4-Day Dublin Pubs, Literature & Georgian Streets Break

Literary landmarks, Georgian squares and trad-music pubs an hour from London.

Day-by-day plan

Day 1: Arrive and Southside

Stay south of the Liffey near Trinity for walkability.

Morning: Aircoach or Dublin Bus from the airport to O'Connell Street.

Afternoon: Trinity College, the Book of Kells and Grafton Street.

Evening: First pint and a trad session in Temple Bar.

Day 2: Guinness and Castle

Book Storehouse tickets online for a timed slot.

Morning: Guinness Storehouse and the Gravity Bar.

Afternoon: Dublin Castle, Chester Beatty Library and St Patrick's Cathedral.

Evening: Dinner around Camden Street.

Day 3: Museums and Parks

The National Museum of Archaeology is free.

Morning: National Museum and a stroll through St Stephen's Green.

Afternoon: Phoenix Park deer-spotting or Kilmainham Gaol (book ahead).

Evening: Literary pub crawl past Joyce and Yeats haunts.

Day 4: Howth or Ha'penny

Aircoach back to the airport runs every 30 minutes.

Morning: Ha'penny Bridge and a coffee on Capel Street, or a DART trip to Howth for cliff views.

Afternoon: Souvenir Aran knit and airport transfer.

Evening: Flight home.

Budget

  • Flights — Return fare anchor: lastminute.com's London-Dublin route page lists return flights from £50 per person (one-way from £32) (lastminute.com/flights/r_london--dublin, checked 30 Oct 2026); 'from' fares are lead-in prices including taxes and do not guarantee availability on specific dates. — 50 GBP
  • Accommodation — 3 nights sole occupancy at about £121 a night. Anchor: budgetyourtrip.com's Dublin page puts the average hotel at about USD161 (~£121) a night (budgetyourtrip.com/hotels/ireland/dublin-2964574 , checked 30 Oct 2026). — 363 GBP
  • Food & drink — Pub lunches, boxty, seafood chowder and a proper Irish breakfast. — 120 GBP
  • Activities — Guinness Storehouse and Book of Kells entry. — 50 GBP
  • Local transport — Aircoach return and Leap Visitor Card. — 25 GBP

Tips

  • Trinity College & Book of Kells: The Long Room library and the 9th-century illuminated manuscript.
  • Guinness Storehouse: Seven floors ending at the Gravity Bar's panoramic pint.
  • Temple Bar & Trad Pubs: Live Irish music sessions most nights; the Cobblestone is a local favourite.
  • Phoenix Park: One of Europe's largest city parks, with fallow deer.