3 Days in Dublin: Walkable 2026 Itinerary + Photo Spots
Dublin Photo Journal: Temple Bar to Trinity College (3-Day Dublin Itinerary + Photography Spots)
Day 1: River Liffey, Ha’penny Bridge, Old City
Day 2: Trinity College, Book of Kells, Temple Bar
Day 3: St. Patrick’s, Dublin Castle, Christ Church & Dublinia
Three days in Dublin gives you enough time to explore Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral and the River Liffey while still leaving time to wander the city’s historic streets. I explored Dublin with my camera during an Ireland photography trip, concentrating on early-morning and evening light when the city was quieter and considerably more photogenic.
Only have three days in Dublin? This is the route I actually followed while photographing the city, including Trinity College, Temple Bar, Dublin Castle and the best places I found for sunrise and evening photography.
Pictures of Dublin, Ireland in no particular order… except I’m lying, because if I don’t organize this, it turns into “here are 47 bridges and one emotional support Guinness.”
Stacy and I rolled into Dublin mid-afternoon and got our first crash course in Dublin city centre traffic. Our taxi driver—absolute legend—dropped us on the south bank of the River Liffey so we could walk across, rather than play bumper cars with one-way streets. I watched him drive like I was studying for the final exam, because we’d be renting a car later and I enjoy fear as a hobby.
Day 1: River Liffey Bridges + Old City Wandering (Jetlag-Friendly Dublin Walk)
First order of business: Dublin walking tour (self-guided) along the Liffey. If you’re doing Dublin travel photography, the bridges are basically free composition lessons.
- Millennium Bridge: a sleek pedestrian bridge installed in late 1999—modern lines, great for dusk reflections, and a nice contrast against the older stone-and-history vibe.
- Ha’penny Bridge: Dublin’s famous pedestrian crossing built in 1816, nicknamed for the halfpenny toll people paid to cross (the original “paywall,” but with better scenery).
I had scoped a spot on Winetavern Street with Christ Church Cathedral and Dublinia in the distance. The light was “meh” when we first walked by, but it planted the seed for an early-morning redemption shoot.
Fine art prints and original painting AVAILABLE
Here is the same vantage point shot the prior afternoon. Good light really makes a difference, huh?
Dinner Near Ha’penny Bridge (aka The Guinness Betrayal)
We had dinner near the Ha’penny Bridge and I was ready for my first Guinness in Ireland… only to discover the restaurant didn’t have Guinness. I’m fairly sure we found the one restaurant in the country that doesn’t stock it. I pointed in the direction of the Guinness storefront a few blocks away and politely suggested they go get a keg. (They did not.) I have PTSD and will never forget this experience.
Day 2: Trinity College + Book of Kells + National Museum (Best Things to Do in Dublin)
Next stop: Trinity College Dublin—a campus so old it makes the United States feel like a pop-up shop. Trinity was founded in 1592, and the whole place radiates “important things happened here.”
Visit Historic Trinity College Dublin
Founded in 1592, Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s oldest university and one of the country’s most famous landmarks. Its beautiful historic campus is home to cobblestone courtyards, elegant Georgian architecture, and the world-renowned Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript created by Celtic monks over 1,200 years ago. Visitors can also explore the spectacular Long Room Library, one of the most photographed libraries in the world, with its soaring wooden arches and thousands of rare books. Whether you’re interested in Irish history, architecture, or photography, Trinity College is an essential stop on any Dublin itinerary
Our main target was the Old Library / Long Room and the Book of Kells Experience. Heads up: you typically access the library via the Book of Kells ticket system, and time slots can book out fast (especially in peak season).
Also: the Book of Kells is a 9th-century illuminated manuscript, which is a fancy way of saying medieval artists had absurd patience and better brush control than the rest of us combined.
Trinity Library thoughts: architecture = stunning. Smell = glorious old-library perfume. Downsides: many shelves are emptier right now due to conservation work, which is responsible… but emotionally inconvenient. I’m old fashioned—I’ll still take a real book over a Kindle any day (sorry Stacy).
We killed time before our slot at the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology (Kildare Street). Free entry and genuinely worth it if you’re into Celtic history, Viking artifacts, or just being indoors for a minute.
