1. Trinity College
Oh, how much do I admire those who are lucky enough to study at a university such as the Trinity College in Dublin. As we entered the site of the Trinity College on that crispy morning with only a small crowd of people around, I could feel the history and heritage surrounding me. The Trinity College in Dublin is Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious university and judging from the collection of elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings on the campus site, one can only dream of becoming a student here. It was Queen Elizabeth who founded the college in 1592 with an expectation to imitate the university models of Cambridge and Oxford, the oldest universities of the UK. With its cobbled squares and masterpieces of architecture, the site makes for a delightful place to wander around for some hours before heading to the Book of Kells and the Old Library. This one should be highly ranked on your top-10-things-to-do-in-Dublin-list.
2. Book of Kells & The Old Library
A visit to the Trinity College in Dublin wouldn’t be complete with a stop at the Book of Kells and the Old Library whilst there. Not only is the Trinity College a delight from the outside, moreover it hides Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure inside the walls and also one of the world’s most beautiful libraries. I was clueless about what the Book of Kells actually was until I stood right in front of it. The Book of Kells is a 9th century handwritten copy of the four gospels of the New Testament, filled with ornate Latin text and intricate illustrations. After marvelling at the book for a while we pursued our journey in the Old Library to the awe-inspiring Long Room – possibly the most beautiful library I have ever seen. Apart from holding the famous manuscript in the Old Library, the Long Room includes the Brian Boru Harp, Ireland’s oldest surviving harp and an original copy of the Proclamation, a crucial text in Irish history.
3. Guinness Storehouse
When I decided to travel to Dublin, I was more than ready to explore every cultural aspect of it, both architecture- and foodwise alike. Therefore, a trip to Dublin wasn’t going to be complete without having a sample of Ireland’s most famous beer, the Guinness beer. The Guinness Storehouse is housed inside an old fermentation plant which was constructed for the St. James Gate Brewery in 1902 and has since been turned into the world’s largest pint glass. Inside the 7-floors storehouse, we browsed through every part of the history, beginning with an introduction to the beer and its founder, Arthur Guinness, on the ground floor, to an interactive exhibition further upstairs and the finale on the very top floor, the Gravity Bar, with magnificent views of Dublin, while finally holding a fresh, cold Guinness in my hands.
4. Irish Whiskey Museum
Every once in a while, it is fun having to disrupt the typical museum trip with a tour to an alternative museum where you get to drink whiskey accompanied by funny stories of an entertaining tour guide. The Irish Whiskey Museum is based in the heart of Dublin inside a beautiful historic building on Grafton Street. I enjoyed our one-hour guided tour greatly with our fantastic tour guide where I learned about the history of Irish Whiskey and concluded the tour with a tasting of three different Irish whiskeys. Whereas other distilleries in Dublin naturally focus on their own brand, at the Irish Whiskey Museum you get the entire story and taste a great variation of different whiskeys from different brands. The tasting at the end of the tour was a great way of exploring different variations in order to find your own favourite.
5. EPIC - The Irish Emigration Museum
A museum that houses the entire history of Ireland – that's where you want the beginning of your trip to Dublin to be. I was astonished to learn about all the facts of the Irish history and find that a visit to a museum as this always helps me understand the culture on a more profound level. With a trip to EPIC, you will get an introduction into the entire history of Ireland, historically and culturally. After receiving my passport at the front desk, I was ready to travel through Ireland’s history and exploring the exhibition one room after the other. For every room that I entered I got another stamp in my passport until entirely completed at the end of the exhibition. This was such a fun way of exploring and learning about a new country and wandering through an interactive experience makes this museum stand out above all others.
6. Glasnevin Cemetery
Rarely will there be a cemetery on my list of must-sees, but for the Glasnevin Cemetery you definitely make exceptions. This cemetery is Ireland’s largest burial place with over 1,5 million people being lait at rest, but besides that, this beautiful Victorian garden cemetery makes for a pleasant place to stroll amongst epic monuments from the past. First after our visit I learned that you could book guided walking tours with revealing stories of Ireland’s history; certainly, a cemetery like this must be full of exciting stories. Even though it might be located in the outskirts of Dublin, this 50ha large cemetery is well worth a visit, not at least to see the world’s largest collection of Celtic crosses or the graves of some of the most significant figures in Irish history.
7. National Botanical Gardens
Whilst already at the Glasnevin Cemetery, you might as well head to the National Botanic Gardens, which is located adjacent to the cemetery. The air was already getting crisp at the time of our trip to Dublin and despite having the best sunshine weather, we sought mostly inside into the exquisitely restored Victorian glasshouse to regain some warmth after having passed some hours on the cemetery. Except from being an oasis of beauty and calm itself, the glasshouse is by far the jewel in the Garden’s crown. With over 15.000 plant species the Botanic Gardens have so much to offer and is such a beautiful place to continue your stroll from the cemetery. Just as the cemetery next door does the Botanic Gardens offer guided tours as well which will help you discover the most rare and iconic plants of the collection.
8. The Temple Bar
Another lovely element that I love about the Irish culture are their pubs! On the south bank of the river “Liffey” in central Dublin lays an entire area called “Temple Bar” filled with stunning facades and cosy interiors - little did I know that we had to search through the entire area in order to find THE Temple Bar. The famous Temple Bar was established in 1840 and has ever since been quintessential to Dublin’s cultural heritage. Being so famous as it is, you will rarely find a time when the bar isn’t full of people. Despite the massive crowds, we still managed to find a cosy little corner and enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere with live music playing in the background. The Temple Bar was on my must-see list and now that I went there, I’d probably prefer a different pub next time with a smaller crowd where the Irish culture allows itself to shine through.
9. Jameson Distillery Bow St.
If there’s a spirit I like, then it’s whiskey! For that reason and to get a little rest every now and then from wandering around Dublin, one whiskey tasting obviously wasn’t enough and I had therefore put the Jameson Distillery on my must-see list as well. Inside the historic distillery-turned-museum, lays the temple of the Jameson empire which all began with its foundation by John Jameson in 1780. The guided tour throughout the distillery took us through the history and process, a little tasting and the finale at the end of the tour where we sat sipping a delicious cocktail in the centrepiece bar. The brilliant part of it is that the bar is open for everyone, also without having to book a guided tour, where you can come and enjoy a drink. The bar itself is furnished with a stunning interior such as empty whiskey bottles turned into grand chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and exposed wooden beams providing historical references of this famous distillery.
10. St. Stephen's Green
I felt like we got the weather gods on our side throughout our stay in Dublin. The day we went for a leisurely stroll to St. Stephen’s Green, the gorgeous park was really showing off with its beautiful greenery, flourishing plants and graceful swans dotting the waterscape – it was a perfect autumn day in Dublin. You will find this historical park located in the centre of the bustling city surrounded by the Little Museum of Dublin to the North, the shopping district to the West and MoLi, Museum of Literature, to the South. The 9ha park was opened to the public in 1880 by Lord Ardilaun and has ever since been maintained with its original Victorian layout.