1713-1745.
If you have a moment, light one of the waiting candles in the cathedral to remember those that have passed on. One of the most haunting pieces on display is “The Tree of Remembrance” which is a tree made of steel, stripped of leaves, barren and dark, and surrounded by barbed wire. It’s a stark and evocative piece and is meant to memorialize and remember those who have experienced conflict or violence.
Walk through St. Patricks Park
On your way out after exploring St. Patrick’s Cathedral, take the scenic path through St. Patrick’s Park, which is right next door. If you have a moment, and it’s a beautiful day, stop and join those gathering for a mid-morning lay-about on the lawn, coffee at the cafe, or lunch with friends. There’s a small garden at the end that you can walk through that’s a tinier oasis within the park.
3. Visit the Old Library at Trinity College
This is one of my top recommendations if you love ancient libraries, architecture, books, history and/or beautiful places. The Old Trinity Library at Trinity College is well worth the visit, especially to see the Long Room and the famous Book of Kells.
You must buy tickets in advance. Click here to book your timeslot.
Long Room
Built between 1712-1732, and arguably one of the world’s most beautiful libraries, the Long Room is filled with over 200,000 of the library's oldest books, according to their website. The room is lined with marble busts, a collection that started in 1743.
You walk into the room and are immediately surrounded by what feels like a cloud of old book smells. You know exactly what I’m speaking of. But this is a thicker, richer smell than what you’ve probably been exposed to before. This is that smell times 100. It’s deeper, more nuanced, and brings with it a sense of nostalgia for the past so strong that you have to wait a moment before starting to take in your surroundings.
When I finally caught my breath and started to really look around, the awe struck. This is exactly the sort of place I would not be allowed to run freely in, but a part of me was longing to push past the ropes and up the ladders to get up close and personal with what must surely be secrets of the past.
An ornate, winding, darkly moody staircase takes you to the upper levels, but it’s the opaque lighting from the nearby window that really sets the mood. This stark contrast is deeply beautiful and I left with quite a bit of inspiration for my future home library (oh yes, it’s happening).
I have so much respect for libraries. They contain such multitudes and yet you won’t find the multitudes here. You’ll find thought-provoking, curious individuals. Students of life, for life. Growing up, the local library was one of my havens. Any library or bookstore really. I could walk the tall shelves and have a quiet moment alone with 500 great minds that had put their thoughts and ideas to paper. I grew up with an unquenchable taste for stories, which is why I love fantasy, but I’ve found that there is a story in literally everything - from science to spirituality, and have realized in my own life the power of creating your own story.
William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies
Book of Kells
While it was certainly nice to be in the same room as an ancient book containing the four gospels created and illustrated by monks on a monastery off the coast of Scotland over 1200 years ago, I can’t help but share that the experience of seeing the book itself was nothing worth writing home about. When you are ushered into the room where the Book of Kells is kept, it’s (understandably) kept behind a quite large glass box, and you see it open to 1 page. You aren’t allowed to take photos so everyone is crowding around squinting at it. I understand the need to protect ancient manuscripts, of course, and it might be a different experience, say, if you are a historian or have a license to take a closer look, but in reality, I must say that it was quite an underwhelming experience.
I’d love to see a replica one day to get a better feel for it, and actually see more than one page, as I am sure it is absolutely stunning. Definitely don’t let this deter you from seeing the Long Room in the Old Library and Trinity College, because both are 100% worth it.
On your way off the Trinity College campus, make sure to explore. The grounds are stunning, and on a beautiful day, you might catch a game of cricket or picnickers on the lawn.
4. Wander through Dublin Castle
Stunning waterford crystal chandeliers hang in Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland.
Art and history lover? Visit the over 800-year-old Dublin Castle! This is a no-brainer to add to your itinerary, and the best part is that it’s within walking distance, located in Dublin City Center.
While you’re there, you can explore:
the Chapel Royal
the Chester Beatty Library
the Garda Museum
the Revenue Museum.
and the castle gardens
Here are some of my favorite pieces from our visit to Dublin Castle.
My favorite pieces
One of my favorite parts of the experience of exploring Dublin Castle was being able to stand in the grand room looking up at three paintings on the ceiling. They were painted in fresco by the Italian artist Vincenzo Waldre and they are absolutely beautiful. These three paintings that Vincenzo created are considered the most important painted fresco ceiling to survive in Ireland from the 18th century, according to Dublin Castle’s website. Having just come from touring Rome and Amalfi Coast last summer, I still hunger to see more frescoed ceilings, walls, and paintings. Perhaps on my next trip to Italy!
King George III flanked by Britannia and Hibernia, by Vincenzo Waldré, 1788-1802. Pictured above (frescoed ceiling).
Italian Urn with Apollonian Muses, by an unknown maker, made of Carrara marble, 18th Century.
Medusa Urn (details unknown).
The Apollonian muses encircling a beautiful marble urn immediately caught my eye. I pulled Justin aside and said “Look! Those have to be the Muses, count with me, are there 9?” Readers from the beginning will know that I’ve long been inspired by these women, thought to be the mythological reincarnations of inspiration itself.
