Where to bring visitors for a weekend in Dublin?

lecker Hendl

How's it goin,

I have 2 friends coming over from that mainland Europe place. They're both female so that's lovely.

I'm a bit stumped on where to bring them though. Guinness Storehouse is a must. Was thinking the leprechaun museum for giggles and after that I'm stuck. The Viking splash tour probably has to be booked so I might look into that.

It's this weekend so they'll love the atmosphere in a pub for the rugby hopefully.

Anyone have any other suggestions? Friday and Saturday and they are early 20's

Twee.

Any interest in art? Loads of free galleries that you could wander on the weekend, even if just for an hour. IMMA, RHA, National Gallery.

You've also got Collins Barracks, National History Museum, Natural History Museum.

lecker Hendl

Ya I was thinking about museums but it's not really exciting stuff. I wouldn't mind keeping it as "irish" as possible. They like that kind of stuff.

Soundsphere

When I have visitors over, I just walk around town with them. You never know where you end up. We usually start on O'Connel street and walk along the Liffey and then around Temple Bar. Then we end up somewhere and just keep walking to see when we find our way back. It's the most interesting thing you can do, in my opinion.
After that you go to a pub. Since my visitors are over to see Dublin and Ireland, I bring them into an irish oub the first night. Something like O'Neills. And the second night to other pubs.... wherever we end up, basically.

stabeek

It's only my experience, but you need the Irish live music.

My problem is having been disappointed myself. Your visitors are likely to be less discerning, so Oliver St John Gogarty's or prolly other places around Temple Bar might have live music, but _you_ mightn't enjoy it.

Disgracefully, I'm at a loss to say where in Dublin you could get decent live céili music ... I've been away three years, that's my only excuse.

Soundsphere

It's always a bit boring for you if you have visitors. Especially if you walk around in town. You've been there dozens of times before. However, it's going to be the first time for your visitors. Try to see everything with their eyes. It can be awesome

lecker Hendl

Temple Bar will definitely be visited. The trad session would be perfect. I'm just thinking of the daytime. I don't want to spend it all in a pub. Then again, the walking around the city will pass a good bit of time.

admiralofthefleet

take the dart out to howth

CiaranC

The hop-on, hop-off open top bus tours that go around the city are excellent. Almost everyone I meet outside Ireland who has used them sings their praises.

savvyav

The bog bodies in the Museum of Archeaology are quite cool (and free!), I also like St Michan's church with the mummies in the crypt- shaking hands with a mummified Viking is a unique experience! Are your friends native English speakers or have a very high standard of English? The Viking Splash is excellent but you need to have very good English to benefit from it fully. Kilmainham Gaol is very good too and if they have seen The Tudors, Christ Church Cathedral is good. The Leprechaun Museum was pretty much the most disappointing experience I have had in Dublin (I've visited nearly every attraction due to my job), it was very basic, lacking in leprechauns (no pictures or models, bar one of Homer Simpson as a leprechaun) and at 10e I thought it was a total rip-off- the 'magic rainbow' you walk through is a load of coloured string hanging from the ceiling. For 5e you could visit the little museum of Dublin on Stephen's Green which is a collection of items donated by ordinary people- they have the orginal Wanderly Wagon if you're old enough to get excited by that!

petethebrick

CiaranC wrote: »

The hop-on, hop-off open top bus tours that go around the city are excellent. Almost everyone I meet outside Ireland who has used them sings their praises.

Only this really. If they're just here for a weekend they won't be bothered about going to any of the museums or gallery's etc
Get the tourist hop-on/off bus on Saturday morning. It stops at the Guinness store house, visit there, and then stop at Kilmainham jail for the tour there.
You'll be finished in the early afternoon and can go for a few drinks listening to trad music before watching the rugby in some lively pub that evening.

