Dublin attractions

The Blarney Castle and Gardens is most famous as the home of the Blarney Stone. Legend states that if you kiss the stone, you will never be at a loss for words. While people travel from all over the world to kiss the mystical stone (which involves hanging upside down from the castle’s tower), this 600-year-old fortress is also a draw for its lovely gardens and ancient stone formations called Rock Close.

The General Post Office (GPO) is intricately connected to Ireland’s battle for independence, having been attacked by Republican rebels during the 1916 Easter Rising, and also damaged by crossfire during the Irish Civil War. Still a working post office, the GPO also houses the GPO Witness History Visitor Centre, featuring interactive exhibits.

At 1,752 acres (709 hectares), Dublin's Phoenix Park is one of the largest urban parks in Europe. This is the home of the Dublin Zoo, as well as the Victorian People’s Flower Garden, Áras an Uachtaráin (the official residence of the president of Ireland), and a herd of about 300 deer, which roam freely around the woodland areas and grassy lawns.

The Wicklow Mountains, a destination for dramatic Irish landscapes, are a popular day trip from Dublin, about 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the capital city. Low mountains, serene lakes, and deep glacial valleys offer the chance to fish, kayak, hike, picnic, and more. Film buffs are also drawn here to see backdrops from favorite movies like Braveheart.

Founded in 1864, the National Gallery of Ireland holds works spanning the 13th to 21st century. In addition to its comprehensive collection of Irish art, including paintings by Jack B. Yeats (brother of poet W.B. Yeats), the gallery also has pieces by European artists such as Rembrandt, Titian, Goya, and Picasso.

Flowing through the center of town and dividing Dublin in two, the River Liffey is the waterway around which the city first grew and developed, and it remains at the heart of city life. Originating in the Wicklow Mountains, the river flows through Wicklow, Kildare, and Dublin, before emptying into the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay.

A family favorite, the 69-acre (28-hectare) Dublin Zoo has been around since 1831. Over 400 animals from about 100 different species can be seen across its various sections. In the African Savanna, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches roam, while the Asian Forests exhibit is home to lions, snow leopards, and crested black macaques.

Grafton Street, a stretch of pedestrianized road in Dublin’s city center, connects two top landmarks: Trinity College and St. Stephen’s Green. Both a main thoroughfare and a destination itself, Grafton Street is lined with shops and restaurants, and is known for its groups of musicians called buskers. Wander into the adjoining side streets to order a pint at a classic Dublin pub.

Set in a Georgian townhouse, the Little Museum of Dublin looks at 20th-century life in the Irish capital. Featuring an eclectic collection of items—many of which were donated by Dubliners themselves—the exhibits cover everything from the 1916 Easter Rising to JFK’s 1963 visit to Dublin to the meteoric rise of Dublin rock band U2.

The Irish Whiskey Museum is dedicated to one of Ireland’s most beloved tipples: whiskey. With multimedia exhibits and Irish whiskey memorabilia, the museum looks at the distilling process, the origins and history of Irish whiskey production, and the rise, fall, and current revival of the Irish whiskey industry.

Wild, beautiful, and sparsely populated, Connemara, extending from Galway to the Atlantic Ocean, is Ireland at its most rugged and elemental. The indented Atlantic coastline is interspersed with beaches and seaside hamlets, while the interior encompasses bog, mountains, lakes, and empty valleys where sheep outnumber people.

Built in the late 18th century as Dublin’s Royal Exchange, this grand Georgian building was designed by renowned architect Thomas Cooley. Nowadays, it hosts Dublin City Council meetings and a multimedia exhibition in the basement, which follows the development of the Irish capital over the centuries.

Founded in 1877, the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology branch houses a vast and varied collection of precious archaeological finds. See well-preserved Iron Age bog bodies, Celtic gold jewelry, and other ancient treasures such as the eighth-century Ardagh Chalice, which was used to dispense altar wine, and the intricately detailed Tara Brooch.

Founded in 1990, the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is located in a former royal hospital on 48 acres of land with a formal garden and medieval cemetery. In addition to its substantial collection of artworks, special exhibitions, educational programs, lectures, workshops, and studio tours draw visitors to the museum.

The Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship is a working replica of the 19th-century vessel that carried Irish emigrants to North America on 16 journeys undertaken between 1847 and 1855. Today, the vessel and museum offers tours of the re-created ship revealing what the transatlantic passage was like for those fleeing the devastation of the Great Irish Famine.

Linking the northern and southern halves of central Dublin, O’Connell Bridge is one of the most heavily trafficked routes across the River Liffey. The 18th-century construction, now named after 19th-century political leader Daniel O’Connell, offers views of the riverfront and accommodates vehicles, trams, and pedestrians.

Dublin’s literary tradition takes center stage at a museum that celebrates some of the city’s greats, from James Joyce to Oscar Wilde. Find those writers’ books, notes, and personal items on display in this converted 18th-century mansion, along with a bookstore, restaurant, and a neighboring center for Irish writers.

Housed within an 18th-century military barracks, the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History branch displays an eclectic collection of furniture, coins, ceramics, silverware, and decorative objects. Permanent exhibits focus on Irish military history, furniture over the centuries, and the evolution of Irish fashion.

A working post office and symbol of Irish Independence, the General Post Office is best known as a significant landmark of the 1916 Easter Rising. Patrick Pearse declared a free Irish Republic on the front steps of this building. While the original structure from the early 1800s was largely damaged during the ensuing battles, a restored building remains.

Originally founded by Vikings in 1095, St. Michan’s Church is today both a Dublin tourist attraction and a place of worship for parishioners of the Church of Ireland. The main draw is the crypt in the church’s basement, where coffins hold exposed mummified remains. The conditions of the crypt have kept the mummies in a semipreserved state.

Learn about the role Vikings played in medieval Dublin, and the lives of Dubliners during the medieval period, at the interactive Dublinia museum and heritage center, complete with a replica Viking warship and relics from sites all across the city. Climb to the top of St. Michael’s Tower for views over Dublin’s rooftops.

The late fifth century monastic settlement of Monasterboice is home to a collection of religious ruins, including a cemetery, churches, a 92-foot (28-meter) tall round tower, and—the highlight—three ancient high crosses. Used to preach Christianity to the mostly illiterate population, the crosses are adorned with biblical carvings.

Housed inside Temple Lane Studios, the Irish Rock 'n' Roll Museum Experience chronicles the evolution of the Dublin music scene from the 1970s to the present day. The museum features memorabilia from the likes of Thin Lizzy, Rory Gallagher, and U2, and offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at a live music venue and working studio.

A visit to Dublin’s National Wax Museum Plus is an entertaining experience suitable for the whole family. Snap a selfie with wax models of the members of the band U2, learn about Irish history through the ages, and discover the works of important Irish writers and scientists. You can even make a wax mold of your own hand.

This quaint fishing village on the Howth Head peninsula draws Dublin day-trippers with its rich seafaring history, dramatic cliffs, and medieval landmarks. Highlights include Howth Castle, St. Mary’s Abbey, the National Transport Museum, and a bustling market stocked with souvenirs and fresh produce.

Set within the grounds of Dublin Castle, the Chester Beatty Library houses the collection of wealthy American mining magnate Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. Exhibits include thousands of rare books, from copies of the Quran and the Bible to ancient Egyptian papyrus texts, as well as paintings, woodblocks, textiles, and decorative arts.

This museum documents the story of Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery, which was opened in 1832 to serve as a multifaith burial place. Exhibits memorialize many notable Irish figures who are interred here, and tell the history of burial practices, religious beliefs about the afterlife, and even instances of body snatching.

Home to two golf courses, a luxury hotel, a Palladian-style country house, and Ireland’s highest waterfall, the 25-square-mile (64-square-kilometer) Powerscourt Estate has no shortage of attractions. The landscaped gardens, with their cascading terraces, lakes, and follies, are, however, the greatest draw to this sight in County Wicklow.

Ireland has long been a country of emigrants, with around 70 million people across the globe claiming Irish heritage. Epic the Irish Immigration Museum (EPIC) offers an interactive look at the remarkable tales of Ireland’s emigrants, chronicling their journeys to pastures new, their lives in foreign lands, and the influence they have had on the wider world.

The largest Anglo-Norman fort in Ireland, Trim Castle occupies what was a strategic position at the boundary between the Pale—an English-occupied area of land centered on Dublin—and the rest of Ireland. The medieval fortress later served as the seat of the Irish Parliament and as a mint, before opening to the public in 2000.