Dublin
Dublin offers literary pubs, Georgian charm and iconic stout
Overview
Things To Do
Deals
Travel Guide
Dublin is the capital of Ireland, situated on the east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from the UK by direct flight. Renowned worldwide for the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College's Book of Kells, the Georgian architecture of Merrion Square and a literary heritage encompassing Joyce, Wilde, Beckett and Yeats, Dublin combines compact city-break convenience with genuine cultural depth. The surrounding coastline extends to the fishing village of Howth and the seaside town of Dún Laoghaire, both reachable within 30 minutes by DART train. Renowned for its pub culture and traditional music sessions, Dublin offers one of Europe's most accessible short-haul destinations. Ideal for city break holidays, family holidays, couples holidays, stag and hen holidays and cultural breaks, Johnson Holidays offers ATOL-protected Dublin holidays and Ireland package holidays from multiple UK airports.
✨ Why Visit Dublin
- Dublin is the world's only UNESCO City of Literature with four Nobel laureates. Yeats, Shaw, Beckett and Heaney all won the Nobel Prize for Literature while connected to the city; the Dublin Writers Museum and the Museum of Literature Ireland trace this heritage in detail.
- The Guinness Storehouse is Ireland's most visited attraction. Built around the original 1759 St James's Gate brewery, the seven-floor experience culminates in the Gravity Bar's 360° panoramic view over Dublin — over 1.7 million visitors annually make it the most popular paid attraction in the country.
- Trinity College houses one of the world's most important manuscripts. The Book of Kells, an illuminated gospel manuscript created around 800 AD by Celtic monks, sits alongside the Old Library's Long Room — one of the most photographed library interiors anywhere in Europe.
- Dublin is one of the shortest flights from the UK. At 1 hour 15 minutes from London and under an hour from several regional airports, Dublin delivers a complete European city break experience with minimal travel time, making it ideal for long weekends.
- The pub session tradition is genuinely alive, not staged for tourists. Venues including The Cobblestone in Smithfield host nightly traditional Irish music sessions where local musicians play for their own enjoyment, a tradition distinct from the more commercial Temple Bar circuit.
- Dublin Bay's coastline adds genuine variety within 30 minutes. The fishing village of Howth, the Martello tower at Sandycove (where Joyce's Ulysses opens) and the Forty Foot bathing spot extend the city break with coastal walking and fresh seafood.
? What Makes It Special
Unlike Edinburgh or London, which share the UK and Ireland city-break archetype, Dublin's compact scale means every major attraction — Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, Temple Bar and Dublin Castle — sits within a 2 km walkable radius, making it achievable in a weekend without public transport. Unlike Belfast, which shares Irish cultural heritage and pub tradition, Dublin's literary legacy and four Nobel laureates give it a depth of cultural programming — readings, festivals, the annual Bloomsday celebration — that no comparable UK or Irish city matches. Unlike any continental European short-haul destination, Dublin offers a shared language, currency familiarity for sterling holders via card payment, and a cultural closeness that removes the friction many UK travellers feel on first European city breaks, while still delivering a distinctly different national character.
? Key Areas to Explore
- Temple Bar — Dublin's cobbled cultural quarter, with traditional pubs, live music venues and the Irish Film Institute, though increasingly tourist-focused compared to other districts.
- Trinity College & Grafton Street — The university campus housing the Book of Kells, leading onto Dublin's premier pedestrianised shopping street and St Stephen's Green park.
- St James's Gate — Home to the Guinness Storehouse since 1759, on the western edge of the city centre near the Liberties district.
- The Liberties — Dublin's oldest working-class quarter, with the Teeling Whiskey Distillery, St Patrick's Cathedral and a regenerating food and craft scene.
- Smithfield — A revitalised square north of the Liffey, home to The Cobblestone pub, the Jameson Distillery Bow St and Dublin's most authentic traditional music venues.
- Georgian Dublin — Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square's Georgian terraces, with the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Museum of Archaeology.
- Howth — A working fishing village 30 minutes north by DART, with a cliff walk, harbour seafood restaurants and views across Dublin Bay.
