10 FREE Things to do in Dublin, Ireland!

This post outlines 10 free things to do in Dublin … from museums to churches to gardens to clubs, you won’t be bored in this lively city.

Dublin has officially been named the 9th most expensive city in Europe, but it doesn’t have to be!

Keep reading if you want some honest insight into where to go and what to see for cheap in Dublin!

Click these to skip to the free things to do in Dublin!

*Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate. I may receive a small commission from purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products and services that I 100% trust and believe in*

Dublin Basics

Currency: The Euro. 

Cash or Card: Either is perfectly fine, I never had an issue with not carrying cash. 

Visas: Ireland provides 90 day tourist visas to most passport holders.

Although the Republic of Ireland is part of the European Union (EU), it is not part on the Schengen Zone.

If you haven’t heard about the Schengen Zone, read about it here before visiting Europe. It is a group of countries in Europe that allow visitors to apply for one encompassing tourist visa that covers all the countries in the Zone. With a Schengen Visa you can enter and move between any country in the agreement freely for up to 90 days in every 180 days.

Basically, this means that most tourists can visit Ireland for up to 90 days in addition to 90 days in Schengen countries.

Check on the Irish Immigration page whether you need to apply for a visa before arriving. Travellers from many countries can get a visa on arrival.

How to Get to/from Dublin

There are only two ways to get to Dublin from abroad.

The first and far more popular option is to fly. Pre-book your flight early and shop around to get the best price.

If you have an aversion to flying or just like an adventure, there is a ferry from Holyhead, Wales to Dublin which takes about 3.5 hours. Prices are actually pretty affordable; book via Irish Ferries.

Where to Stay in Dublin

Try to book accommodation around the Temple Bar area, because that will be walking distance to most of the sights you would want to see. I recommend booking early to get good accommodation as Dublin is a very popular city! 

$ Hostel $

Abbey Court Hostel
29 Bachelors Walk, Dublin 1, Dublin, Ireland
This hostel is located just across the river from Temple Bar and in walking distance of all of Dublins best sights. With over 13,000 reviews it is (admittedly self-proclaimed) ‘Dublins most popular hostel in 2024.’ I stayed here in 2023 and had a great time. Check availability or see other options.

$$ Hotel $$

Celtic Lodge Guesthouse
81 – 82 Talbot Street, D1 Dublin, Ireland 
This guesthouse is also located just across the River Liffey. With clean furnishings, Irish breakfasts, affordable pricing, free cancellation and live music in the bar below, this hotel has everything you could want. The only downside is there is no lift and guests will need to climb the stairs to their room. Check availability or see other options.

How to get around Dublin

Using public transport while in the city centre is generally unnecessary. Avoid using public transport if you can help it because they only accept Leap Cards or EXACT cash (no change given). There is a tourist Leap Card but it is tedious to get. 

If you do want to take public transport within the city, make sure you plan with the Transport for Ireland or Google Maps before taking your trip. 

What to Pack for Dublin

If you are not sure what to bring to Dublin, my UK packing list for backpackers gives a good overview of what clothes and items you’ll need for Europe in summer.

It is absolutely crucial that you pack a rain-jacket and/or an umbrella! It is most likely that it will rain at least once during your visit, so best to be prepared. 

Go City Dublin Pass

While this post does not cover paid sights to visit in Dublin, if you are wanting to visit some paid attractions, have a look into getting a Go City Dublin Pass. It might help you to save money if you visit some of the more expensive sights within the same timeframe. The Pass goes on sale often, so try not to rush to buy it at full price!

1. National Museum of Ireland

Exploring the National Museum is undoubtedly one of the best free things to do in Dublin.

The National Museum of Ireland is made up of four locations. Of the four, there are three located in Dublin; Archaeology, Natural History, and the Decorative Arts and History. 

I would recommend at least visiting Archaeology and Natural History, because they are basically next door to each other!

Archaeology Museum 

Kildare Street, Dublin.
Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday and Monday 1pm-5pm, open until late on Thursdays. 
Free
Website

This museum is a must do when in Dublin! 

With many interesting displays about Irish history from prehistoric to the modern era; you could honestly spend all day there if you wanted to. 

There are two levels of exhibitions. I found the floor plan a little confusing, so make sure you check out what’s through every door so you don’t miss out on anything. 

