Dublin + Wicklow & the Cliffs of Moher 5-Day

Activities

1. 10:00 Arrive at Dublin Airport (DUB) + transfer to the city 1h30

   After immigration and bags, there's no airport rail link — take the Airlink Express or Aircoach bus to the city center (30-45 min, €7-9) or a taxi (€25-35, 25-40 min). The airport is about 10km north of the center.

   Cost: Bus €7-9 or taxi €25-35 TIP: Buy bus tickets online or tap contactless to skip queues. Allow extra time in rush hour. Avoid the yellow Euronet ATMs and airport exchange desks — use a bank ATM or a Wise/Revolut card. Ireland uses the euro and Type G (UK-style) plugs.
2. 12:00 Hotel check-in + lunch near Grafton Street 1h30

   Check in (or drop bags) at a hotel south of the Liffey near Grafton Street or St Stephen's Green, then lunch — a pub toastie and soup, or fresh plates at Cornucopia or Queen of Tarts (€12-18).

   Cost: Lunch €12-18 TIP: Staying south of the Liffey keeps you walkable to nearly everything. Cards and Apple Pay work everywhere. Bring genuinely waterproof shoes — cobblestones plus showers are the reality year-round.
3. 14:00 Trinity College + the Book of Kells & Long Room 1h30

   Ireland's oldest university (founded 1592). The Book of Kells Experience (timed entry, ~€18-25) shows the 9th-century illuminated manuscript and the magnificent barrel-vaulted Long Room library. Wandering the campus itself is free.

   Cost: Book of Kells ~€18-25 TIP: Book online in advance — it's timed-entry and very popular; early or late slots are quietest. The Long Room periodically undergoes conservation work, so check current display details when booking. The campus is a lovely free stroll in the heart of the city.
4. 16:00 Grafton Street + Dublin Castle 1h30

   Stroll Grafton Street (Dublin's main pedestrian shopping street, full of buskers), then visit Dublin Castle (state apartments, courtyards) and the free Chester Beatty library beside it — a world-class manuscript and art collection.

   Cost: Castle ~€8; Chester Beatty free TIP: The Chester Beatty is one of Dublin's best free attractions — don't miss it. Grafton Street's buskers are part of the city's character. Dublin Castle's grounds are free to walk even if you skip the paid state apartments.
5. 18:00 Temple Bar walk + early dinner 1h30

   Wander Temple Bar's cobbled lanes, then an early dinner of traditional Irish food — boxty and stew at Gallagher's Boxty House, or fish and chips and oysters at Klaw (€16-30).

   Cost: Dinner €16-30 TIP: Temple Bar is fun but touristy and pricey — eat smart (Klaw's oyster happy hour is good value) and save serious drinking for better pubs nearby. It gets rowdy with stag/hen parties on weekend nights. Mind your bag and phone in the crowds.
6. 20:00 Trad music + a pint in a historic pub 2h

   End the night with live traditional Irish music and a pint of Guinness — The Brazen Head (Ireland's oldest pub, est. 1198) has nightly sessions, or head to Mulligan's or Kehoe's for one of the city's best pours.

   Cost: Pints €6.50-8.50 each TIP: A perfect pint of Guinness genuinely tastes better in Dublin. Mulligan's (since 1854) and Kehoe's (since 1803) are atmospheric, conversation-first pubs. Remember the 'rounds' custom in a group. Pace yourself — Irish hospitality adds up.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 Guinness Storehouse + Gravity Bar 2h

   Dublin's #1 attraction at St James's Gate — a self-guided seven-floor experience of the Guinness story, ending at the rooftop Gravity Bar with a 360° city view and your included pint (€26-36, dynamic pricing). A short Luas Red Line ride or 25-min walk from the center.

   Cost: Entry €26-36 TIP: Buy online in advance — dynamic pricing means early-morning slots are cheapest and least crowded. The Gravity Bar pint with the panoramic view is the payoff. Commercial but a Dublin rite of passage. Allow 1.5-2 hours; there are cafés inside for a snack.
2. 12:00 Lunch in the Liberties + walk to Kilmainham 1h30

   A casual lunch in the Liberties neighborhood near the brewery — a pub or café — then head west toward Kilmainham (a short walk, bus, or Luas).

