Bronze statue of Molly Malone in Dublin city center.

Free things to do in Dublin

By Go City Expert

Dublin on a Dime: 10 Fabulous Free Things to Do in the City

by Mia Russell

Effortlessly blending history, culture, and good old-fashioned Irish charm, Dublin, the lively capital of Ireland, has something for everyone! On a budget? Don’t despair! You can still experience the vibrant spirit of Dublin without breaking the bank.

From world-class museums and art galleries to centuries-old landmarks and beautiful beaches, you can still soak up the city’s culture and charm without spending a cent.

Let’s look at some of the top free activities in and around Dublin that promise to captivate!

1. Explore Phoenix Park

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city at the beautiful urban oasis of Phoenix Park. Nestled just west of the city center, Phoenix Park stretches over 1,750 acres, making it one of the largest urban parks in Europe. Established in the 17th century as a royal deer park, it's now a beloved recreational haven for locals and visitors alike.

Visit the official residence of the President of Ireland, Áras an Uachtaráin. While the interior requires pre-booked tours, the exterior, and its beautiful gardens are open to the public and free to enjoy. Admire the picturesque People's Flower Gardens, featuring vibrant flowerbeds, fountains, and ornamental lakes. It's an ideal spot for a leisurely stroll or a tranquil picnic.

Miles of scenic walking and cycling trails are perfect for enjoying the outdoors. Use your pass to rent a bike from Lazy Bike Tours to explore the park's lush landscapes. Watch out for the park's wild deer population, especially during early mornings and late afternoons.

2. Discover Dublin's Free Museums

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Step into Dublin's rich history, art, and culture without spending a dime—thanks to its array of free museums that promise to captivate your imagination. Discover a wealth of knowledge, creativity, and heritage as you explore these cultural gems.

  • National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology Situated on Kildare Street, this museum is a treasure trove of Ireland's ancient history. It houses artifacts that span thousands of years, offering a glimpse into the country's past. Remember to use your pass to receive a complimentary guidebook.
  • National Museum of Ireland - Natural History: Known fondly as the "Dead Zoo," this museum on Merrion Street offers an eclectic collection of natural specimens.
  • National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts & History: Found at Collins Barracks, this museum provides insight into Ireland's material culture and history. Use your pass to receive a complimentary National Museum of Ireland Decorative Arts & History Guidebook.
  • National Gallery of Ireland: Located in Merrion Square, the National Gallery of Ireland has been a cornerstone of Dublin's cultural scene since its establishment in 1854. It houses a remarkable collection of artworks spanning centuries and styles. Use your pass to gain free admission to the museum's temporary exhibitions.
  • Chester Beatty Library: Located in Dublin Castle, the Chester Beatty Library is the legacy of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, an avid collector who amassed a remarkable assortment of rare manuscripts, artifacts, and artworks from around the world. Use your pass to receive a complimentary Chester Beatty publication or a set of greeting cards during your visit.

Other museums that offer free admission include:

  • Glasnevin Cemetery Museum
  • Dublin City Gallery Hugh Lane
  • National Library of Ireland
  • Áras an Uachtaráin
  • Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)
  • Science Gallery Dublin
  • Pearse Museum
  • National Photographic Archive
  • Revenue Museum

3. Tour the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland

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Discover a world of vibrant flora and tranquil serenity at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland. Situated just a short distance from Dublin's city center, these lush gardens offer a respite from the urban hustle and a chance to connect with nature's splendor.

Wander through exquisite glasshouses that house diverse plants, from tropical rainforest species to delicate alpine blooms. Marvel at majestic heritage trees that have stood the test of time, including a yew tree believed to be over 800 years old. Explore themed gardens that showcase Ireland's diverse flora and highlight conservation efforts.

Join the free guided tours led by knowledgeable guides to learn fascinating insights about the gardens, their history, and the botanical treasures they hold. Pack a picnic and relax on the grassy lawns, surrounded by the fragrance of blossoms and chirping birds.

Use your pass to receive a complimentary guidebook to the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland.

4. Picnic and People-Watch on St Stephen's Green

St. Stephen's Green is a verdant oasis in the heart of Dublin that offers a serene escape from the urban rhythm. Dating back to the 17th century, it’s the grandest Georgian park in Dublin and spans 22 acres of lush greenery.

