Have you ever spent a day as a tourist in your own city? It's pretty great - you get to do all the amazing things a world-class city has to offer, sample that famous Dublin hospitality and then retire to your own bed! Absolute perfection.
We took a sneaky peek at Tripadvisor to find out what their reviewers say about the best attractions Dublin has to offer - in reverse order, here we go...
11. The Book of Kells and Trinity College library
One of Dublin’s classic tourist destinations (and part of Trinity College – see #8 for more), this is a chance to glimpse medieval Ireland in all its glory. The Book of Kells is an elaborately decorated manuscript dating from the ninth century, on permanent display in the college. The library, meanwhile, was established at the end of the 16th century and contains the Brian Boru harp (which is older than the library itself), the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic and a copy of just about every book published in Ireland and the UK (albeit many in electronic format).
10. Phoenix Park
At 7 square kilometres, our magnificent Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed public park in any European capital city. You could spend days wandering around its paths and exploring its nooks and crannies, and there are some special attractions as well. First among them, of course, is Dublin Zoo, while you can also explore Áras an Uachtaráin, the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden and the visitors’ centre. And don’t forget to look out for the resident herd of deer!
9. Guinness Storehouse
Top of many visitors’ wishlists but only ninth on the Tripadvisor ranking, St James’s Gate is of course a mecca for fans of the black stuff. Visitors are taken on a seven-storey journey through the history of the company, learn how to pull a creamy pint and finally sample one themselves while taking in 360-degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar.
8. Trinity College Dublin
You’ve walked past it countless times, but have you ever had a really good look inside? The college, which dates from the 16th century, began to offer guided tours in 2017, and as well as the Book of Kells and the library, you can also visit the Science Gallery and Zoological Museum – or just enjoy wandering around the college’s squares and grounds.
7. Glasnevin Cemetery Museum
Glasnevin Cemetery is a must for anyone with the slightest interest in Irish history. It sounds like a morbid place to visit but in truth it’s fascinating, as our past is brought to life through the people who were laid to rest in the cemetery. The General History tour is all about the big names – Markievicz, O’Connell, Collins – while the Dead Interesting tour is full of intriguing tales about normal folk like the woman who died once and was buried twice...
6. Teeling Whiskey Distillery
Whiskey fans have a choice of distilleries visit in the city these days, but that’s a very recent development. In 2015, Teeling was the first new distillery to open in the city for 125 years. A working plant in the heart of the Liberties, it’s a real insight into small-scale production in the 21 century.
5. The Little Museum Of Dublin
Small but perfectly formed is the the idea here – this tiny museum on St Stephen’s Green aims to tell the story of Dublin in just five cosy rooms. Sign up to a guided tour to gain entry, though two of the rooms are for you to discover in your own time. Perfect if you happen to be in town with an hour or two to kill.
4. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
If ever a tourist attraction were tailor-made for the hordes of American, Canadian, Australian and British visitors that arrive in Dublin every year, this is it. What could be more intriguing than finding all about how you came to grow up where you did? There’s plenty for locals to get their teeth into too, though, as you meet the great, the good and the ne’er-do-wells of the Irish diaspora from every imaginable walk of life.
3. Kilmainham Gaol
No history buff should leave Dublin without visiting Kilmainham Gaol – and if you’re a Dub who’s never been, what are you waiting for? Of course, nationalist heroes including Henry Joy McCracken, Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, Charles Stewart Parnell and the leaders of 1916 were imprisoned and/or executed here, but it also gives a vivid and sobering insight into the reality of the penal system from the late 18th to the early 20th century.
2. Jameson Distillery Bow Street
Jameson’s production moved to Midleton in Cork during the 1970s, but the Bow Street distillery in Smithfield remains as a visitor centre. You can learn about the history of the company, how whiskey is distilled and then enjoy a tasting session that lets you compare Jameson with its Scotch and bourbon rivals.
1. Irish Whiskey Museum
Top of the pops is another destination for whiskey lovers. As we’ve seen, the city has a number of distilleries to choose from, but the Irish Whiskey Museum is an independent, one-stop shop for anyone who enjoys a tipple. Learn all about uisce and its place in Irish history, and round it off with a tantalising tasting session that lets you compare several different brands.
