A Dublin native has shared a three-day itinerary for showing friends around the city, moving beyond pub crawls to include revolutionary history, coastal walks and world-class music. The guide, written by consultant travel editor Alice Murphy, covers everything from a graveyard tour and a legendary Guinness pub to cliff walks and a Pakistani-Indian fusion restaurant.
Day one: History, a famous pint and the coast
The suggested trip begins at Glasnevin Cemetery on the city's north side, a 20-minute drive from the airport. A walking tour (€17 per person) takes in the final resting places of figures including Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, Maud Gonne and Brendan Behan. Next door, the Botanic Gardens offer free entry and restored glasshouses.
Back through the cemetery, John Kavanagh's The Gravediggers, a pub since 1833, is said to serve the best Guinness in Dublin. It has no music or TV, and offers dishes such as black pudding croquettes, Dublin Bay prawns and coddle. Anthony Bourdain's signed guest book reads: 'Heaven looks just like this.'
From there, a walk on Bull Island at Clontarf seafront is recommended, with a year-round swimming spot opposite the Poolbeg Chimneys. Coffee is available at Happy Out or Kennedy's, or wine at Cooper's. Dinner is at Grano, a northside Italian that The Irish Times called the 'restaurant that stole Dublin's heart', followed by trad music at The Cobblestone. The suggested overnight stay is The Shelbourne, a five-star hotel with standard rooms from €731 per night.
Day two: Cycling, cathedrals and a literary pub
The second day starts with a walk around St Stephen's Green, then a DublinBike cycle to Scéal bakery in Portobello for almond croissants. A detour to The Liberties takes in St Patrick's Cathedral, the old city walls and antique shops on Francis Street. The Guinness Storehouse is worth a visit but not more than once, the writer says, preferring Fallons, a pub dating to 1619.
Afternoon stops include Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, believed to date to around 800AD, and lunch at Caribou, known for its roast beef sandwich with melted provolone, caramelised onions and dipping gravy. Time permitting, Croke Park hosts Gaelic football or hurling, a 3,000-year-old sport often called the fastest game on grass. Dinner is at Bar Pez, a tapas bar with crab and an award-winning wine list, followed by a gig at Vicar Street or Flannery's. Nightcaps are suggested at The Long Hall, The Brazen Head or The Palace Bar.
Day three: Swimming, islands and a sauna
The final day takes the DART rail service south to Dún Laoghaire, with a base at Haddington House, a former Victorian schoolhouse. The Adelaide Suite costs €455 per night, or €195 for a cosy double. Activities include a swim at the Forty Foot, a sauna at Sandycove Sauna by the Sea (€15 for half an hour), and lunch from ThymeOut deli in Dalkey.
Visitors can rent a kayak at Colliemore Harbour or take a short ferry to Dalkey Island, 300 metres offshore, which shows evidence of Neolithic occupation. Dinner is at Daata, a Pakistani-Indian fusion restaurant in Glasthule village, before retiring to the hotel's cocktail bar for a Two Queens and a good night – or 'oíche mhaith' in Irish.
