Popular Ireland Attractions
Ireland is an incredible country, and Dublin makes for a wonderful home base. You can walk to most attractions with relative ease from most hotels. Or, take a local bus, ride a bike, use Uber or a taxi, jump on the tram, or try a hop on hop off bus tour. To visit areas outside the city, such as the coastal town of Howth, use the fantastic rail system. We rode the Dart train to the suburbs and to the coast. We also ended up taking a bus tour with Wild Rover Tours to the Cliffs of Moher which was amazing. See bottom of this article for more info.
Best Attractions in Ireland
The Guinness Storehouse is said to be THE most popular tourist attraction in all of Europe. So if you love Guinness, you won’t want to miss it. The official Guinness Storehouse Experience includes a self-guided tour with entry to the tasting rooms as well as the Gravity Bar with 360 degree views of Dublin. Take in the amazing views, while you enjoy a pint of Guinness, Guinness 0.0 (18+), or a soft drink. You will need roughly ninety minutes to take the full tour. There are also several tours with upgraded experiences. https://www.guinness-storehouse.com
Trinity College is another one of Ireland’s most well-known attractions. The oldest university in Ireland houses the Book of Kells, a precious 9th century manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament. Visit the Old Library, also called Long Room to view the iconic book and artifact. https://www.visittrinity.ie
If you love nature, take some time to enjoy St. Stephen’s Green, a beautiful Victorian park. At its entrance you’ll find a large arch. While many people call it Dublin’s “Arc de Triomphe,” the official name is the “Fusiliers’ Arch.” The memorial was built to commemorate the sacrifice of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, a military regiment which fought in the Second Boer War.
Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Tour, Dublin
Of course, the best way to get to know Dublin quickly is to take a Hop-on Hop-off Bus tour. My husband and I took the Big Bus Dublin Tour, and it was fantastic. In fact, all of the above attractions are part of the the Big Bus Red Route. CLICK HERE to read my review of the Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off tour.
street Art
Also in Dublin, there is a plethora of street art. You will want to wander the narrow streets in the Temple Bar district in the City Center. Whether you take a guided tour or a self tour, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the street art.
Cliffs of Moher
Any visit to Ireland is incomplete without taking a tour or drive through the countryside and a visit to the Cliffs of Moher. This is a stunning must-see attraction that is about three hours away from Dublin. We took the Wild Rovers Cliff of Moher full day tour. This brought us to the cliffs, with a stop for food in the small Irish town of Ennis as well as a visit to Bunratty castle. There are several tour options via bus or by boat. We really enjoyed the tour option we selected. Our tour guide Dermot had such a love for his homeland. He was fantastic.
Matchmaking Festival
If you happen to be single you may want to visit Lisdoonvarna during the month of September to meet your mate. This annual month long matchmaking festival officially began in 1857. It continues to this day. It is an all-day all-night month long party. I learned about this event on the Wild Rover tour to the Cliffs of Moher as well. CLICK HERE to read my review of the Wild Rover tour.
If a full day trip of this type will prevent you from visiting other attractions closer to Dublin, you may prefer to visit Ireland another time. The cliffs are amazing, but the trip does take the entire day. ETG recommends 7 days or more in Ireland, so you can get the most out of Dublin while also venturing out through the country. There are just so many great places to visit and wonderful things to see. No matter where you go, the Irish people are likely to treat you very well. They are incredibly friendly.
Blarney Castle
Another important attraction about two and a half hours from Dublin is the Blarney Castle. So, consider heading to Cork to find your gift of gab, when you kiss the Blarney Stone (as the legend goes). Cormac McCarthy, King of Munster, built Blarney Castle in 1446. Several legends have been told about the stone and its origin. One such story recounts that Jacob used the stone as a pillow and dreamed of a ladder extending up to heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. It was said that the stone was brought from the Holy Land after the Crusades. Don’t forget to visit the gardens in addition to the castle. Blarney Castle, Blarney, Cork, Ireland; https://blarneycastle.ie/
CLICK HERE to read more articles about Ireland. We also encourage our readers to visit Dublin’s official tourism website at https://www.visitdublin.com/ as well as Ireland’s website – https://www.ireland.com/
If you would like to see lots more photos and videos, CLICK HERE to visit our instagram. This is where you will find the full adventure. You’ll see lots more photos, as well as videos of our travels in Ireland. Follow us @eattravelgo
