The Perfect Ireland Itinerary That Includes Grafton Street, Dublin (And Where To Find The Best Pub Bathroom When You Really Need One)

Your Day-By-Day Ireland Itinerary That Includes Grafton Street, Dublin (Without Requiring A Trust Fund)

Any respectable Ireland itinerary that includes Grafton Street, Dublin requires strategic planning to avoid both bankruptcy and the particular brand of exhaustion that comes from trying to see everything in a country where sightseeing is regularly interrupted by weather events, impromptu conversations with locals, and the gravitational pull of pubs—which is why planning a trip to Ireland properly becomes essential for maximizing your experience. Consider this itinerary not as a rigid schedule but as a flexible framework, much like how the Irish themselves approach appointments.

Day 1-2: Dublin’s Greatest Hits

Begin your Grafton Street adventure at Brown Thomas, Dublin’s premier department store, where $15 buys you a fancy chocolate bar that somehow tastes better because of the elegant shopping bag it comes in—one of many quintessential things to do in Dublin that defines the city’s character. The street itself functions as a living theater where performers somehow make U2 covers sound original despite having been played approximately 17,000 times on this very street. For mid-morning refreshment, duck into Bewley’s Oriental Café, established in 1840 and serving coffee at temperatures that would trigger lawsuits in America. The ornate interior with stained glass windows makes even mediocre coffee taste like an historical experience.

Just a short walk from Grafton Street stands Trinity College, home to the Book of Kells ($18 entrance fee). Watching American tourists attempt to find their “Irish roots” in manuscripts they can barely see through protective glass provides entertainment almost equal to the historical value of the documents themselves. The Long Room library above will have book lovers contemplating how to fake Irish citizenship just to gain regular access to this temple of literature.

Evenings demand exploration of the Temple Bar district, where pints of Guinness cost $7-9 (compared to $5-6 in less touristy Dublin neighborhoods). While admittedly a tourist trap of epic proportions, The Temple Bar pub itself delivers exactly the raucous atmosphere Americans imagine when they dream of Irish pubs. For a slightly more authentic experience, slip into The Palace Bar or O’Donoghue’s, where locals sometimes outnumber visitors, particularly on weeknights.

Where to Sleep After Grafton Street Adventures

Budget travelers can secure a bed at Generator Hostel for $30-40 per night, where the international crowd will regularly invite you to join impromptu pub crawls regardless of your age or apparent energy level. Mid-range options include Albany House ($120-150/night), offering Georgian charm without Georgian-era plumbing. For those with deeper pockets, The Westbury ($350+/night) sits just off Grafton Street and provides the kind of luxury that makes even packing for rainy weather seem civilized.

Dublin’s compact center means walking remains the most efficient transportation option for exploring the Grafton Street area. Unlike Los Angeles, where people drive to their mailboxes, Dublin rewards pedestrians with unexpected discoveries and conversations with locals who seem genuinely perplexed by American excitement about buildings that, to them, are “just old shops, like.”

Day 3: North Dublin Excursion

Balance your Grafton Street-centered itinerary with a day exploring North Dublin. The EPIC Irish Emigration Museum ($18) offers witty commentary on the Irish diaspora that populated half of Boston and invented St. Patrick’s Day parades with plastic shamrocks. The museum smartly addresses how a small island nation managed to spread its culture globally through the unfortunate combination of famine, oppression, and remarkable adaptability.

The Jameson Distillery tour ($25) provides both whiskey education and generous samples that may permanently alter American tourists’ bourbon preferences. Unlike American distillery tours that often focus on technical details, Jameson emphasizes storytelling and the cultural significance of whiskey—plus the samples are served in actual glasses rather than plastic thimbles.

In the afternoon, visit The Little Museum of Dublin ($12), featuring eccentric exhibits including an entire room dedicated to U2 that manages to be both informative and slightly embarrassing, much like showing vacation slides to disinterested relatives. For dinner, venture beyond predictable Irish stew to restaurants like The Winding Stair or Boxty House, where main courses range from $15-30 and modern Irish cuisine proves that boiling is no longer the country’s primary cooking technique.

Day 4: Grafton Street Deep Dive and Shopping

Begin with morning coffee at one of the independent cafés like Kaph or Clement and Pekoe, arriving before 10 am to avoid the crowds. These establishments take coffee seriously in ways that would make Starbucks executives nervous, with baristas who discuss bean origins with religious fervor.

A proper Ireland itinerary that includes Grafton Street, Dublin needs dedicated shopping time. Avoca offers woolen items ranging from $80-200 that will occupy permanent space in your closet, while various shops sell Celtic jewelry priced between $50-500 depending on how much Celtic knotwork is involved. Between November and January, the “Grafton Quarter” Christmas lights transform the street into a display that manages to be simultaneously charming and tacky, much like holiday decorations anywhere but somehow more tolerable because they’re Irish.

Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre stands as Dublin’s answer to American malls: a place where you can buy the same HandM clothes but in a prettier building. Its Victorian-inspired glass ceiling makes even chain store shopping feel vaguely sophisticated. When nature calls—and it will, particularly after sampling various Irish coffees—head to the top floor of Brown Thomas department store or Marks and Spencer for the cleanest public restrooms on Grafton Street. Department store bathrooms maintain a level of dignity that pub facilities simply cannot match, especially as the day progresses and beer consumption increases.

Day 5-6: Day Trips from Dublin

Venture to coastal Howth via train ($7 round-trip, 30 minutes) for dramatic cliff walks and seafood fresh enough to make landlocked Americans question every fish dinner they’ve ever eaten. The journey offers postcard-worthy Dublin Bay views that somehow look better in person than on Instagram, despite weather conditions that frequently include fifty shades of gray skies.

Malahide Castle ($15 entrance) delivers 800 years of history that makes George Washington’s house look like a new-build condo. The tour guides’ deadpan delivery of gruesome historical facts about former residents while standing in lavishly decorated rooms creates a cognitive dissonance that feels uniquely Irish.

For nature lovers, Wicklow Mountains tours ($40-60) provide access to landscapes so cinematically beautiful that visitors frequently ask guides which filter makes the scenery look so vibrant, only to be told, “That’s just what Ireland looks like when the sun accidentally comes out.” The ancient monastery ruins at Glendalough suggest monks took vows of weather endurance along with chastity, as the stone structures have survived centuries of Irish storms.

Budget-conscious travelers should analyze whether the Dublin Pass ($80 for 2 days) makes financial sense. Unless you plan to visit at least four major attractions daily while maintaining the energy level of a caffeinated toddler, individual tickets often prove more economical.

Days 7-10: Expanding Your Ireland Itinerary

After thoroughly exploring Dublin, catch a train to Galway ($50, 2.5 hours) where the west coast offers a distinctly different Irish experience. Request a seat on the left side of the train for optimal countryside views, including random castle ruins that Irish passengers won’t even look up from their phones to acknowledge.

The Cliffs of Moher deliver either breathtaking coastal drama or an intimate experience with fog, depending entirely on weather conditions beyond human control—representing one of the best things to do in Ireland for dramatic coastal experiences. American expectations of Grand Canyon-like visibility collide with the reality of Atlantic mist that can transform spectacular views into white nothingness within minutes.

In Cork, Blarney Castle ($18 entrance) presents the germaphobic nightmare of kissing the same stone as thousands of strangers, all in pursuit of eloquence that most Americans already believe they possess—though it remains among the classic things to do in Ireland that tourists feel obligated to experience. The surrounding gardens, however, offer genuine tranquility and receive far less attention than the famous rock.

Throughout smaller towns, family-run bed and breakfasts ($80-120/night) provide accommodations complete with proprietors who will feed you until you physically cannot move, then express concern about your obviously insufficient appetite. These establishments often feature beds with mattresses of varying archaeological layers and shower water pressure that could be described as “enthusiastic but inconsistent.”

Medieval Kilkenny offers streets that resemble American Renaissance Faires, except these buildings aren’t made of plywood and the inhabitants aren’t wearing polyester costumes on their work break—making it one of the best cities to visit in Ireland for authentic historical atmosphere. The combination of authentic history and functional modern city creates an atmosphere that helps visitors understand how Ireland comfortably inhabits multiple centuries simultaneously.

Practical Matters: Weather, Money and Cultural Differences

Near Grafton Street, ATMs with the lowest fees can be found at Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank locations. Irish ATMs politely inform you of charges before proceeding, unlike their American counterparts that surprise you with fees like unwelcome plot twists.

Irish tipping customs continue to confuse American visitors, as bartenders look more confused than grateful at American-style 20% gratuities. In restaurants, 10-12% suffices, while taxi drivers expect rounding up rather than percentage-based calculations. This tipping culture makes expenses more predictable but leaves service-industry-experienced Americans feeling vaguely guilty.

For weather preparation, pack layers regardless of season and consider purchasing umbrella insurance—not the coverage type, but actual insurance for when your umbrella inevitably self-destructs in Dublin winds. Pharmacies on Grafton Street sell compact umbrellas for $15-20, a reasonable investment that locals consider a disposable item rather than a long-term relationship.

Cell phone and WiFi accessibility has improved dramatically across Ireland, though rural areas still feature “dead zones” where digital detox becomes mandatory rather than optional. Dublin’s coverage rivals any American city, with most cafés and pubs offering free WiFi that moves at speeds directly proportional to how many tourists are uploading cliff pictures simultaneously.

The language barrier presents unexpected challenges despite shared English, as Irish expressions sound familiar but mean something entirely different. “Grand” replaces “fine,” “giving out” means complaining rather than distributing, and “I will yeah” actually means “I absolutely will not,” creating a linguistic minefield that Americans navigate with endearing confusion.