What to Do in Dublin with 48 Hours

The medieval city of Dublin is almost impossibly picturesque with its beautiful buildings surrounded by verdant landscapes, as only an Irish climate can provide. While it may be the largest city in Ireland, it’s certainly manageable for visitors with limited time and you can easily catch its highlights in just a couple of days. If you find yourself with a weekend in the Irish capital, here’s what to do with 48 hours in Dublin.

Quays pub and restaurant in Dublin, Ireland; Photo by mark_gusev/stock.adobe.com

TRY THESE TRADITIONAL DUBLIN FOODS & DUBLIN RESTAURANTS
The Dublin coddle may be the city’s namesake dish, but it’s not much more than sausage and potato stew so you don’t necessarily need to hunt one down. It’s definitely not a bad order, but you only have a handful of meals in town so you may want to consider some others, unless that sounds amazing to you. Meat eaters should consider a beef and Guinness pie—essentially a beef pot pie with a thick gravy made with Guinness, of course. Sheehan’s Pub offers one of the best in town. Pescatarians will prefer Dublin’s famous seafood chowder for a similarly hearty meal, and can find great bowls at The Winding Stair and Quays Irish Restaurant.

While potatoes actually originated in the Americas, few people are more famously tied to them than the Irish, and you should sample boxty, their famous potato pancakes, while in Dublin. Once a breakfast food, they’re now a suitable side or snack any time of day, and you’ll find entire restaurants devoted to them, like the cozy Gallagher’s Boxty House (not far from Quays, above). Finally, whether you tried beef and Guinness pie or not, a pint of Guinness is the must-have of any visit to Dublin, for those who imbibe. You can score a free self-pour at the end of a Guinness Storehouse tour (along with a stellar view of the city), or grab one at nearly any pub in the Dublin.

The National Museum of Ireland; Photo by Anton Ivanov Photo/stock.adobe.com

VISIT SOME OF THE TOP DUBLIN MUSEUMS
The National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology and National Gallery of Ireland are Dublin’s heavy-hitter institutions for traditional museum-goers looking for scores of antiquities and framed masterpieces. If you’d rather check out something a little different, though, consider some of Dublin’s more unique museum experiences. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is an interactive, tech-forward experience exploring the Irish diaspora that has been voted the top attraction in Europe multiple times, and provides a unique take on what it means to be Irish, globally.

The Little Museum of Dublin, on the other hand, presents a slice of historic Dublin life inside an 18th-century townhouse with 29-minute tours as humorous as they are insightful. And, not that we’re stereotyping the Irish, but what would a visit to Dublin be without a visit to the Irish Whiskey Museum, which explores the history and relationship of the spirit to Ireland’s past? Yes, it includes a tasting at the end.

St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland; Photo by dudlajzov/stock.adobe.com

SNAP PHOTOS AT DUBLIN’S CAN’T MISS SIGHTS
St Patrick’s Cathedral is certainly among the most recognizable landmarks of Dublin, and it’s just as lovely inside as out, so consider a free guided tour for even more photo opps. Trinity College is home to one of the most stunning libraries you’ll ever encounter, and also to the famed Book of Kells, both of which you can visit with a single, inexpensive ticket. Note that you cannot photograph the Book of Kells, even without flash, but the Old Library is fair game.

And don’t miss Ha’penny Bridge, a charming pedestrian passing of arched iron and wood that once cost half a penny to cross (hence the name) and remains as quaint today, equally picturesque by both day and night.

The Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland; Photo by mark_gusev/stock.adobe.com

STROLL THROUGH SOME OF DUBLIN’S COOLEST NEIGHBORHOODS
Chief among Dublin’s must-explore neighborhoods is lively Temple Bar, where both locals and tourists gather by day for food and book markets, and by evening for nightlife. Across the river and to the west, Stoneybatter is the city’s trendiest neighborhood, packed with café’s, shops, and studios beckoning those looking for the buzziest businesses. Roughly halfway between the two you’ll find The Liberties, where many of Dublin’s distilleries now call home, along with some popular spots for a pint and a bite.

EXCEPTIONAL DUBLIN HOTELS
The Shelbourne is a historic property, now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection for distinctive, luxury hotels, and provides a 5-star stay overlooking St. Stephen’s Green in the city center. If top luxury is less important to you, The Morrison Dublin is a Curio Collection property from Hilton, offering toned-down pampering for less in a fun neighborhood that’s still convenient to top attractions.