About This Dublin City Itinerary
One Day in Dublin City Itinerary Rating: LeisurelyThis Dublin itinerary is recommended for people with the following interests: history, music
Dublin's Viking Past in Brief
- Breakfast Choices in Dublin City
- Bear Market
- Coffeeangel
- Take a Viking Splash tour
- Lunch at Brasserie Sixty6
- Explore Dublinia, a museum dedicated to Dublin's Viking history
- Look for the mummified cat and the mouse in Christchurch Cathedral
- Look for artifacts around Dublin City Council
- Listen to music while sipping a pint at Darkey Kelly's
- Dinner at 777
- Experience a night out on Dame Lane
Dublin's Viking Past Detailed Itinerary
Start with breakfast in Dublin City at Bear Market. Bear Market is located on Pembroke Street Lower just off of Lower Baggot Street. You can't get more central than that. Bear Market serves up locally roasted Silverskin Coffee and light bites (mainly pastries). Alternatively, go across the street to Coffeeangel for a well-crafted cappuccino. The focus is definitely on pouring a perfect cup of coffee every time at Coffeeangel.
After breakfast head over to St. Stephens Green to ride the Viking Splash (20 - 27 EUR for an adult at the time of writing), one of Dublin's top attractions. Tour times begin from 10 am daily with more frequent tours on weekends and Dublin's high season. Don horned Viking helmets as you ride around the city. The over-the-top tour guides will have you shouting for blood from the "Coffee Celts" and "Tourist Celts" as you tour Dublin City Centre. Viking Splash is an amphibious vehicle tour. You'll drive the streets of Dublin and then splash down into the water of the Grand Canal at Grand Canal Dock. Learn a lot about Dublin history while at the same time having some fun. Viking Splash tours takes about an hour and 15 minutes. During that time, you'll experience Dublin through the ages from the Viking period, to Medieval times to Georgian Dublin to the present day Docklands.
Time for lunch! Sit down for a leisurely meal at Brasserie Sixty6 on Great South Georges Street. Try dishes made with fresh local ingredients like an amazing goat's cheese tartlet surrounded by a bed of salad dressed in a light pesto. The menu overall is continental with some American influences.
After lunch, explore Dublinia, a museum dedicated to Viking Dublin. Dublinia is ideal if you are visiting Dublin with family. Dublinia is an interactive museum of Dublin's history from the Vikings to the present day. You'll find volunteers dressed in period garb to show you various Viking crafts. When we visited, we got to see how the Vikings minted coins. Dublinia often runs free tours. We got lucky and were treated to a free 30 minute tour of the Viking area of the museum. I have to say, the campiest part of the whole Dublinia experience was the Viking toilet. The exhibit was outfitted complete with farting sounds! It was hilarious. We also saw a few interactive displays about the Middle Ages and the plagues and pestilence that were the norm. Overall, Dublinia is a fun diversion for an hour or two and is housed in a historic stone building with lovely stained glass accents. You exit the museum through the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral.
Walk a short distance to the very edge of Temple Bar. Listen to some great local music while sipping a pint at Darkey Kelly's. Darkey Kelly's pours a respectable pint of Guinness and you'll find musicians playing Irish Trad music on most evenings.
Enjoy upscale Mexican food and margaritas at 777 on Great South Georges Street for dinner.
After dinner, channel your inner Viking and go marauding on Dame Lane. Dame Lane is an excellent area for a pub crawl with lots of great bars. You're sure to hear a variety of music wafting outside. Pick a pub or three and enjoy a night out on Dame Lane to end this one day itinerary exploring a millennium of Viking history in Dublin City.
Viking Tour of Dublin Map
Click on the image of the map below to open an interactive version in Google Maps with all the points of interest from our Viking tour of Dublin.
Guide to Sidewalk Safari Dublin City Itineraries
- Leisurely: No need to get up super-early to start this itinerary which is always good if you experienced a little too much of Dublin's famous craic the night before. Take your time exploring the sights on these itineraries or take detours that you discover on your own in the process of following my suggestions.
- Intermediate: You should be able to comfortably fit in the activities recommended even if you don't get an early start. There is a fair amount of walking involved in these itineraries to get from place to place.
- Ambitious: Lots to see plus a lot of walking. Make sure to get an early start or you won't make it to everything on the list.
The perfect formula for a day out in Dublin City includes: breakfast/coffee, morning activities, lunch, afternoon activities, a pub stop, dinner, and evening fun.
- Leisurely: No need to get up super-early to start this itinerary which is always good if you experienced a little too much of Dublin's famous craic the night before. Take your time exploring the sights on these itineraries or take detours that you discover on your own in the process of following my suggestions.
- Intermediate: You should be able to comfortably fit in the activities recommended even if you don't get an early start. There is a fair amount of walking involved in these itineraries to get from place to place.
- Ambitious: Lots to see plus a lot of walking. Make sure to get an early start or you won't make it to everything on the list.
The perfect formula for a day out in Dublin City includes: breakfast/coffee, morning activities, lunch, afternoon activities, a pub stop, dinner, and evening fun.