   Cost: Lunch €12-18 TIP: The Liberties is an old working-class quarter being revived with new distilleries and cafés — worth a quick wander. Keep your timed Kilmainham slot in mind; don't linger too long over lunch.
3. 14:00 Kilmainham Gaol — 1916 Rising history 1h30

   A guided tour of the former prison where leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were held and executed — one of Dublin's most powerful and important historic sites, central to modern Irish independence. Admission €8.

   Cost: €8 TIP: Crucial: the cheap OPW tickets are released online a few weeks ahead and sell out fast — book the moment you can. It's guided-tour only and timed. A sobering, essential stop for understanding Ireland. West of the center via Luas Red Line or bus.
4. 16:30 St Patrick's & Christ Church Cathedrals 1h30

   Dublin's two great medieval cathedrals — St Patrick's (Ireland's largest, linked to Jonathan Swift) and Christ Church (with its atmospheric crypt) — a short walk apart back toward the center (entry ~€8-11 each).

   Cost: ~€8-11 each TIP: If choosing one, St Patrick's is the grander; Christ Church has the more interesting crypt and the famous mummified 'cat and rat.' You can admire both from outside for free. Leo Burdock's classic chipper is right by Christ Church for a snack.
5. 19:00 Dinner + a pint in a real Dublin pub 2h30

   Dinner of modern Irish at The Winding Stair (over the Liffey by the Ha'penny Bridge) or hearty Irish stew and coddle at The Hairy Lemon, then a pint at a historic pub like Mulligan's or Kehoe's.

   Cost: Dinner €25-55 + pints TIP: The Winding Stair has some of the best Liffey views in the city — book ahead for a window seat. After dinner, a slow pint in an old pub beats the Temple Bar prices. Tip ~10-12.5% in restaurants if no service charge is on the bill.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Depart on a Glendalough & Wicklow tour 1h30

   Pick up a half- or full-day guided tour from the city center (around €30-40), or take the seasonal St Kevin's Bus. The road climbs south into the Wicklow Mountains, 'the Garden of Ireland,' past lakes and bogland.

   Cost: Tour €30-40 TIP: Public transport to Wicklow is limited, so a guided tour or St Kevin's Bus is the practical choice. Sit on the left going out for the best mountain views. Bring a waterproof and good shoes — the weather turns fast in the mountains.
2. 10:30 Glendalough monastic site + round tower 1h30

   An early-medieval monastery founded by St Kevin in the 6th century, set in a glacial valley of two lakes — a remarkably preserved round tower, ruined churches, and Celtic crosses. A small visitor centre explains the history (~€5).

   Cost: Visitor centre ~€5 TIP: One of Ireland's most atmospheric historic sites — the round tower and the Upper Lake are the iconic views. Easy walking trails of varying length loop the valley and lakes. Genuinely magical in morning mist. Dress for changeable weather.
3. 12:30 Lakeside walk + lunch 1h30

   Walk to Glendalough's Upper Lake and along the valley trails, then lunch at the visitor area café or a village pub (tour-dependent), surrounded by mountains and woodland.

   Cost: Lunch €12-18 TIP: The walk to the Upper Lake is gentle and scenic — the highlight for many. Stick to the marked trails. If your tour allows time, the longer Spinc loop has spectacular ridge views but needs a few hours and fitness.
4. 14:30 Wicklow Mountains scenic drive 2h30

   The tour winds through the Wicklow Mountains — the Sally Gap, Lough Tay (the 'Guinness Lake'), and sweeping bog and heather landscapes used as film locations (Braveheart, Vikings, P.S. I Love You).

   Cost: Included in tour TIP: Lough Tay, with its dark water and pale sandy beach, really does look like a pint of Guinness — a top photo stop. The scenery is the point here, so enjoy the ride. Layers help; mountain weather is cooler and windier than the city.
5. 18:00 Return to Dublin + dinner 2h

   Back in the city by early evening. Dinner of hearty Irish food and a pint — The Hairy Lemon for stew and coddle, or a pub with trad music.

   Cost: Dinner €18-30 + pints TIP: A full day in the mountains earns a hearty dinner. The Hairy Lemon's coddle and stew hit the spot. Keep the evening relaxed before the early start for the Cliffs of Moher tomorrow.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 07:00 Early departure on a Cliffs of Moher coach tour 3h30

   A full-day coach tour leaves Dublin early (around 7:00) for the Atlantic west coast. It's a long day — typically 12-13 hours round trip (€50-99) — crossing the country to County Clare.

