Whenever I mentioned that I was going to Ireland and was looking for things to do in Dublin, I was always told that I had to do the Guinness tour. Guinness is one of the first things people think of when you mention Dublin, but it’s just not for me. I don’t drink it and I didn’t fancy doing the tour when I have no interest in it. Fortunately, Ireland’s capital city has so many other things to offer. I spent two full days in the city and manage to pack a lot in!
Alternative things to do in Dublin
Dublin is very famous for its drinking culture – it’s a very popular destination for stag dos. While I was there, there was an Ireland vs Scotland football match in the city so there were a lot of drunk, rowdy Scotsmen around. As I was there on my own and I didn’t fancy going to any bars and drinking alone, I found plenty of other things to do.
Free walking tour
Whatever city I go to, I always try to see out a free walking tour. Not only does it kill a few hours of your day, but through the tours you will find other great things to do in Dublin. I booked a South Side walking tour through Yellow Umbrella Tours. The starting point of the tour was underneath the Spire (or the Stiffy on The Liffey) on the north side of the city which was easy to find with it being so huge. The tour lasted three hours and our guide James was born and bred in Dublin, so he had a great knowledge of the city. After starting off at the Spire, we crossed O’Connell Bridge and entered the south side of the city. The tour took us around Temple Bar, Trinity College, Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral before ending back in Temple Bar.
These tours are obviously free, but the guides make their money through tips. I believe that this is what makes the tours so good. The guides want to earn their tips so they’re always so helpful and informative. At the end of the tour I tipped James 10€ – what you give is completely up to you. The guides will accept cash but many also have card machines. Almost everybody on the tour gave a tip in cash. I was surprised to see a group of American tourists who tipped in US Dollars.
Kilmainham Gaol
One of the main places that I wanted to visit while I was in Dublin was Kilmainham Gaol. Kilmainham Gaol first opened in 1796 as the County Jail for Dublin. It held thousands of men, women and children who had been jailed for both common and political crimes. The political prisoners were involved in Ireland’s fight for independence beginning in 1916.
The only way you can visit the gaol is by booking onto a guided tour. It is best to do this in advance, however extra slots are added daily at 9:15am if there have been any cancellations; which is how I managed to get one. The gaol is situated 3.5km away from Dublin city centre and is easy to access via public transport. I took a bus from Aston Quay which is next to O’Connell bridge. The journey took around 15 minutes and cost 1.60€ each way.
The Purr cat café
We all know I can’t go anywhere without checking if they have a cat cafe. Obviously I booked The Purr as soon as I knew it existed! The Purr is a part of Phibsboro Cat Rescue and is located in the north of the city, a twenty minute walk from Temple Bar. Phibsboro Cat Rescue have rescued thousands of cats and kittens since 2014 and have created a space where you can enjoy the company of cats.
This cat café is unlike any that I have been to before. I paid 10€ for a half hour slot in the kitty viewing room. This is located next to the cats’ safe space which visitors are not permitted to enter. With this set up it means that the cats are able to approach you, but you can’t approach them, which is perfect for nervous rescues. While I was there I saw most of the resident cats and three of them came into the viewing room for a play. I didn’t manage to fuss any of them as they were so shy, but we did have fun with the toys that are provided.
I also pre-paid for a coffee and a cake which I had before I entered the viewing room. The café is completely vegan and had a few different cookies and cakes available.
Jamesons Distillery Tour
I might not like Guinness, but I do like whiskey! The Jameson Distillery was somewhere that I knew I wanted to visit ever since I first booked this trip back in 2019. I didn’t know what my itinerary would be like until I got to Dublin, so I waited for a rainy afternoon and booked the tour in that morning. The tour that I did was the cheapest which is the Bow Street Experience costing 25€. This 40 minute fully guided tour tells the story of Jameson and how the whiskey is produced. It includes a tasting of three different varieties of whiskey during the tour and a drink at JJ’s Bar.
The Bow St. Distillery is just a short walk out of the city centre, or it will cost you around 8€ in a taxi. If you have a spare hour and you like whiskey, then I would definitely recommend the tour. They also have a number of more expensive options including cocktail making classes which would be ideal for groups of friends.
