Two day Dublin itinerary
 

We need some assistance sorting out our Dublin itinerary. We know what we want to see, we just don't know in what order and how long each site might take to visit. We'll have about a day and a half after arriving and checking in to the hotel. Any advice on what we can fit in and how we should arrange the schedule?

- Trinity College / Old Library / Book of Kells
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Chester Beatty Library
- Guinness Storehouse
- National Museum of Ireland
- St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Christchurch Cathedral
- Dublin Castle
- General Post Office
- O'Connell Bridge
- St. Stephen's Green

Thanks for the advice!
Shannon

That is about a 4+ day itinerary and you have less than 1.5 days. If you are arriving after an overnight flights you will be jet lagged so IRL will only have one day where you are able to do heavy sightseeing.

Cut your list by 2/3 . . .

Kilmainham Gaol, make a reservation for this as they fill quickly. It is so worth it. Guinness Storehouse is also wise to buy ticket online so work around those two. You could do a leap card pass and take the luas and bus.

I always hit the National Museum of Ireland first thing after leaving my suitcase at hotel if staying in that area. What time do you arrive and what area are you staying? You could do Guinness and Kilmainham Gaol on your full day. If you have time watch https://www.netflix.com/title/80094273. Rebellion, a mini series was so good and you will appreciate Dublin it all more.

Chester Beatty Library and Dublin Castle are together and Christ Church is near by. I would do Christ Church over St Patrick's if you had to pick one.

You might want to consider taking a Hop On Hop Off bus tour for your short stay. We did that on our first trip to Dublin as we only had a full day there - you'll at least pass by most of what you want to see. You'll also stop at both Kilmainham Gaol and Guinness Storehouse, and as Macross mentioned, it's a good idea to purchase your tickets to both on line, ahead of your trip. Patriots Pub, about a block away from Kilmainham Gaol is a great place to eat. We returned to Dublin about 4 months after our first trip, and fortunately had about a week for this visit, so more time to explore. O'Connell St Bridge and the GPO are less than a 10 minute walk from each other and don't forget to look up at the Spire, which you can't miss seeing! You'll really need to pare down your list if you only have a full day unless you merely want to see from the outside what you've outlined. Dublin is fairly compact and flat, and you'll be able to see quite a bit walking around, however, the problem is you won't really have time to explore inside any of these places in such a short amount of time.

We spent two full days plus the arrival afternoon (no jet lag) in Dublin this February, and used one of them to enjoy Howth. Purchasing tickets in advance was a lifesaver in avoiding queues for our Dublin sightseeing, but doing so required considerable planning. This said, I think your itinerary is too ambitious for the time you have.

Here is our trip report if you are interested.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...dby-dublin.cfm

http://www.thechurch.ie/ This is a great church stop. Arthur Guinness was married here and Handel practice the Messiah on the church organ before performing it in Dublin. You can eat and have a drink while doing this. Jameson is not far from here and all are a quick stop on the Luas line. Smithfield Sq has some of the best bars. Cobblestone is excellent for local music.
I have been to Dublin so many times I have lost count and still have not been to Dublin Castle. Grafton St to St Stephens is a nice stroll with entertainment along the way from street performers.

Thank you for the great feedback. I knew we wouldn't be able to fit all of that in, I was just looking for some guidance as to what was possible. We arrive at 10am and are staying at the Harding Hotel which is right across from Christ Church Cathedral.

How does round two look?

Day 1: (start around noon)
- Christ Church
- Hop on Hop off
- Guinness Storehouse

Day 2:
- Trinity College/Old Library/Book of Kells
- National Museum of Ireland
- St. Stephen's Green
- St. Patrick's
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Temple Bar

Love the Harding. Great bar downstairs. Sounds good, if you arrive early they will keep your bags till room is ready. You have Queen of Tarts on Cow Lane close by you if you need breakfast. Across from Dublin Castle.

Almost everything on your wish-list is within easy walking distance of the Harding. The exception is Kilmainham (although it is not beyond walking range). I suggest that you tie the visit to Kilmainham in with the HOHO tour.

Dublin Castle lies between the Harding and Trinity College. Even if you don't take the full tour, you can step inside the gates and have a look around. Dublin City Hall is right beside the castle; it's an iconic building, and another place you can step into for a quick look.

https://www.luas.ie/smithfield.html Click on link and you get maps of each stop. If you get tired of waiting for the hoho bus the luas is quick and easy. Machines are at each stop to buy a ticket to board. I always buy a visitor leap care but just to get you somewhere fast we like using this mode of transportation. You will cross back over one of the many bridges to get back to the Harding.