Looking for What to Do in Dublin?

Visiting Dublin? Looking for suggestions for things to do while you’re here?

Relax, we’ve got this with our list of our guests’ favourite attractions in Dublin City. In sunshine or rain, by night or day, there’s always lots to do and to see. Here are the attractions that receive the most compliments from visitors to Dublin:

Guinness Storehouse

The Guinness Storehouse is now the most popular attraction in Ireland in visitor numbers (the Cliffs of Moher is now second).

It’s close to the hotel and not only will you learn about how Guinness was originally discovered and how it has developed over the last 250 years, you’ll also get to pour your very own pint and then sample it.

Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham Gaol never fails to impress those to whom we recommend it.

It opened in 1796 and closed in 1924 and is today one of the biggest unoccupied gaols in Europe. Visitors get a real sense of what it was like to live here, behind bars. They also get a deep insight into Ireland’s troubled history – Kilmainham Gaol was a very, very important piece of that history.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the tallest and largest church in Ireland and is only a short stroll from the hotel.

It has played a significant role in Irish life for over 800 years – it was built 1220 and 1260 – and is one of the few buildings left from medieval Dublin. The Cathedral is world famous for its choir which still performs daily during school term.

Temple Bar

Temple Bar is right in the middle of the city on the south side of the river and has been developed over the years as our Left Bank area, our ‘cultural quarter’.

It’s narrow cobbled streets are full of art spaces, great restaurants and really good bars like the Palace Bar, the Temple Bar Pub, Oliver St. John Gogarty’s and The Auld Dubliner.

Jameson Distillery

The Jameson Distillery is located just off Smithfield Square across the river from the Guinness factory.

This is where Ireland’s most famous whiskey was distilled since 1870 but today it is a museum and visitor’s centre which features guided tours, whiskey tasting, bars, restaurant and a gift shop.

St. Stephen’s Green

Right outside the door of the hotel is one of the most important Georgian squares in Europe – St. Stephen’s Green.

Although it has been a focal point for hundreds of years it was only formally laid out (in the current design) by William Sheppard in the 1870s. If you want to feed the ducks while you wander through the park, let us know and we’ll give you some bread.

Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park is the largest walled city park in Europe and is a treasure trove of parkland, woods, walks, lakes and even Dublin Zoo.

There’s a large herd of wild Fallow deer here too, together with memorials and a polo ground. We expect the whole park to be designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO shortly as this is a really unique amenity within our city.

Trinity College Dublin

Trinity College Dublin is right in the centre of the city – at the other end of Grafton Street from the Fitzwilliam Hotel.

One of the most famous universities in the world and fully-functioning today, take a stroll through this ancient seat of learning. If you have time, go see the Book of Kells, one of the oldest and most important illustrated bibles on view anywhere today.

Christ Church Cathedral

Dublin is pretty unique as it has two Protestant medieval cathedrals.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is one and Christ Church Cathedral is the other and they are both almost in sight of each other. The first cathedral was built here in 1028 and over the years this has become a stunning example of architectural excellence as well as a very important place of worship.

National Museum of Ireland

Just around the corner from the hotel you’ll find two of the National Museum of Ireland and it’s buildings.

The archaeology museum is on Kildare Street and the Natural History Museum on Merrion Street. The third building is the Decorative Arts and History Museum which is a slightly longer stroll away in Collin’s Barracks.

Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle was originally built to help defend the Norman city of Dublin.

The castle was the seat of the United Kingdom government’s administration in Ireland until 1922. Today it has been completely restored and is a major Irish government complex where many official and important government events are held.

Little Museum of Dublin

The Little Museum of Dublin is the top activity on TripAdviser for the city.

Practically on our doorstep, it really is a little museum. It should only take you about 30 minutes to see everything but will give you a broad but fantastic overview of the history of this great city of ours.

Dublin Zoo

Founded in 1831, Dublin Zoo is not just a very popular attraction for families, it also has an important role to play in the conservation and study of animals.

The zoo covers 69 acres of Phoenix Park and is divided into Asian Forests, Orangutan Forest, The Kaziranga Forest Trail, Fringes of the Arctic, Sea Lion Cove, African Plains, Roberts House, House of Reptiles, City Farm and South American House.

General Post Office

Dublin’s General Post Office or GPO, is a significant building on O’Connell Street.

Not because it is the headquarters of the Irish Post Office, An Post, but because of its role in Irish history. In 1916, during the Easter Rising, the GPO was the headquarters of the uprising’s leaders. The building was destroyed by fire during the rebellion and not repaired for many years.

National Leprechaun Museum

On Jervis Street in Dublin you’ll find the National Leprechaun Museum which is the first of its kind in the world.

Not meant to be taken too seriously it does however bring a sense of fun to Irish folklore and mythology because it is all about story telling – something for which the Irish people seem to have a natural gift.

Iveagh Gardens

Named after Lord Iveagh of the Guinness family, Iveagh Gardens is one of Dublin’s true hidden gems.

It’s a garden and exhibition space (usually for concerts) that is completely hidden by surrounding buildings making it quite difficult to find. However it’s quite near the hotel and we’ll be happy to show you how to get there.

Get Directions

GPS coordinates: Lat 53.339442° Lon -6.261306°

Public Transport

There is a regular bus service called “Aircoach”” departing from Dublin Airport every 15 minutes from 10 past the hour. The nearest stop to The Fitzwilliam Hotel is Grafton Street, near Trinity College which is a 10 minute stroll from the hotel. An adult ticket costs €7.00 per person or €14.00 p.p. return. Alternatively a taxi will cost approximately €30.00. The taxi rank is located outside Terminal 1 on the arrival level. Travel time is approximately 30 minutes.

Private Transport

We can arrange a transfer from Dublin Airport to The Fitzwilliam Hotel by private car and driver. There are a variety of vehicles available depending on the number of guests and quantity of luggage. For more details please contact our concierge team on enq@fitzwilliamhotel.com or 01 4787000

Private Parking

The 5 Star Fitzwilliam Hotel in Dublin offers secure parking for hotel residents. Valet parking is provided on a complimentary basis however, an overnight charge of €20.00 is applicable.