   Cost: Tour €50-99 TIP: There's no quick way to do the Cliffs in a day without driving, and Ireland drives on the left, so a coach tour is by far the least stressful option. Eat breakfast first and bring snacks and water. Sleep on the long drive out; the scenery starts in the west.
2. 11:00 Cliffs of Moher 2h

   Ireland's most famous natural sight — sheer Atlantic cliffs rising over 200m for 8km, with O'Brien's Tower and dizzying ocean views (admission usually included; ~€10-12 if not). Allow 1.5-2 hours on the cliff paths.

   Cost: ~€10-12 (often included) TIP: Stunning but exposed and windy — hold onto hats and phones, and stay behind the safety barriers (the cliff edges are genuinely dangerous). A clear day is breathtaking; mist can roll in fast. The visitor centre is built into the hillside. A bucket-list view.
3. 13:30 The Burren + Doolin (lunch) 2h

   The tour usually crosses the Burren — a vast, otherworldly limestone karst landscape — and stops in Doolin (a hub of traditional music) or another village for lunch.

   Cost: Lunch €12-20 TIP: The Burren's bare, cracked limestone is unlike anywhere else in Ireland — surprisingly full of rare wildflowers in spring. Doolin is famous for trad music sessions. Tour itineraries vary, so confirm exactly what stops are included when you book.
4. 15:30 Galway City (tour-dependent) + return 5h30

   Many tours include a stop in lively Galway City — a colorful, music-filled harbor town — before the long drive back east to Dublin in the evening.

   Cost: Included in tour TIP: Galway's Latin Quarter, with buskers and pubs, is a fun short stroll. Then settle in for the long return drive (3+ hours). Confirm whether your tour includes Galway, the Burren, a Cliffs boat trip, or just the Cliffs — they differ a lot.
5. 20:30 Arrive back in Dublin + late dinner 1h30

   Back in the city late evening. A relaxed late dinner or a final pint — a pub toastie, fish and chips, or a quiet Guinness after a big day.

   Cost: Dinner €15-30 TIP: You'll be tired after 12-13 hours, so keep dinner simple and close to your hotel. A late-night chipper or a quiet pub pint is the easiest end to the day. Worth every hour for the cliffs.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 National Museum of Ireland (Archaeology) — free 1h30

   The free National Museum on Kildare Street — Iron Age bog bodies, Celtic and early-Christian gold, and the Ardagh Chalice. One of Dublin's best experiences, and free.

   Cost: Free TIP: World-class and free — the bog bodies and prehistoric gold are unmissable. Quiet first thing. The free National Gallery nearby is a good add if you have time and a wet morning.
2. 11:00 St Stephen's Green + check-out / luggage 1h

   A stroll through St Stephen's Green, then collect or store luggage at the hotel before the afternoon (free hotel storage or station lockers).

   Cost: Free TIP: Most hotels store bags free after check-out. If your flight is later, you can head to the airport directly after Howth via the center.
3. 12:30 DART to Howth + harbor lunch 1h30

   Take the DART coastal train to the fishing village of Howth (~30 min, ~€8 return) for fresh fish and chips or seafood by the harbor at Beshoff Bros.

   Cost: DART ~€8 + lunch €12-20 TIP: The DART is easy and frequent. Howth's harbor, seals, and sea air make a perfect last half-day. Eat by the water; tap contactless or use a Leap Card.
4. 14:30 Howth cliff walk 2h

   Walk part of the Howth cliff path for sweeping views over Dublin Bay, Ireland's Eye, and the lighthouse. The shorter loop is about an hour; free.

   Cost: Free TIP: Wear proper shoes and a windproof jacket. The shorter Cliff Path Loop is scenic and manageable. Check return DART times so you make your flight.
5. 17:00 Return + departure 2h30

   DART back to the city, then continue to Dublin Airport by bus or taxi (no airport rail). Allow plenty of time for queues.

   Cost: DART ~€4 + airport bus/taxi €7-35 TIP: Dublin Airport can be busy — leave generous time, factoring in the bus or taxi from the center. A final Guinness near the gate, or a last pub pint in the city, is the classic send-off.

Meal Recommendations