Ireland · 7-day itinerary
7 days in Dublin
Pubs, poets and the wild Atlantic coast nearby. Here's a 7-day plan that clusters each day by neighbourhood, with real times, so you walk less and see more.
Day 1
Arrive & settle into Dublin
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Arrive in Dublin
Check in at your stay in Temple Bar edges / St Stephen's Green.
- 12:15 p.m. Lunch
- 6:00 p.m. Dinner · A pint and a toastie in a traditional pub
7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. · Temple Bar · ~$43
Traditional music session
Live trad music in an old pub.
Day 2
Layers of history
Day 3
Layers of history
- 12:00 p.m. Lunch
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Evening at leisure
Dinner somewhere that catches your eye, then a stroll or an early night.
Day 4
Into the green
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. · Howth · ~$14
Howth cliff walk
DART to a fishing village and its sea-cliff loop.
- 1:15 p.m. Lunch
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. · City centre
St Stephen's Green and Grafton Street
A Georgian park, buskers and shopping.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Evening at leisure
Dinner somewhere that catches your eye, then a stroll or an early night.
Day 5
Day trip: Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Evening at leisure
Dinner somewhere that catches your eye, then a stroll or an early night.
Day 6
Into the green
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. · Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Wild deer and Dublin Zoo in one of Europe's largest parks.
- 12:15 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. · Phoenix Park
Free time around Phoenix Park
Unscheduled time for cafés, rest, or the discovery you didn't plan.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Evening at leisure
Dinner somewhere that catches your eye, then a stroll or an early night.
Day 7
Farewell, Dublin
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Wander Dublin
Unscheduled time for cafés, rest, or the discovery you didn't plan.
- 12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Depart Dublin
Check out and head to the airport or station, allowing plenty of time.
- 7:00 p.m. Dinner · Irish stew
Where to stay in Dublin
Shoestring
Smithfield
Good-value stays by the Luas tram line.
Hotels in SmithfieldComfort
Temple Bar edges / St Stephen's Green
Walk to Trinity, Grafton Street and the pubs.
Hotels in Temple Bar edges / St Stephen's GreenLuxury
Ballsbridge
Georgian elegance and quieter five-star hotels.
Hotels in Ballsbridge
What to eat in Dublin
Guinness
A properly poured pint, best near the brewery itself.
Irish stew
Lamb, potatoes and onion, slow-cooked.
Full Irish breakfast
Rashers, sausages, black and white pudding, eggs and soda bread.
Dublin coddle
Sausage, bacon and potato stew, a true Dublin dish.
Boxty
Potato pancake from the north-west, often with fillings.
Soda bread
Quick bread with buttermilk, served warm with butter.
Where locals send visitors
The Brazen Head $$
Historic pub · Merchants Quay · Best for dinner
Claims to be Ireland's oldest pub, with stew and nightly traditional music.
ReviewsLeo Burdock $
Fish and chips · Christchurch · Best for lunch
Takeaway fish and chips since 1913.
ReviewsBewley's Grafton Street $$
Historic café · Grafton Street · Best for breakfast
Breakfast under Harry Clarke stained-glass windows.
ReviewsThe Long Hall $$
Victorian pub · South Great George's Street · Best for dinner
A gorgeous Victorian bar for a perfect pint.
ReviewsGallagher's Boxty House $$
Irish · Temple Bar · Best for dinner
Boxty pancakes and Irish stew in a cosy Temple Bar dining room.
ReviewsChapter One $$$$
Tasting menu · Parnell Square · Best for dinner · Reserve ahead
Mickael Viljanen's Michelin-starred cooking beneath the Writers Museum.
Reviews
Heads-up: what to steer clear of
- Pickpockets: Pickpockets and bag snatchers target busy pubs in Temple Bar and O'Connell Street. Keep your bag on your lap, not on a hook.
- Getting around: Licensed taxis display a roof sign and a driver ID on the dashboard. Use them or apps late at night.
- Safety: On cliff walks such as Howth, keep to the path; edges can be crumbly, and the weather turns quickly.
Giro's notes, reviewed October 2026. Things change, so check current advice before you go: Government of Canada travel advisories .
Good to know
- Book the Book of Kells and the Guinness Storehouse ahead in summer.
- Leap Visitor Cards cover buses, the Luas and DART.
- Pack a rain jacket in every season.
Daily budget per person
| Shoestring | ~$168 |
| Comfort | ~$316 |
| Luxury | ~$754 |
A shared double room, meals and local transport. Flights and tickets not included.
Make this Dublin trip yours
Giro rebuilds this plan for your dates, your group and your budget. Swap stops, drag them between days, add your flights and hotel, and share it with everyone coming.
Plan this tripTimes and prices are estimates (prices in CAD at the latest ECB rate). Check opening hours before you go. Place descriptions and photos from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, credited on each photo. Giro may earn a commission on bookings, at no extra cost to you.