10 Famous Things In Dublin, Ireland - Updated 2024

things dublin is famous for
Franchesca
Franchesca 
Updated
| 5 min read

Dublin is a city that attracts all types of tourists - from its literature, art, history, and culture to its thirst-quenching beer, you will definitely find something to love about this charming city. As it is the capital of Ireland, you will encounter all sorts and countless attractions based on your preference. There are churches, galleries, and historical tours that will surely deepen the your curiosity for Dublin. There are also numerous pubs side by side to satisfy your Irish food and beer cravings. Keep on reading to find out other famous things in Dublin, Ireland to see, eat, and do for your next trip.

1. Howth Cliff Walk

Howth Walk
Source: Photo by Flickr user Lynn F used under CC BY 2.0

If you love being one with the lush nature and tranquil environment , you should head down to Howth Cliff and take a relaxing walk by the seaside cliff. It is good to head out of the city and explore other parts of Dublin, especially in Howth which is a seaside town. Howth Cliff Path Loop is suitable for any people as there is no steep or dangerous walkways and all terrain is paved and solid. These 3.5 miles (6 kilometres) of walkway offers the best panoramic views of the coastline and promises to be all worth it. To get here, you can take the DART train from Dublin City or by car as you can park anywhere near Howth seafront.

Howth Cliff Walk

Address: 23-21 Balscadden Rd, Howth, Dublin, Ireland

Website: Howth Cliff Walk

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2. Churches


Dublin’s building structures has a mixture of contemporary and medieval architectures which makes it a popular tourist attraction. Visiting churches and cathedrals are a must when you are in town. The historic churches in Dublin are insanely jaw-dropping and beautiful, taking you back in time because of its rich history embodied in the infrastructure. A few on the list are Christ Church Cathedral which is the most famous cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral which has Gothic architecture and is one of the largest cathedrals in Ireland. Going to these historical places will definitely be an educational and life-changing experience that will deepen your appreciation for Dublin.

Christ Church Cathedral

Address: Christchurch Pl, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, Ireland

Website: Christ Church Cathedral

Tip from tour guide

Alan

Alan
Dublin

The stonework of Christ Church Cathedral was cleaned back in 1979, the first time in the 100 years since it was rebuilt and extended. The Guinness family paid for the restoration of nearby St. Patrick's Cathedral, so whiskey maker George Roe paid for Christ Church to be restored to enjoy similar prestige. It ended up costing him a lot more, and Guinness' owners now distill whiskey called Roe & Co., so they had the last laugh.

The original church was built by the Hiberno-Norse (Irish-Viking) king, Sitric Silkenbeard (c. 1028-30), and was made mostly of wood. It was later rebuilt into stone after the Anglo-Norman conquest under Strongbow and Laurence O'Toole (c.1172). It collapsed in 1562 and was hastily but not fully rebuilt, extended until the 1870s. Before that, there were markets and three bars in its large crypt.

It's probably the oldest functioning building in Dublin and one of my favorites.

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3. Trinity College Library

Trinity College Library
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Superchilum used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Right at Trinity College Library is where you can find the The Long Room Library and The Book of Kells Exhibition which are must-sees in Dublin. The Long Room Library has a very ancient design and barrel ceilings that houses a collection of 200,000 old books. The Book of Kells Exhibition should not be missed as well, it displays the Book of Kells and a 9th-century manuscript that documents the four gospels of the life of Jesus Christ which is the world’s most famous medieval manuscript.

Trinity College Library

Address: Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin College Green, Dublin 2, D02 VR66, Ireland

Website: The Book of Kells Exhibition

Opening hours Mon - Sat (May - Sept): 8:30am - 5pm; Sun (May - Sept): 9:30am - 5pm; Mon - Sat (Oct - Apr): 9:30am - 5pm; Sun (Oct - Apr): 12pm - 4:30pm

Price: Adults: 12 - 15 USD; Family: 31 USD; Concession: 13 USD; Group: 12 USD; Children under 12: free

Tip from tour guide

Dave

Dave
Dublin

Trinity College

Trinity College is Ireland's most celebrated university, established by Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1592. It's one of the seven ancient universities of Great Britain and Ireland and is located in the heart of Dublin City.

