Dublin is Ireland’s capital and largest city, offering an endless number of museums, attractions, amazing food dishes and entertainment options. Since it adorns the east coast of Ireland, day trips and excursions to the mountains or cliff sides, where you can witness some of the vastest and beautiful sceneries in all of Ireland, are also something you’d want to see and believe or not they are just a taxi or bus ride away.
If you want to book a taxi in advance or reserve an airport transfer to Dublin, we’d recommend www.viptaxis.ie. You can reserve a taxi using their mobile app or their website or what we like the most about them is that you can also book a taxi via their website chat system. All you need is a good wi-fi connection and you are good to go.
And once you’ve sorted that out, it’s time to dive in and read on our top places to visit in the Irish capital.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral – the most sought-after attraction in Dublin
One of the most scenic spots to visit also happens to be a highly rated monument in Dublin. The stained colorful glass is the first and the most notable thing at the cathedral that would get your attention. If you want to get inside the cathedral you will have to buy a ticket.
You can escape the queue by just taking a walk around the periphery and attending the mass that goes on throughout the week. The fact that St. Patrick’s is the tallest and the largest church in all Ireland puts it atop the list of must-visit places in Ireland.
What else you can see while visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral: The burial site of Jonathan Swift – the literary great and one of the deans of the cathedral in the early 18th century.
The Little Museum of Dublin
A must-see for those interested in how Dublin and its people lived their lives and evolved over the past century. James Joyce once famously said, ‘in the particular is contained the universal,’ which neatly sums up the ethos of this treasure trove. In the minutiae of people’s belongings, history is indeed writ large. Opened in 2011 following an appeal for mementoes and artefacts, the museum has gone from strength to strength and now hosts an array of temporary exhibitions and events as well as permanent installations, including a U2 retrospective with exhibits donated by band members.
Other treats include The lectern used by John F. Kennedy when he addressed both houses of the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas) in June 1963.
Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo
The Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed urban park in Europe, some 1,750 acres, which is surprising given that Dublin is a relatively small capital city. Hundreds of deer roam the parkland, the President of Ireland’s official residence (Áras an Uachtaráin) is here along with Deerfield, a beautiful 18th-century property home to the American Ambassador to Ireland.
For those wishing to find out more about the park and its environs, there’s a Visitors Centre located close to a 17th-century tower house, Ashtown Castle. At the far Castleknock Gate end and on some 78 acres stands stately Farmleigh House dating from the 1800s and purchased by the Irish state from the Guinness family in 1999.
For generations of Dubliners and those coming from abroad, the main draw is Dublin Zoo, which attracts more than one million visitors annually, dates back to 1830, and is the second oldest zoo in Europe. A trip to the zoo is a day out in itself.
Amongst other rare and exotic animals there are: Asian lions, Asian elephants, a Reptile House, an orangutan enclosure, sea lions, tigers, hippos, bats, and penguins. Facilities also include restaurants, kids play areas, and a family farm.
And last, but not least – Have fun like the Irish at Temple Bar
The Temple Bar is quite possibly one of the most iconic bars in all of Dublin, with tourists flocking from all over the world to have a drink inside its famous walls. Although the history of the bar dates back to the early 1300s, it still remains popular to this day due to its famous red exterior, the great location in the heart of the city, as well as being a huge part of Dublin’s central nightlife scene.
At present, The Temple Bar is the most popular bar frequented by young tourists – and even some locals alike – looking to have a glass (or two, or three) of strong Irish whiskey and enjoy a hell of a night.
