Its a easy experience to go through, beautiful castle with free lockers to store backpacks.read more

Dublin Castle was originally built in the early 1200s as a medieval fortress under the instruction…read moreof King John of England. For centuries, it was the headquarters of English (and eventually British) rule in Ireland. In 1684, a large fire destroyed a large portion of the castle. Instead of matching the original Gothic style, most of it was rebuilt using a Georgian style, similar to what you'd find in the French Palace of Versailles! It's quite the contrast. When you visit Dublin Castle, you can choose to explore it in two ways: with a self-guided tour to the state apartments or with a scheduled guided tour that visits the Viking Excavation, the Chapel Royal, and the State Apartments. When you first enter the courtyard, you'll immediately see the newer Georgian architecture in the neat red brick buildings surrounding the square. From the 13th century to the early 20th century, the castle was under British control. It served from being a royal palace and parliament to a prison. Dublin Castle was eventually handed over to General Michael Collins on the 16th of January in 1922. Collins was a soldier and a politician who lead the Irish people through their fight for Independence Dublin Castle plays a huge role in Ireland's history and a walk around the grounds is time well spent. Today the castle is a government complex and tourist attraction. Stroll through the famous Chester Beatty Library if time permits

I'm a big fan of horror events like this and had been wanting to do this tour since I saw it appear…read morelast year in Temple Bar, but it never seemed to be open. To my delight, a new crowd appear to have taken it over this year and it's officially open for visitors from this week. It's open every day from 2pm - 11pm. The tours themselves last approximately half an hour and cost €15 per person. I believe you are permitted to bring children but I possibly wouldn't see it being suitable for maybe under 16s. You are taken on a tour of the house in groups of around ten people. The history of the house itself is presented in an entertaining, interesting and historically accurate (?) fashion. It's not just about the jumps and scares like other horror attractions, this one has the potential to get into your head. I don't want to give away too much, but certainly I would recommend going along to the Temple Bar House of Horrors if you fancy something a bit different.

I went here yesterday to the house of horrors and highly recommend coming here for some local…read morehistory and some scares! The house has recently been opened to the public with tours costing €15 and lasting around 45 minutes. There are tales of body snatching and experiments and a whole lot more. I don't want to ruin the experience by saying too much but worth it if you like this kind of thing. I'm not generally a nervous person or screamish but some things had me literally jumping out of my skin!

The Famous Guided Tour at the Little Museum of Dublin is perfectly named. In just 30-ish minutes,…read moreGeorge delivered an awe-inspiring blend of storytelling, humor, and song that left me with a deeper appreciation for Ireland's rich history. I was completely intrigued by the number of stories packed into such a short tour, all made possible through the generosity by the people of Ireand who donated the museum's artifacts. The passion and pride of the staff shine through in every moment. This is an absolute cute, educational must-do experience in Dublin!

An old house from 1777 turned into a museum. Saul was an…read moreamazing tour guide. He had great energy w/ his storytelling & even danced a jig. Lots to see in this Little museum of history & pop culture. Prices were inexpensive as well. Guides can take tips too. Not a great place young kids.

I find it really hard to rate Dr. Quirkeys because I don't want to encourage gambling. In these…read moretough economic times, I wouldn't want anyone to lose their hard earned cash... That being said I've been dragged in here a few times and sometimes it can be fun to get rid of your loose change or win an ugly stuff animal that isn't worth the 4 Euros you spent trying to get it. Be warned though that these games are rigged!! Watch out for the people eying your machine too. They're waiting for you to put in all your money so they can swoop in afterwards and collect your reward. Another word of caution for the Dr. Quirkey's newbie: there are some rough people that hang out here. Because it's located on the top of O'Connell Street, you get a lot of bratty little kids that are bored and looking to rattle some cages. This place is good for a cheap thrill or if you need to kill time before you catch your bus out of town.

I'm not sure I've ever been to a place like this. Sure, I've been to Las Vegas and casinos in other…read morecities; but I don't think I've ever seen parents walking the kiddos past all the slot machines to get to the air hockey tables in the back, and then letting the DDR machine babysit while they go spin the slot machines. There's no drinks here, so you don't have the drunken debauchery that sometimes accompany casinos. There is a decent variety of games (blackjack, roulette, video poker) but they're all automated (no dealers, no chips, no cashier) and honestly it gets boring pretty quickly. Dr. Quirkey's is good for an hour or so of (relatively) inexpensive entertainment, but not much beyond that.

Bray Summer Festival, otherwise known as Brayfest, brings entertainment and fun with it every year…read more The 'fest' runs for six weeks in July and August and offers air displays, live music on Bray's bandstand, garden parties and performances in Bray's 'Kilruddery House', children's entertainment, street performances and markets. Many Bray businesses, from pubs and restaurants to the Mermaid Arts Centre, get involved and, forgive the cliché, but there is usually something for everyone. The annual fireworks display takes place down on Bray Promenade after an evening of music on the bandstand. A funfair, including big wheel, has already set up camp on Bray's seafront and I have already attended a mini-Italian festival complete with food, music and wine. This year the organisers have dispensed with the annual 'lovely girls' competition, 'Face of Bray, but fear not lads, it's set to return next year! Programmes are available from the website.