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4. Amazing pubs

things dublin is famous for | amazing pubs
Source: instagram

Weekend or not, it is always beer o'clock here in Dublin. If there is one thing constant about Dublin, its their Irish pubs that are literally all over the city. It is known for its lively atmosphere and of course, the perfect pint of Guinness. Aside from the great beer and atmosphere, the pubs in Dublin are extremely Instagrammable; you can gulp beers in a vintage and retro establishments or have fun and funky cocktails at a vibrant pub. Make your night a pub-hopping session with your buddies and don’t miss out on their authentic Guinness beer and Irish whiskeys especially from The Brazen Head which is the oldest and still the liveliest pub in the city.

The Brazen Head

Address: 20 Lower Bridge St, The Liberties, Dublin, D08 WC64, Irelan

Website: The Brazen Head

Opening hours: Mon - Thu :10:30am - 12am; Fri - Sat: 10:30am - 12:30am; Sun: 12:30pm - 12am

Price: 12 - 22 USD

Tip from tour guide

Dave

Dave
Dublin

Brazen head

The Brazen Head is Dublin's oldest pub, established in 1198. It's famous for its food, drink, music and banter.

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Dublin (Region) Tour Guide

Diana M

Diana M

Hi there! I am Diana :) My passion in life (next to my loved ones) is travelling and meeting new people, showing others the beauty of the world, art in various forms. My private guided day tours are experiences that are unique and are a great way to do an interesting activity without being overwhelmed. You get to do something only few other travellers would get to do and a chance to gain a loc... Read more

Tours by Diana

Dublin (Region) Tour Guide

Alan

Alan

Dublin (Region) Tour Guide

Anne Browne

Anne Browne

Hi - I’m Anne - a native Dubliner. I love this ancient city and am passionate about sharing the history and hidden gems. We have cathedrals, Georgian architecture, castles, distilleries, museums, libraries. Let me show you where the Vikings arrived and founded Dublin 1000 years ago. I also like to visit Wicklow and Newgrange - prehistoric sites an hour from Dublin. I always ensure visitors hav... Read more

Tours by Anne

Dublin (Region) Tour Guide

Dave Kavanagh

Dave Kavanagh

Hello, My name is Dave and I am a local and national licensed Tour guide in Dublin, I operate walking tours taking you to some of Dublin's most iconic landmarks and buildings while discussing our great heritage and culture, we are known here in Ireland for our storytelling so expect lots of great stories on this tour.

Tours by Dave

5. Oscar Wilde statue

Oscar Wilde Statue (4503030408)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Stéphane Moussie used under CC BY 2.0

Oscar Wilde Statue is located in Merrion Square Park which is not to far from Trinity College. Merrion Square is Wilde’s birthplace and the surroundings feature some of his quotes, talks, and readings. Wilde is an Irish poet and was one of London’s most popular playwrights. This sculpture at Merrion Square was built to commemorate one of Ireland’s most famous sons. A life-size sculpture, it was designed intricately to captures his flamboyant and colourful personality. The green jacket was carved form a deep green nephrite jade with bright pink Norwegian thulit collar whereas his trousers are from sparkling blue pearl granite paired with polished black granite shoes. The head and hands are carved from Guatemalan jade and the face of the sculpture also resembles joy and sadness. By visiting this destination, you will gain extensive knowledge on this wonderful writer’s life and deepen your appreciation for poetry and art.

Oscar Wilde Statue

Address: Oscar Wilde Monument, Dublin, Ireland

Website: Oscar Wilde Statue

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

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6. Literature


From the Long Room Library and Oscar Wilde’s life size sculpture, it is obvious that literature is an established identity of Dublin and it has gained the title of UNESCO City of Literature. If you are a fan of literature, arts, and heritage, Dublin is the place to be - it has literary museum, galleries, and walking tours offered. Of course, literature is also prominent in Dublin pubs, some pubs showcases famous literary works of renowned writers such as James Joyce’s Ulysesses. Literary festivals are also held in Dublin to commemorate its exceptional writers and rich culture. The Dublin Writers Festival and International Literature Festival in May and Dublin Book Festival in November so if you are a literature geek; be sure to travel to Dublin in those months.