The Viking and the Medieval exhibitions were my favourite. 

They even have bog bodies which I found super fascinating! And don’t miss the Egyptian exhibition, which I found could only be accessed by a small winding staircase near the gift shop. 

Natural History Museum 

Merrion Street, Dublin.
Sunday and Monday 1pm-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, open til late on Thursdays. 
Free
Website

This museum is definitely on the smaller side, especially if you’ve been to a bigger natural history museum like the one in London. 

However, I consider it still worth visiting, especially if you have kids, and especially if it’s raining and you are looking for somewhere to stay dry! 

If you’re interested in animals or bugs, then this is definitely up your alley. There are a lot of interesting animals displayed like a shark, moose, and a turtle. 

2. National Gallery

Merrion Square, Dublin
Sunday and Monday 11am-5:30pm, Tuesday to Saturday 9:15am-5:30pm
Free
Website

The Gallery is a peaceful place to spend a few hours while in Dublin. The building itself is gorgeously grand and luxurious.

The gallery strongly focuses on paintings by Irish artists, for obvious reasons, but this means it is a little on the smaller side compared to those you may have seen in other European cities.

I actually ended up coming here multiple times because it is a great place to sit and ponder… and escape the rain.

Travel Essentials 

SIM cards: Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries which you can install BEFORE travelling, saving you the stress of running around to find a store or from being ripped off by local vendors. This is perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.

Insurance: You should NOT go overseas without getting travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you in case you get injured or your plans change or are cancelled. I always use Covermore, because the cover is comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.

Banking: When travelling and saving for travel I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and easy transfers. If you join Up with my invite code we both get $13! 

3. Go deer spotting at Phoenix Park

If you’re a bit more adventurous, you should consider heading out of the city and making your way to the extraordinary Phoenix Park. 

It is renowned as the largest city park in Europe at 1750 acres.

It features flower gardens, avenues of trees, and large areas of grassland that are home to a herd of deer. While deer sightings are rare, they apparently do happen, particularly during dawn or dusk. 

Phoenix Park is also the location of the Dublin Zoo (€24 – discount for pre-booking in advance), another great location for a family day out.

I made the rather audacious decision to trek the thirty minute walk along the river to the park, however, there are bus options if you are not as brave (or silly) as me. 

The 37 bus from Aston Quay takes you to the entrance of the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre and takes about thirty minutes. 

Honestly, the walk wasn’t all that bad but I was tired coming back after walking around the park for several hours. 

The park is massive and practically impossible to completely explore on foot. 

Other than the beautiful gardens and grasslands, there is a racecourse, Parliament buildings, a giant Papal Cross, Phoenix Monument, a fort and a pond to discover! 

If you have a decent amount of time to spend in the park, I would highly recommend renting a bike if you can, as it will make it much easier to explore. Phoenix Park Bikes (1hr €7/3hr €14/full day €20) located at the eastern entrance (where you will enter if you walk from the city centre). 

4. St Patrick’s Cathedral

St Patrick’s Close, Dublin, D08 H6X3, Ireland
9:30am-5pm
€9
Website

St Patrick’s Cathedral is a magnificent medieval cathedral that dates back to the 1200’s. 

Please note that there is a fee to enter the cathedral (€9), however anyone is welcome to join services such as the daily evensong at 5:30pm. 

While you will not be able to explore and take pictures of the cathedral as you would with a paid ticket, attending a service is a great way to catch a glimpse of the interior architecture of the building. 

A third option which is what I opted for, is to just admire it from the outside! 

There is a cute little park out in front of the cathedral with a fountain, gardens, and grassy areas for you to sit and relax. 

The day I visited was dreary and raining so I had to leave pretty quickly, but it’s a great place to have a picnic lunch if the weather permits.  

5. Chester Beatty Museum

Located within Dublin Castle
9:45am – 5:30pm Monday to Saturday, 12pm – 5:30pm Sunday. 
Free
Website

The Chester Beatty museum is one of the most underrated things to do in Dublin! 

In fact, I hadn’t even heard about it before I visited the city. 

It is a collection of artefacts from across the world once belonging to Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, which was inherited by the state upon his death. 

Located in the grounds of Dublin Castle, the exhibitions are spread across two levels topped with a roof garden. 

The museum is a little on the small side, but it is free so we can’t really complain! 