Bray is a seaside town, just a few miles south of Dublin…read more It is mainly Victorian, with beautiful Victorian houses in the most part. One of the holds a lot of history for my daughter. There is a lovely esplanade which goes on for several miles with a simple barred fence to stop you falling into the very choppy Irish sea. You can see as far north as Howth, and south as far as Bray Head, which is a challenging walk up the hill, after the end of the esplanade. On the other side of the Esplanade is a well kept park, with flower borders, a bandstand and bowling green. The look is again quite Victorian, and there is something very nearly English about all this. At the northern end of the esplanade is a fine pub, where they are very welcoming and all your relatives will buy you a drink. Not many non Irish know of Bray, but Dubliners are usually fond of it.

Wonderful museum. It is in the smaller side and a bit dark but it feels cozy somehow…read more The exhibitions tell a story of the history of Ireland. I wanted to visit to view the big bodies and I was not disappointed. They also had hordes of gold in display which were surrounded by beautiful jewelry. The museum is free.

My sons and I loved this museum. The building itself is gorgeous inside with hand carved wooden…read moredoors and amazing inlayed mosaic floors. The Bog bodies was my favorite exhibit. I didn't include images of the bodies on display since some people might find them too disturbing, but I did include one of the descriptions on what was found at a site. Lots of beautiful gold jewelry and iron weaponry as well. Admission is free, and we spent about 2 hours here.

We enjoyed the story experience. You have a guide that takes you through multiple rooms where you…read moreget to interact and take pictures with props. We went in the morning before our flight but from what we heard there is a saucier night experience where the story is a little more naughty. We enjoyed our experience and would recommend it.

Gayle and I really enjoyed our Storytelling guide, as the physical property is merely a series of…read moresets to enhance the well presented folk tales being presented. There's a small, but well curated bookshop attached. The Disney Leprechaun construct that started it all was almost besides the point.

Grafton Street is one of Dublin's most recognizable locations. When you need a break from all the…read moremuseums and historical sites, head to Grafton Street. This pedestrian street - which runs from Trinity College to St. Stephen's Green - is Dublin's premier shopping district. Here, you'll find everything from familiar brands to more unique items like quirky shoes and used books. There are also two shopping centers in the area, the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre and the upscale Powerscourt Centre. So, if you're looking for a place to exercise your credit card, this would be it. If the idea of shopping bores you to tears, Grafton Street is also known for its rambunctious atmosphere. As you walk along, you're bound to find yourself mesmerized by the dozen or so street performers and musicians hoping to entertain you in exchange for a euro or two. There are also several restaurants and pubs scattered throughout the area; hours and prices vary by vendor.

While visiting Dublin, Ireland for the 1st time (10/07/2025-10/11/2025) a visit to Grafton Street…read morewas on my itinerary as a must-do & just wanted to share my feedback for anyone else who's thinking about visiting Grafton Street. Grafton Street is a blocked off area w/ retail stores all around & is known for local street musicians setting up and performing for all to see. As someone who loves watching live music, I really enjoyed watching the performances of those we saw during our visit(s) to Grafton Street. Each of the performers were very organized & so VERY talented (see videos included w/ this review of these talented artists) ! I loved how they each had their social media contact info listed. Helpful Tips when visiting Grafton Street: --- Make sure to bring some tipping money w/ you to give to each of the artists. --- Food Recommendations: Xian Street Food Dublin is located off of Grafton Street & they are famous for their Spice Bag - however, all their food is really good and made fresh. Great prices. They do have table inside and do take away. Can get very busy. --- Toliet: McDonald's restaurant is located on Grafton Street and you can use the toilet w/out having to buy anything. This is a "free-99" thing to do so I definitely recommend adding it to your itinerary when visiting Dublin. Hope this info helps!

I have been to so many countries and I've been in so many tours and this is one of the best, our…read moretour guide, Adam, just beautifully portrayed the story of the jail. He was so incredibly captivating. I'm not sure anyone spoke for the full hour of the tour we were all so fascinated in his stories. So sobering and poignant. For only €8 this is an absolute steal. We took the first tour in the morning which I recommend as you get to see everything, including the museum, before the crowds.

Such an incredible tour! As an American, I didn't know too much about the Irish revolution, but…read morethat didn't stop us from deeply appreciating the history and sacrifices of the people who spent time in this place. Definitely a great way to spend a few hours learning about the country.

I'm visiting with a girls group of seven. We booked a tour but accidentally double booked with…read moreanother tour. I called Jamison but it went to voicemail. I didn't leave a message. I was immediately called back as they saw a missed call. Fixed our issue immediately. First class customer service. We will be taking the tour tomorrow. I'm so impressed already.

Absolutely wonderful…read more If you like Irish Whiskey, this place is a must and recommend the "private tasting." It's four distillery exclusive whiskeys in the back (in what used to be John Jameson's office). I did buy a couple of those tasty whiskeys. I can't remember the name of the guy who led the tour but I think it was Marc, he was wonderful. I would do it again, even with the same whiskeys. You can take tours or have flights, or even a beer. There's different types of tasting experiences (we did one at the Middleton distillery which was more of an introduction to Jameson whiskeys). If you're like me and want to get a bottle or two that you can get in the states and you like the Spots, Red Breast, Method and Madness or regular Jameson, this place is an absolute must visit.