How to See Dublin in a Day Guide

It just gets you in the mood, doesn't it? I made it to the epicenter of the Irish capital. I'm Angel Castellanos for the Tour Guide, and today I'm giving you the formula to have nothing but fun right here in Dublin. Dublin is on the east coast of Ireland and the biggest city on the island. Dublin Airport has connections from all major airlines, including Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland. Aer Lingus provides direct routes between North America and Ireland, including Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., L.A., and San Francisco, to name a few. We flew Aer Lingus, and it was a pretty sweet, comfortable ride. The comfy seats with loads of storage, excellent service, good food, and many perks like free Wi-Fi made the long journey super easy. Since the airport is only a 30-minute drive north of the city, getting to the city center from Dublin Airport is quite easy and there are several options to choose from. The most convenient public transportation option is to take the buses operated by Aer Link Express or Aircoach, which run regular bus services to the city center, making stops at several key locations in the city, including Temple Bar, O'Connell Street, College Green, and St. Stephen's Green. Another option is to take a taxi, which will take you directly to your destination, but can be more expensive during peak traffic hours. Dublin was founded as a Viking training post on the Irish Sea. Throughout the centuries, the city grew around the River Liffey, which cuts through the heart of the city east and west. Today, Dublin is a sprawling capital of the Republic side of the island, but many of Dublin's top attractions are located near the River Liffey, such as the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, and the Haypenny Bridge. In today's episode, we'll be mostly sticking to the tight triangle between O'Connell Street, St. Stephen's Green, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Dublin has a relatively small historic core, so getting around is easy and best done on foot. While there are plenty of buses, trams, and taxis to help you get around, today we'll be mostly walking from site to site in the compact historic center to absorb more of the ancient city. We created the perfect route and plan to get you from A to Z. Check out the blog for great information on maximizing your time and increasing your fun. Before we start our day, hook me up with a like and subscribe so we can keep bringing you great content. We'll be starting our morning early from our hotel across the street from St. Stephen's Green with a walk down lively Grafton Street to Trinity College, which houses a national treasure before heading off to a pub lunch at O'Neill's, which was founded in 1713. Now, normally, I say get out and begin exploring by having breakfast outside of your hotel, but sometimes, a great hotel can make it super tempting, if not irresistible, to stay in. That's what I found at our hotel for this trip, The Green Hotel. With elegantly designed rooms, friendly service, and sustainable practices, this is a comfortable and stylish space for exploring the city. From this prime location with views of St. Stephen's Green, it's gonna be easy to access Dublin's top attractions and restaurants. One of my favorite places in all of Dublin is probably St. Stephen's Green, and that's why I like to stay in this neighborhood to have some proximity to this particular park, because once you're inside, you just honestly don't feel like you're in the middle of a capital in Europe. And it's 22 acres of parkland here in Dublin. In the 17th century, it was actually on the outskirts of the city, and the park that we see today was really made up in the 19th century. And during the 1916 revolution, this was a battleground. So this is Grafton Street here, which connects St. Stephen's Green to Trinity College. It's about a 10-minute walk to connect the two, and I'm headed to Trinity College because one of the greatest medieval works of art is housed there, and I wanna show it to you. So let's go. Founded in the 9th century by Vikings, the island was invaded in the 12th century by Normans, which eventually led to 750 years of English occupation. Even though King Henry VIII declared himself King of Ireland in 1541, it wasn't officially part of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until the Act of Union in 1801. Following the Irish War of Independence in 1922, 26 of Ireland's 32 counties became independent, creating the Irish Free State. Dublin remains the capital of the republic. Throughout history, Ireland has been the center of learning and literacy. Today, some of the greatest authors in the world are Irish. So I made it to Trinity College, which was started in 1592 when Queen Elizabeth I granted the original charter to this college, and it was only originally meant for Protestant males. Today, it's all-inclusive and anyone can attend, and it's one of the most prestigious universities here in Ireland. I'm gonna go to the library to check out the Book of Kells. So the Book of Kells here at Trinity College is definitely one of the top things to see and do here in Dublin. You should book your tickets well in advance. The tickets for today are completely sold out. If you need help getting tickets, check out the link in the description below. Our tours include a passionate tour guide, so we got everything sorted for you. So I made it to the old library here at Trinity College, which dates back to the foundation of the university in the 16th century. So downstairs, you see the medieval masterpiece known as the Book of Kells, which dates back from the 9th century. You come upstairs, and you're in this beautiful library of old books, and you get some pretty important artifacts as well. So the oldest surviving harp in Ireland is in this room as well, which serves as a symbol to the whole country. Also, a copy of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence is held in this building as well. All right, so that concludes my time here at Trinity College, checking out the Book of Kells. Definitely one of the top things to see here in Dublin, and that's a great thing about this city. Everything is centrally located, and you're not gonna spend a lot of exhausting time going through museums. The exhibits are really manageable and definitely easy to see. Now I have more time to maybe have a pint or check out the rest of the city, you know? Can you imagine studying abroad here? I don't think I would ever get anything done if I studied abroad here. Send me a comment down below if you studied here at Trinity College. And lucky for you, about a five-minute walk away is one of my favorite pubs. Let's go. After Trinity College, you have several great options for lunch nearby, but my forever home in Dublin will be