Three Days in the capital of Ireland, Dublin

Archaic, Georgian and modernist architecture provide the scenery for this busy port where various cultures intermingle in a diverse city of Dublin.

Dublin is the capital and the largest city of Republic of Ireland. Located on the east coast of Ireland, it overlooks Dublin Bay and is surrounded by Dublin County which is full of scenic villages by the sea and rolling mountains located 30 minutes away from the city centre.

If you visit Dublin, three days are enough to explore the whole city.
 
Day 1: Exploring the City Centre    
Start your day in the city on O’Connell Street which is the Europe’s widest street. Catch the Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour Bus for a 75 minutes ride of the whole city. There are various historical places to see. Begin with visiting the GPO (General Post Office) where the bullet holes from the Easter Rising of 1916 can still be found in the columns. In the middle of O’Connell Street stands the Europe’s tallest monument, the Spire. It is 120 meters high with a stainless steel surface and is shaped like a pin. The apex of the Spire gently sways with the wind to reflect the city’s climate.
 
From the O’Connell Street, head to the Dublin's most magnificent building, 18th-century Parliament House which now houses the Bank of Ireland. While taking the walk to the building, halt at 12 Westmoreland Street for a quick bite at Bewley's Oriental Café, which serves coffees and buns to Dubliners since 1842. The next is the polished Trinity College campus in the west. The first place to visit in the college is the Old Library to see the Long Room which is 65 meters in length. This library houses the Ireland's best art treasure, the Book of Kells, which is an illuminated manuscript containing the four Gospels in Latin, inscribed on prepared calfskin known as vellum.

After leaving the campus, walk west towards Grafton Street, the Dublin’s shopping hub. The open-air flower market is mesmerizing. After taking in the floral fragrances, head to the National Wax Museum in Temple Bar. Housed in 13,000 square feet and divided into four floors, the Museum has a children’s zone of discovery, a Green screen video room, a recording studio and wax character of various scientific inventors and celebrities.
 
From the museum, head south towards College Green and then Crown Alley which leads to the one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks, the Ha’penny Bridge. This bridge was built in 1816 by William Walsh. He was allowed to charge a half penny toll for 100 years to cover the building cost and that is where the name comes from.
 
Day 2 – Visiting the top tourist attractions
The Guinness Storehouse is Dublin’s number one tourist attraction. This massive building consists of 7 floors. The building has been remodeled to form a shape of giant pint of the world famous drink. The tourists and local residents love to hang out at the Gravity Bar with a complimentary pint of the Guinness.
 
After a fun time at the storehouse, head to the Bellevue and Crane Street to go to Cork Hill to visit the Dublin Castle. It was built in 13th century and functioned as a fortress. Currently, it is used for Presidential Inaugurations and State Receptions.

The next in line is Castle Dracula show in Westwood Gym for which you take a 4 minute walk to Central Bank and take a bus to Marino College Fairview. Another 3 minutes walk takes you to a place filled with magic, fear and fun. The Bram Stoker’s Castle Dracula is a 2 hours show which runs on Fridays at 7.30 pm. Van Helsing and Renfield take you through the tunnels, Gargoyle Courtyards, Bridges, Haunted Library and the only Graveyard Theatre in Ireland which runs a spectacular vampire show and a comedy show. Castle Dracula also has relics from the movies based on Dracula and the History of Bram Stoker, Pictures, Posters, Stories and Death Certificate. There is even a death bed of Bram Stoker with his hair locks.
 
Day 3 - A day to explore eccentric museums
Besides the National Museum of Natural History and National Gallery of Ireland, there are various other museums and galleries in Dublin worth visiting. On the opposite side of Grafton Street, the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions. The library has a vast collection of icons, prints, manuscripts and miniature paintings. It was also awarded as the European Museum of the Year 2002 and Irish Museum of the Year 2000.

Another interesting museum is Imaginosity, Dublin’s Children Museum in the Beacon South Quarter. It is a unique creative museum for children up to the age of 9. It has various sections for children to explore their interests including a Garage, Dr Apple-a-Day’s Surgery, Dublin Diner, the Theatre and the TV Station.