City centre tourist attractions

Tourist attractions within walking distance of your hotel.

GPO Museum:

Located in the historic GPO and home to An Post HQ, GPO Witness History is an immersive and interactive experience that will suit the serious history buff and those who want to get a glimpse into Irish history, read more here.

Cost: Admission is FREE for delegates.

Travel: Within walking distance.

Trinity College:

Ireland’s oldest university, Trinity College is a popular tourist attraction. One of Ireland’s greatest treasures, The Book of Kells, is housed in the Old Library Building.

Some of Ireland’s best known writers/poets attended Trinity College:

– Bram Stoker Dracula
– Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
– Jonathon Swift Gulliver’s Travels

Dublin city walking tours:

If you’re a fan of Oscar Wilde, read more here.

Free Walking tours:

There are free walking tours of Dublin’s north and south side of the city.

South side tour includes Trinity College, Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, Christchurch Catedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, read more here.

North side tour includes The Garden of Remembrance, Moore Street Market, Custom House and the General Post Office, read more here.

Art lovers: 

Dublin offers a wide range museums and cultural attractions.

The National Gallery of Ireland (Free entry and open 7 days a week), read more here.

Hugh Lane Gallery (Free entry and closed on Mondays), read more here.

Guinness Storehouse:

Guinness is Ireland’s best known export so why not explore the Guinness story. The Guinness story is explained across the seven floors of the iconic building at St. James’s Gate so whether you want to know more about the man, Arthur Guinness, or if you want to know how to pour the perfect pint just choose your floor.

Ground floor: The Story of Guinness, read more here.

First floor: Meet Arthur Guinness, read more here.

Second floor: The Tasting Experience, read more here.

Third floor: Guinness world of Advertising, read more here.

Fourth floor: Guinness Academy, read more here.

Fifth floor: Our Restaurants, read more here.

Seventh floor: Gravity bar, read more here.

Cost: €22 to €70 (depends on the experience you’re looking for), buy tickets here.

Travel: St. James’s Gate is within walking distance but you can also get the No. 13 bus to Steeven’s Lane and walk 5 minutes.

Dublin Castle:

Originally built in the 13th century on the site of a Viking settlement Dublin Castle served as the seat of English rule for centuries. This is well worth a visit and is within a 5 minute walk from Trinity College.

Cost: Admission fee €8 self-guide tour (State Apartments and Exhibitions) or €12 guided tour (State Apartments, Medieval Undercroft, Chapel Royal and Exhibitions).

Tourist attractions in the greater Dublin area

Dublin Coastal Trail:

If you want to escape the city for some quiet time why not take the DART from Tara Street Station.
Check out page 22 of this online magazine here.

North County Dublin:

Skerries see the harbour and strand.

Malahide visit Malahide Castle and gardens (Addmission fee €14 p/adult), read more here.

Howth the perfect place if you want to taste the freshest seafood.

South County Dublin:

Sandymount visit the Aviva Stadium, home of Irish Rugby.

Sandycove if you’re a fan of Ulysses why not visit the James Joyce Tower and Museum (Admission fee €15 p/adult).

Killiney the view from Killiney Hill’s summit is amazing.

Country wide tourist attractions

Tourist attractions outside of Dublin.

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs are at the edge of the Burren region of Co. Clare, running along for 14km and standing at 700ft tall. Admission includes access all areas, parking, access to an interactive exhibition, water stations and Wi-Fi.

Cost:  Admission from €7.00

Travel: best public transport route would be getting the train to Galway and getting a bus there to the cliffs as Bus Éireann provides one directly 6 times a day. It is possible, but it would be much quicker to drive.

Kylemore Abbey

Situated on a lake, Kylemore Abbey and Gardens was home to the Benedictine order of nuns for over 100 years. Visitors can explore the restored rooms, the gardens and the Church.

Cost: Admission from €15

Travel: best route in public transport would be a train from Dublin to Galway. From Galway city Bus Eireann provides a direct route to the Abbey. While it is doable by public transport, a car would be quicker.

Muckross House

Located in Killarney National Park, Muckrose House was built in 1843 complete with a gorgeous garden. The house and its gardens are now open to visitors, along with a look at traditional farms and access to a craft shop.

Cost: Admission from €7.00

Travel: one can get the train from Dublin to Killarney but to get to the house a car is required.

Powerscourt

Situated down in the Wicklow countryside, overlooking the Sugar Loaf mountain, Powerscourt Gardens covers over 47 acres, and is 6km away from Ireland’s highest waterfall.

Cost: Admission to Gardens €11.50 / Admission to waterfall  €6.50

Travel: The closest bus routes are 185 and 44, which stop in Enniskerry Village, which is a 25 minute walk from the estate. It is recommended to drive to the waterfall.

Blarney Castle

Located in Cork, Blarney Castle was built over 600 years ago by a Gaelic chieftain. It has attracted lots of visitors because it is home to the Blarney Stone, the legendary Stone of Eloquence. According to legend, if one kisses the stone they receive the gift of the gab.

Cost: Admission from €18

Travel: From Dublin to Cork, there is a direct train line. Take the train from Dublin’s Heuston Station to Cork’s Kent Station (you will find our earliest surviving pillar box in Cork’s Kent Station) in Cork. From the city many buses travel to Blarney, the closest stop to the castle being Blarney Church. For bus times from Cork to Blarney Castle call (353) 21 456766 or www.buseireann.ie.

Céide Fields

The Céide Fields are a unique Neolithic archeological site situated along the Wild Atlantic Way in Co Mayo. The prehistoric fields have been hidden beneath the bog for thousands of years and will bring you back in time to when Neolithic farmers first brought agriculture to Ireland.

Cost: Admission from €5.00

Travel: A car is the best method of transport for this site and would take just under 4 hours to get there.

Rock of Cashel

Prior to the Norman invasion the Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings, was the seat of the High Kings of Munster. Situated in County Tipperary it has the most extraordinary collection of medieval buildings in Ireland. The round tower is the oldest surviving building on the Rock and dates back to the 12th century.

Cost: Admission fee €8.00

Travel: Bus Eireann – from Dublin take the X8 bus to Cashel and walk 500m from the centre of Cashel town. Travel time 1hr 53mins.

Kilkenny Castle

Dating back to the 13th century the castle sits on 50 acres of parkland and was the seat of the Butler family for almost 600 years. The castle was remodelled in Victorian times.

Cost: Admission fee €12 for a guided tour and €8 for self-guided tour.

Travel: Train from Dublin Heuston Station to Kilkenny.

Castletown House and Parklands

Dating back to 1722 the house was built for the speaker of the Irish House of Commons at the time. Ireland’s first Palladian mansion and beautiful parklands is set on the banks of the Liffey in Celbridge, County Kildare.

Cost: Admission fee €8 self-guided (House) and €3 for Garden Admission.

Travel: Bus 120 from Wellington Quay to Edenderry will take approximately one hour.

Spike Island

104 acre island in Cork Harbour. Home to a remote monastery in the 7th century, and on four occasions used as an island prison. The first fortification was built on Spike during the American War of Independence as a defence while Great Britain was on high alert.

Cost: From €23

Travel: Train from Dublin Heuston Station to Cork (Check Irish Rail for trains from Cork to Cobh). Ferry from Cobh.