5. Take a tour of Guinness Storehouse or Jameson Distillery
Guinness Storehouse is the birthplace of Guinness: one of the most widely-known beer brands in the world. I must admit, even a non-beer drinker like myself can appreciate the history behind the brand. The marketing practices used back then were quite fascinating. You can learn all about it on the tour, which includes a free beer ticket to enjoy a freshly poured Guinness at Gravity, a lively sky bar on the top floor overlooking all of Dublin.
Make sure to make a tour reservation in advance. Reservations are required as it’s a popular destination. Book your tour tickets here.
Drop by Jameson Distillery
You cannot reference Guinness and forget to mention another famous “born in Dublin” liquor: Jameson Whiskey. Jameson was born out of Dublin in 1780, and for almost two hundred years, their world-famous whiskey was made exclusively at their distillery on Bow Street. This is a fantastic option if you forget to make reservations at Guinness, or if whiskey is more your speed.
The JJ Bar at Jameson Distillery can be visited even without a tour ticket. Unlike at Guinness, you can just walk into the Jameson Distillery to visit the bar, but if you’d like to purchase tour tickets, here’s where you can do that.
6. Walk Grafton Street for live music and shopping
Depending on what you like to do when visiting cities, you’ll find a little of all of it on Grafton Street! It’s a pedestrian street that’s filled with shopping, street performers, coffee shops, cafes, and a full-on shopping center. Right across from the shopping center is St. Stephen’s Green, a lush park oasis away from the crowds.
Grafton Street truly has something for everyone, making it an essential stop on any Dublin itinerary.
Drop in on St. Stephen’s Green
After strolling the busy and somewhat chaotic Grafton Street, duck into St. Stephen’s Green Park for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Depending on the weather and time of day, you’ll see many Dubliner’s enjoying their lunch break or walking one of the many lined paths. We didn’t linger too long here, but it would be a lovely place to take your coffee in the morning, or pause for a moment and enjoy some natural scenery while you decide on your next step.
Pop into St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
While I didn’t need anything specifically from this shopping center, I have to admit, the architecture was pretty cool. This is a great place to stop if you need something on your trip that you forgot (or broke). Unfortunately for me, there did not seem to be a place selling a portable clothes steamer (mine ALWAYS seems to break when I’m visiting Europe).
Things to Know Before Traveling to Dublin
How Do I get to Dublin?
My advice on finding good flight deals to Ireland? Check for the best deals on international flights that will get you to Europe, and then find a separate flight to get you to Ireland. We’ve done this on a lot of our Europe trips, even when we lived in Houston, by a major airport. I know a lot of us know this, but it’s worth saying, flying directly to Ireland will likely not be the best deal if you live in the U.S.
We flew from the U.S. to London/Heathrow, and then hopped on an AerLingus flight to get to Dublin.
Where to stay
For Dublin, all recommendations I’ve given are within walking distance of the main areas. Ideally, you’d want to stay near Temple Bar/Trinity College/Grafton Street. Research where you want to go/what you want to see and make sure your accommodations reflect that. We stayed in the Smithfield area which was a slightly longer walk than the other areas mentioned, but was definitely more affordable.
Will I need to rent a car in Dublin?
No, I don’t recommend getting a car in Dublin, at least not for 1-2 days. Depending on where you stay, everything you are going to see is within walking distance. Now, if for some reason Dublin is your only destination in Ireland and you are considering doing a tour of the surrounding countryside…. OR you are starting your Ireland driving road trip from Dublin then yes, get a car from Dublin on your way out to your next adventure. But within the city itself? No need!
Recommendations on where to eat in Dublin
It’s hard to recommend food as we were there for such a short time, but here’s what we enjoyed in Dublin!
Quay’s: The first night we went to Quay’s for dinner and I enjoyed a delightful and traditional order of fish and chips. Quay’s is a pretty popular bar and restaurant in the temple bar quarter, and from where we sat upstairs, directly overlooked a very happening street!
The Brazen Head: The second evening we popped into The Brazen Head (historically a meeting place for rebels and supposedly Ireland’s oldest pub, est. 1198) which has a lovely outdoor area and delicious food. We ended up eating inside which was a welcome respite from being outside all day, and met some Kansas City people there as well. Small world, indeed.
Two Pups: Lovely breakfast stop - had some delicious avocado toast and coffee on the outdoor street patio before continuing on our way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Parting thoughts on Dublin
Dublin is like most cities, bustling with people, busily racing past, destinations unknown. But underneath, there’s a hum of energy, an undercurrent of something more.
While the hum is there, every heartbeat within me is calling out for more rural areas of Ireland. Dublin was the perfect starting point for an adventure of a lifetime.
Traveling and itinerary advice
There you have it, my top recommendations for what to do in Dublin, Ireland when you are visiting for just one day. As always, I want to remind you that while these are all on my “can’t miss” list, yours may (and should) look very different if you are there for longer and have more time to explore, or you’re wanting more of an off-the-beaten-path adventure in Dublin.
Like any recommendation I offer, take what seems fun and leave the rest up to chance! Who knows what hidden gem you’ll discover when you throw the itinerary to the wind?
Where to next?
I hope you’ll join me for the next leg of the journey… as we take a train from Dublin to Galway to experience great food, lovely weather, and a Galway music festival!
Until next chapter,
