Places in Dublin to recommend to a tourist

Mr Pseudonym

If you had to design an itinerary for a foreigner visiting Dublin, what would it include?

I recently did one for a cousin who was visiting, and I thought I might as well share it! She's an academic sort, so Guinness Storehouse was never a consideration!


Natural History Museum (enjoyable, but much inferior to London’s equivalent)
National Gallery (most popular free attraction)
Museum of Archaeology (third most popular free attraction)
Museum of Decorative Arts and History
Museum of Modern Art
Hugh Lane Gallery (small, and/but contains interesting collection, especially of Impressionists)
Royal Hibernian Academy (contemporary Irish Art)

Chester Beaty Library (houses a large and diverse collection, including of Islamic and Oriental books, manuscripts, art and artefacts; worth going if only for the landscaped area outside it)
Dublin Writers’ Museum
Joyce Museum (Martello Tower), Sandycove (contains some of Joyce’s belongings and memorabilia, as well as being “the tower” where Dedalus and Buck Mulligan lodge)
James Joyce Centre (permanent exhibition; they do Joyce related walking tours - ‘Footsteps of Bloom’, ‘Dubliners’)
Sweney’s (Pharmacy featured in Ulysses; group readings from (usually) Dubliners at 1pm everyday)
National Library (somewhat impressive interior; long-running Yeats exhibition)

House of Lords (in what was once the Irish Parliament under British Rule (now a Bank of Ireland branch (opposite Trinity)); resident tour guide, but limited hours)
Dublin Castle and City Hall (DC being the former seat of British rule; one can tour the ‘State Apartments’, which are used for the most significant state functions, tour ‘the undercroft’, which is medieval foundations of the city, and tour a Garda museum, a Revenue museum and City Hall)
Kilmainham Gaol (significant primarily because of its being where Easter Rebels were held and executed)
Trinity College (picturesque campus and home to Book of Kells)
Christchurch and St Patrick’s Cathedrals
Casino at Marino (neo-classical building which is, apparently, architecturally significant. Fascinating tour, but difficult to get to)

Temple Bar (probably the central nightlife spot; by day: contains one of Dublin’s art house/alternative cinemas (The Irish Film Institute), and hosts a book market every weekend (I think!))

The Gate Theatre (tends to show imports; currently showing A Streetcar Named Desire)
The Abbey Theatre (Ireland’s ‘National Theatre’; currently showing Major Barbara)
Concert Hall (€10 lunchtime concerts on Tuesdays)

Botanic Gardens
Herbert Park (in the embassy district, a 30-40 minute walk from O’C Bridge, or a three-stop Dart journey)
St Stephen’s Green
Merrion Square
Iveagh Gardens (pleasant, modestly-landscaped park behind the concert hall)


These are Dublin's most popular attractions (f indicates free):

Guinness Storehouse (1.03m)
Dublin Zoo
National Aquatic Centre
National Gallery (624k; f)
Book of Kells
Botanic Gardens (f)
Archaeology Museum (f)
St Patrick's Cathedral (360k)
Irish Museum of Modern Art (f)
Farmleigh (f)
Museum of Decorative Arts (f)
Kilmainham Gaol (295k; f)
Natural History Museum (f)
Chester Beaty Library (f)
Science Gallery

Fáilte Ireland reveals Ireland's 20 top tourist attractions | IrishCentral


Interesting fact: in the block bounded by Merrion Square West (and Merrion Street Upper and Lower) to the east, Merrion Row to the south, Kildare Street to the west, and Leinster Street and Clare Street to the north, is located: Government Buildings, The Oireachtas, Dept. of Finance, Natural History Museum, Museum of Archaeology, National Library, and National Gallery.


So, what would be on your list?

orangesoda

The Broighter Hoard is fabulous, it was found in Limavady, Derry, from 2000 years ago, a sacrafice to the God of the sea.

It is in the National Museum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broighter_Gold

biko

I'd recommend them to visit Dublin forum.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Mulligans of Poolbeg St, a real old Dublin pub that still survives and hasn't changed for anybody.

Oranage2

Phoenix park is nice and free

A trip out along the Dart line. Spending time in both Howth and Bray. There's a day worth in itself.

SilverScreen

I'd recommend they visit either Heuston station, Connolly station or Busaras and get dafuq out of Dublin. There's so many other places they can visit in Ireland while seeing a bit of the countryside.

greenpilot

Belmullet, its about as far West away from Dublin as you can get. It's civilised, beautiful and there are no "howayiz".

caustic 1

Wouldn't send anyone to Dublin.

downonthefarm

A jaunt along the Liffey boardwalk always stirs the soul

Rachiee

St Michans is one of my fave tours its really cool.
Malahide castle is also really lovely.
I think glendalough is also really worth a visit its very close to Dublin but another world entirely.

