Dublin Pubs, History and Coastal Cliffs

Trinity College Dublin sits at the historic heart of the city on College Green, and it's the natural anchor for any culturally minded Dublin visit. Founded in 1592, the cobbled campus offers a striking contrast to the busy commercial streets immediately outside its gates. Allow 90 minutes to take in the Front Square, the Dining Hall and the famous Long Room Library — home to the Book of Kells — which is accessible via the college's visitor experience. With a Google rating of 4.6/5 across over 6,000 reviews, it consistently ranks as one of Dublin's most rewarding stops. As the first waypoint on this loop, it sets the tone: Dublin rewards those who look past the surface. From here, the rest of Day One fans out eastward and westward through the Liberties and along the Liffey, all within comfortable walking distance.

Mulligan's on Poolbeg Street is one of Dublin's most celebrated traditional pubs, tucked into a narrow street just off the main quays. With a rating of 4.7/5 from over 4,000 reviewers, it earns its reputation as the kind of pub that feels completely unchanged from another era — plain, unhurried and serious about its Guinness. At moderate pricing, it's not a budget outlier, but it doesn't trade on gimmicks either. The pub opens at 12:30 on most weekdays, so timing your post-Trinity visit is straightforward on a weekday afternoon. This is the first of three pubs on Day One, and it sets the standard: dark wood, no fuss, conversation. Budget around 60 minutes here — enough for a pint and to absorb the atmosphere without rushing before the short walk to The Palace Bar.

The Palace Bar on Fleet Street sits at the edge of Temple Bar and has been serving Dublin since the 1820s. Unlike many bars in the Temple Bar area, it retains genuine Victorian-era fittings — etched glass, a horseshoe-shaped bar and dark mahogany that patina has done nothing but improve. Its 4.6/5 rating across 4,500-plus reviews reflects this authenticity. It opens early at 10:30 AM daily (noon on Sundays), making it flexible for any itinerary. As a pub and restaurant, it works equally well for an afternoon pint or a sit-down meal. Seventy-five minutes here is a comfortable stay — long enough to eat if needed and to appreciate the setting before the longer walk west to Kilmainham Gaol, which shifts the day's register from convivial to contemplative.