Of all cities I’ve ever visited, Dublin in Ireland was definitely one of the easiest to love right away. It’s quite big, but easy to get around (even on foot) and I found lots of great places for sightseeing, but also to relax and get some work done.
I’ve been to Dublin a few times now, but still would love to go back to explore more as I still didn’t have enough time here! On terms of what to do in Dublin in a day, you can definitely pack it full of activities, but why would you cut yourself short and not spend some more time in this amazing city?
Before you travel, you might want to grab a Dublin Pass, a sightseeing city card which allows you access and even skip the lines of most of the attractions of the city. This card will save you both time and money! It’s valid for 1, 2, 3, 4 or even 5 days (depending how long you’re planning to stay) and it also comes with a guidebook and Dublin in a day map. If that’s not enough, this card also lets you ride the hop-on hop-off bus for 24 hours!
>> Get the best deal on The Dublin Pass here >>
If you’re wondering what to do in Dublin in one day… Join me as I provide you with an in-depth guide!
ONE DAY IN DUBLIN IRELAND – COMPLETE DUBLIN ITINERARY 1 DAYS
OUR DUBLIN VIDEO
While I didn’t plan on making a video of Dublin during my stay, I have really enjoyed being active on Snapchat (no longer on it, follow me on Insta Stories now instead!) and was thinking of a way to use the content and make it available to you even though on the app itself you could only get access for 24 hours.
While the portrait-setting of Snapchat and the fact that it’s all shot on a phone and not a proper camera isn’t ideal for creating a good travel video, I’ve done my best to make it a bit attractive for you to watch. The sound and video quality isn’t always great, but I learn as I go (will finish my words and talk more clearly INTO the microphone next time, for a start, haha) and I think the result is still pretty good for a short 2 minute clip, showing you all one day in Dublin what to do tips I gathered!
MORNING IN DUBLIN
Breakfast in Dublin
One of the best places to decide what to do in Dublin for a day is when you start your adventure over a nice nice breakfast, either in your hotel or for example at the little Keoghs Cafe.
Here, they serve the best muffins I probably ever tasted and have a wide variety of teas an coffees to go with it. I heard the scones are also heavenly. And pssssst, they got WiFi too! Now you’re probably all ready to explore more… let’s go!
1 Trinity St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Guided Walking Tour of Dublin
One of the best ways I believe you can get to know a city, is by taking a walking tour in Dublin. There are so many options, ranging from just a few hours to covering your half day in Dublin. Here are some of the best I could find:
- Walking Tour Dublin Highlights and Hidden Corners (2 hours)
- The Best of Dublin: The Complete Heritage Walking Tour (2+ hours)
- Dublin Northside Walking Tour (2.5 hours)
- Dublin: Delicious Walking Food Tour (3.5 hours)
- Dublin Walking Tour: The Dark Side (2.5 hours)
Looking for a more unique Dublin 1 day tours for a few hours? How about the following:
- Dublin: Silent Disco Musical Walking Tour (1.5 hours)
- Gangs of Dublin Walking Tour (2 hours)
- Northside Ghost Walking Tour in Dublin (2 hours)
- Dublin’s Haunted History Walking Tour (1.5 hours)
Our brilliant guide Brian Kennedy
Visit Trinity College & The Book of Kells
If you don’t opt for a walking your, then after breakfast I would personally head over to one of the places that’s most popular to visit and can get crowded with tourists later in the day: Trinity College. It’s just around the corner from Keoghs and unmissable on your day trip to Dublin.
Once you’ve found the entrance (a big wooden door), it’s great to stroll over the campus and see the students go about their daily routines. But of course the main attraction here is The Book of Kells. This 9th-century gospel manuscript and the Old Library from the 18th century at the end of the exhibition are just incredible and a must see if you haven’t already.
In the library, you’ll feel a bit like Belle in Beauty in the Beast, wanting to sing and dance around. Of course, you have to be quiet though… It’s still a library! The winding staircase in the 65 meter long Main Hall is my absolute favourite, although the busts of famous people like Francis Bacon, Cicero, William Shakespeare, John Locke, Isaac Newton, Plato and Socrates (to name a few) add also something magical to the scene. And do I even have to mention the 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books that are stacked up from ground to ceiling? Oh my!
Apart from the Main Hall in the library, the centerpiece of the exhibition is The Book of Kells itself. It was written around the year 800 AD and contains a stunning decorated copy of four gospels in a latin text. It used to be a single volume, but it was rebound in four volumes in 1953 for conservation reasons. In all, there are 340 folios (680 pages). Two of the volumes are normally on display, one opened at a decorated page, the other at a text opening and pages are kept being turned over.
