Dublin is the capital of Ireland and full of tourist attractions, museums, and beer! A day is not enough time to do everything but here are a few highlights of what you can do in a day. Depending where you are staying, you may get a famous Irish breakfast- black pudding and all. If not, make sure you start your day with a good meal so that you have energy throughout the day.
You can start your day at Trinity College Library and see the Book of Kells. Some people love this beautufil book and find it worth the wait but others do not. Decide if you want to see it or not because the lines can be very long! Afterwards, catch a guided walking tour that starts at the college. The tour will take you through some of the campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. It gives a great overview of the history and even allows you access to City Hall and the Dublin Castle. You will get so much more out of these sites with a knowledgeable guide who can also answer your cultural questions and recommend a good place to drink in the Temple Bar area.
After grabbing some lunch, head over to the Kilmainham Gaol– the jail where many famous Irish personalities spent some time. You will see the cells and here about some of the people who died there. The history is invaluable when trying to understand the famine and different martyrs of Dublin. After all that history you will want to do something a bit lighter! What better place than the Guinness Storehouse. There are tours here but you can walk through the exhibition yourself or with the audio guide. Once you have learned about how Guinness is made and why it is so special you can enjoy a free pint in the bar. Along with the pint you get some of the best view of the cities as the bar is a full 360 degrees with walls of glass.
For dinner and some evening entertainment, head down to Grafton Street. This wonderful area has loads of shopping, restaurants and street performers. Take a stroll and check out all the people. Enjoy some dinner and a pint and then head over to the Sporting Emporium.
As the morning approaches, you now have a great overview of Dublin and what it has to offer. Get some sleep because tomorrow is a new day!
Photo 1+2: zsoa’s simple life album, Photo 3: Michelle in Ireland, Photo 4: Trevor S