- Dún Laoghaire — A Victorian seaside town 25 minutes south by DART, with twin granite piers, the National Maritime Museum and the James Joyce Tower at Sandycove.
From brewery tours and literary pub crawls to coastal cliff walks and whiskey distillery visits, Dublin rewards both culturally focused city breaks and active day-trip itineraries.
?️ Nature & Outdoor Activities
- Walk Howth Head (Howth, Fingal) — a 6 km cliff path looping the peninsula with views to Ireland's Eye island and, on clear days, the Wicklow Mountains; starts directly from Howth DART station.
- Explore Phoenix Park (Phoenix Park, Dublin) — one of Europe's largest enclosed city parks at 707 hectares, home to a wild deer herd, Dublin Zoo and Áras an Uachtaráin, the President's residence.
- Hike the Dublin Mountains Way (Tallaght, South Dublin) — a 42 km waymarked trail through the Dublin and Wicklow foothills; the Ticknock section offers panoramic city and bay views within 30 minutes of the centre.
- Cycle the Dublin Bay coastal route (Sandymount to Dún Laoghaire) — a flat 8 km seafront cycle path with bike hire from Dublinbikes stations across the city from £3.50 per day.
- Walk Sandycove and the Forty Foot (Sandycove, Dún Laoghaire) — a sea-swimming spot beside the Martello tower from Joyce's Ulysses, where year-round swimmers brave the Irish Sea regardless of season.
?️ Beaches
- Dollymount Strand (Clontarf, Dublin) — a 5 km sandy beach on Bull Island, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with views of Dublin port and consistent winds for kitesurfing.
- Sandymount Strand (Sandymount, Dublin) — a wide tidal beach 4 km from the city centre, popular for sunset walks at low tide with views to Poolbeg's red and white chimneys.
- Killiney Beach (Killiney, Dún Laoghaire) — a shingle beach beneath wooded Killiney Hill, often compared to the Bay of Naples; 25 minutes by DART from the city centre.
- Portmarnock Beach (Portmarnock, Fingal) — a long sandy beach 20 minutes north of the city, backed by dunes and a championship golf links course.
- Seapoint (Monkstown, Dún Laoghaire) — a small rocky and sandy beach with a Martello tower, popular with year-round sea swimmers and 20 minutes from the centre by DART.
?️ Food & Drink
- Order an Irish stew at The Brazen Head (Bridge Street, Dublin) — Ireland's oldest pub, dating to 1198, serving slow-cooked lamb with root vegetables for approximately £16; live trad music nightly from 21:30.
- Drink a pint of Guinness poured the proper way — a two-part pour with a 119.5-second settle — at The Long Hall on South Great George's Street, an unchanged Victorian pub interior since 1881; £5.50 per pint.
- Try boxty (BOX-tee) — a traditional potato pancake filled with bacon and cabbage, specific to the Irish midlands and west — at Gallagher's Boxty House in Temple Bar; a main course costs approximately £15.
- Visit the Temple Bar Food Market (Meeting House Square, Temple Bar) on Saturday mornings — Irish artisan cheese, soda bread, smoked salmon and oysters from small producers across the country.
- Eat at Chapter One (Parnell Square, Dublin) — Dublin's most celebrated fine dining restaurant with one Michelin star, set in the basement of the Dublin Writers Museum; tasting menu approximately £105pp, bookable at chapteronerestaurant.com.
? Nightlife & Entertainment
- The Cobblestone (Smithfield, Dublin) — a no-frills pub considered Dublin's most authentic traditional music venue, with free nightly sessions and a strong local rather than tourist following.
- Whelan's (Wexford Street, Dublin) — Dublin's most celebrated independent live music venue since 1989, hosting emerging Irish and international acts most nights; tickets from £12pp.
- Vicar Street (Thomas Street, Dublin) — a mid-sized concert venue hosting comedy, traditional music legends and touring international artists in an intimate cabaret-style seated setting.
- The Brazen Head (Bridge Street, Dublin) — Ireland's oldest pub since 1198, with nightly traditional music sessions and storytelling evenings that draw both locals and visitors.
- Bram Stoker Festival (city-wide, Dublin, late October) — an annual Halloween weekend festival celebrating the Dracula author's Dublin roots with free outdoor performances and walking tours.