I would say that the Book of Kells is one of the best things to do in Dublin for a day, and it doesn’t matter what type of weather you have, you can’t go wrong!
>> Get Fast-Track Access to The Book of Kells + Castle Dublin One Day Tour >>
College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
If you’re feeling all cultural and you love books, why not continue the Craic and pay a short visit to the National Library of Ireland. The reading room is simply amazing!
Kildare St, Dublin 2, Ireland
What to see in Dublin in 1 day? Definitely Trinity College!
Just 1 Day in Dublin? Don’t miss The Book of Kells!
Take some quiet time when visiting Dublin for the day and hang out in the National Library of Ireland
Visit St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin
Make sure to also have a quick wander around St Stephen’s Green, a beautiful public park that opened in 1880 (but has been around since the 16th century). It is the largest of the parks in Dublin’s main Georgian garden squares.
At the corner of the park with Grafton Street, you’ll find the ‘Fusiliers’ Arch’, which commemorates the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who died in the Second Boer War (a war fought from Oct 1899 to May 1902 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on the one hand, and the South African Republic and the Orange Free State on the other. The war ended in victory for the British and the annexation of both republics)
In the park, you can find a large lake spanning much of the length of the park, filled with ducks and other water fowl. There is also a garden for the blind with scented plants and are labels in Braille!
St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
You cannot tell this used to be a swamp, can you?
Shopping in Dublin
The park lies right next to Grafton Street, where you can do some great shopping, for example at Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. Shopping is also good around O’Connell Street. When you walk towards the Spire coming from the South side of the river (you can’t really miss it, bit pointy thing), turn left and there are some big shopping malls as well.
Not a fan of shopping, but love to stroll around? Then go in search of all the incredible street art, or the colourful doors that you can spot all around the city. We created a whole guide on art in Dublin, so check it out for suggestions.
A real shopaholic? Then you might be interested to save money on luxury fashion items with a full-day shopping package to Kildare Village from Dublin.
>> Find out more about this One Day Dublin Shopping Package >>
Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
The Spire
Dublin is full of cool street art!
AFTERNOON IN DUBLIN
Lunch in Dublin
Let’s continue our Dublin day itinerary with a great place for lunch: Brick Alley Cafe in the Temple Bar area. They have great fruit shakes, sandwiches and bagels. And they serve the most amazing white hot chocolate you’ll find in Dublin, trust me (ok, ok, I didn’t try ALL the hot chocolates in Dublin, but still!). With the free WiFi, you can even get some work done if you need to.
The whole of Temple Bar is just great to walk around, see some street art and have a sneaky pint (or two) before you continue your explorations.
25 Essex St E, Dublin 2, Ireland
Another lunch option could be Bretzel Bakery. I had plans on visiting here, but ran out of time unfortunately. I’ve been told it’s a great bakery in Dublin’s old Jewish quarter, perhaps even the best of the city. They have everything from (kosher) wholegrain to olive and walnut loaves and Irish brown soda. Don’t miss the sweet selection of buns, sponges, tarts and cakes.
1A Lennox St, Dublin, Ireland
What to see in Dublin in one day? There is so much choice, but the Temple Bar area can’t be missed!
Visit the Creative Quarter in Dublin
If you’ve been to Temple bar already, or want to do some more shopping, head over to the Creative Quarter. This area is located South of Temple bar, around William Street South and is filled with lovely little shops and places to eat.
There are many old pub that are worth a visit, like the famous McDaids. This pub was once the city morgue and was later converted into a chapel. It’s also the pub from the opening of James Joyce’s short story ‘Grace’ and favourite place of Irish poet, writer and playwright Brendan Behan. Nowadays McDaids provides jazz and blues music.
3 Harry St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Also don’t miss the Powerscourt Townhouse, a speciality shopping centre set in an elegant Georgian house. It’s filled with Irish design stores and is a fine example of Dublin’s Georgian architecture; the house is unique in showing the transition from rococo style to neo-classic under one roof. You can also eat, see theatre and get tours in the Powerscourt Centre.
Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, 59 William St S, Dublin 2, Ireland
Welcome to The Creative Quarter!
Don’t miss the George’s St. Arcade for lots of (handmade) goods!
We walked past this cute little stall of Lolly and Cooks in the George’s St. Arcade and our guide said it’s a brilliant place to get your sweet fix. They do savoury baked goods as well and cakes, all handmade freshly each day. Besides this little unit, they have a couple of other locations in the city where you can also sit down.
The Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, extra pretty during the holiday season
Both locations mentioned below are a bit to the West of the city, so you could walk there for sure, or simply jump on a bus to get there. Allow yourself at least 2 hours at each location, so probably choose between the two based on your time left and your personal taste.
Visit The Guinness Storehouse
After all this shopping, you’ve probably got a bit thirsty, so let’s head over to one (or both) of the most famous attractions in Dublin: The Guinness Storehouse. Definitely the number #1 place to visit in Dublin in 1 day, even if you’re not a beer drinker yourself.
Now, I didn’t visit Guinness during the actual opening hours, as we had a welcoming party for a blogger event in the evening here, but we did get to walk around in the insanely amazing designed building and through the interactive exhibition when you enter the building. And yes, there was some serious Guinness tasting involved, too.
On 7 stories, you go through 250 years of Guinness history and of course you can taste it in their restaurant and cafe. Don’t miss the panoramic view on the top floor’s Gravity Bar.
>> Guinness Storehouse Standard Ticket With Free Pint >>
>> Guinness Storehouse Skip-the-Line Ticket With Free Pint & Gift Box >>
>> Skip-the-Line Guinness Storehouse + Jameson Distillery Experience Tour >>
>> This attraction is also included in The Dublin Pass >>
St James’s Gate, Dublin 8, Ireland
Visit to the Guinness Storehouse
Visit The Old Jameson Distillery
The Old Jameson Distillery is another great place to visit, even if you’re not a Whiskey drinker yourself. At Jameson, you get to go through the entire history and production process of the distillery. The girl that led us around had a great way of explaining -and cracked a lot of jokes. Typical Irish! It ends with a tasting session, or you could head over to the restaurant or bar.
Have you been to Jameson already? Then perhaps you’d like to visit the new Teeling Distillery. While the guided tour is nowhere near as good as Jameson (in fact, I found it quite disappointing, but perhaps you get a better guide then when I was here), Teeling is Dublin’s only working distillery and they have a very cool interior design and a funky bar and restaurant that is definitely worth checking out.
>> Jameson Distillery Guided Tour + Whisky Tasting >>
>> Skip-the-Line Guinness Storehouse + Jameson Distillery Experience Tour >>
>> This attraction is also included in The Dublin Pass >>
Old Jameson Distillery: Bow St, Smithfield Village, Dublin 7, Ireland
Teeling Distillery: 13-17 Newmarket, D08 KD91, Dublin 8, Ireland
Visit to the Old Jameson Distillery
Visit to the Teeling Distillery
Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral
After all this sin, it’s straight onto St Patrick’s Cathedral, of course :)
I must admit that I’m not into religion and perhaps even less interested in churches, but for the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin I made an exception – and it is really was quite beautiful.
St. Patrick (for those of you who, like me, don’t really know who this guy is) was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. He’s the primary patron saint of Ireland. On the site of the current cathedral, a stone church was built here by the Normans in 1191. This one was rebuilt in the early 13th century into the building that you can see today. It has been severely damaged by storm and fire a couple of times and has therefore been altered several times in between.
Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels, was the dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745, he’s buried in the church, next to his wife Esther Johnson (Stella).
You can get a guided tour, but even if you’re just there to admire the view and especially all the different styles of stained glass windows, you won’t be disappointed.
>> Get Your Self-Guided Cathedral Ticket Here >>
>> This attraction is also included in The Dublin Pass >>
St Patrick’s Close, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, DZ08 H6X3, Ireland
Visit the National Museum of Ireland
If you are a history buff, then The National Museum of Ireland is the place for you. It has four locations, of which three are in Dublin. I visited the Archaeology one, because my dad is an archaeologist and it always attracts me the most… and of course a little bit because it had free admission.
I really enjoyed this museum as it was a great introduction into the Celtic and Medieval art and you almost get to spend one day in Ireland itself. They covered prehistoric Ireland as well as the interesting Viking Age of Ireland, which I knew very little about myself, so I really enjoyed that.
>> Book The Irish History & Treasures Tour with National Museum >>
Kildare St, Dublin 2, Ireland
EVENING IN DUBLIN
Restaurants in Dublin
If you’re looking for a place to eat in Dublin, you won’t be looking for long! There are so many options for a delicious meal here, I’ve listed some of my favourite finds below:
In the evening, of course the Temple Bar area is a very lively place to eat and drink. There is always some live music going on, for example at the Temple Bar Pub, which is a bit of a must-visit in Dublin and definitely one of the Dublin things to do in one day, as it’s smack in the middle of the city, so easy to walk around and cover quite a bit of ground.
