A great hotel is only half the trip. Dublin rewards visitors who mix the headline attractions with the city's pubs, coastal walks and literary corners. Here are the experiences worth building your stay around — and where to base yourself for each.
Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature, and its pubs are where the two traditions meet. The Dublin Literary Pub Crawl pairs actors performing Joyce, Behan and Beckett with stops in historic bars. For traditional music, skip the most crowded Temple Bar spots and try The Cobblestone in Smithfield or O'Donoghue's on Merrion Row, where The Dubliners started out. Whiskey fans can compare tastings at Jameson Distillery Bow St. and the Irish Whiskey Museum opposite Trinity College.
The DART coastal train is Dublin's best-value experience. Head north to Howth for the cliff path loop and chowder on the pier, or south to Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey for Victorian piers, sea swimming at the Forty Foot and views over Dublin Bay. Further afield, day tours reach Glendalough's monastic valley in the Wicklow Mountains and the Neolithic tombs of Newgrange — both under 90 minutes from the city.
| When | What's On |
|---|---|
| March | St. Patrick's Festival — book hotels months ahead |
| June | Bloomsday (16 June) — Joyce celebrations across the city |
| Summer | Concerts at the RDS, Aviva Stadium and 3Arena |
| September | All-Ireland Finals at Croke Park |
| December | Christmas markets and the Grafton Street lights |
Base yourself centrally and nearly everything above is walkable — see our Dublin locations guide to choose a neighbourhood, then search Dublin hotels for your dates. Travelling as a family? Our family hotels guide covers the practicalities.