The Dublin Bucket List: 20 Things to Do in the City

Dublin packs a thousand years of history, a literary heritage few cities can match and some of the friendliest pubs in the world into a compact, walkable centre – with the sea and the mountains only a train ride away. These are the experiences to tick off.

History and culture

1. See the Book of Kells at Trinity College

Ireland's oldest university is home to the Book of Kells, a beautifully illuminated 9th-century manuscript of the Gospels. Book a timed ticket and visit early in the day.

2. Walk through Kilmainham Gaol

This former prison held many of the leaders of Irish rebellions, including those executed after the 1916 Easter Rising. Guided tours are moving and fascinating – they're also the only way in, so book ahead.

3. Discover the Chester Beatty

Behind Dublin Castle, this free museum holds an extraordinary collection of manuscripts, prints and books from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Don't miss its quiet roof garden.

4. Meet the bog bodies at the National Museum of Archaeology

The free museum on Kildare Street displays Celtic gold, Viking treasures and remarkably preserved Iron Age "bog bodies".

5. Visit the Little Museum of Dublin

A charming Georgian townhouse on St Stephen's Green tells the story of the city in the 20th century through objects donated by Dubliners. Tours are witty and personal.

6. Explore Dublin Castle

The seat of British rule in Ireland for 700 years, the castle has grand State Apartments, a medieval undercroft and the lovely Dubh Linn Garden.

7. Wander Glasnevin Cemetery

Ireland's national cemetery is the resting place of Michael Collins, Daniel O'Connell and many other key figures. The museum and guided tours bring Irish history to life.

8. Learn about emigration at EPIC

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, in the vaults of the CHQ building on the docks, tells the story of the millions who left Ireland and their influence around the world.

9. Admire the art at the National Gallery

Caravaggio, Vermeer and the best of Irish art, including Jack B. Yeats, are on show at the free National Gallery of Ireland on Merrion Square.

Pubs, food and drink

10. Pull the perfect pint at the Guinness Storehouse

The seven-storey visitor centre tells the story of Ireland's most famous drink, and your ticket includes a pint in the Gravity Bar with 360-degree views over the city.

11. Find a traditional pub

Dublin's best pubs are the old ones: think wooden snugs, open fires and no television. Toner's, The Long Hall and Kehoe's are classics. For live traditional music, head to The Cobblestone in Smithfield.

12. Take a food tour

A walking food tour is the best way to discover Irish produce – farmhouse cheeses, smoked salmon, oysters and soda bread – along with stories about the city.

13. Visit a whiskey distillery

Irish whiskey is booming again. Teeling in the Liberties was the first new distillery in Dublin for well over a century, and tours end with a tasting.

Parks and green spaces

14. Relax in St Stephen's Green

Dublin's favourite park, at the top of Grafton Street, has ponds, flower beds and plenty of benches for a picnic lunch.

15. Explore Phoenix Park

One of the largest enclosed city parks in Europe, Phoenix Park is home to Dublin Zoo, the Irish president's residence and a herd of wild fallow deer.

The coast and beyond

16. Ride the DART along the coast

The DART commuter train runs along Dublin Bay. Hop off at Howth for the cliff walk and fresh fish, or head south to Dalkey and Killiney for elegant villages and sweeping views.

17. Walk the Great South Wall

This long sea wall stretches far out into Dublin Bay to the red Poolbeg Lighthouse. It's a bracing walk with views back to the city and the Wicklow Mountains.

18. Take a day trip to Glendalough

An hour south of the city, the monastic site of Glendalough sits in a glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains, with lakes, round towers and beautiful walking trails.

Sport and shopping

19. Experience Gaelic games at Croke Park

Hurling and Gaelic football are fast, fierce and uniquely Irish. Catch a match at Croke Park in the summer, or take a stadium tour and visit the GAA Museum any time of year.

20. Shop at Powerscourt Townhouse

This elegant 18th-century mansion off Grafton Street is now a shopping centre full of independent designers, antiques and cafés.

Getting around

Dublin's centre is easy to explore on foot. Use a Leap Card on buses, the Luas tram and the DART, and the Airlink and Dublin Express buses for the airport. For a wider trip around Ireland and beyond, see our pick of Europe's best scenic rail journeys.