13 useful things to know before you visit Dublin

16.04.2024 - 10:59 / lonelyplanet.com

As a born and bred Dubliner, I’ve spent most of my life trying to make sense of my hometown.

In one way it’s a cinch to figure out: you’ll get your bearings pretty quickly and realize that you can explore most of it on foot. But it’s not just its size that makes it such a great walking city. It’s the nature of life here that makes it the ideal flaneur destination, where you amble and devote yourself to the art of observing life around you.

Spend a few days in Dublin and you’ll soon appreciate that there is much going on in this busy little town, and that to really understand the place you’ll have to move here and spend the rest of your days figuring out its wonderful idiosyncrasies and multilayered sense of humour.

In the meantime, though, here are a few local tips that will smooth your introduction to a city that has the power to grab your imagination and not let it go.

Dublin might be a small capital city, but it’ll demand as much time from you as you’re willing to give. You’ll need at least three days to even make a dent in the place: one day to explore even just a couple of the main sights, such as Trinity College and the Guinness Storehouse. You’ll need another day to visit some of the city’s other brilliant attractions, like the Little Museum of Dublin, the Chester Beatty and just one branch of the National Museum of Ireland. And a third day to sample some whiskey and visit either of the city’s iconic cathedrals.

A couple of days more will give you a chance to stretch your legs and explore more of the city – such as the historic General Post Office and 14 Henrietta St on the northside. But you’ll have to build in some leisure time – after all there are 800 pubs in the city, a fine selection of music venues and a handful of great theatres. And what about going further afield, on a day trip to Howth, for instance, or beyond?

Planning on some beers while you're in Dublin? Here's our guide to the locals' favorite traditional pubs 

You can wear pretty much whatever you want in Dublin, and smart casual is the most you’ll need for fancy dinners, the theater or the concert hall. Even most work places like to keep it casual as there’s a general perception in the city that dressing up is only for that special occasion, which work rarely is.

Irish summers are warm but rarely hot, so you'll want an extra layer for when the temperatures cool, especially in the evening when the disappearing sun can make that day’s warmth feel like a distant memory.

Ultimately, the ever-changeable weather will determine your outfits, but a light waterproof jacket (preferably with a hood, unless you’re carrying an umbrella) and waterproof shoes should never be beyond reach, for the almost inevitable rain.

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