El Horseboxo

I lived in Dublin for a few years and never went to anything. But last year I came back as a tourist with a friend and we done some stuff. The highlights were:

Guinness storehouse
Jameson distillery
Little museum
Gravediggers ghost tour
Secret castle of magic
Croke park experience
Going to hurling game (I still fly in regularly enough for games but my friend loved his first experience)
Kilmainham gaol

Banjo String

I went on the Viking Splash tours last summer.

Couldn't recommend it enough, great couple of hours craic.

ebbsy

Loads of crackheads outside Ann Summers to abuse.

Smiles35

A trip out to Leopardstown racecource.

The Backwards Man

I like the Port Tunnel, in years to come it will be up there with the tower at Pisa or the lighthouse at Alexandria.

Menas

The Mummies at St Michans.

Santa Cruz

Oranage2 wrote: »

Phoenix park is nice and free

On a Saturday there are free tours of Aras an Uachtarann and Farmleigh House is open every day. Also you can hire bicycles at the entrance to the Park and there are miles of car free roads and pathways,
Check with the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

Also fairly nearby is Arbour Hill where the 1916 men are buried and just outside the back wall is a memorial to all the Irish soldiers killed with the UN.
Then down to Frank Ryans in Queens St for a few nice pints

greenpilot

Trigger Happy wrote: »

The Mummies at St Michans.

....The single mummies...;)

mrsoundie

Departures Lounge terminal 2.

Santa Cruz

Trigger Happy wrote: »

The Mummies at St Michans.

The Yummy Mummies who work in the areea as Barrristers. Theres something very hot about a woman dressed in black with a white wig and that stern make up. Or maybe it's because they remind me of Danny La Rue

Careful_now!

A couple of tourists stopped me on Dame street yesterday morning and asked me where would I recommend they go for a nice breakfast. I couldn't think of anywhere, so I just said there are loads of places in temple bar, and I showed them the way to get there.

Where would have been a good place to have sent them?

Menas

Careful_now! wrote: »

A couple of tourists stopped me on Dame street yesterday morning and asked me where would I recommend they go for a nice breakfast. I couldn't think of anywhere, so I just said there are loads of places in temple bar, and I showed them the way to get there.

Where would have been a good place to have sent them?

What we consider a nice breakfast is a big dirty fry up. Aka "The Widow Maker".

What a tourist considers a nice breakfast could be a bowl of porridge with honey and granola on the side.

You can't win, so vaguely sending them to temple bar was a good vet.

amdublin

Mr Pseudonym wrote: »

If you had to design an itinerary for a foreigner visiting Dublin, what would it include?

I recently did one for a cousin who was visiting, and I thought I might as well share it! She's an academic sort, so Guinness Storehouse was never a consideration!

......

Oh well excuse me :rolleyes:

DEFTLEFTHAND

The Bram Stoker tour in October is good fun.

notnumber

Hertz rent a car and the M4.

johnty56

Can anyone tell me exactly where St Michans is? Been meaning to go there for years.

Careful_now!

johnty56 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me exactly where St Michans is? Been meaning to go there for years.

Church street

(Near the 4 courts)

SilverScreen

greenpilot wrote: »

Belmullet, its about as far West away from Dublin as you can get. It's civilised, beautiful and there are no "howayiz".

No junkies in torn tracksuits looking for "the lend of a yaro" either I presume?

copacetic

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Mulligans of Poolbeg St, a real old Dublin pub that still survives and hasn't changed for anybody.

Great spot, but it's changed massively over the years, now numerous large TVs and loads of people on phones. Both used to be banned.

Rachiee

Re: breakfast whitefriar grill on aungier street hands down the best brunch in Dublin. Its amazing !

downonthefarm

SilverScreen wrote: »

No junkies in torn tracksuits looking for "the lend of a yaro" either I presume?

As opposed to child molesters and greedy farmerswho also molest their stock

greenpilot

downonthefarm wrote: »

As opposed to child molesters and greedy farmerswho also molest their stock

... I see you have forgotten what your Boards name is.......:P

Reindeer

Sarsfield, Jobstown, Finglas, Nielstown, Fettercairn - let them have the same experience this American had when he first landed. I still think this country is mad for it.

downonthefarm

greenpilot wrote: »

... I see you have forgotten what your Boards name is.......:P

Touché

Schwiiing

The departures area of Dublin Airport :pac:

bonzodog2

It wouldn't be for everybody, but I enjoyed http://www.nationaltransportmuseum.org/index.html the National Transport Museum in Howth some years back.

Billy86

Careful_now! wrote: »

A couple of tourists stopped me on Dame street yesterday morning and asked me where would I recommend they go for a nice breakfast. I couldn't think of anywhere, so I just said there are loads of places in temple bar, and I showed them the way to get there.

Where would have been a good place to have sent them?

Lemon on Dawson St would ave been a good bet... they would need to like savoury pancakes though! Or Carluccios just a few doors up if not.

osarusan

Powerscourt too far out? Quite easy to get to on the N/M11.