? Instagram-Worthy Spots
- The Long Room, Trinity College (Trinity College, Dublin) — the 65 m barrel-vaulted library ceiling lined with marble busts and 200,000 antique volumes; photography permitted, no flash.
- Ha'penny Bridge (River Liffey, Dublin) — the cast-iron 1816 pedestrian bridge connecting Temple Bar to the northside, photographed best at dusk when the streetlights reflect on the Liffey.
- Merrion Square doors (Merrion Square, Dublin) — the brightly painted Georgian doors with ornate fanlights, a defining image of Dublin's 18th-century architectural heritage.
- Howth Harbour at sunset (Howth, Fingal) — fishing boats moored against the harbour wall with the Baily Lighthouse visible on the headland beyond.
- Grand Canal Dock "Google Docks" (Grand Canal Dock, Dublin) — the modern waterfront district's red poolbeg chimneys reflected in the canal basin, a striking contrast to Georgian Dublin.
Best Value Deals
? City Break Holidays
Dublin's short flight time and compact city centre make it one of the most accessible weekend break destinations from the UK, with three and four-star hotels in Temple Bar, the city centre and the Docklands offering city break packages from £199pp including flights in shoulder season. Properties including The Morgan Hotel and The Spencer Dublin combine central locations with straightforward access to Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse and Temple Bar's pub circuit. Dublin Airport's frequent direct UK connections from over 15 regional airports make it one of the easiest European cities to reach for a two or three-night break.
???? Family Holidays
Dublin suits families with children of all ages thanks to its compact, walkable city centre and engaging mix of free and paid attractions. Phoenix Park's wild deer herd and Dublin Zoo provide a full day's entertainment, while the National Museum of Ireland's free admission and the interactive exhibits at the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum engage school-age children. Howth's cliff walk and harbour seafood, reachable in 30 minutes by DART, gives families a straightforward coastal day trip. Family-friendly hotels including the Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley operate pool facilities and spacious rooms within easy reach of the city centre.
? Luxury Holidays
Dublin's luxury hotel market is centred on its Georgian heritage and riverside locations. The Merrion Hotel on Upper Merrion Street, set within four restored Georgian townhouses opposite Government Buildings, is the city's most celebrated luxury address with rates from £280 per night and a Michelin-starred restaurant, Patrick Guilbaud. The Westbury Hotel on Grafton Street offers five-star comfort directly above Dublin's premier shopping street, while The Marker Hotel in the Docklands provides a contemporary alternative with a rooftop bar overlooking the Grand Canal Dock. Expect to pay from £350pp for a luxury weekend including flights.
⏳ Last-Minute Deals
Dublin produces excellent year-round late availability thanks to its dense network of direct UK flights and large hotel stock — Ryanair, Aer Lingus and British Airways operate Dublin Airport from over 15 UK regional airports, with competitive fares available within a one to two week booking window in most months. January, February and November deliver the strongest last-minute value, with hotel rates running 25–35% below the St Patrick's Day and Christmas peaks. St Patrick's Day weekend (17 March) and Rugby Six Nations weekends are the two pinch points where Dublin's hotel stock fills months ahead and offers no realistic last-minute availability.
Why Book with us:
? Low deposits from £49pp
? Flexible payment plans with balance due 6 weeks before travel
?️ ATOL Protected — your money and flights are safeguarded
✏️ Free amendment window on selected packages
? UK-based customer support, 8am–11pm every day
? Best Time to Visit Dublin
Dublin's temperate maritime climate means the city is viable year-round, with each season offering a different character. May to September is the most popular window — temperatures of 15–20°C, long daylight hours and the city's outdoor festival programme including Bloomsday (16 June) at its fullest. March brings St Patrick's Day (17 March), Dublin's biggest annual event with a four-day festival of parades and concerts — hotel prices spike significantly and advance booking is essential. October to November offers a quieter, more atmospheric visit with autumn colours in Phoenix Park and the Bram Stoker Festival at Halloween. December to February is the coldest period at 5–9°C but delivers Christmas markets, lower hotel rates outside the festive fortnight and a genuinely local, uncrowded city experience.
