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Trinity College
Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, Trinity College is Ireland's oldest university and counts Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde, along with many other great thinkers and writers, amongst it past-students. This 16th century complex is home to many glorious buildings, beautifully manicured lawns, cobbled squares and the campus of the University of Ireland. The celebrated Book of Kells, which dates from the 8th century and is considered to be one of the oldest books in the world, is housed in the College's Collonades Gallery. Other illuminated manuscripts taken from ancient monasteries are also on display.
Phone Number: (0)1 896 1000
Website: www.tcd.ie

Temple Bar district
The hub of Dublin's nightlife is to be found in this quaint, cobbled district, which is full of shops, traditional pubs, theaters, cinemas and trendy clubs laid out on pedestrianized streets. Busking fiddlers, an overwhelming choice of restaurants and beautifully restored buildings add to the feel of the place and make it worth a visit. The area is bordered by the Liffey on one side and Dame Street on the other. The main street running through the area also is called Temple Bar.
Email Address: info@templebar.ie
Website: www.templebar.ie

Phoenix Park
Just two miles (3km) west of the city center, Phoenix Park offers peace and quiet from the buzz of the city. It is considered the largest urban park in Europe boasting splendid landscaped gardens, ornamental lakes and large grasslands. It is the perfect environment for runners, walkers and sports enthusiasts who flock here to enjoy the park's facilities. Fallow deer can be seen browsing in the leafy woodland and it's a great place for watching the world go by. Within the park is the residence of the president of Ireland, Aras an Uachtarain, and Dublin Zoo.
Address: Parkgate Street
Phone Number: (0)1 677 0095 (Visitor Center)
Email Address: phoenixparkvisitorcenter@opw.ie
Hours: Main gate is open 24 hours
Admission: Free

Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle was founded in 1204 by order of King John, who wanted a fortress constructed for the administration of the city. It has been added to and rebuilt many times so that all that remains of the original structure is the Norman Tower. By the early 17th century the castle was fully developed with Law Courts, meetings of Parliament, the residence of the viceroy and a council chamber. The magnificent, gilded State Apartments were added in the 18th century and are still used for state occasions today.
Address: Dame Street
Phone Number: (0)1 645 8813 (tour services)
Email Address: info@dublincastle.ie
Website: www.dublincastle.ie
Hours: Tours: Monday to Friday 10am to 4.45pm, Saturday and Sunday 2pm to 4.45pm
Admission: Entry by guided tour only, Every 20 minutes. EUR4.50 (adults), concessions available

National Museum of Ireland
The National Museum is the place to see the treasures of ancient Ireland - it is a policy to gather all important artifacts in this one museum. Included in this selection is jewelry dating back to the 8th century BC and medieval antiquities such as the Tara Brooch and the Ardagh Chalice. Also housed here is the 12th-century Cross of Cong, an ornate reliquary of wood, bronze and silver, said to contain a fragment of the True Cross. The museum showcases important exhibitions on Irish history including Prehistoric Ireland, Viking Ireland and The Road to Independence (1900-1921).
Address: Kildare Street
Phone Number: (0)1 677 7444
Website: www.museum.ie
Transport: Bus 7, 7A, 10, 11 or 13
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, and Sunday 2pm to 5pm
Admission: Free

Guinness Storehouse
Guinness is now brewed all over the world but St James's Gate, in the heart of Dublin, was where Arthur Guinness set up the business in 1759. The Guinness Storehouse celebrates Ireland's favorite brew by taking visitors on a journey, floor by floor, through the past, present and future of the world-famous beer. The glass atrium is shaped like a pint glass and each floor explores a different aspect of 'everything anyone ever wanted to know about Guinness', from the brewing process to who drank the first pint. The tour finishes with a complementary pint of the famous stout in the top floor Gravity Bar, which is also the ideal place to watch the sunset over Dublin and admire the 360° views. During the July and August summer program there are also tasting sessions available, exhibitions and delicious Irish meals from a table d'hôte menu in the Brewery Bar or Source Bar.
Address: St James's Gate
Phone Number: (0)1 408 4800
Email Address: guinness-storehouse@guinness.com
Website: www.guinness-storehouse.com
Transport: Bus 51B and 78A from Aston Quay, bus 123 from O'Connell Street or Dame Street
Hours: Daily 9.30am to 5pm (until 8pm in July and August)
Admission: EUR15 (adults); concessions available

National Library
The highlight of this historic library is the great domed reading room, which has been home to many Irish students, including James Joyce. The library also contains a heraldic museum, which exhibits coats of arms and banners, but of most interest to tourists may be the genealogical office, where staff can help trace any Irish roots. Its consultation service on ancestry is available Monday to Friday 10am to 12.30 pm and 2pm to 4.30pm.
Address: 2 Kildare Street
Phone Number: (0)1 603 0200
Email Address: info@nli.ie
Website: www.nli.ie
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 10am to 9pm, Thursday and Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm
Admission: Free

