Attraction
Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College
The ninth-century Book of Kells and the 65-metre Long Room of Trinity College's Old Library, with immersive digital galleries in a separate pavilion.
Ireland is an island nation on the western edge of Europe, known for its green landscapes, dramatic Atlantic coastline, lively towns and long literary and musical traditions. Most visitors start in Dublin, the capital, with its museums, pubs and Georgian streets, before heading west. Galway is a popular base for Connemara and the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher rise above the Atlantic in County Clare, and Killarney and the Ring of Kerry draw walkers and drivers to the south-west. Cork, Kilkenny and the monastic site of Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains are also well worth a visit. Distances are short, so it is easy to combine city time with countryside, coast and historic sites in a single trip.
Attraction
The ninth-century Book of Kells and the 65-metre Long Room of Trinity College's Old Library, with immersive digital galleries in a separate pavilion.
Attraction
Seven floors of exhibits in a 1902 fermentation plant at St James's Gate, ending with an included drink in the rooftop Gravity Bar.
Attraction
A former county gaol of 1796 where leaders of the 1916 Rising were held and executed, now a museum seen on guided tours.
Attraction
Ireland's national collection of archaeology on Kildare Street, home to the Ardagh Chalice, the Tara Brooch, prehistoric gold and Viking Ireland, with free entry.
Attraction
Ireland's national art collection on Merrion Square, free to enter, with Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ, a Vermeer and the Yeats collection.
Attraction
Ireland's largest church, founded in 1191, where Jonathan Swift served as dean and is buried, with free guided tours from Monday to Saturday.
Café
Dublin's oldest grand café, serving Grafton Street since 1927, with Harry Clarke stained glass, a full Irish breakfast and afternoon tea.
Café
An independent tea and coffee house on South William Street, open for 15 years, serving loose-leaf teas, espresso and pastries.
Café
A daytime café and bakery on Fumbally Lane in the Liberties, with its own sourdough, a weekly Friday dinner and workshops in the Fumbally Stables.
Café
A small specialty coffee shop on Drury Street in the Creative Quarter, pouring a 3fe house blend alongside cakes and pastries.
Café
The Grand Canal Street café of 3fe, the Dublin specialty coffee roaster, serving its own coffee and food daily near Grand Canal Dock.
Café
The city-centre flagship of Brother Hubbard on Capel Street, open seven days for breakfast, brunch and lunch made from scratch.
Hotel
Dublin's grand five-star hotel on St Stephen's Green, welcoming guests since 1824, with the Horseshoe Bar, the Saddle Room and afternoon tea.
Hotel
A five-star hotel in four restored Georgian townhouses on Upper Merrion Street, with an 18-metre pool, an art collection and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud.
Hotel
A five-star Doyle Collection hotel on Balfe Street in central Dublin, home to WILDE restaurant, The Sidecar bar and afternoon tea in the Gallery.
Hotel
A design-led hotel on Harcourt Street with Sophie's rooftop restaurant, The Dean Bar and a boutique gym, a short walk from St Stephen's Green.
Hotel
A four-star, 175-room hotel on Harcourt Street that presents itself as Europe's first fully sustainable hotel, near the Iveagh Gardens and Grafton Street.
Hotel
A long-established hotel on Lower Abbey Street, in business in some form since 1845, with 76 en-suite rooms near the Abbey Theatre and O'Connell Street.
Bar
A pub on Bridge Street Lower that dates its history to 1198 and calls itself Ireland's oldest, with food daily, stews and traditional music.
Bar
A family-run pub on Smithfield Square, famous for traditional Irish music sessions every day of the week and gigs in its Backroom.
Bar
A long-running live music venue and bar on Wexford Street, with a main venue, upstairs room and several bars open until late every night.
Bar
A cocktail bar behind an unmarked black door in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, with a subterranean punch house and whiskey caverns serving small plates.
Bar
A traditional pub on Merrion Row dating back to 1789, with live Irish music every night and en-suite rooms upstairs.
Bar
A Victorian heritage pub on Fleet Street with a famous snug and a whiskey collection, praised by Patrick Kavanagh as a wonderful temple of art.
Restaurant
A two-Michelin-star restaurant beneath the Dublin Writers Museum on Parnell Square, cooked by Mickael Viljanen since 2021 and open since 1992.
Restaurant
Dublin's long-standing French fine-dining restaurant, open since 1981 and the first in the city to win two Michelin stars, now at The Merrion Hotel.
Restaurant
A Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant on the South Circular Road serving modern Irish cooking at dinner from Wednesday and a Saturday lunch.
Restaurant
A first-floor restaurant above a historic bookshop on the Liffey, looking out on the Ha'penny Bridge and serving modern Irish dishes.
Restaurant
A modern Irish restaurant on Nassau Street with dining rooms overlooking Trinity College, open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday and lunch on Saturdays.
Restaurant
A city-centre restaurant on Trinity Street serving modern Irish cooking with French flair, with lunch, à la carte dinner and a pre-theatre menu.
Thing to do
Dublin's cobbled cultural quarter between Dame Street and the Liffey, with pubs, the Irish Film Institute, galleries and weekend markets.
Thing to do
A working whiskey distillery on Newmarket in the Liberties, the first new distillery in Dublin in 125 years, with tasting tours from about 50 minutes.
Thing to do
Ireland's national theatre, opened in 1904 by Yeats and Lady Gregory, staging new Irish writing and classics on its main stage and the Peacock.
Thing to do
Guided tours of the 82,300-capacity home of Gaelic games, with entry to the GAA Museum and its Hall of Fame included in the ticket.
Thing to do
A waymarked 7.8 km clifftop loop from Howth DART station around Howth Head, with views of Ireland's Eye, Lambay Island and Dublin Bay.
Tour operator
Guided walking tours of Dublin founded by historian and author Pat Liddy, with public tours in several languages and private themed walks.
Tour operator
An award-winning pub crawl founded in 1988, in which professional actors perform Joyce, Beckett, Wilde and Behan, starting at The Duke on Duke Street.
Tour operator
A pub crawl led by two professional musicians who play tunes and tell the story of Irish music, starting upstairs at the Ha'penny Bridge Inn.
Tour operator
Sightseeing cruises across Dublin Bay linking the city, Dún Laoghaire and Howth, with trips to Ireland's Eye and Dalkey Island.
Tour operator
A 45-minute guided cruise along the River Liffey from the Sean O'Casey Footbridge on Custom House Quay, with a guide telling the story of the river.
Trains and intercity buses link Dublin with the main cities, while hiring a car gives the most freedom to explore the west coast and rural areas
May to September brings the longest days and mildest weather, while spring and autumn are quieter; rain is possible in any season
Popular choices include Galway and Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, Cork, Kilkenny and Glendalough