3 days in Dublin

Day by day

1. Day 1: Trinity College and the Book of Kells and Guinness Storehouse

   Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham Gaol, then Temple Bar in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Trinity College and the Book of Kells

      Trinity College, founded in 1592, keeps the Book of Kells, a ninth-century illuminated Gospel manuscript, at its Old Library.

   2. Late morning

      Guinness Storehouse

      Take the first slot of the morning to reach the Gravity Bar before it fills, and try pouring your own pint at the Guinness Academy.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Full Irish breakfast

      Cafés and pubs across the city, many serving it all day.

   4. Afternoon

      Kilmainham Gaol

      This former prison held Irish rebels from 1798 onwards, and 14 leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed in its Stonebreakers' Yard.

   5. Evening

      Temple Bar

      Hear the music here, then walk five minutes to pubs on Dame Street or in Smithfield for a better-value pint.

2. Day 2: Ha'penny Bridge and Christ Church Cathedral

   Ha'penny Bridge, Christ Church Cathedral and National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, then Temple Bar in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ha'penny Bridge

      Cross at dusk when the bridge lamps come on, then follow the Liffey Boardwalk east to O'Connell Bridge.

   2. Late morning

      Christ Church Cathedral

      Founded around 1030 under the Hiberno-Norse king Sitric Silkbeard and rebuilt in stone by the Normans, Christ Church has one of the largest medieval crypts in Britain and Ireland.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Irish stew

      Traditional pubs and restaurants around Temple Bar, Smithfield and the Liberties.

   4. Afternoon

      National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology

      Combine it with the National Gallery and Merrion Square, all within a five-minute walk.

   5. Evening

      Temple Bar

      The busiest cluster of pubs and live music, popular with visitors and groups; expect crowds and higher prices.

3. Day 3: National Gallery of Ireland and Merrion Square

   National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square and Chester Beatty, then Camden Street and Wexford Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Gallery of Ireland

      Ireland's national art collection on Merrion Square spans European Old Masters and Irish art, including Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ, Vermeer's Woman Writing a Letter, with her Maid and a room devoted to Jack B.

   2. Late morning

      Merrion Square

      Walk down Merrion Square East and along Fitzwilliam Street for the long Georgian vista towards the Dublin Mountains.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dublin coddle

      A handful of traditional pubs and restaurants, mostly in winter.

   4. Afternoon

      Chester Beatty

      In the grounds of Dublin Castle, this free museum shows the collection of mining magnate Sir Alfred Chester Beatty: illuminated Qurans, early Christian papyri, Japanese woodblock prints and Chinese jade books.

   5. Evening

      Camden Street and Wexford Street

      A long strip of bars, late venues and music pubs south of St Stephen's Green, with a younger local crowd.

Before you go

• Trinity College and the Book of Kells: Entry is by timed ticket and summer slots sell out; book on the official Trinity College site.
• Guinness Storehouse: Timed tickets are cheaper online and sell out at weekends and in summer.
• Kilmainham Gaol: Entry is by guided tour only and tours regularly sell out days ahead; book online as soon as your dates are fixed.

If it rains

• Swap in Dublin Castle (Dublin Castle): Take the guided tour if you want to see the underground medieval and Viking remains; self-guided entry covers the State Apartments only.
• Swap in St Patrick's Cathedral (The Liberties): Visit Marsh's Library next door, an 18th-century public library with its original dark-oak bookcases and wire-caged reading alcoves.
• Swap in EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum (Docklands): Pair it with the Jeanie Johnston, a replica famine ship moored on the quay nearby that runs guided tours.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Temple Bar keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Grafton Street and St Stephen's Green ($$$$) suits first-timers, shopping, couples and luxury. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–16 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.5 hours in December to 17 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Dublin
• 2 days in Dublin
• 4 days in Dublin
• 5 days in Dublin

Questions travellers ask