Discover Dublin A Private Tour

Ireland's oldest and most prestigious university has educated literary giants from Jonathan Swift to Samuel Beckett since its founding by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. The Old Library's Long Room stretches 65 meters beneath a barrel-vaulted ceiling, housing 200,000 of the library's oldest books and marble busts of great Western thinkers. The Book of Kells, an illuminated Gospel manuscript created by Celtic monks around 800 AD, represents one of the finest examples of medieval art and Ireland's greatest cultural treasure.

Dublin's premier shopping street stretches from Trinity College to St. Stephen's Green, its pedestrianized length alive with buskers whose music echoes between Victorian shopfronts and modern retailers. The street has been Dublin's commercial heart since the 18th century, home to Brown Thomas department store and Bewley's Oriental Café where Dubliners have gathered since 1927. Street performers ranging from classical violinists to traditional Irish musicians create an ever-changing soundtrack.

This beautifully landscaped Victorian park at the top of Grafton Street has provided a green retreat for Dubliners since 1880, its nine hectares featuring formal gardens, a lake with waterfowl, and monuments to Irish patriots and poets. The park's ornamental gardens, bandstand, and playground attract office workers, students, and families who stroll past statues of James Joyce, W.B. Yeats, and other Irish literary figures. The Georgian townhouses surrounding the green represent some of Dublin's finest architecture.

Dublin's most iconic bridge has spanned the River Liffey since 1816, its elegant cast-iron arch and decorative lamps providing the city's most photographed landmark and a romantic crossing between the north and south sides. Named for the half-penny toll once charged for crossing, the pedestrian bridge connects Temple Bar to the north side's shopping districts. The bridge's ornate Victorian ironwork and strategic position make it the perfect spot to watch Dublin life flow past.

Dublin's cultural quarter pulses with energy day and night, its cobblestoned streets lined with pubs, galleries, vintage shops, and restaurants that have made it the city's most famous neighborhood. Traditional Irish music sessions spill from historic pubs while street artists perform in Meeting House Square, creating an atmosphere that captures Dublin's creative spirit. Beyond the nightlife, Temple Bar hosts the Irish Film Institute, contemporary art galleries, and weekend food markets.

Dublin's oldest medieval building was founded by the Norse King Sitric in 1028 and rebuilt in stone by the Norman Strongbow in 1172, its crypt stretching beneath the entire cathedral as one of the largest in Britain and Ireland. The medieval crypt houses curious relics including a mummified cat and rat, nicknamed Tom and Jerry, discovered trapped in an organ pipe. The cathedral's stunning Gothic architecture and atmospheric interior have witnessed nearly a thousand years of Dublin history.

Ireland's largest cathedral stands on the site where St. Patrick allegedly baptized converts in the 5th century, its soaring spire dominating the Liberties neighborhood since 1191. Jonathan Swift served as Dean here for 32 years, his tomb, death mask, and the pulpit where he preached preserved alongside his beloved Stella. The cathedral's magnificent choir, medieval floor tiles, and colorful regimental flags create an atmosphere of ancient sanctity.

For over 700 years this castle complex served as the seat of British rule in Ireland, from its medieval foundations to the State Apartments where the last Viceroy handed power to Michael Collins in 1922. The ornate State Apartments, with their Throne Room and St. Patrick's Hall, now host presidential inaugurations and state functions. The castle grounds encompass the Chester Beatty Library, the Chapel Royal, and excavated Viking defenses revealing Dublin's layered history.

Ireland's most visited attraction occupies the historic St. James's Gate Brewery where Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease in 1759, beginning the story of the world's most famous stout. The seven-story experience built around a giant pint glass takes visitors through the brewing process and advertising history, culminating in the Gravity Bar where a complimentary pint rewards those who've climbed to 360-degree views. The experience explains how a single brewery transformed Irish identity and conquered the world.

The finest of Dublin's Georgian squares is surrounded by elegant townhouses with their characteristic colorful doors, wrought-iron balconies, and ornate fanlights that have housed Ireland's elite since the 1760s. Oscar Wilde's childhood home at Number 1 faces his reclining statue across the park, while plaques mark houses where W.B. Yeats, Daniel O'Connell, and other luminaries lived. The park hosts an art market on Sundays and provides a peaceful retreat.

Dublin's main thoroughfare stretches from the River Liffey to Parnell Square, its wide boulevard dominated by the 121-meter Spire and monuments to Irish patriots including Daniel O'Connell and Jim Larkin. The General Post Office, with its iconic columns, served as headquarters of the 1916 Easter Rising and remains Ireland's most potent symbol of independence, bullet holes still visible in its facade. The street's role in Irish history and bustling energy make it the heart of Dublin's north side.

One of Europe's largest enclosed urban parks stretches across 707 hectares on Dublin's north side, home to wild fallow deer, the residence of the Irish President, the American Ambassador, and Dublin Zoo since 1831. The park's vast green expanses, ancient woodlands, and sporting facilities attract joggers, cyclists, and families who share the grounds with a deer herd descended from those introduced in the 1660s. The Wellington Monument, Papal Cross, and Magazine Fort add historical interest.

This award-winning museum in the beautifully restored CHQ Building tells the story of the 10 million people who left Ireland over the centuries and their extraordinary impact on the world. Interactive galleries explore the push and pull factors of emigration, celebrating the Irish contribution to music, literature, politics, and science across the globe. The museum's cutting-edge technology and personal stories create an emotional journey that resonates with the 70 million people worldwide who claim Irish ancestry.

Dublin's oldest neighborhood takes its name from the medieval liberties granted to areas outside the city walls, its winding streets preserving a working-class character amid recent gentrification and craft brewery revival. The area's history encompasses the Guinness and Jameson families who built their empires here, the weavers of the Coombe, and generations of market traders. Digital Hubs now occupy former factories while traditional pubs, the Iveagh Markets, and St. Patrick's Cathedral anchor this resilient neighborhood.