It’s hard to describe the progress this city has made in recent decades, and now Dublin is a major and popular stop on many European itineraries. This city is compact enough to enjoy in just a couple days if that’s all you have, and actually it’s better to spend more of your Ireland visit on other parts of the island anyway.
City tours and some of the more famous attractions are on the expensive side, but things don’t really get out of hand until you start with food and drink. Unlike, say, London, it’s hard to find a simple meal that you’d consider cheap. And even though Dublin now has a reputation as an international party city, be prepared to drain your wallet if you want to participate. Beers here are expensive and everything else is more. If you are going to be visiting the Guinness Storehouse and the whisky distilleries you’ll probably want to consider getting a Dublin Pass.
During the famous Celtic Tiger boom in Ireland, Dublin quietly became one of the most expensive cities in the world for tourists. If the euro is strong against your currency then things are even worse, although some prices have actually come down in recent years.
| Population | 1,700,000 |
| Area | 1,700,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+0 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Airports | Dublin Airport (DUB) |
Hotel bargains are possible and there’s plenty to choose from, including many good hostels with good locations. The tourist area in Dublin is quite compact so be careful of cheap hotels well out of the city or near the airport, as the money you might save likely won’t be worth it.
Since Dublin’s summers are almost always pleasant, the hotel seasons follow the typical North American pattern. The city’s high season is June through August, while Dublin’s low season is November through February, although during Christmas things can get quite full so it’s best to reserve as far in advance for that period as possible.
Outside of summer it’s usually fairly easy to get a room on the spot, but with prices being what they are it’s not surprising that many of the more popular and cheaper places do book up, especially on the weekends since Dublin has become a popular weekend break for other Europeans lately.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 33.68 - 63.16 |
| 47.37 - 110.53 |
| 50.53 - 166.32 |
| 56.84 - 205.26 |
| 198.95 - 300.00 |
Belvedere Hotel Parnell Square Doubles from €108/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Dublin |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 10.53 - 23.16 |
Egali Hostel Beds from €16/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Dublin |
The Guinness Storehouse is the original downtown Dublin brewery and now it’s a large and extremely popular attraction that gets you a delicious pint in the Gravity Bar with great city views at the end.
History buffs will enjoy seeing the famous Book of Kells at the Trinity College Library, and it’s more interesting than it might sound.
Kilmainham Gaol is the famous historic jail that is also much more interesting than you might expect.
The free (tips-based) walking tours of Dublin are a great way to see a lot and get oriented in just a few hours. Most of the major sights are within walking distance of each other, so this is a substantial tour option.
The Viking Splash Tours in Dublin are famously fun and you’ll almost certainly see at least one as it traverses the city center.
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guinness Storehouse | The famous brewery has a slick exhibition that is most popular attraction in Dublin, and includes a free pint at the top-floor bar. | adults | 25.26 |
| Kilmainham Gaol | This historic prison is a must-see if you are at all interested in Irish history or jails. | adults seniors child | 8.42 6.32 4.21 |
| Dublin Castle | Not really a castle, more the official state residence for ceremonies. Price includes guided tour. | adults students child | 8.42 6.32 4.21 |
| SIghtseeing bus tour | These hop-on, hop-off buses do the same route and include live commentary. Discounts for booking online. | adults sen/stud 6-14 | 36.84 34.74 15.79 |
| Viking Splash Tours | Similar to the sightseeing bus, but this is amphibious and much more fun and interesting. | adults 3-14 | 36.84 30.53 |
| National Gallery of Ireland | A welcome break to budget travelers, this impressive museum is free, as are daily tours and even audioguides. | adults | 0.00 |
Food and drinks in Dublin are hard to find at really cheap prices, but it’s also rare to see crazily expensive prices as well. Supermarkets are pretty easy to find so a bit of self-catering can help with your budget.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Many hotels come with breakfast included. If yours doesn't it shouldn't be too hard to find a quick bite nearby | 4.21 - 7.37 |
| Budget lunch | There are a few fast-food places around Dublin and those are your cheapest option. Sit-down restaurants are all relatively pricey. | 6.32 - 11.58 |
| Budget dinner | Dublin is an expensive city for eating out, but at least you've got plenty of options in the main hotel districts. | 10.53 - 18.95 |
| Pint of beer | A pint of Guinness or just about anything else will be expensive, especially in the Temple Bar neighborhood. | 5.26 - 7.37 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 21.05 - 34.74 |
| Aircoach bus from airport to city center | 9.47 |
| Dublin public bus from airport to city center | 3.16 - 6.32 |
| 3km taxi ride in Dublin | 7.37 - 12.63 |
| Tram or bus ride in Dublin | 1.05 |
| All-day tram/bus pass in Dublin | 6.32 |
Most visitors will fly into Dublin International Airport, which is well connected with the city center. Many others will fly into Shannon International Airport on the other side of the island, which is a great way to start a tour of Ireland that ends in Dublin rather than starts there.
Renting a car is a popular way of seeing the small towns and castles in the country, but you really don’t want to use a car to tour Dublin itself. The country has good train service connecting the larger towns and you can do a pleasant tour mostly on trains with a few buses to visit some sights.
Dublin is a fairly compact city and it’s flat so it’s ideal for walking.
There is a modern and simple tram system that can be helpful for some sights on the edges of town.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46 | 37 | 2.7 |
| February | 46 | 37 | 2.0 |
| March | 49 | 38 | 2.1 |
| April | 53 | 40 | 2.0 |
| May | 58 | 44 | 2.1 |
| June | 63 | 49 | 2.2 |
| July | 66 | 53 | 2.0 |
| August | 65 | 52 | 2.8 |
| September | 62 | 49 | 2.6 |
| October | 57 | 46 | 2.7 |
| November | 50 | 40 | 2.5 |
| December | 47 | 38 | 3.0 |
Dublin has a very mild climate throughout the year, with summer days rarely getting uncomfortably warm and winter days almost always above freezing. Snowfall in the capital is rare, though it does happen on average of a few days each winter.
The climate isn’t particularly rainy either, with the wettest period being the autumn, though it’s pretty consistent throughout the year. When it does rain it usually comes in the form of long drizzles rather than sudden drenching outbursts, so it’s unlikely to ruin your visit.
| 21 Mar | 6:26am | 6:40pm |
| 21 Jun | 4:56am | 9:57pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:09am | 7:26pm |
| 21 Dec | 8:39am | 4:07pm |