Serviced Apartments in Dublin City

Discover the best activities and attractions Dublin City has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Note: Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland (not part of the United Kingdom). Below are five popular activities and attractions in Dublin City, Ireland.

Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed urban parks in Europe, offering large green spaces, gardens, cycling paths, sports pitches and the popular Dublin Zoo. It provides residents with vital recreational space that improves public health and quality of life and hosts events that bring in visitor spending. The park’s wildlife (including a resident deer herd), historical monuments (Áras an Uachtaráin, Wellington Monument) and family-friendly attractions make it a major draw for tourists and locals alike, supporting jobs in recreation, conservation and hospitality.

Trinity College & the Book of Kells
Trinity College is Ireland’s oldest university and home to the Old Library and the Book of Kells, an illuminated 9th-century manuscript exhibited to large numbers of visitors each year. The college is a cultural and educational anchor in the city, attracting international students, researchers and tourists whose spending supports nearby hotels, cafes and guided-tour operators. Its architectural and scholarly heritage enhances Dublin’s cultural profile and fosters partnerships with museums and academic institutions.

Guinness Storehouse (St. James’s Gate)
The Guinness Storehouse is a multi-floor visitor experience at the historic St. James’s Gate brewery, blending brewery history, interactive exhibits and tasting experiences (ending at the Gravity Bar with skyline views). As one of Ireland’s top paid attractions, it generates substantial tourism revenue, supports hospitality and tour industries, and helps promote the Guinness brand worldwide — a major export and cultural icon. Its popularity stems from the combination of immersive storytelling, beverage culture, and panoramic city views.

Grafton Street (shopping and street performance)
Grafton Street is Dublin’s premier pedestrian shopping thoroughfare, lined with high-street and designer shops, cafes and the landmark department store Brown Thomas; it’s also famed for vibrant street performers and live music. The street drives significant retail footfall and tourism spending, sustaining retail jobs and nearby hospitality businesses, and it provides an important public stage for local musicians and artists. Its lively atmosphere, central location and mix of shopping and culture make it a must-visit urban experience.

St. Patrick’s Festival (annual cultural event)
St. Patrick’s Festival, centered in Dublin each March, is a multi-day celebration of Irish culture featuring the city parade, concerts, theatre, family events and community programming. The festival draws large domestic and international audiences, delivering a major boost to hotels, restaurants and transport services while showcasing Irish arts and creativity. Beyond tourism income, it strengthens community pride, supports cultural organizations and provides platforms for local artists and volunteer engagement.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Dublin City, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Jurisdiction note - Dublin City is the capital of the Republic of Ireland (not part of the United Kingdom); the services described below refer to Dublin, Ireland.
- Dublin Bus - Extensive city and suburban bus network operated by Go-Ahead Ireland and Dublin Bus under the National Transport Authority (NTA), covering local routes, express services and peak corridors.
- Luas (tram/light rail) - Two main lines (Red and Green) providing frequent inner‑city and suburban tram services with key stops in the city centre and connections to Docklands, suburbs and interchanges.
- DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) - Electrified coastal suburban rail running north–south along Dublin Bay linking coastal suburbs, Salthill–Killiney and Howth/Bray corridors with frequent commuter services.
- Commuter & Intercity Rail (Iarnród Éireann) - Suburban commuter trains radiating from Connolly, Pearse and Heuston stations plus intercity services to cities such as Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast.
- DublinBikes (bike‑share) - Public bicycle hire scheme with dozens of docking stations in central Dublin for short urban trips, integrated with public transport fare systems.
- Airport coaches and express services - Dedicated airport links (Airlink 747/757, Aircoach and private express coaches) connecting Dublin Airport with city centre and suburban hubs.
- Taxis and private hire / ride‑hailing - Licensed taxi fleet and private-hire operators (app-based services and local operators) serving door‑to‑door and airport trips.
- Leap Card (integrated smart ticketing) - Contactless smartcard accepted on Dublin Bus, Luas, DART, commuter trains and many regional services for integrated fares and capped daily/weekly rates.

Major Highways
- M50 - Orbital motorway encircling Dublin, providing rapid connections between radial motorways and major urban junctions.
- M1 - Route northeast from Dublin toward Drogheda, Dundalk and the border with Northern Ireland (main road toward Belfast).
- M2 - Motorway linking Dublin with the northern commuter towns and onward to regional routes.
- M3 - Northwest radial motorway connecting Dublin to Navan and beyond.
- M4 / N4 - Westbound corridor from Dublin toward Mullingar and further west (connects into routes toward Sligo via the N4).
- M6 - Westward route linking the Dublin area (via the N4/M4 junctions and national road network) to Galway and the mid‑west.
- M7 - Southwest motorway from Dublin toward Naas, Portlaoise and Limerick/Cork corridors (part of the main Dublin–Limerick/Cork road axis).
- M8 / M9 - Major south and southeast routes providing high‑capacity links from the Dublin area toward Cork (M8) and Waterford (M9) via national motorway network.
- N11 / M11 - South‑east corridor from Dublin toward Bray, Wicklow, Wexford and the southeast coast.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Protected and painted cycle lanes & DublinBikes - Growing network of segregated cycle tracks, painted lanes and Quietway routes across the city centre and key radial corridors, supported by the public DublinBikes system and a number of greenways (quality and continuity vary by route; ongoing council programs aim to expand protected infrastructure).

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- BusConnects - Major bus network redesign and investment in Core Bus Corridors, bus priority lanes and upgraded stops to increase frequency, reliability and capacity across the Greater Dublin Area.
- DART+ programme - Phased electrification and upgrade of suburban rail (DART+) with new rolling stock, extended services (Coastal and West) and longer platforms to improve capacity and reduce emissions.
- MetroLink (planned) - Proposed high‑capacity metro linking the city centre with the north suburbs and Dublin Airport (planning and statutory processes ongoing; timelines phased).
- Luas upgrades & proposals - Recent completion of Luas Cross City (connection between Red and Green lines) and ongoing proposals/studies for further Luas extensions to serve additional suburbs.
- Active travel & cycle network expansion - Dublin City Council and the NTA investments in protected cycle lanes, greenways, school street projects and pedestrian improvements to encourage walking and cycling.
- Airport and surface access improvements - Dublin Airport Masterplan and incremental terminal/ground transport upgrades with enhanced coach, rail and road access planning.
- Smart ticketing / real‑time information - Continued refinement of integrated ticketing (Leap Card enhancements) and expanded real‑time passenger information across buses, Luas and rail.
- Road junction and capacity upgrades - Targeted M50 and radial junction upgrades, safety improvements and park‑and‑ride expansions to ease commuter flows into/out of the city.