HeidiHeidi

savvyav wrote: »

The bog bodies in the Museum of Archeaology are quite cool (and free!), I also like St Michan's church with the mummies in the crypt- shaking hands with a mummified Viking is a unique experience! Are your friends native English speakers or have a very high standard of English? The Viking Splash is excellent but you need to have very good English to benefit from it fully. Kilmainham Gaol is very good too and if they have seen The Tudors, Christ Church Cathedral is good. The Leprechaun Museum was pretty much the most disappointing experience I have had in Dublin (I've visited nearly every attraction due to my job), it was very basic, lacking in leprechauns (no pictures or models, bar one of Homer Simpson as a leprechaun) and at 10e I thought it was a total rip-off- the 'magic rainbow' you walk through is a load of coloured string hanging from the ceiling. For 5e you could visit the little museum of Dublin on Stephen's Green which is a collection of items donated by ordinary people- they have the orginal Wanderly Wagon if you're old enough to get excited by that!

Sadly I think this is no longer open to the public - about 10 years ago vandals broke in and destroyed the place one time too many for the parish priest (vicar?? whoever is in charge) and he closed it to the public. A crying shame, and I hope someone can come on and tell me it's open again, but sadly I doubt it. But you can go in and have a look at the organ on which Handel's messiah was first played!

dubbie82

You can still go and see the mummy at St. Michan's Church, they do Guide tours so you can't go on your own but the fella who does the tour is great. In my opinion far better and unique than the Leprechaun Museum.

And don't do the Guinness Storehouse, the Museum and Viking Splash on the same day, it's more exhausting than it sounds.

Take them out to Howth for the cliffwalk and drinks on the Summit Pub if they are into the outdoors.

The Science Gallery in Trinity College does appeal to many visitors.

The Cobblestone Pub does have trad sessions and trad music on and it's not really a touristy pub like Oliver Gogarty.

And I second the tip about the Hop on Hop off bus, they are a great way to get around and see the City and give you the flexibility. Have done those tours in many cities but still think Dublin's Bus tours are the best.

HeidiHeidi

dubbie82 wrote: »

You can still go and see the mummy at St. Michan's Church, they do Guide tours so you can't go on your own but the fella who does the tour is great. In my opinion far better and unique than the Leprechaun Museum.

And don't do the Guinness Storehouse, the Museum and Viking Splash on the same day, it's more exhausting than it sounds.

Take them out to Howth for the cliffwalk and drinks on the Summit Pub if they are into the outdoors.

The Science Gallery in Trinity College does appeal to many visitors.

The Cobblestone Pub does have trad sessions and trad music on and it's not really a touristy pub like Oliver Gogarty.

And I second the tip about the Hop on Hop off bus, they are a great way to get around and see the City and give you the flexibility. Have done those tours in many cities but still think Dublin's Bus tours are the best.

Well, I'm delighted to be wrong!!! I haven't been bringing people there for years as I'm sure I remembered the head fella saying "no more" but he obviously changed his mind in the meantime.

A highly recommended thing to do/see.

gollem_1975

check this out.

http://www.independent.ie/travel/inside-ireland/10-free-things-to-do-in-dublin-2252297.html

Also I'd suggest that you bring them to Coppers

lecker Hendl

thanks guys. I like the sound of the hop on hop off bus tour. Their english is pretty much fluent so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll take into consideration the leprechaun museum comment. Much appreciated for all suggestions

liffeylite

You could also look at some of the markets. Temple bar square market, meeting house square, then walk up to meath street market. There is a new market just open on thomas street. Francis street if they are into antiques or charity shops. That would easily fill an afternoon.

There is the urban market in spencer dock also, though i dont think its opened yet?

The Scientician

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Sadly I think this is no longer open to the public - about 10 years ago vandals broke in and destroyed the place one time too many for the parish priest (vicar?? whoever is in charge) and he closed it to the public. A crying shame, and I hope someone can come on and tell me it's open again, but sadly I doubt it. But you can go in and have a look at the organ on which Handel's messiah was first played!

It was open the last time I was there two years ago. So unless they wrecked the joint more recently??