What to see

If you have any particular preferences regarding what to see in Dublin - let us know! you can submit your recommendation by using the 'contact us' form.

• St Stephen's Green
• The National Gallery
• Trinity College
• Iveagh Gardens
• Camden Street
• Rathmines Village
• Dunlaoghaire Harbour

Things to do, places to go:

St Stephen’s Green: This beautiful park, almost 350 years old, sits at the bottom of Grafton street, Dublin's premier shopping street. As soon as you enter St Stephen’s Green with it’s curved paths and beautiful pond, you can take an opportunity to just sit and watch the world walk by.

The National Gallery: Located on Merrion square The National Gallery is free to visitors. Everybody has their own favourites, amongst which are the beautiful Italian masterpieces - or of course the Irish paintings represented by the likes of Yeats, Lavery and Leech.

Trinity College: The famous Trinity College Dublin is a beautiful series of buildings located in the heart of Dublin, only 5 minutes stroll from Englishour. Housing the famous library with the Book of Kells, Trinity college offers an escape from the noise of the city centre where you feel you have been transported back in time. Also have a beer in the Pavillion bar as you watch cricket being played in front of you!

Iveagh gardens: Like a secret garden, the Iveagh gardens are located beside Hatch street in Dublin 2, approximately 15 minutes' walk from Englishour. Sunken lawns and exotic trees add to the idea that you are in a very special place indeed.

Camden street: A collection of interesting shops and cafes during the day and great pubs at night where you can hear live traditional and contemporary music, Camden street is a great street to while away an hour or two. It’s situated a couple of minutes from St Stephen’s green, 15 minutes from Englishour.

Moore street: A very multi-cultural market, Moore Street is where Dubliners buy their fruit and vegetables from the market stalls. Just around the corner is Henry Street, the largest shopping street in Dublin. Around the corner, of course, you can also see the GPO, the famous General Post Office where people meet ... and of course the Spire which sits proudly on O’Connell Street. Walk up Henry Street during the morning and see the sun reflected golden on the spire.

Rathmines: A famous town hall with a clock which looks a little like Big Ben, Rathmines is the ‘student’ area of Dublin. Charity shops and cafes and bars line the main thoroughfare which is guaranteed to interest any visitor to Dublin. Blackberry Fair, the weekend market is a fun place to browse through the bric-a-brac on sale there.

Dunlaoire harbour: Located in the south of Dublin, on the sea and accessible by the Dart train, Dunlaoire has two concrete piers, the east pier and the west pier. Walk along the east pier (it’ll take 40 minutes out and back) and then have the best ice cream in Dublin in Teddy’s shop, located to the left across the road. A great day out and good exercise too!

Howth harbour: This is the alternative to Dunlaoire located on the north coast. Howth forms a peninsula overlooking the city and you can walk along the peninsula and have a wonderful view of the entire city. Also, if you’re lucky you may very well see a few seals which are common in these waters.

Phoenix park: The largest walled park in Dublin (and the largest urban park in Europe!!) offers the visitor the chance to walk or run through a huge expanse of green and trees. It houses Dublin zoo, a great day out - as well as herds of deer which roam freely through the park. You can also see the Wellington monument as well as Aras an Uachtarain, the official residence of the President of Ireland.

Botanic gardens: Founded in 1795, the Botanic Gardens of Dublin house a wonderful collection of plants and trees in spectacular greenhouses. Located near Glasnevin cemetary (another intersting place to visit) it is a short bus ride form the city centre.

The Central Library, Ilac Centre: A great place to borrow a book, read the paper, use the internet, listen to music, study - the central library has a host of facilities and services. In the evenings there are language exchange meetings where people of different nationalities can meet Irish people and the conversation can be half in English and half in the other language. It’s great for learning and for socialising.

IFSC: The Irish Financial Services Centre is a modern development built during the Celtic Tiger years. Comprising apartments, shops and restaurants - all beside the River Liffey and close to the city centre, the IFSC provides another side of Dublin which is both beautiful and modern. A little further up the river Liffey lies the O2 venue where large concerts are regularly held.

Chester Beatty Library: Sir Alfred Chester Beatty was a well-travelled wealthy collector who left his collection of manuscripts, paintings, furniture and rare books to the Chester Beatty library. You can find it within the grounds of Dublin Castle and spend a very nice hour or two admiring beautiful objects from all over the world.

Grand Canal: Dublin has two canals, the Grand and the Royal. The Grand canal is to be found on the south side of the city centre. Try walking from Mount street, near Trinity College, along the Canal past Baggot street, Leeson street up to Portobello and Camden street. Along the way you will find statues, Dubliners relaxing and perhaps even a few swans you can feed!

Kilmainham Gaol: Many of our revolutionaries form 1916 were imprisioned by the British in Kilmainham gaol. Today of course the prison is empty but the memories prevail and can be felt by the visitor still. It is a poignant tour and will give the visitor a further understanding of Irish history and what makes Irish people tick.

Viking Splash Tour: A little expensive at €20 (€18 for students), the Viking Splash tour is fun. Drive through the streets of Dublin (and shout at passers by) and then the amphibious WWII vehicle will take you into the water and you can learn more interesting facts about Dublin from a perspective even Dubliners rarely see.

Dublin literary pub crawl: A tour which takes in pubs and places of historical interest, it is performed by two talented actors who will tell you stories and perform excerpts from famous Irish literature. Informing and entertaining this tour is best for higher level speakers of English.

Guinness Storehouse: With a wonderful panoramic view of Dublin from the glass-walled Gravity bar, we’ve included it here because we understand that any visitor to Dublin will feel compelled to visit the Guinness factory, although you won't actually see any Guinness produced on this trip.

Dublinia: This is a tour of medieval Dublin which is just across the road form the beautiful Christchurch cathedral. Walk down a medieval street and see how people lived in Dublin up to 1000 years ago. Its a little tacky, but it’s fun and great value too.