How to spend a weekend in Dublin beyond the tourist traps

Dublin may be known as a party town, but to come to Ireland’s capital and focus only on the nightlife would be a waste. This is a city where you can plot a whole weekend around gallery and museum hopping, or simply follow your nose to discover side streets filled with independent boutiques and historical sights hiding in plain view.  

That doesn’t mean you should skip the big hitters, though – places like the Book of Kells and the Guinness Storehouse are popular but with very good reason. And when you look beyond the tourist traps of Temple Bar, there’s a huge array of hipster cafes, natural wine bars and top notch restaurants, where food-obsessed Dubliners gather over sharing plates and glasses of pet nat. And when you need a moment of calm, you can chill out in one of the city’s pretty parks for a breather among rose gardens and duck-filled ponds.

For further Dublin inspiration, see our guides to the city’s best hotels, restaurants, nightlife, attractions and things to do for free.

• How to spend your weekend
• Insider tips
• When should I visit Dublin?
• Where to stay in Dublin
• How to get there
• What to bring home
• Essential information

Kick things off with a walk around Stephen’s Green, the handsome park at the centre of the city. It’s at its quietest first thing in the morning, so stroll around the border, pausing at the statues and information panels, before heading to the main pond, where the native seagulls have learned how to disguise themselves as ducks in order to get fed (seriously).

Afterwards, walk along Kevin Street towards Marsh’s Library, an 18th century treasure with reading cages in the back and books with bullet holes in their leatherbound spines, the product of rogue gunfire during the 1916 Easter Rising. Then cross over Patrick Street and head into Two Pups for a brunch of Mexican eggs on a black bean stew, or avocado toast drizzled with their homemade hot sauce.

When you’ve had your fill, get a coffee to go and walk up Francis Street, window shopping in the antique shops as you pass. Then set off on the 20 minute stroll to the Guinness Storehouse for a rapid fire introduction to the world famous stout. Each of the seven floors tell a different part of the story, the best (and most nostalgic) being the area dedicated to the classic TV ads from decades past, the walls emblazoned with video of horses ploughing through the waves, or the words “tick followed tock” on clocks on the atrium. Your tour includes a pint at the Gravity Bar, with great views over the city’s low skyline and out to the Dublin Mountains, on a clear day.

If you manage to snag a reservation, walk back along Thomas Street for dinner in Variety Jones, a Michelin-starred carnivore’s dream, with hunks of meat cooked over the coals and served up alongside tasting morsels like octopus tempura and oysters spiked with Vietnamese dressing.

After all that, it’s time to sample a bit of good old fashioned Dublin nightlife. For an introduction to an Irish trad session, cross over the river and head to The Cobblestone in Smithfield – they take their music seriously, but it’s a great immersion into the scene. For something a little more modern, Fidelity is a Smithfield bar set up for proper music nerds, who appreciate state of the art speakers and DJs spinning vinyl. Or forgo the music entirely and go for a nightcap in the cocktail joint Bar 1661, for a poitín margarita or their potent take on a classic Irish coffee.

Dublin doesn’t rise early, particularly on a weekend. So take advantage of the peace and head off for an amble around Merrion Square, a Georgian park filled with flowers and surrounded by townhouses. The one on the north-west corner was the childhood home of Oscar Wilde, so take a self-guided tour of the house, where you’ll learn all about his days as a boisterous student in the nearby Trinity College.

The National Gallery is just a two-minute walk from the front door, so pop in when you’re finished. However busy the city is outside, there’s always a sense of calm inside this 19th-century building – unless you’re crowding around Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ, that is. Don’t miss the small wing dedicated to the Impressionists, either. If you have the time, pop into the nearby National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology to look at Ireland’s ancient gold and mummified bog bodies.

Walk for 10 minutes to the other side of Grafton Street, and get a cheese toastie at Loose Canon (and a glass of wine, if you’re in the mood). A few streets away is the Powerscourt Centre, a grand townhouse that’s now home to some of the best independent boutiques in Dublin – enter through the doorway on William Street South, so you walk through the fragrant floral displays in The Garden before getting the best view of the epic atrium.

