Weekend in Dublin: How to Spend 48 Hours in Dublin

*Sponsored by: Tourism Ireland

Are you planning a weekend trip to Dublin and want to find out the best places to do and see in the Irish capital?I, too, wanted to find out, hence I visited Dublin for a long weekend away in collaboration with Tourism Ireland. I started by visiting Northern Ireland for a press trip and decided to treat myself to a city break and end my stay with a weekend in Dublin. I want to finally share my tips for the best hotels, restaurants, and sights in the Irish capital. Keep reading for my top Dublin weekend tips!The best way to reach the city centre from Dublin airport is to use the Airlink express bus, which I recommend booking before you travel here.Want Dublin tips on the go? You will find my mini travel guide on Wowanders app here.

Top hotel picks: where to stay in Dublin?

Before you’re ready to kick off your Dublin weekend, you’ll need to find a place to stay, luckily when it comes to hotels, Dublin caters for all tastes from luxury to affordable hostels. The grandest luxury hotels in the city are located south of the river Liffey. Midrange hotels, as well as hostels, can also be found in central locations, including the famous Temple Bar area.I stayed at Iveagh Garden hotel, which combines modern luxury with a good location. Iveagh Garden is a relatively new hotel and it impresses with a stylish design the moment you step into the lobby. The grand lobby raised the expectations for the hotel, but unfortunately, the service did not quite live up to the first impressions and there were a number of small disappointing problems during my stay. In terms of style, location, delicious breakfast, and quality cocktails I can give Iveagh Garden a warm recommendation. Unfortunately, the hotel was let down by the service on more than one occasion and there was too much noise from the street on the weekend, even on the higher floors.Opposite to Iveagh Garden, you can find the similarly stylish Dean hotel, where I will definitely stay on my next adventure in Dublin. The Dean is a stylish and modern luxury hotel but combines it with a young and relaxed feel.While I have never stayed at a hostel in Dublin, there are plenty of options. Jacobs Inn hostel is a trendy option for budget travel and located only a five minute’s walk away from Temple Bar. Dublin also has the Generator Hostel, which has proven an excellent option for budget travel at least in Stockholm. Plenty of options to make your first weekend in Dublin a good one!

Where to Eat in Dublin: Top Restaurant Picks

48h in Dublin may not seem like a lot, but it gives you more than enough time to sample some of the local specialties. Dublin proved to be a surprisingly delicious city during the few days I stayed there. Greasy pub lunches might come to mind, but the city has a lot more to offer. The local food scene is going through positive changes and young restaurant owners want to respect traditional food by updating it and creating more modern dishes.In fact, on my second day in the city, I took part in a Dublin Tasting Trail organised by Fab Food Trails. For three hours we were able to enjoy the tastes of the city by visiting various different places while learning about the food culture and trends in Dublin. The tour included a visit to a local cheese shop, the oldest bar in the city and Temple Bar Food Market. I warmly recommend this tasting trail!Restaurant recommendations for Dublin:Dublin has everything from fine dining, plenty of pub food, trendy hipster vibes to quality cafes. I tried to visit as many places as I possibly could during my weekend getaway and want to list my own favourites as well as the top picks recommended by Tourism Ireland.The Seafood CafeThe Seafood Cafe is part of the Klaw-chain that owns two seafood restaurants in Dublin. The idea is to bring traditional quality fish to the lunch table with affordable prices and make it part of everyday life. The Seafood Cafe located near Temple Bar has a very Instagram-friendly style and the food was delicious. I had seafood soup, oysters and a bloody Mary with oyster for lunch. This restaurant has a place on the must dine section for Dublin!Ely Wine Bar & RestaurantEly Wine Bar & Restaurant is an elegant dining restaurant that has great food but an even better wine list filled with quality wines. The menu focuses on traditional Irish tastes, which have been fine-tuned to fit a stylish a la carte dinner.Peruke & PeriwigPeruke & Periwig is a unique restaurant located on the busy Dawson street. It focuses on wine and quality cocktails. A dinner here is a great way to start your weekend as you can carry on in any of the lively pubs lining the street. Peruke & Periwig serves traditional Irish food a la carte style.Temple Bar Food MarketTemple Bar Food Market is an outdoor market that is open on Saturdays in the Temple Bar area (surprise, surprise) from 10 am to 4.30 pm. Head there for lunch and sample treats from small local producers. My favourite was the Oyster Bar, where a marine biologist will show up to serve fresh oysters if enough have been caught.Murphy’s Ice CreamThe best ice cream in Dublin can definitely be found in Murphy’s Ice Cream. The ice cream is made out of local produce using as natural ingredients as possible and vegan ice cream is also available. My favourite was the salted caramel and gin!Sophie’s (The Dean -hotel)Sophie’s is one of the few rooftop bars in the city and therefore worth a visit for a drink. Dinner here is also excellent and worth trying - I recommend the pizza!

