The most unique things to do in Dublin, Ireland

While Dublin is a bit more underrated than other destinations in Western Europe, like Paris, Madrid, or Milan, I think it’s a fantastic city for all travelers, and especially solo travelers. In this blog post I will go over the most unique things to do in Dublin. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

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Before we delve into these unique things you can do in Dublin, however, I wanted to share how I feel about Dublin. I think it’s a very charming city that has a rich history. Most buildings in the city center are centuries old, made of brick, and only a few stories tall. If people were dressed in those clothes from 1700’s and there were carriages drawn by horses on the streets, I would feel like I traveled back in time.

The city also feels smaller than other European capital cities, which adds to Dublin’s cute factor. The little cobblestone streets are adorable. I loved getting lost in them.

The Irish people are very nice, but not overly smiley. The type of people that will help you out, but don’t feel the need to show this cheery facade. I personally love that.

Table of Contents

Listen to the stories of the Talking Statues of Dublin

One of the coolest things about statues in Dublin is that they have a QR code you can scan and then your phone will ring. When you pick up, the statue will tell you their story. It’s an initiative that’s called Talking Statues Dublin. There are 10 statues in Dublin that have this feature. It’s such an awesome initiative!

My favorite talking statue was Molly Malone, a symbol of Dublin on Suffolk Street. It is also the name of a song that became Dublin’s unofficial anthem. The song is about a fishmonger, Molly Malone, who was selling “cockles and mussels” on the streets of Dublin. She died of a fever when she was very young, but her ghost can be found on the streets of Dublin.

There’s also a legend that there was a real Molly Malone in Dublin in the 17th century. The legend goes that she was a hawker, but she was getting paid for other services too. Yes, the other services are exactly what you’re thinking about. Hence why the artist decided to give the statue a nice cleavage.

People also say that if you touch the statue’s breasts it will bring you good luck. So don’t be shocked if everyone is cupping her breasts when you visit. Now you know why.

Nobody really knows if Molly Malone was real or not. But it’s a great tale and it’s fascinating how it became part of Ireland’s culture.

Take a picture on the Umbrella Street

Head to Anne’s Lane to see the famous Umbrella Street. More and more places have umbrella streets, and Dublin is part of this trend. This spot is super cute, colorful and it’s such a great place for an Instagram picture.

Make a ring at a silver ring forging workshop

If you’re visiting Ireland’s capital city this is a must do activity: Sterling Silver Ring Forging Workshop. You will make your own silver ring and you get to keep it as a souvenir. How cool is that?

How the ring forging workshop works

They teach the workshop in a jewelry store. It has a very cozy, informal and friendly vibe as you’ll be part of a small group (mine had only 3 other people). You will first meet your group in the jewelry store. While you wait for everyone to gather you can take a look at the amazing pieces of jewelry they make, and you can get a 10% discount if you want to buy something.

me holding a silver ring I made at the silver ring forging workshop in dublin, one of the most unique things to do in Dublin

Once everyone arrives you will head towards the jewelry workshop. If there are more than 3-4 people, they will split you into 2 groups. One group stays at the workshop in the basement of the jewelry store. The other group will go a few doors down to a workshop in the back of an ice cream place.

Then you take your seats, and the teacher starts explaining what you will do that day. The teachers are usually young jewelers in training, which I think is super cool. You never know what famous jeweler they will become, and you can say you took a workshop with them before they got famous.

My teacher was great. She was super friendly and patient with all of us. While we were working on our rings we were also chatting with the other participants. In my group there was a couple from the Los Angeles area and a local girl from Dublin. It was great to connect with other people.

During the workshop you won’t have to do the welding and acid dipping of the rings yourself. The teacher does it for everyone, so there’s zero risk of accidents. You’ll be able to make an awesome ring even though you’re not very talented at crafts (like me). It’s one of my favorite souvenirs.

Caffeinate with a latte art drink at Beanhive Coffee

latte art in dublin, the start of the 4 day dublin itinerary

Coffee is always a good idea. Especially when you’re jetlagged. I love coffee! I’m a cappuccino and cortado person. I love drinking coffee when I’m traveling. I find it so fascinating how different cultures have different coffee habits.

