The Top Things To Do On A Rainy Day In Dublin

Dublin, Ireland, experiences over 155 days of rainfall per year. While some may view this as an inconvenience, the rainy weather is the perfect opportunity to explore some of Dublin’s greatest attractions. If you’re native to this magnificent city, or just here for a weekend, here are some of the best ways to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

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Get Lost in the Shelves at Trinity College’s Long Room

For any book lover interested in seeing over 200,000 volumes in a beautiful setting, Trinity College’s Long Room is the ideal place to spend a drizzling afternoon. The tours are self-guided, with signs and helpful staff to answer any questions about the library and its contents. Trinity College’s Long Room is a must-see for anyone coming to Dublin, and is an ideal attraction during a dreary afternoon shower.

Advertised as Dublin’s best-kept secret, enjoy a relaxing cup of tea or cappuccino in a calming and cozy atmosphere. Centrally located on Stephen Street Lower, Accents Coffee and Tea Lounge has comfortable couches, delicious food and drink, and friendly staff. Not only is Accents Coffee and Tea Lounge a great family outing, the delicious cafe is the ultimate location for a first date. The vanilla chai latte is a perfect sweet treat on a damp and gloomy day.

National Museum of Ireland Archaeology

The National Museum of Ireland Archaeology is home to fascinating artifacts and exhibitions, and best of all, the entry is free. The museum also houses the mysterious calcified bog bodies, originating out of the muddy bogs throughout Ireland. Come and investigate remains from the Battle of Clontarf, Viking artifacts, as well as beautiful ceramics and glass found in Ireland.

Enjoy a Pint at the Oldest Pub in Ireland

Venture along the River Liffey to find the Brazen Head Pub, which is the oldest pub in Ireland. Dating back to 1198, this pub has incredible Irish stew and a variety of drinks. Every night of the week, Brazen Head features exciting live music after 9pm. With the entertainment and delicious food in a historical atmosphere, Brazen Head Pub makes for a great dinner with friends or a night out on the town.

Have a Pastry at Queen of Tarts

Located nearly in the city center, Queen of Tarts is Dublin’s best homemade dessert stop on a rainy day. With an impressive selection of cakes, tarts, scones and teas, Queen of Tarts will cheer up even the gloomiest of rainy afternoons. Queen of Tarts is an adorable escape from the routine rain of Dublin, with delicious desserts and comforting teas and coffees.

Tour Dublin Castle

Take a guided tour of the iconic Dublin Castle, a historical landmark right in the heart of Dublin city. Dublin Castle’s rich history paired with exciting guided tours of the medieval undercroft and state apartments is the perfect exciting and informative activity during a day in the rain. Dublin Castle is located at the city center, and makes for an excellent item to cross off your Dublin bucket list.

Guinness Storehouse

Enjoy a self-guided, interactive tour throughout the fully functioning Guinness factory, complete with a complimentary pint at the end of the tour. Throughout the Guinness Storehouse, you’ll learn about the ingredients, the brewing process, and how the product is distributed all over the world. Best of all, part of the tour includes tasting lessons. The highlight of the Guinness Storehouse tour is the Gravity Bar, situated on top of the factory, which allows for a 360-degree view of Dublin.

Fish and Chips at O’Shea’s Merchant

Enjoy Dublin’s tastiest fish and chips in a quintessential Irish pub. While you eat, enjoy some of the best traditional Irish music that Dublin has to offer. O’Shea’s Merchant sits overlooking the River Liffey along the charming quays. O’Shea’s is well known for its exceptional traditional music performed daily, and is a splendid location for a family dinner or for the screening of a Gaelic football match.

The Old Jameson Distillery

Enjoy a guided tour throughout the former Jameson Distillery, the biggest brand name in Irish whiskey. The exciting and informative tour includes a description history of the whiskey and a preview of how the whiskey is made. The Jameson Distillery tour includes how-to instructions on appreciating different types of whiskey in comparison to the famous Irish brand. Lastly, the tour concludes with a complimentary taste of delicious Jameson.

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.