Top 10 Places to Visit in Dublin

The city grew from a Viking settlement in the 9th century, was taken by the Anglo-Normans in 1170, and gained its Georgian squares and wide streets in the 18th century, so the centre mixes medieval cathedrals near Christchurch Place with brick terraces around Merrion Square. The Liffey divides the city between the north and south banks, and most of the sights on this list lie within about 3 kilometres of College Green, a walkable core, apart from Kilmainham Gaol, Phoenix Park and Guinness Storehouse, which sit west of the centre and are best reached by Luas or bus.

Dublin Airport is about 10 kilometres north of the centre, with Airlink Express 747 and other buses running to the city in 30-50 minutes. Heuston station serves the west and south, and Connolly and Pearse serve the DART coastal line, intercity trains and Northern Ireland services. The Luas tram has a Red Line and a Green Line, and a Leap Card gives a TFI 90 Minute fare of EUR 2.00 for adults as of 2026.

May to September brings the longest days and the best odds of dry weather, though rain is possible in any month, and St Patrick's Day on 17 March is the busiest festival period. Several museums close or shorten hours on Mondays, so check before a Monday visit. Dublin Castle is closed to the public from 5 May to 31 December 2026 for Ireland's EU Presidency events and reopens in January 2027, so it is not listed here.