Pack a picnic and enjoy a leisurely meal on the well-maintained lawns, soaking in the peaceful ambiance. Admire the park's sculptures, including those of literary icons like W.B. Yeats and James Joyce, and monuments that honor historical figures. Wander through vibrant flowerbeds that change with the seasons, offering a kaleidoscope of colors and fragrances.

5. Meander Along Dún Laoghaire's East Pier and Take a Swim

Dún Laoghaire's East Pier is a picturesque waterfront escape that beckons you to soak in the fresh sea breeze and revel in the beauty of the Irish coast. This beloved pier is more than just a walkway—it's a tranquil sanctuary offering spectacular views and a serene atmosphere.

Stretching gracefully into the Irish Sea, Dún Laoghaire's East Pier has been integral to the town's maritime history since the 19th century. It's located in the charming coastal town of Dún Laoghaire, just a short distance from Dublin.

Stroll along the pier's well-maintained path, enjoying panoramic views of the sparkling sea and the distant horizon. Reach the pier's end to find the charming East Pier Lighthouse, an iconic landmark that adds character to the coastline.

Continue to walk south along the shore to tiny Sandycove Beach, or head around the corner to the Forty Foot Pool, Ireland's most famous swimming spot, for a bracing dip!

6. Wander the Grounds of Dublin Castle

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One of the city’s most iconic landmarks, Dublin Castle is a captivating symbol of the city's rich history and cultural heritage. Dating back to medieval times, the castle has played pivotal roles in Ireland's history, from royal residence to government hub.

While guided tours will cost you, you can roam the beautiful gardens for free and admire the striking castle from the outside. Take in the architectural beauty of the Chapel Royal, which features intricate carvings and stunning stained-glass windows.

If you want to explore further, use your pass to gain free admission to Dublin Castle and see the magnificent State Apartments and the original Viking fortress. You can also upgrade your ticket to include a guided tour at a discounted rate!

7. Wade out to Shenick Island

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Escape the city and enjoy an adventure of a different kind! Head to the picturesque seaside town of Skerries in north Dublin to chase the tide. During low spring tide, pop Wellington boots on and cross the mud flats to reach Shenick Island.

Admire the isolated Martello Tower, an ancient defensive fortress that keeps watch over this sanctuary for wildlife. Look for nesting gulls, cormorants, and basking seals who call the island home. Embark on a leisurely coastal walk around the island, reveling in breathtaking sea views and a sense of solitude. Discover the ancient well that lends the island its name and hear stories of its curative properties.

Pack a picnic and relish a meal amid the island's peaceful surroundings while soaking in the sea breeze. Just be sure to head back before the tide comes in!

While you’re in Skerries, use your pass to visit the historic Skerries Mills, take a guided tour of the 16th-century mills, and enjoy scones and tea.

8. Explore Trinity College

Wander around the beautiful campus of the esteemed Trinity College. Nestled in the heart of Dublin, Trinity College is a bastion of learning with a legacy dating back to 1592. Its iconic Library, home to the Book of Kells, is a testament to the enduring value of education and culture.

Visit the Long Room Library and admire a breathtaking collection of books, manuscripts, and sculptures. Roam the historic campus, admiring its architecture, courtyards, and vibrant student life.

9. Soak up Some Art and Music

Head to the Hugh Lane Gallery on Sundays (excluding July and August), where you can enjoy free concerts in the Sculpture Gallery by Irish and international performers. Admission to the Hugh Lane Gallery is free, so you can take in some fantastic art at the same time.

Based in an imposing Georgian mansion on Parnell Square, this cultural gem is named for the celebrated art dealer and gallery director who founded it. Expect a diverse collection that spans centuries and styles, ranging from Monet to Monet and more.

10. Cross the Ha'penny Bridge

Cross the iconic Ha'penny Bridge and capture the essence of Dublin. Connecting both sides of the River Liffey, the bridge symbolizes Dublin's charm and historic spirit. Built in 1816, the Ha'penny Bridge earned its name from the half-penny toll pedestrians once paid to cross.