Evening: Temple Bar (Look, Don’t Linger)
Located along the south bank of the River Liffey, Temple Bar is Dublin’s most famous cultural and entertainment district. Known for its colorful buildings, lively pubs, traditional Irish music, and bustling pedestrian streets, it’s one of the city’s most popular places to explore. While the area can be busy with visitors, it’s worth experiencing for its vibrant atmosphere, historic charm, unique shops, street performers, and countless opportunities for photography. Whether you stop for a pint, enjoy live music, or simply wander the cobblestone streets, Temple Bar captures the energetic spirit of Dublin.We ended day two with a stroll through the Temple Bar Dublin area at dusk. It’s undeniably photogenic—string lights, cobblestones, pub fronts that basically scream “put me on a postcard.”
Did we go into the infamous Temple Bar pub? Heck no. Too touristy.
Not that my Peaky Blinders hat with a shamrock screamed local.
A quick history nugget: the area’s name is generally linked to the Temple family (Sir William Temple had house/gardens here in the 1600s), and it later evolved into today’s “cultural quarter / nightlife district” vibe.
Original painting and fine art prints available
Day 3: St Patrick’s Cathedral + Dublin Castle + City Hall + Christ Church + Dublinia
Morning photo missions are my love language, so I started early.
St Patrick’s Cathedral (Dublin Landmarks 101)
St Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Ireland and one of the big hitters on any Dublin itinerary. It was founded in 1191, and Jonathan Swift (yes, Gulliver’s Travels) served as Dean from 1713–1745 and is buried there.
Dublin City Hall: Georgian Architecture Before Sunrise
If you like domes and dramatic shadows, Dublin City Hall delivers. It was built 1769–1779 as the Royal Exchange—Georgian architecture at its clean, confident best.
Christ Church Cathedral + Dublinia (Medieval Quarter Gold)
Our last morning in Dublin ended with a visit to the Dublina Museum. This was a nice museum about the history and colonization of Ireland. At the end, we were rewarded with the viewpoint of the pedestrian overpass that I had photographed numerous times over Winetavern St.
Christ Church Cathedral traces its origins to around 1030, founded by a Norse king of Dublin and the first bishop of Dublin—so you’re literally standing in the overlap between Viking Dublin and medieval Ireland.
Right beside it, Dublinia dives into Viking and medieval life (highly recommended if you like history presented with some attitude and hands-on exhibits).
And yes, I must report the most important scholarly detail from Dublinia:
“Push! Push!”
There’s an exhibit with a Viking going to the bathroom… with sound effects. With his diet, I’m guessing that was a heroic struggle.
On that note, not a bad way to spend three days in Dublin. Next off to Belfast for Northern Ireland.
Quick Dublin Tips (Hotels, Tickets, Walking, Coffee Survival)
- Stay near the River Liffey if you want a super walkable Dublin city break—most major sights are easy on foot from there.
- Book Trinity / Book of Kells tickets early (especially October–summer).
Explore More Ireland
- Cliffs of Moher
- Rock of Cashel
- Kilkenny
- Belfast
- Killarney
- Dublin
Next: 3 Nights In Belfast, Northern Ireland
References:
Where to Stay in Dublin
Arlington Hotel– great location downtown on riverfront
Clayton Dublin Hotel– near Dublin airport. Easy for early-morning flights
The Westbury Hotel– 5 star extravagance
The Merrion– Dublin. If I were loaded (money-wise, not on Guinness)
Coffee
Unfortunately, most bakeries and coffee shops in don’t open until 7:30 a.m. For photographers chasing summer sunrises, that means being up hours before your first shot of caffeine—an impossible situation. I was convinced I’d die of coffee deprivation before then. My advice: stock up the day before on supermarket iced coffees and drink just enough to survive until the cafés open (a strategy I tested and can confirm works).
Tours
Find things to do in – day trips (museums and public transport), and more:
Dublin & Ireland Travel Guides
Here is the recently published Lonely Planet Guide. This is what I used to plan the trip (in conjunction with the all-beloved internet):
Dublin Travel Guide: Captivating Adventures through Celtic Heritage, Pub Culture, Landmarks, Hidden Gems, and More (Traveling the World)
Lonely Planet: Pocket Dublin
Another travel guide available for :
Getting to Dublin
Stacy and I flew into Dublin via Air Iceland from Reykjavik. Dublin does have a large international airport:
Dublin to Belfast by Train
We booked a ticket from station to downtown Belfast using Ireland Rail
https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie
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