IRELAND AT ITS MOST METROPOLITAN

Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland (with just under 1.2 million people). There’s debate whether the origins of Dublin are Gaelic or Viking - but it’s settled that the city boomed and grew into what it is now starting in the 17th century. The city gives some of what you’d expect from Ireland - like Guinness, Jameson, and places to listen to traditional Irish music - and also some unexpected wins - like socialized deer you can pet.

Like with my other Ireland updates, I’m going to caveat this by saying I think a trip to Ireland is lacking without a car. From my understanding, the most awe-inspiring and beautiful sections are in the country, and the public transit to them is largely non-existent. Being bound to the cities left my trip to Ireland feeling a bit uninspired.

That said, Dublin is really your only option to see Irish culture in a big city - so it shouldn’t be missed. And if all you’re looking for is an urban escape, then Dublin won’t disappoint.

DRINK LIKE AN IRISH STEREOTYPE

Unlike Cork, I didn’t bump into daytime drunks wherever I was walking - but Dublin has more than enough options to let you become one should you want. And the most recommended tourist sites tend to be those haunts, take:

The Jameson Distillery: The old Jameson distillery now offers a museum of how their whiskey is made, ending with a comparative whiskey tasting and a bar.
The Guinness Storehouse Factory: Head over the the Guinness museum to see seven floors of Irish brewing history, capstoned by a fresh pint at the top with a skyline view.
The Church: Dublin boasts a church that closed in 1964 and was restored into a massive bar and nightclub. It’s one of the more distinctive places in the world you can party.
The Irish Whiskey Museum: A museum devoted to the history of all types of whiskey that includes a tasting at the end.
Temple Bar: Temple Bar is both a famous historic bar (Temple Bar) within a famous historic area (Temple Bar). Amid its cobble stoned lanes, the area is packed with bars and souvenir shops - and is a common stop for tourists.

So if you drink, Dublin is a place to wander around while popping a few back. If you don’t, I do believe Guinness has a zero-proof option. As an added note, the museums in Dublin were a a bit expensive - so I skipped all the non-free ones. I did, however, have a couple of pints of Guinness.

GO HANG OUT WITH THE DEER

By far, my favorite thing to do in Dublin was to hang out with the deer in Phoenix Park - the largest park in Dublin. Not only is the park generally beautiful, but there’s a herd of deer that live there and are (unhealthily) socialized with people. They were originally introduced for contained hunts - but are now just locals who usually can be found around the Papal Cross.

While you’re not supposed to feed the deer, it’s obvious most people do, and it’s left the deer extremely docile and friendly. While I don’t generally recommend feeding wild animals, I think the ship has sailed on this one, so it’s fine to bring carrots and peanuts along with you. Regardless, they’ll come up to you and are willing to be pet.

EXPLORE THE PARKS

Beyond Phoenix Park, Dublin boasts a few other stunning green spaces. I think the next best are the Botanical Garden and Glasnevin Cemetery - which are adjoining in the same area (though separated by walls and fences). They both offer a unique place to walk for a few hours - and also give you an excuse to explore some of the more interesting sections in the north of the city.

In the downtown area, both St. Stephens Green and Merrion Square Park are beautiful.

JUST WANDER AROUND

Dublin is, to me, first a major city - so one of the best things to do is just walk around. I think some of the best areas to explore are Grafton Street, which is the main commercial strip, Trinity College, and Dorset Street north of downtown, which boasts a more eclectic set of businesses. As you wander, watch out for the bright colored doors - which both help distinguish between otherwise identical adjoining houses and offer a fun charm throughout the city.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

I found several of the common to-dos either outside of my price range, inaccessible, or underwhelming. Regardless, here are some of the common recommendations:

Go to the Churches: Dublin has two historic churches: St. Patricks Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral. While both were pretty on the outside, I found them both unremarkable compared to other cathedrals of the same periods, and I chose not to pay the entrance fees for either.
Explore Dublin Castle: Smack in the middle of downtown, there’s a modest castle. The grounds are free to explore, so you can see the architecture, and you can pay to enter.
Cross Ha’Penny Bridge: Known as the first pedestrian bridge to cross Liffey River, it’s a common photo spot. To be honest, though, other than being well-known, it’s ordinary.
Take a Tour of Trinity Library: Famous for both being beautiful and having the Book of Kells, you can pay to go into the Trinity Library. It was a bit out of my price range, so I skipped it and just wandered around Trinity’s campus.
Take a Day Trip: Dublin is near the Wicklow mountains, so if you have a car you can easily take a day trip and go for a hike.

To be honest, I think Dublin is a place that can easily disappoint if you explore it with a traditional tourist lens. It’s a place that’s better to live - to just explore, shop, eat, and drink - and to not feel too pressured to check off a long list of places to see.

Pet Deer and Drink in Dublin