One day 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, Kilmainham Gaol and Temple Bar, then Ha'penny Bridge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Trinity College and the Book of Kells

      The cobbled campus itself is free to walk through; come early or late in the day, when Front Square is quiet. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   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. Allow 2–2.5 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Full Irish breakfast

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

   4. Afternoon

      Kilmainham Gaol

      Combine it with the Irish Museum of Modern Art in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, about a 10-minute walk away. Allow 1.5 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Temple Bar

      Hear the music here, then walk five minutes to pubs on Dame Street or in Smithfield for a better-value pint. Allow 1–3 hours.

   6. Evening

      Ha'penny Bridge

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

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 National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology (Kildare Street): Combine it with the National Gallery and Merrion Square, all within a five-minute walk.
• Swap in National Gallery of Ireland (Georgian Quarter): Use the Clare Street entrance into the glass-roofed Millennium Wing, where the café makes a good rainy-day break.
• Swap in Chester Beatty (Dublin Castle): Pair it with the Dublin Castle State Apartments, a few steps away across the castle gardens.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–9 hours of visiting over one day, 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.

Getting between stops: Walking. From Trinity College you can walk to Temple Bar, Grafton Street, the national museums, Dublin Castle and Christ Church in under 15 minutes; the Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham are 25–40 minutes west.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Dublin
• 3 days in Dublin
• 4 days in Dublin
• 5 days in Dublin

Questions travellers ask