the labyrinth-like palace to excellent food, music, and conversation called O'Neill's Pub right on Suffolk Street across from the famous Molly Malone statue. Time for lunch at O'Neill's. Let's do this. All right, I'm inside of O'Neill's Pub here in the center of Dublin. Excellent beer, it's spacious, a lot of nooks and crannies. It's that classic Irish pub with dark wood, but more importantly, they also have excellent food. So just a typical lunch here. Got my pints, waiting for my food. Cheers. Just a 15-minute walk from O'Neill's is another must-see site in Dublin and one of the most important churches in the country, St. Patrick's Cathedral. Founded in the 12th century, St. Patrick's Cathedral has played a central role in Irish religious and political life, serving as a place of worship, a seat of power, and becoming a cultural icon. So one of the reasons why I love visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral is because it's kind of like a microcosm of the history of the island. It was founded in the 12th century and it is now the national cathedral of the country. So we're gonna check it out, go inside it, and I saw on the way over here that there's a little carnival happening in a churchyard, so we're gonna stroll through that too. So this particular part of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the choir, is home to the most illustrious order of St. Patrick, which was created by King George III in the 18th century. The last knight was installed in the 20s and you see the various banners and heraldic symbols that line the choir and this is honestly a spectacular place to sort of observe the Gothic architecture, but you're also surrounded by these banners and then you get a full view of the nave when you have your back to the altar. Right next to St. Patrick's Cathedral, little festival happening and this is typically the spot where festivals do happen, so if you're in town, check the calendar. To wrap up our day in Dublin before dinner, I'll be headed to the sacred and spiritual home of Irish sports, Croke Park, located in the north of the city. And don't forget to stay until the end because we're ending today's episode with a look into the Game of Thrones studio tour. A great way to dive into local Irish culture is to explore the number one sports venue in Ireland that is steeped in history, Croke Park, which is also home to the Gaelic Athletic Association Museum. I made it to the third largest stadium in Europe. It's right here in Dublin, Croke Park, home of the Gaelic Athletic Association and it's an amateur-run athletic association, but look at this stadium. This is a brand new pitch. It's also a historic park and really the center of sports here in Ireland. It's hard to understate the importance of this 82,000 seat stadium, which holds a special place in the heart of the Irish. You can attend a match here or simply tour the stadium and the museum to learn more. So if you know me, you know that I love sports. So I definitely recommend that you check out the GAA Museum right here at Croke Park. The Gaelic Athletic Association is dedicated to preserving Irish language and Irish heritage. So it's a great way to really dig a little deeper in Irish culture. You learn about how sports sort of integrates itself into Irish life. There's even a moving tribute to the events of Sunday Bloody Sunday, which happened on November 21st, 1920, right here at Croke Park. There is a deep emotional connection to Irish sports and seen as an important element to the Irish identity. The GAA was developed in 1884 and this small museum is the best way to learn about the sports that are central to communities all over Ireland. You can even pick up a hurling stick and try Irish sports for yourself. Did you get that? On Sunday, November 21st, 1920, British black and tans swarmed the Pax Stadium, opening fire on the crowd, which resulted in the death of 14 spectators. The stadium has been literally hallowed ground ever since. For dinner in Dublin, I have two great options, Sophie's and Fade Street Social, both near St. Stephen's Green. There is no doubt that Irish food has come a long way over the years, and one of the places that I recommend you check out to change your mind about Irish cuisine is called Fade Street Social. It's in the center of town, off of a quiet street, and not only do they serve really great food, but also the vibe and the ambiance is different depending on where you're at in the restaurant. So I'm in sort of this romantic upstairs lounge here, and if you wanna drink with friends, they have a terrace, and downstairs is a really cool and sleek sort of business lunch kind of vibe. Another cool restaurant to check out is Sophie's on the fifth floor of the Dean Hotel. It has a really cool vibe, and there's even an outdoor terrace. Their delicious modern take on Irish classics fire on all cylinders. Just an hour away from the Dublin airport, and 90 minutes north of the city center, is the latest blockbuster attraction in all of Ireland. So today, we're ending with a visit to the studios of the hit TV show, Game of Thrones. Check out Linen Mill Studios for the Game of Thrones studio tour. You go inside, you check out the real sets, authentic costumes, and see where the actors played out their scenes. It's totally an opportunity for you to geek out as a Game of Thrones fan. I'm gonna go inside and check out one of their tours. Linen Mill Studios was a production home of Game of Thrones, and many of the famous scenes from the show were filmed right here. Visitors can tour the sets that have been lovingly recreated by the actual production team. As you walk through, you'll see sets, props, and real costumes worn by the actors. The guides have firsthand stories of the production, which makes the whole experience super special. The studio tour is also interactive, with many opportunities to even become part of the production. From the White Walkers, to the Lannisters, to King's Landing, every aspect of this studio tour is authentic and engaging. Of course, it all ends with a visit to the Iron Throne. There is so much more that you can easily do in Dublin, but this concludes our epic day here. We had a great time exploring this fun and historic city. We started our day by visiting the medieval masterpiece known as the Book of Kells, located in Trinity College, and then walked around the historic core, visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Stephen's Green. We even did a deep dive into local Irish culture by visiting Croke Park. And don't forget, if you're arriving in Dublin or leaving town, visit the Linen Mill Studio, which is the home of the Game of Thrones studio tour. I'm Angel Castellanos for the Tour Guide. Don't forget to comment, like, and subscribe, and smash that bell so you can find our next video. Sláinte, and happy travels.