6. Visit the National Botanic Gardens 

Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 VY63, Ireland
9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, 10am – 5pm weekends. 
Free
Website

The National Botanic Gardens contain a collection of plant species from all over the world, and are famous for their stunning greenhouses. 

The Gardens were established in 1790 as public gardens, and eventually grew to be a place of botanical study. 

 Art or fossil exhibitions occasionally take place in the Gardens, so check their website for what’s on while you’re there. 

There is a tearoom on site that offers drinks and light refreshments with a view of the gardens. 

Daily tours (€5) take place at 11:30am and 3pm during the summer months, or alternatively there are three free audio tours available for download on their website. 

Note that there are two locations. The Glasnevin location is 2 km from Dublin and the one you’ll want to visit. The other one is located in Kilmacurragh which is much further south of Dublin. 

Bus 83 can take you from the Dublin city centre (Westmoreland Street) to the National Botanic Gardens in 30 minutes. 

7. Take a free walking tour

If you haven’t yet discovered the joys of free walking tours, then I am here to introduce you. 

A walking tour is a great way to learn about the history of the iconic, touristy, and usually pricey attractions of major cities.

Instead of having to pay to enter the building to find out about its significance, the guide can tell you everything you could possibly want to know, plus they usually have some insider tips about the best, off the radar, things to visit and experience. 

And if you really like the sound of a place you visited on your walking tour, you can always go back later and pay to enter, knowing that you aren’t wasting your money on something you might not have been interested in. 

There are plenty to choose from, here are a couple of my favourites:

• Sandemans

• Dublin Free Walking Tours

• Free Tours by Foot

While these are all technically ‘free’ walking tours, some companies encourage a donation due to the guides usually being volunteers. However, this is entirely up to you, but I recommend a few euros will usually suffice, depending on the length of the tour. 

8. Have a picnic in St Stephens Green

Gates open 7:30am-9pm.
Free

St Stephens Park is a public park found in the centre of the city. 

It is located at the end of the famous Grafton Street, and a great place to have a rest after window shopping on Grafton Street or in St Stephens Shopping Centre. 

Here you can have a snack while watching the ducks float on the lake in the centre of the park. 

There are various statues and monuments to be found around St Stephens Park, and it’s a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Dublin city centre. 

I got some bits from the Tesco Express down the road and had a picnic for dinner on my second night in the city. 

9. Window shopping in Grafton Street 

This is an absolute must do on the Dublin bucket list, and you CANNOT leave the city without exploring not just this main street, but the whole district. 

Here you can find cafes, restaurants, bookshops, retail stores and gift shops. This is where you want to go if you’re looking for souvenirs to bring back home. 

The street was also lined with buskers, creating a very lively and ‘Irish’ feeling atmosphere. 

Grafton Street leads to (or from) the River Liffey and the Temple Bar area, so it might be a great idea to start your evening with dinner here and then head down to Temple Bar later in the evening. 

10. Have a pint at Temple Bar (or a nearby pub)

When I say have a drink in Temple Bar, I mean in the Temple Bar area. 

I say this because a pint in the actual Temple Bar or one of nearby pubs will run you about €8. 

The exterior of Temple Bar is really what makes it famous anyway, so I would recommend just snapping your obligatory picture from outside and heading ten feet down the road for drinks half the price. 

Live music is not hard to find in Ireland; almost every pub and bar I entered had a band performing. 

A few venues that I enjoyed were The Old Storehouse Bar and Restaurant, Dublin Citi Hotel and Trinity Bar and Venue. A particular favourite of mine was Bad Bobs. 

Dublin has so many more clubs and live music venues to choose from. 

While I didn’t personally go there, I heard good things about The George, an LQBTQ friendly club that hosts drag events (entry fee), Whelan’s with more of an Irish indie scene, as well as The Grand Social, Riot, and Copper Face Jacks. 

TIP: If you join the Generation Pub Crawl for €14 you can get a bunch of free drinks and entry into a nightclub. The hostel I stayed at (Abbey Court Hostel), as well as a bunch of nearby hostels are all part of this pub crawl so it’s great for meeting people. I did this pub crawl without knowing anyone else who was going. I ended up making so many friends and had a great time! It was a massive highlight of my trip! 

Well there you have it, 10 cheap or free things to do in Dublin! 

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