I’m also a sucker for latte art. So naturally, my first stop in Dublin was at Beanhive Coffee. I ordered a cappuccino, and I asked them to surprise me with a cute design. And boy, did they deliver! Look how adorable that cat is. And it’s a nerdy cat with glasses and curly hair, just like yours truly. This was the perfect start to my Dublin adventure.

They also serve the traditional Irish breakfast, sandwiches of your choice on a ciabatta or wrap, and other egg dishes. Prices are around 10-15 euros.

The café is small, so there might be a short wait if you plan to sit there. They have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Visit Kilmainham Gaol to learn about Ireland’s history

Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison where a lot of Irish revolutionaries were imprisoned and executed. It’s rated as the top museum in Dublin and for good reason. It’s also the cheapest museum in Dublin. Make sure to book your ticket about 2 weeks in advance of your trip because they sell out quickly. It’s an activity you don’t want to miss if you want to learn more about Irish history.

Spend a night at Darkey Kelly’s Pub

2 people playing music at darkey kelly's pub in dublin

Pubs are a big part of Irish culture. Darkey Kelly’s is one of the most vibrant pubs in Dublin. It’s very popular with tourists and locals alike. They have live music, good food and drinks, and the atmosphere is very lively. Make sure to try their Guinness stew or bangers and mash.

Go see The Long Room and Book of Kells at Trinity College Library

exhibit inside trinity college library dublin

No wonder Trinity College Library is one of the most famous libraries in the world. It’s breathtaking. The Long Room, pictured above, houses 200,000 old manuscripts. They removed most books for a redevelopment project, but it still looks impressive even though it’s almost empty. You can also find Gaia here, an illuminated sculpture of Earth.

The other attraction you’ll see as part of your Trinity College Library ticket, is the Book of Kells. It’s a Celtic gospel book, written in Latin around the year 800.

Go on a tour of the Jameson Distillery

Jameson is one of the top Irish brands. Even someone who is not a big drinker, like me, still heard about Jameson whiskey. The brand is well-known internationally and they have expanded tremendously to keep up with worldwide demand.

While the Dublin distillery is no longer operational, they offer a guided tour of the old distillery. It’s basically a cool, interactive Irish whiskey museum. It’s a great way to learn everything about Jameson whiskey production, and you will also do a tasting. The tour was a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.

Explore the Guinness Storehouse

a glass of guinness at the guinness storehouse in dublin

If there’s only one activity to include on your Dublin itinerary it’s to visit the Guinness Storehouse. It’s an immersive experience where you learn everything about how they make Guinness, you do a beer tasting, and you get a free pint of Guinness at their rooftop bar, which has some of the best views of Dublin. If you want to see your selfie on a pint of beer, then opt for the Stoutie ticket. Stout + selfie = Stoutie. This experience costs an additional 8 euros.

The experience spans multiple floors and every single part of it is super instagrammable. My personal favorite was a cycling fish which had a quote next to it saying: “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle”. Facts!

Go see the Hungry Tree

The Hungry Tree is a hidden gem and one of the most unusual things you can see in Dublin. It’s an 80-120 year old tree located at King’s Inns, the oldest law school in Dublin. What makes this tree unique is that it’s basically eating up the bench in front of it. Somehow it was able to grow over that bench. You don’t see that every day.

Visit the Statue of Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is one of the most famous Irish authors. The statue was unveiled in 1997 and you can find it at 1 Merrion Square, very close to his childhood home.

Spot the colorful Doors of Dublin

Also in Merrion Square you can see the famous doors of Dublin. These doors are Georgian, and they all have bright colors. You can find them all over the city, but there’s a high concentration of them in Merrion Square.

Walk by River Liffey

river liffey and ha'penny bridge in dublin

What better way to explore the capital city of Ireland than with a walk by River Liffey? It’s the main river in Dublin that cuts the city into two banks. There are many bridges along River Liffey so you can go from one side to the other.

Ha’penny Bridge is probably the most famous one. Before the Ha’penny Bridge, people could only cross the river by ferry. The ferries were in a bad condition, so they built this bridge. The people crossing the bridge had to pay a toll. The toll used to be a penny-ha’penny (1.5 pence), hence the name of the bridge. They got rid of the toll in 1919 (crazy to think that’s only 105 years ago!). The bridge used to have turnstiles while they had the toll in place.

Visit the Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle is another key attraction in the city. It was first built in 1204. It underwent a lot of changes and was used for various purposes throughout the years. I won’t give you all the details, so I don’t spoil it for you. You can go on a guided tour to learn more about it.

