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Three Days Around Dublin

This itinerary is aimed at those who have just a few days to spend touring Ireland and want to include Dublin. It could equally be used, prehaps with others of our Three Day itineraries, as part of a longer trip.

While it would be easy, and enjoyable, to spend all three days in the city, this tour includes two very different days touring places within a relatively easy drive of the city.

We put the day in Dublin first, because we highly recommend that you do not rent a car until the morning of the second day - you absolutely do not need one in the city.

In fact if you don't want to rent a car at all, Three Days Around Dublin is still very doable. Bus Eireann run a daily bus tour to Newgrange, which takes in much of our recommended itinerary for Day 2, and you could replace Day 3 of this tour with their day trip to Wicklow.

Those driving can opt to add a fourth day, or replace one of these suggested days, with our Wicklow Tour Itinerary.

 

Drag the map, zoom in and click markers for more information.

Day 1: Dublin

On the first day, stick to Dublin City (A), where you can easily tailor the day to your own interests.

For most people this will mean visiting a selection of the major sites, including Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Christchurch and St Patrick's Cathedral.

For this sort of general look around we highly recommend you buy a ticket for one of the hop-on hop-off buses (you'll see them and can board anywhere) that travel in a circular route around the major sites and provide a good commentary while you are on board.

Other places you might include on your route are the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Goal and the various museums and galleries.

Garden lovers could easily visit several gardens in one day, but the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin would be especially enjoyable.

If you are travelling with kids consider the Viking Splash tour, which is partly on the River Liffey in an amphipious vehicle and is great raucous fun.

Dublin at Night

Traditional Dublin PubPhoto: janetmckSince this tour is based in Dublin, you will have two or three nights to enjoy what the city offers. Dublin has no shortage of evening activities, with theatre, cinema, music, night clubs and other entertainment in abundance. The best site to check for current events is InDublin, but you will also find events guides in most daily newspapers.

We recommend that you spend one evening in a traditional Dublin Pub. Try Mulligans in Poolbeg St for the best chat, especially about sport, Neary's just off Grafton St for a great pint or Guinness in convivial company, The Brazen Head (though it will be mainly tourists in Summer) for traditional music or Doheny and Nesbitts on Baggot St to mix with a who's who in Irish public life.

For recommended places to eat, suitable for all budgets, see our Eating Out in Dublin page.

Day 2: Kildare Tour

Distance: ~ 75 miles or 120 km. Duration: 1 full day

This is a varied day and includes several suggested detours that will be of interest to some people only.

The first stop in the morning is at Castletown House (B) in Celbridge, a wonderful Palladian Mansion built by William Connolly, then Speaker of the House of Parliament, starting in 1722. He spared no expense in its construction, and it is both enormous and very beautiful, though sadly much of the once great estate that surrounded it has now been developed for housing. Don't miss the tour, and especially look out for the print room, decorated by Lady Louisa Connolly, is the only remaining example in Ireland of a style that was very fashionable at the time, and for Connolly's Folly in the grounds.

Some people may wish to make a short detour after their visit to Castletown to nearby Straffan (C) where there is an interesting Steam Museum with a fascinating collection of models of steam-powered machines, or the nearby Butterfly Farm which is a particular favourite with kids.

Another stop which will only interest some is Newbridge Silverware Showrooms and the Style Icons Museum (D). As well as a chance to do some shopping, there is an interesting history of the silverware produced here and the Style Icons part has signature pieces from Ireland's most notable fashion designers and clothes and other items associated with some legendary movie stars, including Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis and Vivien Leigh.

The next stop is a must for everyone - The Irish National Stud and Gardens (E). Kildare, and indeed Ireland, is famous for the racehorses it produces and on a fascinating guided tour of the stud you will see the stallions that father many of them, and mares and foals too if you are there early in the year.

There are two gardens to explore. The Japanese Garden has lush and exotic planting and the route through it symbolically follow a life, with all its up and downs, challenges and tragedies, in a most fascinating manner. The newer St Fiachra's Garden (he's the patron saint of Gardeners) is a water and rock garden with a monastic cell at its centre and is a peaceful and contemplative place.

A brief stop in Kildare town to see St Bridgid's Cathedral & Round Tower (F) is worthwhile. There has been a religious settlement here since 480AD and as well as the round tower there is part of an ancient high cross in the grounds.

A detour worth making if time permits is to the Bog of Allen Centre (G) in Lullymore. Bogs have a very special place in Irish history and the life of Irish people, providing valuable fuel and the centre here tells the story of the history of bogs and peat over the ages and of the unique flora and fauna associated with these environmentally important areas.

The return journey to Dublin is basically a straight drive up the motorway, but with one highly recommended stop. This is at the Avoca Shop (H) at Rathcoole (look out for the exit, which is the next one after the exit for Kill), a really terrific place to shop for gifts - especially ones for you! - and with a fantastic restaurant and a less expensive cafe, at either of which we recommend you enjoy an early dinner before returning to Dublin.