? Where to Stay
- Families: Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley or hotels near Phoenix Park for green space and easy access to the zoo and city centre by tram.
- Couples: The Westbury Hotel (Grafton Street) or boutique guesthouses in Georgian Dublin for romantic, walkable city centre stays.
- Luxury seekers: The Merrion Hotel for Georgian grandeur and Michelin-starred dining within walking distance of Trinity College and St Stephen's Green.
- First-timers: Temple Bar or the city centre for immediate access to Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse and Grafton Street's shops and restaurants.
- Coastal seekers: Dún Laoghaire or Howth for a quieter seaside base with direct DART access to the city centre in 25–30 minutes.
? Getting Around
Dublin's city centre is compact enough to explore entirely on foot, with most major attractions within a 2 km radius of O'Connell Street. The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) train line runs along the coast from Howth to Greystones, connecting Dún Laoghaire and Howth to the city centre for £2.85–4.50 single. The Luas tram network covers the city centre and suburbs from £2.10 per journey, while Dublin Bus serves a comprehensive network across the wider city. Dublin Airport sits 12 km north of the city centre; the Aircoach and Dublin Express buses run to the centre for £7–8pp in approximately 30–40 minutes, while a taxi costs £25–30. Car hire is unnecessary within the city but useful for day trips to Wicklow or the wider east coast.
? Travel Tips
- Ireland uses the Euro (€), not sterling — UK debit and credit cards work for contactless payment throughout Dublin but always check for foreign transaction fees with your bank before travelling.
- No passport control exists between the UK and Ireland under the Common Travel Area — a valid passport or in some cases a UK driving licence is sufficient for British citizens, though airlines typically require photo ID with your booking name.
- Tipping in Dublin follows a similar convention to the UK — 10% for good restaurant service is standard; rounding up is acceptable in pubs and cafés; tipping is not expected for drinks at the bar.
- Plug type is the same Type G three-pin socket as the UK (230V) — no adaptor required for UK electrical devices anywhere in Ireland.
- Tap water is safe and good quality throughout Dublin — sourced from the Vartry and Liffey reservoirs; bottled water is unnecessary.
- Dublin pubs close at 23:30 on weeknights and 00:30 on weekends under licensing law, though many city centre venues hold late licences until 02:30–03:00 — check individual venue opening hours in advance.
- The Dublin Pass (£70 for 48 hours) covers entry to over 35 attractions including the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol and a hop-on hop-off bus tour — worth it if visiting four or more paid attractions in a short stay.
- St Patrick's Day weekend (17 March) sees hotel prices double and the city centre extremely busy — book at least three months ahead if visiting for this specific event.
- Ireland operates Greenwich Mean Time in winter and British Summer Time equivalent in summer — the same time zone as the UK year-round, with no adjustment needed.
- English is the dominant working language throughout Dublin, though Irish (Gaelic) appears on official signage; no language barrier exists for UK visitors.
Map Of Dublin
Top Experiences
Guinness Storehouse Gravity Bar Tour
Seven floors tracing the brewing process to a 360° rooftop bar with a complimentary pint; admission £22pp, book online to skip queues.
Trinity College and the Book of Kells
View the 9th-century illuminated manuscript and the Long Room library's 200,000 leather-bound volumes; admission £16pp, arrive before 10:00 for smaller crowds.
Literary Pub Crawl Through Temple Bar
Actors perform Joyce, Behan and Wilde extracts between four historic pubs; two hours, from £14pp, departing The Duke pub on Duke Street.
Howth Cliff Walk and Seafood Lunch
A 6 km coastal loop above Dublin Bay, ending at a harbourside seafood shack; 30 minutes from the city centre by DART train.
Kilmainham Gaol Guided Tour
A 19th-century prison central to Ireland's independence movement, where 1916 Easter Rising leaders were executed; admission £9pp, book weeks ahead in summer.
Traditional Irish Music Session in The Cobblestone
Free nightly trad sessions in a no-frills Smithfield pub, considered Dublin's most authentic music venue away from the tourist-heavy Temple Bar circuit.
Travel Information
Everything You Need To Know Before You Jet Off To Dublin.