47-48 Temple Bar, Dublin 2, Ireland
There are many pubs in the Temple Bar area, and we also visited Oliver St. John Gogarty’s for a nice pub dinner such as fish and chips.
58 Fleet St, Dublin 2, Ireland
For a more quiet dinner, I recommend The Green Hen. This lovely place is a French bistro offering classic dishes in a relaxed atmosphere. We had a great dinner here! I really like the atmosphere and the staff was super friendly. And I had the most amazing chocolate dessert as well, in case you were curious.
33 Exchequer St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Rustic Stone is also a nice option. I really enjoyed dinner at this restaurant in the Creative Quarter of Dublin. I had the quail, because I never had that before, but found it too difficult to eat because it’s full of bones and barely got any meat of of it (maybe it’s supposed to be like that, who knows?). I did enjoy my main though, which was tuna steak on a hot stone that you could finish cooking yourself. As a dessert I went for the sugarless Chocolate Soup because it sounded intriguing, but would probably go for a normal ice cream or brownie or something instead next time. I happen to like sugar in my desserts!
17 South Georges Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Another good option is to visit Sophie’s, the restaurant on the top floor of the Dean Hotel where I stayed the last time in Dublin. I got to enjoy their lovely food at breakfast (order from the menu, not a buffet, which was a nice change, bagel was lovely and pancakes as well, just very large portion both) and at lunch and everything tasted really good. Another plus: you have a great view over the city!
>> Check on Tripadvisor >>
33 Harcourt Street, Dublin, Ireland
Sophie’s Bar and Restaurant at The Dean
For dessert, perhaps try Murphys Ice Cream! They were handing out samples just as I walked pass (ok, I quickly crossed the street when I saw that). YumYum. These guys make natural ice-cream without any colourings, flavourings, or powdered milk and you can taste the goodness!
27 Wicklow St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Visit a Bar or Pub in Dublin
Got energy left after trying to see as much of the Top Things to do in Dublin in one day as you can? There are an unbelievable amount of bars in Dublin, you can’t go wrong here. Here are some suggestions:
Not recently, but during my previous visit, I had a great evening at The Church, which is a converted church with cafe/bar and Irish restaurant surrounded by terraces.
Jervis St, Dublin 1, Ireland
Another great place is 37 Dawson Street, which is a quirky whiskey bar and restaurant with cocktails and modern food.
37 Dawson St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Also The Odeon, a converted railway terminus with high ceilings, curtain-draped interior and an ornate marble bar was a success!
57 Old Harcourt Street Railway Station, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Good Night… or perhaps better said: Oíche mhaith!
DAY TRIPS FROM DUBLIN
If you have more than just one day in Dublin (and really, you should try and spend more time here!), then there are of course plenty of things in the area to discover that make for great day trips to Dublin’s neighbouring top sites.
Here are some quick suggestions for Dublin day trips:
Visit Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle, parts of which date to the 12th century, lies, with over 260 acres of remaining estate parkland, close to the village of Malahide, nine miles north of central Dublin in Ireland.
You can explore this wonderful castle with its impressive reception rooms and glorious views yourself. Make sure not to miss the extensive gardens! There are several ticket and tour options, I’ve listed the best below for you:
>> Malahide Castle & Gardens Entrance Ticket >>
>> Malahide Castle & North Coast Half-Day Tour from Dublin >>
>> Malahide Castle & Howth Half-Day Tour from Dublin >>
>> Malahide Castle & Howth Full-Day Tour from Dublin >>
>> This attraction is also included in The Dublin Pass >>
Malahide Demesne, Malahide, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Visit Glasnevin Cemetery
If you have a bit of time to spare in Dublin, another interesting place to learn in Dublin about the Irish history is the Glasnevin Cemetery. It’s Ireland’s largest cemetery, with over 1.5 million people buried here! While it’s no a must see in Dublin in one day for most people, I actually thought the visit was super interesting and I’m glad I didn’t miss out on it.
Our guide seemed very passionate about the history of her country, sharing many good stories about the harsh life back in the days, the work of the gravediggers (and bodysnatchers!) and the famous people buried at the grounds. After walking on the grounds, definitely make sure to also go into the museum as there is a great interactive exhibition on the lower level of the building that explains you even more.
From the cemetery, you can walk to the connected botanical gardens and walk around 17.000+ plants, an arboretum, vegetable gardens, glasshouses and a Palm house. Entry is free and the gardens also contain the National Herbarium and several historic wrought iron glasshouses.