St. Patrick's Cathedral
Ireland's largest church, St Patrick's Cathedral is erected on the site where St. Patrick is believed to have baptized his converts to the Christian faith. The current building dates back to the 12th century, although it's been restored and altered over the years. Jonathan Swift was dean of St. Patrick's from 1713-1745, during which time he penned Gulliver's Travels. Visitors can still see his tomb and pulpit.
Address: St Patrick's Close
Phone Number: (0)1 475 4817
Email Address: admin@stpatrickscathedral.ie
Website: www.stpatrickscathedral.ie
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm (until 5pm on Saturdays from November to February); Sunday 9am to 11am, 12.45pm to 3pm, 4.15pm to 6pm (March to October), 10am to 11am and 12.45pm to 3pm (November to February). Services take place on Sunday at 8.30am, 11.15am and 3.15pm
Admission: EUR5 (adults), concessions available

Glendalough
Glendalough is only 18 miles (30km) south of Dublin and is a popular destination for day-trippers. Despite this the site has a very tangible spirituality that can be experienced whilst standing amidst the remains of the monastic settlement. The Gaelic name translates to 'valley of the two lakes' and there are some breathtaking walks around the ruined monastery and along the clear-as-glass lakes. St Kevin founded the monastery in the 6th century and it became a great European center for learning. His body lies in the 9th century cathedral and the site is adorned with St Kevin's Cross, carved in about 1150. Other buildings here have survived from the 8th and 12th centuries, the most famous of which is the round tower, standing 112ft (34m) high with a base measuring 52ft (16m) in circumference.
Phone Number: (404) 45325
Hours: Daily 9.30am to 6pm (until 5pm from October to March)
Admission: EUR5.30; concessions available

James Joyce Museum
Nine miles (14km) south of Dublin, the Martello Tower is one of 34 towers built in 1804 to protect Ireland against a possible Napoleonic naval invasion. The tower was demilitarised in the 1860s and is now home to the James Joyce Museum. In 1962 Sylvia Beach, the Paris-based publisher of Ulysses, founded the museum here. It was the place where Joyce stayed in 1904 and where he was inspired to set the opening chapter of his book. The exhibition hall contains first editions of most of Joyce's works as well as other memorabilia.
Address: Sandycove
Phone Number: (0)1 280 9265
Email Address: joycetower@dublintourism.ie
Transport: DART to Sandycove, or bus 59 from Dun Laoghaire
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, and Sunday and public holidays 2pm to 6pm (April to October). Open by prior arrangement at other times of year
Admission: EUR6.00 (adults), EUR3.50 (children aged 3 - 11). Other concessions available

Clonmacnoise
Situated in Shannonbridge in County Offaly, 120 miles (200km) west of Dublin, Clonmacnoise is Ireland's most important monastic site. Founded by Saint Ciaran in the 6th century on the banks of the River Shannon it includes the ruins of a cathedral, eight churches (10th-13th century), two round towers and three high crosses. It provides the visitor with a real sense of what monasteries must have been like in their day. The Visitor Center displays a large collection of grave slabs, hosts numerous exhibitions and provides further interest with an audio-visual show. As this is a very popular attraction, visitors may experience queues during the summer months.
Address: Shannonbridge, County Offaly
Phone Number: (905) 74195
Hours: Daily 10am to 5.30pm (November to mid-March), 10am to 6pm (mid-March to mid-May, and September to October), 9am to 7pm (mid-May to September)
Admission: EUR5.30, concessions available

Dublin Zoo
One of Ireland's most popular attractions, the Dublin Zoo takes visitors on a voyage of discovery from the Arctic to the Plains of Africa via Indian Rainforest. See lions and tigers, Asian elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans, rare monkeys, rhinos, hippos, giraffes and many more exotic and endangered species. There is also a pet's corner for the children, a city farm and a safari train ride around the African Plains. The zoo is recognized as one of the most modern in Europe, placing emphasis on learning about wildlife and conservation along with enjoyment.
Address: Phoenix Park
Phone Number: (0)1 474 8900
Website: www.dublinzoo.ie
Hours: Opening times vary throughout the year, but are generally from 9.30am Monday to Saturday and 10.30am on Sundays. Closing times vary from 4pm to 6pm
Admission: EUR14.50 (adults), EUR10 (children 3-15); other concessions available

The Old Jameson Distillery
Located in the heart of Dublin, The Old Jameson Distillery sums up the essence of Ireland. This museum illustrates the history of Irish whiskey, known in Irish as uisce beatha (the water of life) and the expert guides will answer any questions whiskey lovers might have. Visitors can partake in a whiskey tasting in the bar after their tour and sample different Irish, Scotch and American whiskeys.
Address: Bow St., Smithfield Village
Phone Number: (0)1 807 2355
Website: www.jamesonwhiskey.com
Transport: Bus: 67, 67A, 68, 69, 79, or 90
Hours: Daily 9:30am-6pm (last tour at 5pm) Closed Good Friday and Christmas holidays
Admission: Adults EUR9.75, Children EUR5. Concessions available

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