Stroll along the bridge and admire the panoramic views of the river and the surrounding cityscape, capturing the essence of Dublin's character.

Capture the bridge's iconic arches and the lively scenes around it, creating memories that encapsulate Dublin's essence. Arrive during sunset for a truly magical view of the city lights.

After crossing the bridge, explore both sides of the river—the vibrant streets of Temple Bar on one side and the charming tranquility of Northside on the other.

Final Thoughts

From the vibrant streets to the serene corners, Dublin offers a wealth of experiences that won't dent your wallet. From hidden gems, beautiful parks, and cultural treasures, Dublin's fabulous free activities promise to delight! Remember, the charm of Dublin lies not just in its landmarks, but in the moments you share with its people, its history, and its soul. Slán go fóill!

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Famous Irish Historical Figures

Meet the famous Irish historical figures who shaped a nation Ireland is renowned for many things - its rich culture, global citizens and so on - and a lot of that comes down to the Irish people. Meet some of Ireland's most famous Irish historical figures and learn more about their stories at EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum below. James Joyce Ireland has birthed some of the world's most adventurous and accomplished literary figures and James Joyce definitely fits the bill. Best known for A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses, his modernist works were truly experimental and while controversial at the time, his writing (spanning novels, short stories, poetry and more) is now held up as some of Ireland's best. Just don't ask us to explain it to you. Oscar Wilde The original dandy, Oscar Wilde was one of the world's first rockstar writers with a colourful personality and even more colourful writing (but only just). He didn't hang around in Ireland for long, drawn to vibrancy of cities like London and Paris, and his works like The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray skyrocketed him to fame. While his life had its incredible ups, it also had pretty harrowing downs and he was was outed as a homosexual after a particularly harrowing and public trial, for which he was arrested and changed the course of his life and writing forever. John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, or J.F.K. as he's perhaps better known, was the first Irish-Catholic man to become the American president. Back in the 1900s, his family did as many other Irish families did and migrated to the US from western Ireland to escape the famine and made Boston their new home. He was president during one of the tensest periods of modern American history - the Cold War - and was publicly assassinated during a procession in Dallas, to the horror of people all over the world. Constance Markievicz An unlikely revolutionary hero in the 1916 uprising, Constance Markievicz was born in London and raised on a wealthy Anglo-Irish estate in Sligo. However, she soon identified with Irish nationalism and played a major role in the Irish Citizen Army. She fought at St. Stephen's Green in 1916 and fought on the Republican side in the Irish Civil War, eventually becoming the Minister for Labour in the first Irish government, making her only the second woman in Europe to have a government ministerial role. Ernest Shackleton Ernest Shackleton, a resident of Kildare, left Ireland behind for even colder climates in the early 20th century to launch a highly ambitious (and dangerous) Antarctic expedition.Over the course of his life, he travelled there four times in a number of unfortunate journeys in which he grew gravely ill, was shipwrecked and wrote long detailed logs of his journey. While he wasn't the first to make it to the South Pole (a Norwegian explorer just edged him out of that glory), his dramatic tales of survival against all odds enamoured public imagination. George Bernard Shaw A Nobel Prize winning playwright born in Dublin on 26 July 1856, George Bernard Shaw was an Irish/British playwright and political activist whose influence on theatre, culture and politics extended through his lifetime and beyond. Best known for his play Pygmalion, which was famously adapated for stage and screen with actresses Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn bringing the Eliza Doolittle character to life, Bernard Shaw wrote more than 60 plays in his lifetime. He has been rated a second only to William Shakespeare among many English-language dramatists given his extensive influence on subsequent generations of playwrights. St Patrick Whatever your religious affiliations, there's no denying that St Patrick is probably the most iconic figure in Irish history. While he was technically Welsh, he was enslaved in Ireland and later became a Christian missionary that changed the course of Irish culture forever. Numerous myths surround him including tales of how he chased all the snakes out of Ireland and baptised many at a well where St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin now stands. And of course, he's the patron saint of Ireland and celebratory figure behind the most Irish of holidays - St Paddy's Day. Bram Stoker Best known for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula, Bram Stoker was born in Dublin on 8 November 1847. His popular novel paved the way for gothic lore and horror in popular culture and in his lifetime he wrote 12 novels as well as collections of short stories. A freelance contributor to The Daily Telegraph in his earlier career, he was also known as the business manager to the actor Henry Irving of the Lyceum Theatre in London. A lifelong lover of art, he founded the Dublin Sketching Club in 1874 and became friends with fellow Irish writers Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats.
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Go City Acquires The Dublin Pass to Expand Ireland Offerings

