The Best Outdoor Activities In And Around Dublin

Dublin is a city that begs to be explored. Be it for history, culture, communion or cheer, you can find something on every street corner, so head out and take it all in – don’t just spend your holiday in Temple Bar.

The temptations of a trip to Dublin are obvious. At some point, you’ll want a pint of Guinness. At another, you’ll want whiskey (not ‘whisky’ – never make that mistake with an Irishman). You’ll want to catch a game of hurling, see a fiddle player and buy something with a shamrock motif. And who can blame you? But there is far, far more to the Irish capital than stag-dos and shillelaghs; beyond the tourist traps of Temple Bar, there is a city that has everything you could ever want. Get out of the pubs – at least for a little while – and do Dublin properly.

1. The Ha’penny Bridge

Bridge

No trip to the Pale (as the capital is affectionately known) is complete without a sojourn across the Ha’Penny Bridge, one of the most beautiful bridges of its kind in all of Europe. Don’t panic over a lack of spare change, however – its toll, which was once a half-penny, and gradually became a penny and a half – was abolished by the revolutionary government of Éamon de Valera in 1919. So be sure to thank the brave souls who fought to establish the Irish Republic every time you saunter over the River Liffey on the Ha’penny Bridge; among many other things, they just saved you some shrapnel.

2. Dollymount Strand

Natural Feature

You’re not likely to get the sweltering weather of St Tropez when heading to Dollymount Strand, but there is no better place to take in the astonishing natural beauty surrounding the capital. The walk to the beach is breathtaking enough: a sweeping promenade that takes you along Bull Wall, with the majesty of Dublin Bay in front of you, and the ocean air in your lungs. But once you arrive, you’ll find yourself captivated by the flat, nearly infinite plains tracing far off into the distance, barracked by undisturbed sand dunes. You’ll feel like you’re a million miles from the city centre, or any city centre. And if you’re lucky, you might see an otter.

4. Garden of Remembrance

Park

Garden of Remembrance memorial (1966) Dublin

As one of Ireland’s most sombre and hallowed spaces, the Garden of Remembrance, tucked away in Parnell Square, is as necessary a visit for locals as it is for tourists. Dedicated to the struggle for Irish freedom that so beset the nation until its eventual liberation from the British, the Garden of Remembrance is tranquil and well manicured, but unflinching in its use of symbolism. Statues and plaques show visions of battles past, as poems commemorate the sacrifice of Irish revolutionaries like James Connolly, Maud Gonne and Constance Markievicz. Without their agitation and faith in the cause of a free and equal Ireland, Dublin would not be the city it is today.

5. Dublin Castle

Building, Historical Landmark

Exterior view of Dublin Castle from the Dubh Linn Garden in Dublin, Ireland

Formerly the seat of the British Crown in Dublin, before it was turned over to the Provisional Government led by Michael Collins in the advent of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, Dublin Castle is one of the finest examples of classical architecture in all of Ireland, and a bustling tourist attraction all year round. Its plush surroundings have been used as the site of hundreds of international conferences, banquets and concerts. It has even been used as a primary location in films like Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975), and TV series like The Tudors, where it was dressed up to appear as the Vatican – an apt bit of location scouting that will no doubt bring a smile to any Roman-Catholic grandmother.

6. Phoenix Park

Park, Zoo

The Wellington Memorial obelisk surrounded by picnickers in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland

Dublin’s answer to Central Park is Phoenix Park, the largest enclosed green space in any European capital with sprawling verdant turf that follows the natural contours of the city’s foundations. Despite its popularity, Phoenix Park is so gigantic that you can always find your own little corner. Pack a picnic and your binoculars, and bunker down for a bit of summertime deer spotting. Or leave the binoculars at home, and use that space in your bag for more wine. Either way, you’ll enjoy yourself.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.