One day in Dublin

Trinity College and the Book of Kells

The oldest university in Ireland holds the Book of Kells and the Long Room of the Old Library. The visit is timed, runs through an exhibition and the Old Library, and ends in a shop.

2 h 30 visit (official site suggests 1 h 30)Open 9:00 am–6:30 pmAdult ticket €25

Take the first slot of the day. The Long Room is easier to look at before the tour groups arrive.

Book a timed ticket online before you travel. Same-day slots for the Book of Kells and Old Library often sell out.

Monday to Thursday 8:30 to 18:30, Friday and Saturday 8:30 to 19:00, Sunday 9:00 to 18:30. Entry is by timed ticket.

Source: Trinity College Dublin, Book of Kells Experience, checked October 5, 2026

Dublin Castle

A working government complex with the State Apartments, once the seat of British rule and today used for state occasions. You can tour the rooms alone or with a guide.

1 h 30 visitOpen 9:45 am–5:45 pm · last entry 5:15 pmAdult ticket €8

The courtyards and the garden behind the castle are usually open to walk through, so you can see the buildings from outside even without a ticket.

Tickets can be booked online up to 15 days ahead. A limited number are sold on the day at the ticket desk, so book if you have a fixed date.

Open daily 9:45 to 17:45, with last admission at 17:15. Guided tours run from 10:00 to 16:30. As a government building, the castle can close rooms at short notice. The Chester Beatty library inside the grounds is closed to the public until the end of December 2026.

Source: Dublin Castle, checked October 5, 2026

Guinness Storehouse

A self-guided tour through seven floors on how stout is made and sold, ending with a pint in the Gravity Bar at the top of the building. Allow a full morning or afternoon.

3 h visit (official site suggests 1 h 30)Open 10:00 am–7:00 pm · last entry 5:00 pmAdult ticket €26

Book the first slot of the day, before the groups arrive, and leave time at the end for the view from the Gravity Bar.

Booking a time slot online is strongly recommended. If a slot is sold out online it will not be available at the door, and tickets cost 2 euros more on the day.

Monday to Friday and Sunday the building stays open until 19:00, Saturday until 20:00. Entry runs until 17:00 on weekdays and Sundays and until 18:00 on Saturdays, so the last entry is two hours before closing. The official page says hours are subject to change.

Source: Guinness Storehouse, checked October 5, 2026

Temple Bar

A cobbled quarter of narrow streets, pubs and small galleries between Dame Street and the river. It is livelier after dark and quiet and cheaper by day.

1 h 15 visitAlways open

Walk it in the morning or at a weekday lunch, then return for live music in the evening, when the pub sessions start.

Source: Visit Dublin (Fáilte Ireland), checked October 5, 2026