Dublin: a first-timer's guide to the Irish capital

Why go

Dublin packs a thousand years of history into a small, walkable centre. In a single day you can see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, stand in the yard where the leaders of the 1916 Rising were executed, walk through the green squares where Oscar Wilde and W.B. Yeats lived, and end the night in a pub with a traditional music session. Dubliners are chatty and quick witted, and asking for directions often turns into a conversation.

The main sights

**Trinity College** is home to the Book of Kells, a ninth century illuminated gospel book, and the Long Room, a vaulted library lined with old books. Book a timed ticket ahead in summer. **Kilmainham Gaol** is the most moving history tour in the country and sells out, so book early. **Dublin Castle** and the free **Chester Beatty** library sit side by side, and the **National Museum of Ireland** on Kildare Street holds Celtic gold and preserved bog bodies, free of charge. **St Patrick's Cathedral** and **Christ Church Cathedral** anchor the medieval city.

For diaspora visitors, **EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum** in the Docklands tells the story of the millions who left, and the **Glasnevin Cemetery Museum** offers tours and genealogy help. The **Guinness Storehouse** is the most visited attraction in the country, a slick tour that ends with a pint above the rooftops.

Neighbourhoods

**Temple Bar** is the cobbled party quarter, fun to see but crowded and pricey for drinks. Just south, the streets around **Grafton Street** and **South William Street** have the best cafés, shops and old pubs. **St Stephen's Green** and **Merrion Square** are the Georgian heart. **Smithfield** and **Stoneybatter** on the north side feel more local, with the Jameson distillery and The Cobblestone for music. **Portobello** and **Ranelagh** are canal side villages for brunch, and the **Docklands** are modern and corporate.

Food and drink

Try a full Irish breakfast, Dublin coddle, seafood chowder with brown bread and fish and chips from an old chipper. Dublin has a strong coffee scene and plenty of good mid-range restaurants. Pub food is hearty and filling. For a classic pint, pick an old pub like The Long Hall, Kehoe's or Mulligan's rather than the busiest Temple Bar spots.

Day trips

The DART coastal train runs to **Howth** for a cliff walk and fresh fish, and south to **Dalkey** and the **Forty Foot** bathing spot. **Glendalough** in the Wicklow Mountains is an early Christian monastic site between two lakes, reached by tour or the St Kevin's bus. **Brú na Bóinne**, with the passage tomb of Newgrange, is older than the pyramids. **Kilkenny** is under two hours by train.

Where to stay

Stay central so you can walk: around St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street or the quays. Dublin hotels are among the most expensive in Europe, especially at weekends and during big concerts or rugby matches, so book well ahead. Budget travellers can find good hostels with private rooms in Smithfield and near the quays.

Getting around

The centre is walkable. Buy a **Leap Visitor Card** or use a contactless card for buses, the two Luas tram lines and the DART. Airport buses, including Dublin Express and Aircoach, run into the city around the clock, and taxis use meters.