Tips for first time Dublin visitors

The Irish capital has lots of things to offer, numerous restaurants, museums, beautiful parks, loads of tourist attractions to discover the Irish tradition and of course hundreds of pubs. If it is your first-time in Dublin, it is definitely worth reading our tips before you arrive!

Getting Around Dublin

One advantage of the city is its size. Dublin is not a large capital and it is easy to get to the city centre only by foot. All our hotels are located in the city centre, once arrived by bus or taxi all the main attractions will be right on your doorstep. To get the taxi just follow the sign at the airport, it will lead you to the nearest taxi rank. For the bus you have two options, use the Dublin’s bus Airlink or the private company Aircoach. Prices are equivalent, only the Aircoach option is generally slightly less frequent but faster.

If you want to visit Dublin Bay or go further from the city, it is easy to use the public transport. In addition to the bus you have the tram called Luas, the train called DART or you can even rent bikes! To save on travel fare you can get a Tourist Leap Card at the airport and access unlimited travelling options for 72 hours. It works for all the transport options cited above.

The Red Line of the LUAS will take you to places along the North side of the Liffey. You will use the DART to visit places like Howth, Dun Laoghaire or Greystones – all of which are great places to visit during a sunny day, you will enjoy the view of the Irish Sea and Dublin Bay.

Must See Sights of Dublin

To make the best of your time in Dublin you could go for an organised tour. It is a good way to learn about Dublin’s history. There are many tours starting near the hotel and our staff at the reception will be happy to help you. Otherwise some of the main attractions are only a few steps from Mont Clare Hotel Merrion Square Dublin. The National Gallery, The National Library, The National History Museum, Trinity College and Stephen’s Green to name a few. Stephen’s Green is a beautiful park to relax in and to enjoy the sun after a hectic day of shopping. Not a fan of shopping? There is always a great range of street artists to entertain the crowds and Stephen Green shopping centre is a select piece of art that you must visit. For your night-out you can walk up to the Temple bar area and choose from one of the many pubs that offer live music and craft beer.

Dublin Practical Information

As a member of the Eurozone, Ireland is using the Euro. If you are coming from outside the UE you will need change some currency at the Airport as cash would be needed for public transport for example. Otherwise Irish banks don’t charge fees for foreign credit cards but do be sure to check if your bank does. For the electric plug, a “British standard” three-pronged plugs is a norm, although plug adaptors are available in our Hotel.

Our last tip would be to don’t hesitate to talk to the local! Irish are friendly and always helpful, and if it is around a pint of beer you can be sure to have a lot of stories to bring home!