Solo in Dublin: Best Things to do in Dublin on Your Own!

Last Updated on 4th January 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

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Thinking of going solo in Dublin? Well, you’ve made a great choice! After all, the friendly city was founded in the 9th-century by the Vikings, and as a result, is filled with history and plenty of quirky attractions. So whether you love tasting local food or want to soak up some literary inspirations, here’s a guide to the very best things to do in Dublin on your own.

Dublin itself is famed for being the home of Guinness beer, several impressive museums (a handful of which are free to visit), and for its Temple Bar district, an area home to numerous pubs and taverns. Though the city is capital of Ireland, that doesn’t mean that Dublin lacks hidden gems.

For even more inspiration about Dublin, be sure to check out how to spend one day in Dublin and our best Dublin tips.

Is Dublin good for solo travel?

Dublin is easily one of my top picks for solo travel in Europe, and not just because English is the main language spoken, making it easy to get around. Dublin is also easy to visit on foot since most of the city’s main attractions are grouped close together.

With this being said, be sure to take the kind of precautions that you would in any major capital city, including being mindful of where your personal belongings are at all times and checking in with friends/ family back home, etc. For more inspiration on visiting the Irish capital, be sure to check out our top Dublin travel tips.

Best solo activities in Dublin

Explore the National Museums

If you’re looking for both rainy day activities and free places to visit in Ireland, then the National Museums make for your go-to destinations. In total, there are four museums, and three can be found within Dublin itself.

There’s the Archaeology Museum, Museum of Decorative Arts and History (housed in a former army barracks), and the Natural History Museum to be found all within the city limits.

Elsewhere in the city, the National Gallery of Dublin is also free to visit (with the exception of special exhibitions) and houses some of Ireland’s greatest artistic treasures. If you’re looking for something a little more outdoorsy, then you might consider a visit to the National Botanic Gardens.

Go searching for secret Irish locations

Throughout the city, there’s a whole treasure trove of locations, just waiting to be discovered. Between an abandoned church whose four walls are all that remains and a rather humorous statue of Oscar Wilde in the very heart of a popular park, there’s no shortage of secret spots in Dublin.

Elsewhere in the capital, St Michan’s Church dates back to the 11th-century and has mummies in the crypt, while in the middle of the Temple District, an exact replica of Rory Gallagher’s guitar hangs on an unsuspecting brick wall. If you choose to venture further afar than Dublin during your Ireland adventure, here’s our guide to the best-kept secrets of Ireland.

Take a self-guided Dublin walking tour

I’ve said it before and no doubt I’ll say it again: one of the best ways to truly get a handle on a new city is to explore it on your own two feet, preferably via a walking tour. My free and self-guided walking tour of Dublin takes you on a several hour journey of most of the main highlights of the city.

Enjoy the café scene

While the Irish capital is internationally famous for its sheer number of drinking establishments, what you may not know is that there are also plenty of incredible coffee shops and cafés worth checking out. Some of the top coffee shops in the city include the Queen of Tarts (excellent cakes!) and Peacock Green (Baroque interior and French-inspired pastries).

Seek out some literary locations

It’s well-known that many of the great literary writers from the 18th, 19th, and 20th-centuries all visited and grew to fell in love with Dublin. As such, there’s no shortage of literary locations throughout the city to uncover. So literary-orientated is Dublin, that it’s now designated as a UNESCO literary city (much like the Scottish Capital, Edinburgh).

Some must-see destinations include Sweney’s Pharmacy (mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses) and the Dublin Writers Museum (this small cultural space gives a glimpse into the world of the writers who once inhabited the city).

For those who are ‘not museum people,’ you would do well to simply wander around the city and soak up the many attractions which inspired so many famous novels and writers in centuries gone by.

Visit a library (or two)

While in Dublin alone, there are two libraries you absolutely cannot afford to miss! The first is that of Trinity College Dublin. Likely the most famous library in all of the Emerald Isle, this iconic place of books was founded as early as 1592 and is the largest library in Dublin.

The other library in the city worth visiting is Marsh’s Library and can be found a little off the beaten tourist track. Situated close to 12th-century St Patrick’s Cathedral, the oldest public library in Dublin was founded in the early 18th century and was where Bram Stoker once studied and where Jonathan swift once read.

Go shopping around Temple Bar

Even if you’re not interested in visiting the many pubs that the Temple Bar district has to offer, you may well be interested to know that this area of the Capital is home to countless art galleries, as well as plenty of shopping opportunities.

One of my favourite vintage shops in the area is Lucy’s Lounge. Though I don’t want to spoil the surprise of just how unique and well laid-out the two floor space is, the vintage and antique wares are well worth perusing through!

Go on a day trip from Dublin

There are a plethora of incredible trips from Dublin just waiting to be taken. Highlights include the impossibly high Cliffs of Moher, as well as the equally as stunning Wicklow Mountains. If you don’t want to go it completely alone then you might consider joining a group trip tour from Dublin.

Some of the more popular guided tours from the capital include a half-day visit to Malahide Castle, A Game of Throne Tour (for all the avid TV fans out there), and A Galway City + Cliffs of Moher Trip. For more inspiration, be sure to check out our guide to the best day trips from Dublin.

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