Dublin
Dublin in the rain
Rain falls on 9 to 12 days in every month, so a plan needs an indoor option. The National Museum, the National Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, EPIC, the cathedrals and the Guinness Storehouse all work in the rain, and the museums are free. Showers pass quickly, so a light waterproof is more useful than an umbrella in the wind.
- Stops under a roof: 11
Data checked on October 5, 2026
A rainy day, stop by stop
A day built only from stops that are under a roof, in an order that keeps the walks short.
Day 1
Trinity and College Green · Medieval Dublin
3 stops · 7 h of visits · 35 min on foot
Open this day's route in Google Maps-
9:30 am12:00 pm
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.
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
- 14 min walk
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12:14 pm1:44 pm
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.
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
- 21 min walk
- Lunch break
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3:05 pm6:05 pm
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.
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
Every stop under a roof
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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.
Source: Trinity College Dublin, Book of Kells Experience, checked October 5, 2026
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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.
Source: Guinness Storehouse, checked October 5, 2026
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Kilmainham Gaol
A Victorian prison where the leaders of the 1916 Rising were held and executed. Entry is by guided tour only, followed by time in the museum.
Source: Kilmainham Gaol Museum (OPW), checked October 5, 2026
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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.
Source: Dublin Castle, checked October 5, 2026
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St Patrick's Cathedral
The national cathedral of the Church of Ireland and the largest church in the country, with Jonathan Swift buried inside. Sunday visiting windows are short.
Source: St Patrick's Cathedral, checked October 5, 2026
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Christ Church Cathedral
The medieval cathedral of Dublin, with a large crypt and a self-guided visit with an audio guide. It sits a short walk uphill from the river.
Source: Christ Church Cathedral, checked October 5, 2026
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National Museum of Ireland, Archaeology
The national collection of Irish gold, Celtic metalwork and Viking finds, in a domed building on Kildare Street. Entry is free.
Source: Visit Dublin (Fáilte Ireland), checked October 5, 2026
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National Gallery of Ireland
Irish and European painting from about 1300 to the present, with works by Vermeer, Caravaggio and Jack B Yeats. The permanent collection is free.
Source: National Gallery of Ireland, checked October 5, 2026
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EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum
An interactive museum in the old vaults at the docks about the Irish who left and what they did abroad. It is a good rainy-day stop.
Source: EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, checked October 5, 2026
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The Little Museum of Dublin
A small museum in a Georgian house on St Stephen's Green, told through donated objects and a guided tour. It covers Dublin in the 20th century.
Source: The Little Museum of Dublin, checked October 5, 2026
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Irish Museum of Modern Art
Modern and contemporary art in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, a 17th century building with formal gardens. Entry is free and it pairs with Kilmainham Gaol.
Source: Irish Museum of Modern Art, checked October 5, 2026
Rainy days by month
Climate averages: Met Éireann.