If you’re travelling to Dublin for the first time in the near future, you’ll be wondering what to do here. If you have been before, you’ll have experienced all of the usual haunts.
Here are some of the lesser known experiences in Dublin, condensed into 24-hours, that you really shouldn’t miss.
1. Hop on a unique bus tour like a true Viking
One of the first things you’ll notice in Dublin is the abundance of Bus tours on our roads. There are green buses, yellow buses and red buses on the road, each showing you the same sights and sounds of Dublin. But if you want a tour with a real difference, take a ride on the Viking Splash Tour.
These unique vehicles double as boats and each has a different Viking name and a colourful and hilarious guide to boot. You’ll see the city from both land and sea making this a truly unique experience and giving you the lay of the land.
2.Get your art fix at Francis Bacon Gallery
Everyone wants to experience the culture and history of a new city but if you don’t have all day to wander around one of our larger museums, make sure you stop for a look in the Francis Bacon Studio in Hugh Lane Gallery.
As well as being the home of the foremost public collection of contemporary art in Ireland, the gallery has many exciting temporary exhibitions and is home to the late Francis Bacon’s studio. His artwork is emotionally charged, focusing on abstract figures and often graphic and gruesome portrayals of religious figures and friends. It’s a rare and wonderful look into the famous artist’s mind.
3. Visit Little Museum of Dublin for a short cultural trip
You don’t have long to spend in Dublin, but you’ll still want to learn about our cultural history, so take a trip to the super-fast Little Museum of Dublin. You’ll see and learn so much in just 30-minutes! This award-winning museum is set in a Georgian House in the heart of the city and is filled to the brim with old Dublin memorabilia, women’s history and musical greats to name but a few. It’s a great snapshot of Dublin without trying to absorb too many unnecessary facts and figures.
4. Shop like a local at Georges Arcade
If you’re looking to do some shopping while in Dublin, avoid the high-street and head to Georges Arcade on Georges Street in Dublin, one of Dublin’s oldest purpose-built centers.
While it’s not as vast as neighbouring Stephens Green, Georges Arcade has so many unique boutiques and gift ideas that it won’t matter about size. They have everything from clothes & antiques to food spices & body piercing!
It’s small enough so you won’t get lost on the high street for hours looking at the same cookie-cutter shops and large enough to find some real gems.
5. Learn, drink, and socialize at Irish Whiskey Museum
Dublin now has so many whiskey distilleries that there is now a walking tour of the district. If you’re here for a short time you won’t have a couple of hours to spend in each of the gorgeous distilleries popping up around Dublin 8. Luckily, we have a ‘Whiskey Museum’ where you can learn about the history and processes of distilling in Dublin.
The staff are passionate and knowledgeable about the trade and always happy to answer even the most obscure questions. At the end of the tour, you’ll get to taste a variety of delicious aged whiskey samples.
6. Feast your eyes on the wonders of St. Patrick’s Cathedral
To finish off your very quick tour of Dublin, stop and enjoy the wonder that is St Patrick’s Cathedral, reportedly the largest church in Ireland.
St Patrick’s is one of two cathedrals in the area, but the more beautiful and popular of the two. It was built in the 1100s and is architecturally and visually stunning both inside and out. It’s also the final resting place of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s travels and Dean of the Cathedral. The adjoining park is usually full of colourful blooming flowers too.
Author Bio:Katie McGarr is one of the lifestyle writers for Aspect Hotel Park West Dublin, a modern hotel, delivering exceptional accommodation and dining experiences for leisure and corporate travelers across Dublin. Writing articles about travel, food, and lifestyle is one thing she finds enjoyable, next to petting her cat.