Day 2: Historic Co Meath

Distance: ~90 mile (145km) depending on detours. Duration: One very full day.

You'll need to make an early start to-day, for a journey that will take back to the furthest reaches of Ireland's past

The first stop is the Hill of Tara (I), a place where myth, legend and history collide and with a story that stretches back to the stone age. It was the seat of the ancient High Kings of Ireland as well as home to druids and warriors, gods and goddesses, and continues to be a centre much revered by many people to-day.

Dropping into the Visitor Centre is a must - it's quite hard to make sense of the place without some guidance. Among the highlights are the Mound of the Hostages, a megalithic tomb dating back to between 2500 B.C. and 3000 B.C., and a standing stone, the Lia Fáil or 'Stone of Destiny', which legend has it would roar approval upon the inauguration of a worthy high king.

An optiona detour to Kells (J) is only recommended off-season, since it's important to arrive early at the following stop during the busy times of the year. However the five high crosses in Kells, with their biblical scenes and Celtic patterns, are worth seeing, in particular the Market Cross. Kells is built on the site of an ancient monastic settlement, and was of course where the elaborately decorated Book of Kells, now in the library at Trinity College in Dublin, was largely created.

Take a brief stop at the village of Slane (K), a pretty planned town perched on a hill overlooking the River Boyne, whose impressive castle is regularly the venue for rock concerts.

Look out for the four almost identical Georgian houses on the crossroad at the centre of the village - the story goes that William Conyngham (Earl of Slane, whose descendants still live at the castle) had four sisters who didn't get on and that he built a house for each, positioned where they could keep an eye on each other.

The next stop is the main attraction of to-day's tour, Brú na Bóinne (L), the center from where you can visit the ancient sites of Newgrange and Knowth.

Newgrange (more here) is a site of a mound containing a structure older than the Pyramids, possibly a tomb, which is most famous for its astronomical alignment. Each year on morning of the 21st or 22nd of December, the winter solstice, the rising sun shines through the roof box at the entrance and illuminates the inner chamber. The tour of the mound demonstrates this remarkable phenomenon and you can enter a draw for tickets to actually attend at the solstice and see it in person.

There are also tours to another megalithic site, Knowth, and if you have time it's worth doing both. This site is especially noted for its stone carvings and is one of Europe's most important locations for the study of Neolithic art.

It's important to arrive reasonably early at Brú na Bóinne since the tours are all guided, numbers are limited and they can book out. This is especially so in high season, but even at other times we recommend you try to be there before lunchtime.

The Battle of the Boyne Site (M) has recently been developed with a visitor centre which opened in 2008. Although I have yet to visit it myself the word is that it's surprisingly good - given that the site is essentially just open country by a river!

The famous battle, which took place on 1st July 1690, was fought between James II, deposed Catholic King of England, against his nephew and son-in-law, William of Orange, who sat on the English throne as Protestant Monarch. William won. Discussion of the battle can still become heated to-day, because of its consequence for Irish history and of what it stands for - continuing differences of opinion between Catholics and Protestants and the whole issue of the division of Ireland North and South.

One the way back to Dublin, in the unlikely event that you have time, consider stopping off at one of two castles, each with very impressive gardens.

Ardgillan Castle and Demesne (N) in Balbriggan has tours available of the ground floor rooms and kitchen while upstairs there is a fascinating collection of old colour maps and historic drawings.

The grounds outside have lovely walks, with woodland areas which are especially pleasant. There are three gardens, the rose garden, the Victorian conservatory and a walled kitchen garden which has the unusual feature of twenty alcoves, designed for growing more tender plants.

Malahide Castle (O) could easily fill the best part of a day, so you will only scratch the surface here. Aside from the castle itself, of which tours are available, there are beautiful grounds and gardens to explore, a fabulous dolls house, Tara's Palace, and also the Fry Model Railway, a collection of handmade models of Irish trains, from the beginning of rail travel to modern times.

 

 

More info for Dublin Based Tours

If you have more time or wish to spend longer in Dublin, take a look at our Walk around Joyce's Dublin, which takes a full day and includes lots of sights that will be of interest even to those who don't care about James Joyce. There are also some brief suggestions for itineraries for anyone who has a Dublin Pass. If you are spending 2-3 days in the city a Dublin Pass may be worth considering - but do read the advice on the page above first, it definitely isn't value for everyone.

The links below lead to more information about some of the places featured above, or to other places or activities you may enjoy while based in the Dublin area.

National Aquatic Centre | Dublin Zoo | Imaginosity | Casino Marino | Kilmainham Gaol | The Hugh Lane Gallery | Trinity College & The Book of Kells | Dublin Castle | Phoenix Park | Royal Dublin | National Gallery of Ireland | The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) | National Print Museum | Museum of the Decorative Arts | National Museum of Ireland (Archeology & History) | Museum of Natural History | The Guinness Storehouse | Calliaghstown Riding Centre | The Dillon Garden | The Island Golf Club | Portmarnock Golf Course |

Where to Stay

Read independent reviews of hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs and other recommended accommodation in the general area of this tour.

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