The Dublin Pass joins the company's portfolio of over 25 destinations worldwide, as Go City initiates further expansion into the country. DUBLIN, March 29, 2022 -- Go City®, the world's largest multi-attraction pass business, has purchased The Dublin Pass from Fáilte Ireland (Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority) by way of open market sale. Recently recognized in the Sunday Times Top Track 250, Go City plans to continue to expand its offerings in the market, leveraging its app-based technology to deliver a more enhanced customer experience. The Dublin Pass grants visitors discounted and flexible entry to the top attractions, museums and tours in Dublin. It was created in 2004 as a collaborative project between Dublin Tourism and key industry partners to promote and sell the Dublin experience to sightseers. Ownership of the pass moved to Fáilte Ireland after it merged with Dublin Tourism in 2012. While Go City has managed The Dublin Pass operation under a concession agreement on behalf of Fáilte Ireland since 2015, this move will see Go City own The Dublin Pass in its entirety. Go City operates in more than 25 of the most iconic cities in the world, and delivers approximately 12 million paid attraction visits annually, worldwide. The Dublin Pass includes 35 of the city's most popular attractions, tours and experiences, including the Guinness Storehouse, Saint Patrick's Cathedral, and many more. This acquisition will broaden the company's offerings in Ireland and provide Dublin's attraction partners with a wider range of marketing capabilities and technology solutions. "We are delighted to welcome The Dublin Pass into the Go City portfolio of passes to the world's best cities. Customers love the savings, flexibility and wide variety of experiences that The Dublin Pass offers, allowing them to unlock the city. Our aim is to build on that success and expand our offerings further into Ireland," comments Jon Owen, CEO of Go City. Paul Keeley, Fáilte Ireland's Director of Regional Development adds, "The Dublin Pass will continue to be an important product for Dublin in the future, as it helps visitors access the city's unique attractions, and experience Dublin's rich history, heritage and culture." Go City will continue to work closely with the local community of attraction partners and Fáilte Ireland to deliver incremental visitation to Dublin, opening up exciting opportunities for the year ahead. ABOUT GO CITY Go City is the most popular multi-attraction pass in the U.S and operates in over 25 cities across the globe. Partnering with over 1,000 attractions, tours and activities worldwide, Go City allows customers to experience everything a destination has to offer, while attraction partners receive incremental visitation and revenue. Offering choice, convenience and savings, Go City enables customers to lock in savings ahead of travel, while retaining flexibility to make plans as they go. All delivered digitally, the Go City app provides contactless entry at attractions by scanning the pass straight from a smartphone device. Go City transforms the way people experience the world's greatest destinations. They simply scan and enjoy, all at their own pace for a fraction of the retail cost. For more information, or to experience Go City please visit www.gocity.com. ABOUT FÁILTE IRELAND As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland's role is to support the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland. Tourism is of critical importance to the national economy and to regional development and employment. Pre-coronavirus, the sector generated revenue of €7.5billion annually and supported 260,000 jobs nationwide while contributing €1.7billion to the Exchequer. Fáilte Ireland works in partnership with Government, State agencies, Local Authorities, representative groups and industry, to develop tourism across Ireland by creating destination development plans and networks, investing in infrastructure, activities, visitor attractions and festivals. Fáilte Ireland also provides consumer and buyer insights, mentoring, business supports and training programmes' and buyer platforms to help tourism businesses innovate and grow. In addition, Fáilte Ireland supports Business Tourism, managing the bidding for and securing of larger conferences, meetings, and events to be hosted in Ireland. Fáilte Ireland is also responsible for domestic holiday marketing across its four regional experience brands: Dublin, Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East, and Ireland's Hidden Heartlands.
Evangeline Leeder

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