Total Days: 1 Day | Accommodations: Stay in the City Centre | Transportation: Walking | Traveled: Solo | Type of Trip: A jam-packed day of site-seeing | Highlights: Dublin Castle, Long Room Library and Gravity Bar
Dublin attractions can mostly be done in one day if you time it right! Below is your perfect one day Dublin itinerary that hits all the highlights so that you can have more time for exploring other parts of Ireland.
AM
Fuel up with the “Super Breakfast” at The Beanhive! You will want to order a cappuccino too, trust me. Steps away is St. Stephen’s Green, perfect for a peaceful stroll before entering the busy cobblestone streets. Walking the outer perimeter is also the best way to see the famous “doors of Dublin” with their bright colors as a form of protest…or to identify your home after a few too many pints.
Then walk 10 minutes west to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Get a ticket and explore the beautiful cathedral which has audio tours and explanations for all the historic, religious and political happenings in the city.
From here, meander 10 minutes north to Dublin Castle. The grounds are vast and there are plenty of gardens and buildings to explore. When you purchase tickets, it’s an inside look at the State Apartments.
From here, continue the loop 10 minutes east. Stop at the fictional fishmonger Molly Malone statue before getting lunch at The Bank on College Green, a heritage restaurant with beautiful details, historical nuances and a passionate bar scene.
PM
Just a couple blocks away, Trinity College Dublin’s university steeped in history and widely reputed for high quality education and pioneering research. Though you can’t access most of the campus, enter the main security gate with tickets to The Book of Kells. Here you can see Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure and then walk through the Long Room, one of the world’s most beautiful libraries.
Give your legs a break and grab a 10 minute cab to the Guinness Storefront. The Gravity Bar is always the highlight so skip the three hour tour and book a ticket to the bar, which includes the “Guinness story background.”
After if you want to walk off the beer, take the route back along the central waterway, the River Liffey.
Between the Millennium Bridge and Ha’penny Bridge, take a right that will lead you to Temple Bar, the iconic Dublin restaurant. You can’t miss it! No dessert today…instead embrace the Dublin way and get a nightcap at The Liquor Rooms or Bad Bob’s.
