Top 10 things to do in Dublin

Dublin, the capital of Ireland, promises travellers a holiday packed with sights. There’s plenty to do in the city of a thousand and one colourful doors. Dublin is Ireland’s historical, cultural, political, artistic, economic and industrial capital. You’ll have the chance to discover Ireland’s history in many interesting ways. Make sure you bring warm, waterproof clothing, though, as Ireland is notorious for a lot of rain. On average, it rains 250 days a year across the island.

1- Admire the Book of Kells and visit Dublin Castle

Category: €€ /Cultural

Description: Starting at the famous Trinity College, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, you will have the opportunity to discover part of Ireland’s most prestigious college. Trinity College is modelled on other renowned British universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Inside, you’ll find one of the finest libraries in Europe, housing no fewer than 7 million printed books. Its décor, particularly the Long Room, will remind you of the world of Harry Potter. Located in the old library of Trinity College, you will discover “The Book of Kells”. The Book of Kells is one of the vestiges of medieval religious art. It is an ornate manuscript produced by Celtic monks around the year 800. On this tour, your guide will explain in detail the history of this magnificent book. Once the tour is over, your guide will take you to Dublin Castle, built in the 12th century.

2- Visit the temple of Irish beer

Category: €€ /Cultural / Gastronomic

Description: A firm favourite with tourists, the Guinness Storehouse, located in the heart of the Guinness brewery, is Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction, attracting 1 million visitors a year. This tour will retrace over 250 years of history and tradition. You’ll learn how this stunt (Irish dark beer) is made. In addition to the tour, you’ll be offered a free pint, which will give even the most reluctant visitors an extra argument!

3- Re-live Irish history on a cruise

Category: € /Cultural

Description: Cruising along the River Liffey, your guide will recount the history of Dublin and the Norwegian Viking invasion of Lambay Island, north-west of Dublin, in 795. The Irish island was the scene of a succession of Viking attacks until the 1100s. On this tour, you’ll pass the Ha’penny Bridge and Custom House, which houses the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Sail through the different periods of Ireland and let your guide tell you all about them.

4- Immerse yourself in the world of Game of Thrones

Category: €€ / Unusual

Description: If you’re a fan of the famous series Game of Thrones, this visit will blow your mind. Perhaps you didn’t know, but the series was filmed largely in Northern Ireland. Leaving Dublin by bus, it will take you 90 minutes to reach the Banbridge studio, home to props and costumes designed for the series. You’ll be able to relive some of the show’s most memorable moments on this unique tour.

5- Experience the Irish way of life

Category: €€ /Insolite / Gastronomic

Description: Take a bite out of Irish tradition at the Merry Ploughboy Pub in Dublin. Highly reputed, this pub has been decorated several times for its exceptional traditional meals and entertainment events. Once comfortably seated in the Pub, you will be served a three-course meal of typical Irish fare. An entertaining and humorous show rounds off the evening. During the show, which features traditional songs and dances, the performers interact with the audience, making it a truly convivial experience.

6- Discover the Irish cliffs

Category: €€ /Cultural

Description: Ireland is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and gigantic cliffs where The Irish Sea is located, the sea separating the British West from the Irish East. You’ll discover the sublime landscapes of Ireland’s coastline through the karst plateau of the Burren. You’ll take the bus next to head for Kinvara via the famous Wild Atlantic Way, which crosses the entire western coastline of the Emerald Isle. You will then have an hour and a half to visit Galway city.

7- Discover the history of Irish Whisky and taste it for yourself

Category: €€ / Gastronomic

Description: Whiskey is a real tradition and an integral part of Irish gastronomy. When you visit the Irish Whiskey Museum in Dublin, a distiller will tell you about the different stages in whiskey production, right up to bottling. At the end of your visit, the guide will take you to the tasting bar where you will have the opportunity to taste four traditional whiskies. He will explain how to drink it and how to smell the different flavours. To round off the tour, you will have the chance to design your own whisky in a miniature bottle to take home.

8- Visit St Patrick’s Cathedral

Category: € /Cultural

Description: Discover Ireland’s largest and most popular cathedral. Built in 1220, St Patrick’s Cathedral is the country’s largest place of pilgrimage. Its immense stained glass windows depicting the life of St Patrick are a sight to behold. The cathedral also contains objects that belonged to Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels, a popular satirical novel written in 1721 while he was Dean of the Cathedral.

9- Discover Ireland’s national sport

Category: € /Cultural /Sports

Description: Ireland’s national sport is not rugby but Gaelic football. Gaelic football is a cross between 15-a-side rugby and football. However, tackling is banned. These are rugby cages. The lower part of these cages corresponds to football cages with a net. There are two ways of scoring points. If you shoot between the posts and over the crossbar, like a drop kick in rugby, you score 1 point. On the other hand, if you kick the ball into the net, you score 3 points. Go to a pub or stadium and enjoy the fervour and enthusiasm of the fans for this much-loved sport.

10- Discover the Giant’s Causeway and the Titanic Museum from Dublin

Category: €€ /Cultural

Description: Departing by bus from Dublin, you will cross Ireland to Northern Ireland to discover the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Belfast, you can then explore the Titanic Museum and retrace its crazy history. The tour continues with a visit to Dunluce Castle, dating from the 13th century. On this tour, you’ll see breathtaking scenery and remains that you won’t find anywhere else.