>> Glasnevin Cemetery Dead Interesting Tour Tickets >>
>> Glasnevin Cemetery General History Tour Tickets >>
>> This attractions is also included in The Dublin Pass >>
Finglas Rd, Botanic, Dublin 11, D11 PA00, Ireland
Day To The Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into Counties Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. You can read all about my experience on the Wild Wicklow tour in this blog.
>> Check This Glendalough and Wicklow Half-Day Tour from Dublin >>
>> Check This Wicklow National Park: Small Group Half-Day Tour >>
>> Check This Wicklow National Park: Small Group Half-Day Tour >>
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– Dublin What to do in One Day-
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR DUBLIN
Here is all the information you need to plan your own trip to Dublin. There are so many more things to do in Dublin in one day than I mentioned in this article, so look below for more ideas.
Helpful Websites
Getting to Dublin
Make sure to check Skyscanner for the best flight deals, so you make the most out of your time in Ireland and can make sure you’ll tick all the things to see in Dublin in one day off your bucket list.
Getting Around in Dublin
Enjoy a quick, easy, and money saving option with the Airlink express shuttle bus transfer between Dublin Airport and Dublin city center, stopping-off at various location within the city. Tickets are valid in either direction and departures are frequent.
>> Get the best deals on the Airport Shuttle Bus >>
Accommodation in Dublin
I stayed at the gorgeous Dean Hotel, which is located right in the center of Dublin. I can highly recommend a stay here!
>> Check out the best room deals for The Dean Hotel >>
Map of Dublin
Below, you can find The Travel Tester practical map of Dublin with top things to do in Dublin one day tips.
Make your travel planning complete and get the best out of your trip! Make sure to click on the icon on the top left of the map to see the full directory:
More Ireland Articles
Did you get enough tips on what to see in Dublin in a day? Have more time? Here are all our articles about Dublin and the rest of Ireland:
- Free Art in Dublin, Ireland: Colorful Doors & Unique Street Art
- Exciting! Experience Gaelic Games You Didn’t Know Existed in Ireland
- 54x Vintage Travel Posters Ireland
- Tested: 1 Day Dublin to Wicklow Mountains Tour in Ireland
- Best Day Trip from Dublin: Explore Beautiful Malahide, Portmarnock and Howth
- Exploring South West Ireland: Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle & Cork
Visiting Northern Ireland as well? Here are some of our articles:
- Northern Ireland Game Of Thrones Tour Ideas: 6 Unique Experience You Don’t Want To Miss
- Brunel’s in Newcastle, Northern Ireland: A True Local’s Meal
- 25 Photos That Make You Want To Visit Northern Ireland Today!
- Sleep In A Cloud… And Meet A Ghost At 17th Century Ballygally Castle In Northern Ireland
- Game Of Thrones Shooting Locations In Northern Ireland: A Complete Overview Per Episode, With Map!
- Game Of Thrones Tour Belfast & Beyond: Discover The Secret Doors!
Dublin Brochures to Download
Download these brochures to read more about what to do if you spend a day in Dublin:
Looking for more ‘One Day in…’ City Guides?
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Did you like any of the Dublin highlights that we covered and did you get enough ideas for what to see in Dublin Ireland in 1 day?
Then make sure to bookmark this article on Pinterest to help plan your trip:
Disclaimer: My first trip to Dublin was part of the TBEX Blogging Conference, which I funded myself. My second trip to Dublin was part of the ‘Dublin: a Breath of Fresh Air’ Campaign (#LoveDublin), a collaboration between Tourism Ireland and iambassador. All photos and opinions are my own, as always.
ANUKRATI DOSI
Thursday 24th of June 2021
I loved this post. I have always wanted to visit Dublin.
John Spear
Friday 10th of April 2020
We been to Ireland ones but not yet make it to Dublin... after reading the whole article I am definitely putting into my list :)
ritzgupta
Tuesday 10th of March 2020
amazing can't wait to visit Dublin. thanks for the article
Kim
Wednesday 4th of March 2020
This is amazing and the best post ever about Dublin! I’m going to save it and call it my travel bible from now on :) Nice work! Thanks for sharing <3
Ana Coello
Wednesday 25th of July 2018
This was by far one of the best blogs I've read! Thank you! It was informative in the touristy-sense but you also gave us great historical information. Truly appreciate the time and effort you put into your writing. Thank you for being so thorough and giving us as readers greatly useful information. Keep doing this amazing job. I look forward to more of your blogs.
Nienke Krook
Thursday 2nd of August 2018
Ah, thanks so much Ana, appreciate it!