My wife absolutely loved the place. Nice drives on the wicklow mountains too. You could drive a little farther down to Glendalough.

carlmango11

Recently had a gaggle of Americans, Puerto Ricans, Germans and Dutch folk visit. Brought them to Killiney Dart Station and got a little map of your one in the shop in the station and walked to Dalkey. Was a nice clear day and to be honest even I was pretty impressed by the view.

Another thing they loved was bringing them bar hopping during the day. They were amazed by the amount of variety between pubs. Listened to some live music in O'Neill's. Got a tasting tray in Sweetman's, then cheap pints in O'Reilly's, Market Bar, that "no name" bar, Sweeney's/Dame Lane, finished off in Pygmalion. Another night we went to Workman's which they also really liked. Did the Temple Bar **** another night.

During the day I brought them around the area bordered by Grafton Street, George's Street and Dame Street. Powerscourt Centre, George's Arcade etc.

Davarus Walrus

I think Bull Island is a really wonderful place. Park up the car, and go for a long walk through the dunes, before wrapping back around on the beach. Wonderful view of Howth Head, the bay and the ESB chimney stacks. Lots of people bring their dogs for a walk along the beach, and the dunes have loads of sea birds, rabbits and feral cats.

Pretty epic place to have only a couple of miles from the city centre.

orangesoda

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I think Bull Island is a really wonderful place. Park up the car, and go for a long walk through the dunes, before wrapping back around on the beach. Wonderful view of Howth Head, the bay and the ESB chimney stacks. Lots of people bring their dogs for a walk along the beach, and the dunes have loads of sea birds, rabbits and feral cats.

Pretty epic place to have only a couple of miles from the city centre.

I had read that as Dunnes and got a bit confused

J_E

If the weather is permitting, the War Memorial Gardens are stunning.

SilverScreen wrote: »

I'd recommend they visit either Heuston station, Connolly station or Busaras and get dafuq out of Dublin. There's so many other places they can visit in Ireland while seeing a bit of the countryside.

Says yer wan from Athlone!

You can always say 'there is more in Ireland than ___' but the point is if someone is in Dublin, there is plenty for them to go explore too.

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I think Bull Island is a really wonderful place. Park up the car, and go for a long walk through the dunes, before wrapping back around on the beach. Wonderful view of Howth Head, the bay and the ESB chimney stacks. Lots of people bring their dogs for a walk along the beach, and the dunes have loads of sea birds, rabbits and feral cats.

Pretty epic place to have only a couple of miles from the city centre.

Bull Island is gorgeous, I wasn't sure whether it was open to the public to enter or not, definitely worth a check out.

bogwalrus

The train station to get to Cork.

PizzamanIRL

The exit.

Jesus Wept

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Mulligans of Poolbeg St, a real old Dublin pub that still survives and hasn't changed for anybody.

It's a hole.

WilyCoyote

The National Museum, The National Gallery, Trinity (Book Of Kells), Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Jail, The Guinness Store, Woodstock Cafe (breakfast, lunch or dinner) (Phibsboro) and Sheehan's, Chatham St for drinks.

J_E

Our Year wrote: »

It's a hole.

Mulligans is hardly a hole...the food and drink is excellent.

Unless this isn't the same one I'm thinking of in Stoneybatter...

ted1

Careful_now! wrote: »

A couple of tourists stopped me on Dame street yesterday morning and asked me where would I recommend they go for a nice breakfast. I couldn't think of anywhere, so I just said there are loads of places in temple bar, and I showed them the way to get there.

Where would have been a good place to have sent them?

The shelbourne.

dirtyden

Cydoniac wrote: »

Mulligans is hardly a hole...the food and drink is excellent.

Unless this isn't the same one I'm thinking of in Stoneybatter...

I don't think its the one in Stoneybatter they are talking about. I have always thought the one in Poolbeg street was a hole too. Being grimy does not always infer character. The Palace bar on fleet street is somewhere I would consider to have character.

Mr Pseudonym

carlmango11 wrote: »

Recently had a gaggle of Americans, Puerto Ricans, Germans and Dutch folk visit. Brought them to Killiney Dart Station and got a little map of your one in the shop in the station and walked to Dalkey. Was a nice clear day and to be honest even I was pretty impressed by the view.

Wow. Sounds like quite the party!

I've also done that walk with visitors. We went to White Rock, which is accessed by a path from Vico Road. Though just a beach, the somewhat difficulty in accessing it combined with its seclusion from Killiney Beach, meant it was well received.

This path has beautiful views over the bay. It starts at the end of Torca Road and leads up to Killiney Hill (there is a path which leads from Vico Road to where it joins Torca Road). Needless to say, continuing on to the Hill is also well worth it!

Finally, at the end of Vico road is Sorrento Park. There is a vantage point which allows has views of Dalkey Sound on one side to Killiney Bay on the other, and is, IMO, a really good way to finish off the walk. This map has a waypoint to it marked as "Coliemore Road".