From the medieval Christ Church Cathedral to noble Georgian squares and the ultra modern Millennium Spire, you’ll discover Dublin’s rich history simply by wandering its streets.
With a population of just over a million, Dublin feels compact and easy to navigate, with the most memorable sights within a couple of square miles of the city center. In the unlikely event you get lost, you’ll find plenty of cheery locals to point the way.
LEOPARDSTOWN RACECOURSE
Irish passions run high when it comes to horseracing, and you’ll see them running near their highest at Leopardstown Racecourse.
Located six miles south of Dublin city center, the iconic venue sits in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains with a magnificent panorama of Killiney Hill, and hosts both national hunt and fl at racing throughout the year. The best seats in the house are in the esteemed Penthouse Suites on the fourth floor of the grandstand, where guests can enjoy beautiful views of the racetrack from above the final furlong. Each penthouse is furnished with a private balcony, a bar, LCD TVs and Tote betting facilities. VIP guests are offered a personal member of staff to attend to their needs throughout the day, and the gourmet catering team provide first class bespoke dining. For maximum convenience, guests arriving by helicopter can arrange to land in the center of the racecourse.
Anna Kerr, Hospitality Manager
+353 1 289 0507
Foxrock, Dublin 18
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TRINITY COLLEGE
Ireland’s oldest and most esteemed university, Trinity College can name Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Jonathan Swift among its graduates.
Founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, the college has long been synonymous with academic excellence and with its central position in the city remains a focal point for locals and tourists alike. The Book of Kells is the star attraction—housed in the glorious Old Library, this exquisite 9th century gospel manuscript is truly one of a kind, its intricate and wonderfully preserved decorations enticing visitors from across the globe. Contact Anne-Marie Diffley for an exclusive tour.
Anne-Marie Diffley, Visitor Services Manager
+353 1 896 2320
College Green, Dublin 2
GUINNESS STOREHOUSE
Urban myth claims a pint of Guinness in Dublin tastes better than anywhere else on earth, and the Guinness Storehouse lets you put it to the test.
Dublin’s number one tourist attraction, the storehouse is an impressive conversion of an old grain store opposite the original St. James’s Gate Brewery and a private tour gives a fascinating insight into Ireland’s world famous stout.
The tour begins with an introduction to the beer’s four ingredients—water, barley, hops and yeast—followed by a history of the legendary Guinness family, an exhibition of iconic Guinness advertising and finally a welcome pint of ‘the black stuff’ in the glass-enclosed penthouse bar. With winning views of the city, bay and distant Wicklow mountains, that pint is bound to taste special.
Paul Carty, Managing Director
+353 1 408 4800
guinness-storehouse@guinness.com
St. James’s Gate, Dublin 8
DUBLIN WRITERS MUSEUM
Ireland’s literary prowess is well known.
The nation has produced some of the world’s most respected writers, including four Nobel Prize winners, and this intriguing museum examines the key figures of the last three hundred years with an extraordinary collection of books, letters, portraits and personal items. Notable exhibits include an 1804 edition of Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, an 1899 first edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and an 1899 edition of Wilde’s ‘Ballad of Reading Gaol.’ Based in a magnificent Georgian townhouse, the museum centers on the vast Gallery of Writers in the former drawing room, generously adorned with paintings, Adamesque plasterwork, and a deep Edwardian lincrusta frieze. A private guided tour is highly recommended.
DUBLIN CASTLE
Built in the 13th century on a site originally settled by the Vikings, Dublin Castle has endured many a twist and turn in Irish history.
Over the last 700 years, the castle has functioned as a military fortress, a prison, a treasury, courts of law, the seat of English Administration in Ireland and is now used for important state receptions and presidential inaugurations. It was in the grand courtyard of Dublin Castle that the last British Lord Lieutenant of Ireland handed power to rebel leader Michael Collins and so ended the Irish War of Independence in 1922. Book a private tour and discover the opulent State Apartments, Undercroft and Chapel Royal, before exploring the remarkable Chester Beatty Library with its ancient manuscripts, miniature paintings, books, bindings, calligraphies and the western world’s most stunning collection of Qur’ans. A must for history buffs and bibliophiles.
HOWTH
For an idyllic day trip from the capital, the sleepy fishing village of Howth should be high on your Dublin to-do list.
Howth is an ancient settlement nine miles north of Dublin, built on the rugged peninsula of Howth Head and surrounded by some of the most awe-inspiring landscape on Ireland’s east coast. A walk along the cliff path will take you past the Baily Lighthouse and ruined abbey, and give you an exhilarating view of Dublin Bay and the Wicklow Mountains. History lovers should arrange a private tour of Howth Castle, one of the oldest occupied buildings in Ireland and home to the Gaisford-St Lawrence family since they founded the estate in the 12th century. For animal lovers, a short boat trip will take you to Ireland’s Eye, a tiny uninhabited island off Howth Head teeming with seals and a dizzying variety of seabirds. Howth is still a major fishing center and for floppingly fresh seafood, Elite Traveler recommends Aqua Restaurant on West Pier.
Howth, County Dublin