Get a pint at the iconic Temple Bar Pub

Dublin has an impressive pub culture. There are so many amazing traditional Irish pubs in the city. Temple Bar Pub is probably the most famous one and I’m sure you’ve seen it in pictures online or on Instagram. It has been operating since 1840, they play traditional Irish music, and they have the largest collection of whiskies in Ireland. It’s beautifully decorated and the ambience is fantastic. I think it’s worth a stop. After all, popular places are popular for a reason, right?

Visit St Patrick’s Cathedral

inside of st patrick's cathedral in dublin

St Patrick’s Cathedral is an Irish church that was founded in 1191 and it is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland today. It is open to the public, but you’ll need to buy a ticket to enter. It’s one of those old churches that’s very impressive and beautiful.

Visit the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral is a short walk from St Patrick’s Cathedral, so you can visit both on the same day. You will need to get a ticket here too. It is older than St Patrick’s, as it was built in 1030. The cool thing about Christ Church is that is has a crypt that’s also open to the public. It has many historical items on display, including the oldest known secular carvings in Ireland.

Take a day trip

There are a lot of good options for day trips from Dublin. You can’t go wrong with any of them, so feel free to pick your favorite:

Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway City Day Tour

Giants Causeway, Dark Hedges, Dunluce & Belfast Tour

Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough & Kilkenny Tour

Game of Thrones Winterfell Locations Tour

Blarney Castle Full-Day Tour from Dublin

FAQ about traveling to Dublin

Where to stay in Dublin

Dublin is a relatively small European capital city, and you can find most attractions on both sides of River Liffey in the city center. Some popular neighborhoods are Wood Quay, Temple Bar, Smithfield. You can find plenty of hotels for all budgets in Dublin.

Budget hotels

Dublin offers budget friendly 2- and 3-star hotel options located in the city center. The price range is between $40-85 per night. Some popular options include Jacobs Inn Dublin, easyHotel Dublin City Centre and Drury Court Hotel.

Mid-budget hotels

I stayed at Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Centre. The location was great, and the room was small and cozy. It was perfect for me, but if you like larger rooms you should pick a different hotel.

me sitting down on a bed in a hotel in dublin

Some other mid-budget hotels are: The Grafton Hotel, Conrad Dublin, and Arthaus Hotel.

Luxury hotels

If you are looking for high-end facilities and top service, Dublin has many five-star hotels to choose from. Popular options include The Westbury, The Merrion Hotel, and The Shelbourne – Autograph Collection.

Hostels

Unfortunately, I am not the right person to recommend you any hostels. I am in my 30s and I value comfort, so I will always choose to stay at a hotel vs a hostel. I can see how a hostel is a great option for younger people, but I’m at a different stage in life, so I prefer hotels.

Airbnb

I also tend to pick hotels over Airbnbs because I feel like it’s less of a risk and it’s a more reliable option. One time when I visited Miami with my friends we booked an Airbnb that looked great in pictures but looked really bad in reality. We ended up going to a hotel instead. After that experience I tend to avoid Airbnbs altogether.

What should I eat in Dublin?

Caffeinate with a latte art drink at Beanhive Coffee

Having a cup of coffee is the best way to start the day. Especially when you’re jetlagged. I love coffee! I’m a cappuccino and cortado person. I love drinking coffee when I’m traveling. I find it so fascinating how different cultures have different coffee habits.

They also serve the traditional Irish breakfast, sandwiches of your choice on a ciabatta or wrap, and other egg dishes. Prices are around 10-15 euros.

The café is small, so there might be a short wait if you plan to sit there. They have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Spice bag

Since we had two people that were locals at the silver ring forging workshop I asked them for food recommendations in town. Both of them told me to try a spice bag. I had no idea what that was. It turns out it’s an Irish Chinese dish you can find in all Chinese restaurants in Dublin. It’s basically fried chicken and potatoes tossed in a mix of spices. Hence the name of spice bag. It sounded intriguing, so I tried it one day for dinner. It was actually really good.

Lunch at Guinness Storehouse

If you visit the Guinness Storehouse you can eat lunch there. They have multiple restaurants on the fifth floor, so you can pick one based on what you’re in the mood for.

view from a restaurant at the guinness storehouse in dublin

I recommend the 1837 Bar & Brasserie. They serve staples of traditional Irish cuisine like beef & Guinness stew, along with other popular classics like cheeseburgers. The view from the restaurant is spectacular. If you don’t believe me, check the picture above.