In the late afternoon, walk to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and the impressive Long Room, a 300-year-old library with a striking vaulted ceiling. And don’t miss the new Book of Kells Experience, a multi-media exhibition that tells the story of the ancient manuscript and the library itself through immersive video. It sounds gimmicky, but is genuinely impressive.

Stroll back towards Stephen’s Green for dinner at Etto, a teeny bistro that’s popular with Dublin’s off-duty chefs (though it’s closed on Sundays). Be sure to bring an appetite – the golden globes of croquetas and scamorza suppli are more filling than they look, and you’ll want to save room for a giant platter of rare côte de boeuf and crispy roast potatoes. Afterwards, pop next door to O’Donoghue’s for a pint of Guinness with a side of toe-tapping trad music – it would be rude not to.

If you’re staying centrally, you probably won’t need to use public transport. But if you do, buy a LEAP card when you arrive – buses, trams and trains don’t accept contactless payments, and fares with a Leap card are a third cheaper than cash.

Book your tickets in advance online for the Book of Kells Experience, as it often sells out. It can also get very crowded during the summer and at weekends, so book one of the time slots in the later afternoon to see it with fewer elbow jostlers at your side.

The Liberties is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city, and is where you’ll find fragments of the old city walls as well as cool brunch spots, coffee shops and a healthy number of whiskey distilleries. This area used to be the distilling capital of the world, and these newer iterations have led the local industry’s resurgence.

The remains of St Valentine are kept in a shrine in Whitefriar Street Church on Aungier Street. You’ll find the relic beneath a statue of the man himself, in a shrine that also contains a vial of his blood. Every year on Valentine’s Day, couples head to the church for a blessing of their rings.

It’s rare that a Dublin summer is truly glorious, weather wise. Instead, head to the city in April and May, when the parks are filled with blossoming trees and people lounging on the grass.

There’s also a charm to the city when the temperatures dip from September to November – the leaves in Stephen’s Green start to turn, as do the thick layers of ivy on the surrounding townhouses, which morph into autumnal hues on the Georgian walls.

The signature red-brick Victorian facade of The Shelbourne Dublin has glowed on the northern side of St Stephen’s Green since 1824. Think five-star elegance: the main bar is a popular fixture on the city’s social scene, while afternoon tea in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge is something of a Dublin tradition.

Looking for a comfortable and distinctive alternative to staying in a large hotel? Number 31 is the answer: a guesthouse boasting a highly distinctive modernist mews at the back and a handsome Georgian townhouse, complete with original fittings, at the front. It’s a unique combination.

A handsome and beautifully refurbished guesthouse with views north to St Stephen’s Green and south across the Iveagh Gardens, Stauntons on the Green offers a pleasant change from a hotel. The best of both worlds here: excellent accommodation amid a cosy, intimate surroundings – and all this in the very centre of Dublin.

Dublin Airport is approximately a 30-minute drive to the city centre, less if you’re staying in the Northside. It’s served by Ryanair, Aer Lingus, British Airways and most major airlines. There’s no train into the city, but two direct bus services, Aircoach and Dublin Express, which leave from both terminals and serve numerous locations in the city.

If you’re staying in town, there’s no point in renting a car – parking is expensive and the city is easily explored on foot.

Skip the ‘Oirish’ Aran knits in the gift shops and head to Stable of Ireland, a boutique selling silky soft Irish linen scarves and Donegal jumpers, in natural, earthy shades. 

Harry’s Nut Butter was created in hipster favourite the Fumbally Café, and is now the go-to condiment you’ll find in many a Dublin kitchen. The original blend is made with smoked paprika, for a spicy kick.

• British Embassy: +353 1 205 3700
• Tourist office: 3 Palace Street, Barnardo Square, Dublin 2, D02 T277, visitdublin.com 
• Emergency services: Dial 999 or 112

• Currency: Euro
• Time difference: Zero
• Travel time from London: 80 minutes by plane, 8-9 hours by car and ferry

Originally from Sussex, Nicola Brady went on holiday to Ireland 16 years ago and never came back. She’s now based in Dublin, where she spends her time either eating or planning her next meal.