Dublin is a city that wears its history and literature on its sleeve. From its Viking origins to its status as a UNESCO City of Literature, Dublin offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a legendary pub culture.

Temple Bar is the cultural heart, filled with pubs and galleries, though it can be noisy. For something more upscale and leafy, look near St. Stephen’s Green or Portobello.

Trinity College and the Book of Kells

Visit the stunning Old Library at Trinity College to see the 9th-century Book of Kells, a masterpiece of Celtic illumination.

Literary Pub Crawl

Dublin’s pub culture is inseparable from its literary history. Join a literary pub crawl to learn about Joyce, Beckett, and Behan while enjoying the atmosphere of the city’s most historic drinking holes.

Card Acceptance: Stick to Visa or Mastercard. American Express is still hit-or-miss in smaller cafes.

Supermarkets: Dunnes Stores, Tesco, and SuperValu are the main chains and are 100% credit-card friendly.

Sunday Hours: Most shops don’t open until 12:00 PM on Sundays and close early by 6:00 PM.

The DCC Trap: When paying by card, the terminal might ask if you want to pay in your “Home Currency” or “Euro.” Always choose Euro. The “Home Currency” option uses a terrible exchange rate.

Tap Water: The tap water is perfectly safe and high quality. Dublin is rolling out more public fountains, but you can also use the Refill Ireland map to find businesses that will refill your bottle for free.

Free Amenities: All National Museums (like the Archaeology museum on Kildare St) have free entry and excellent, clean facilities.

Tipping: A tip of 10-12% is standard in restaurants for good service. In pubs, you don’t tip for drinks ordered at the bar, but if you have a server bringing drinks to your table, leaving a few Euro is appreciated.

The Round System: If you are drinking with locals, they will likely buy “rounds.” If someone buys you a drink, you are expected to buy the next one for the group.

Emergency Pharmacy: Hickey’s Pharmacy on O’Connell Street and O’Connell’s Pharmacy (Westmoreland St) offer late-night services, often until 10:00 PM or midnight.

Emergency Number: Dial 999 or 112 for fire, ambulance, or police (Gardaí).

Mobility Hurdles: The city center is flat, but the historic Temple Bar district is full of original cobblestones which are a nightmare for wheelchairs and strollers.