You can book a table in advance, or you can just walk in. They are open daily from 1pm.

Dinner at Trocadero

After a full day of sightseeing, Trocadero is the perfect place for dinner. It’s a modern European restaurant that uses fresh Irish ingredients for all dishes.

inside of trocadero restaurant in dublin

The restaurant is spacious, and you can be seated in one of their five rooms. The ambience is cozy as they use just dim lights in the entire restaurant.

The décor is quite unique. The seating consists of red couches and velvet chairs, there are pictures of famous people who ate at the restaurant on the walls, and each table has a little night lamp.

The food is delicious. I highly recommend the chicken liver pate as starter, the confit duck leg as main course, and the brioche bread and butter pudding as dessert.

The restaurant is on the pricy side, the total for the meal being around 60 euros. But it’s worth the splurge. I still think about that meal.

How to get cell phone data when visiting from abroad?

The cheapest and most convenient way to get data while visiting from abroad is to buy an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a data plan from a provider without having to use a physical SIM card. They are super easy to use.

I use Nomad eSIM (use code IOAN43TM for 25% off your first purchase). You can go to their website, select the country you’re traveling to, select how many GB of data you want, and how many days you want the eSIM to be active for. After you pay you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to activate the eSIM.

You can activate it on your phone and the process takes under 1 minute. Once the eSIM is activated you don’t have to do anything else. When you’re at your destination you will automatically get data.

Is Dublin safe for a solo female traveler?

Yes, overall, I felt safe in Dublin as a solo female traveler. There was a riot on the first night I visited, which was a bit scary. It was violent as they set on fire a bus, a tram, and a police car as a form of protest. 34 people were arrested. Thankfully I wasn’t in the area when it happened, and I was very careful the following days. Things like this happen everywhere in the world, so it doesn’t mean that Dublin is unsafe. Locals told me this was the first time something like this happened.

What is the best time to solo travel to Dublin?

I visited in late November and I loved it because there weren’t many tourists. However, it was colder than what I would have liked, and it also rained a few times. I think the spring or early fall could be great times to visit so you can have better weather.

I tend to avoid Europe summer travel because it gets so hot and there are so many tourists everywhere that it takes away from the experience for me. I’d rather wait a few months and go in the fall so I can properly enjoy the destinations I’m visiting.

How can I get around Dublin?

Dublin is a very walkable city. They also have a lot of buses and the Luas tram system, so you can get anywhere easily.

How can I get to the city center from Dublin airport?

Bus

This is the option I went with. The bus is called Dublin Express and a round trip costs 10 euros. They have multiple stops along River Liffey in the Dublin city center area.

They ask you to pick a time when you book the ticket online, but you can use the ticket 12 hours before or after the booked departure time.

You can take the bus from any stop and get off at any stop.

If you don’t have time to book the ticket online ahead of your trip, you can also buy a ticket at their booth at the airport. There are signs at the airport that will point you to their bus stop.

Taxi / uber

If you don’t want to take public transportation you can take a car. You can order an Uber through the app. It costs about 25-30 euros to get to the city center from the airport. Alternatively you can also schedule a private transfer.

Do I need cash?

I didn’t use cash when I visited, I paid for everything with a credit card. But it’s always recommended to carry some cash with you so you can tip tour guides or buy souvenirs or something else from small mom-and-pop shops who don’t accept credit cards.

Pro tip: always get cash from an ATM in the airport instead of going to an exchange place. Your bank will always have better exchange rates when taking out cash in a foreign currency from an ATM.

How many days do I need in Dublin?

I think 4 days in Dublin is enough time to see the major tourist attractions and to take a day trip somewhere close to Dublin. If you plan on exploring more of Ireland, then you should aim for a week or 10 days.

Do I have to tip in Dublin?

Tipping is not mandatory, but it is highly encouraged. I usually leave 1-2 euros as tip when I eat out. They highly appreciate it when you do this.

Do you recommend Dublin as a solo destination?

Yes, I highly recommend Dublin as a destination for solo female travelers. I think it could be a great destination for a first-time solo trip. It’s a safe city and they speak English, so it could be a great option when you’re first starting out solo traveling.