Country guide
Ireland here means the state covering 26 of the island's 32 counties; the other six are Northern Ireland, and the two share the republic's only land border. Abo...
Photograph · Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Ireland here means the state covering 26 of the island's 32 counties; the other six are Northern Ireland, and the two share the republic's only land border. About 5.4 million people live in the 26, more than 1.5 million of them in Dublin on the east coast, where most arrivals begin. Everything else is a direction away from the capital - the Atlantic west and its cliffs and harbour towns, the Celtic Sea to the south beyond Cork, the Irish Sea coast running north. The island is small enough to cross by car in a day, which regularly tempts people into trying it.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
The James Joyce Centre
The James Joyce Centre is a museum and cultural institution in Dublin dedicated to the life and works of James Joyce, one of Ireland's most celebrated writers.
14 Henrietta Street museum
14 Henrietta Street museum is a historic house museum located on one of Dublin's finest Georgian streets. The building preserves a remarkable record of urban domestic life spanning multiple centuries.
The National Library of Ireland is a cultural institution on Kildare Street in Dublin. It serves as the country's principal repository for Irish documentary heritage, holding extensive collections of books, manuscripts, newspapers, and visual materials.
Marsh’s Library is an early eighteenth-century library beside St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. Archbishop Narcissus Marsh founded it as the first public library in Ireland, intended to provide a place of study for anyone able to read.
Dublin City Hall
Dublin City Hall is a civic building on Dame Street in Dublin, Ireland. Built in the late 18th century, it originally served as the Royal Exchange before becoming the seat of Dublin Corporation.
Garden Of Remembrance
The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial garden in Dublin dedicated to those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom.
The Irish National War Memorial Gardens are a commemorative landscape in Dublin, Ireland. Dedicated to the memory of Irish soldiers who died in the First World War, the gardens serve as a national monument.
The Gaiety Theatre is a historic theatre located on South King Street in Dublin, Ireland. Established in the 19th century, it stands as one of the city's prominent Victorian-era theatrical venues.
The National Concert Hall is Ireland's principal national venue for classical music and other live performances. Located in Dublin, it occupies a building that was formerly part of University College Dublin.
Custom House stands on Dublin's north quays as a neoclassical landmark designed by James Gandon and completed in 1791. The building served as the headquarters for collecting customs duties during Dublin's mercantile ascendancy.
The Dublin Writers Museum celebrates Irish literary heritage in a Georgian townhouse on Parnell Square. Established in 1991, it occupies two restored eighteenth-century houses with period interiors.
The Garda Museum is a museum in Dublin dedicated to the history of An Garda Síochána, the national police service of Ireland.
The Irish Jewish Museum occupies a former synagogue in Dublin's Portobello area, traditionally known as Little Jerusalem.
The National Print Museum in Dublin preserves Ireland's printing heritage. Housed in the former Garrison Chapel of Beggars Bush Barracks, the museum documents the craft of letterpress printing and associated trades.
Saint Patrick's Park
Saint Patrick's Park is a public park situated adjacent to St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. The green space provides a setting for the historic cathedral and serves as a recreational area for visitors and residents.
The National Leprechaun Museum is a visitor attraction in Dublin dedicated to Irish folklore and mythology, with particular emphasis on leprechaun legends.
Ashtown Castle is a tower house located within the grounds of the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland. The structure represents a surviving example of medieval defensive architecture, characteristic of Irish tower houses built during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Castleknock Castle is a historic structure located in the Castleknock area of Dublin, Ireland. The castle stands as a remnant of medieval fortification within the broader Dublin region.
Drimnagh Castle is a Norman castle located in the Drimnagh suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is the only remaining castle in Ireland still surrounded by a flooded moat.
The Abbey Theatre is a theatre located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the national theatre of Ireland and one of the country's most prominent cultural institutions.
Grange Abbey is a historic religious site in Dublin, Ireland, connected with the country’s long ecclesiastical heritage. The place contributes to Dublin’s layered historical landscape and offers travelers an opportunity to encounter a site associated with medieval monastic settlement patterns.
Magazine Fort is an eighteenth-century military fortification in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. The building served as a storage facility for gunpowder and ammunition, which explains its name and its defensive design.
Dunsink Observatory is an astronomical observatory situated in the northern suburbs of Dublin, Ireland. Established in the eighteenth century, it holds historical significance as one of the oldest scientific institutions in the country.
Teeling Whiskey Company
Teeling Distillery is a working whiskey distillery and visitor attraction in Dublin. It connects contemporary Irish whiskey production with the city's long distilling tradition, giving travelers a chance to encounter whiskey making in an active production setting.
Belcamp Park is a public park in Dublin’s northern suburbs, serving as open green space for nearby residential communities. The park offers an urban setting for outdoor recreation, walking and time away from built-up streets.
Seven to ten days supports Dublin plus one coherent coastal or western circuit. A shorter trip should choose either the southwest, Galway and Connemara, or Northern Ireland connections rather than tracing the entire island.
Irish Immigration explains the documents examined at the border. Visa need, passport validity and supporting evidence depend on nationality; Ireland is not part of Schengen, so a Schengen permission alone does not settle Irish entry.
Dublin is the largest air gateway, with Shannon and Cork useful for western and southern routes. Intercity rail and coach links serve the main cities, while rural peninsulas and small settlements often require a car or planned bus connection.
May to September offers longer daylight for road and coastal itineraries. Rain and wind remain possible throughout the year, so ferry crossings and exposed walks need a current forecast rather than a seasonal assumption.
Ireland uses the euro (EUR). The cited national tourism source does not record a universal payment rule; confirm card acceptance for rural transport, small accommodation and deposits, and retain an alternative.
Emergency services in Ireland answer 112 or 999. Type G sockets use 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.