Some tips for experiencing the Dublin nightlife

Your Dublin weekend won’t be complete without experiencing the nightlife - after all, the Irish know how to party!If any city in Europe is known for its busy nightlife, it must be Dublin. The pub culture here is centuries old. The oldest pub in Dublin is The Brazen Head, where you should have a beer or a whiskey. The liveliest areas in Dublin on a weekend can probably be found around Temple Bar and Dawson Street, which are full of pubs.Dublin is a young city, so the nightlife is wild and alive. Temple Bar might be where most of the tourists circle at night, but the locals prefer other spots in town. Nightlife starts early, usually already after 6pm, though many clubs might open doors only after midnight. The party goes on until early hours of the morning and though the scene might get a bit ugly, Dublin is considered a very safe city and I felt completely fine walking along to my hotel on a late weekend night.Most of the nightlife takes place in the center of Dublin, especially in the South of the River Liffey called South Side, known as a greater concentration of nightclubs.Prices of pint regulate around a little over 5 euros in most places – more touristy the spot, the bigger the price as per usual.

Surprise finds in Dublin: vintage clothes

Another tip for making your weekend in Dublin a memorable one is vintage shopping.While walking the streets of Temple Bar I could not avoid noticing the many shops selling vintage clothes in Dublin. Even if you have never shopped for vintage clothes, these shops can be a source of inspiration. I think I visited nearly ten vintage shops in one day and ended up buying some souvenirs from a few of them. If you are interested in vintage shopping, I recommend visiting at least these shops: Lucy’s Lounge, Siopaella, and Carousel.

What to do and see on a weekend in Dublin – Top Tips for a Perfect Dublin Weekend

Dublin has a lot to see and experience, but at the same time it is a city where you don’t have to stress about all the must-see sights. There is nothing like the Eiffel Tower or Colosseum that you must definitely add to your bucket list.I made a list of some of the places you should visit if you have the time and are interested in the history and stories of the city. Two days in Dublin may not seem like a lot, but it’s more than enough to get a taste of what the city has to offer.Guinness StorehouseBeer is not my drink, not even in Ireland. While most visitors recommend the Guinness Storehouse, it was not on my list. The Storehouse is a seven storey beer museum. Make it to the top and you will have a cold pint and some spectacular views waiting for you. Book your tour beforehand here.Dublin CastleIf you are interested in traditional architecture and history, visit Dublin Castle, even if it is not necessarily the grandest castle in Europe. To get the most out of your visit, consider taking a guided tour.Trinity College and its libraryOne of the most Instagram-worthy sights in Ireland has for the past couple of years been the majestic library of Trinity College, which is worth exploring. Tours of the whole campus are available, but if you only want to see the library, just venture in by yourself.Temple BarTemple Bar is one of the most popular areas in Dublin for tourists. As you can guess from the name, the area has many bars, including the most famous Temple Bar. My guess is none of the locals would go to Temple Bar for a night out, as it is packed full of tourists, so I decided to just take a picture and keep walking.St Stephen’s GreenSt Stephen’s Green is the best-known park in Dublin. You can find it near the busiest shopping street, Grafton Street. This was the park where a pigeon landed on my hat and was reluctant to fly away. Somewhere in Germany, there is a group of tourists whose holiday pictures star the “crazy Irish pigeon lady”, also known as me.Jameson WhiskeyMy greatest regret is that I did not have time to visit the Jameson Whiskey Distillery on Bow Street. My love for whiskey grew stronger in Ireland, but at a different distillery in the north. Take a guided tour and enjoy a sample at the end before shopping for souvenirs to take home. Book the tour of Jameson Whiskey Distillery here.Enjoyed reading my top tips for a perfect Dublin weekend? If you want more Dublin tips on the go, you will find my mini travel guide on Wowanders app here.Looking for more to do in Dublin? Find out more and book here.Are you staying for longer than a weekend? I recommend day trips to Northern Ireland to follow in the footsteps of Game of Thrones. Read more here.