Places in Dublin to recommend to a tourist

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?