Dublin Book Festival (14 – 17 November 2019)

Address: Smock Alley Theatre, 1662, Dublin, Ireland

Website: Dublin Book Festival

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7. DoDublin bus rides


The best way to explore the city other than walking is to ride a guided bus tour. DoDublin bus rides has a lot of services to offer from Ghostbus Tours, Island Tours, Traditional Pub Tours, and other combo tickets that will take you on an amazing trip day or night. DoDublin will not only take you to famous places, this tour will also show you the city’s hidden gems like the Little Museum of Dublin and EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum to name a few. You will also enjoy live commentary from their trained drivers to keep you entertained throughout the tour. Tickets are available for 24 and 48 hours whereas the 72-hour ticket is known as the Do Dublin Card and includes unlimited access to public buses and Airlink which is a transfer service to and from the airport.

DoDublin Bur Tours

Address: O'Connell Street Upper O'Connell Street Upper, North City, Dublin 1, D01 RX04, Ireland

Website: DoDublin

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 5:30pm; Sat - Sun: 9:30pm - 2pm

Price: From 25.35 USD

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8. The Temple Bar

Templebar-dublin-1
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Svein-Magne Tunli... used under CC BY-SA 4.0

The best way to spend the night is by jamming to live bands and having a whiskey in hand. Make your nights memorable at Temple Bar located at River Liffey which is a Dublin’s city centre’s nightlife. The Temple Bar is one of the most famous pubs in Dublin and it has a long and rich history that goes way back in 1656. In the recent years, Temple Bar has been awarded the title Traditional Music Pub of the Year every year dating back tom 2002 and you will experience different kinds of music every night. They also serve wide range of gourmet dishes and their best-selling whiskey.

The Temple Bar

Address: 47/48 Temple BarDublin D02 N725 Ireland

Website: The Temple Bar

Opening hours: Mon - Wed: 10:30am - 1:30pm; Thu - Sat: 10am - 2:30am; Sun: 11:30am - 1am

Tip from Content Creator

The Temple Bar Pub

This is the most famous and most photographed attraction in Dublin. It was established in 1840. Irish music is played inside while you have an Irish beer, but expect a lot of visitors.

Tip from Content Creator

The most popular tourist place in Dublin is Temple Bar. But you can also check out Café en Seine, which I like the most. It's the best place for me.

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9. Grafton Street shows


Graftton Street is one of Dublin’s hight street where you can find all sorts of shopping malls and unique boutiques along with museums and galleries. You can also find a variety of restaurants and bars with a range of local and international delicacies. While wandering around in this his festive and bustling street, you will definitely encounter some street performers from balancing to juggling and even live music performances. This young and lively atmosphere will surely keep you entertained through the day!

Grafton Street

Address: Grafton Street Dublin, Ireland

Website: Grafton Street

Tip from tour guide

Anne

Anne
Dublin

Besides street performers, there are multiple good spots to eat around Grafton Street, such as Dawson Street, which has several restaurants, Wicklow Street, and Camden Street. 

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10. Try Irish stew and corned beef (from USD 98.0)

Irish stew (13393166514)
Source: Photo by user jeffreyw used under CC BY 2.0

Aside from Dublin’s lush nature and beautiful infrastructure, it is also known as a modern culinary destination. Its most traditional and famous dishes are the Irish stew and corned beef that are served in most Irish pubs; it becomes even better when you pair it with their own Guinness beer. The Irish stew, Stobhach Gaelach, is a staple and the country’s best-loved dish that consists of mutton or lamb while the corned beef is a common dish served every St. Patrick’s Day.

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Irish Food Trail - Walking Tour of Dublin

Duration: 3 hours

620 reviews

Explore and learn more about Dublin

Dublin st church cathedral indoor
Source: Photo by user [Unknown] used under CC BY-SA 3.0

If you are an arts and culture enthusiast who loves to be in a loud and lively city, Dublin should be the first destination on your bucket list. You won’t only get to learn more about its history, you will also get to have fun and be one with the locals.

Tip from tour guide

Dave

Dave
Dublin

Molly Malone

Molly Malone is Dublin's most popular and most visited statue. She was a fishmonger who wheeled her wheelbarrow through the streets of Dublin, selling shellfish in the 1600s. One of Dublin's most iconic songs is named in her honour.

Tip from Content Creator

It is possible to get around Dublin by walking. You can use public transport, but it's not always on time. You can also rent a car. 

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
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Franchesca is a 20 year old Filipina who currently resides in Singapore. She has a deep appreciation for anything that is art-related and she finds excitement in documenting her trips through...Read more

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