Top Rated Attractions in Dublin

This former prison is one of Dublin's most historic buildings. Dating back to 1796, the Kilmainham Gaol is a massive building that housed men, women and even children prisoners. Most notably, the Gaol is known for incarcerating famous rebels and prisoners of war. Today the building serves as a museum with exhibits, artifacts and docent-led tours.

Sheathed in acres of rolling green expanses, Phoenix Park is one of the largest city parks in Europe. This massive verdant swathe lies nestled in the west of the city, and is a mixture of wilderness and formal landscape gardens. Dotted with tree-cloaked boulevards, pristine tracts of grassland and open recreational spaces, the park is also home to some monumental, nationally significant edifices, too. The Ashtown Castle calls the park home, in addition to the towering Papal Cross which marks the visit of Pope John Paul II back in 1979, the stately Áras an Uachtaráin, the Wellington Monument which is a soaring tribute to the Duke of Wellington, and the teeming Dublin Zoo, are all nestled in its scenic, idyllic expanse. Among the many recreational activities offered here are Gaelic football, polo and cricket. Also enclosed within its viridescent fabric is a vibrant burst of plant life, while a bird sanctuary and a herd of fallow deer coexist in peaceful harmony. Playing host to an array of events, festivals as well as racing events, Phoenix Park is a massive window into the unbridled natural beauty and strategic finesse of Ireland.

A short bus ride from the city center, the splendid Botanic Gardens and its many floral wonders are a stunning treat to the senses. Accentuated all the more by the glimmering waters of River Tolka, these Irish gardens uphold an assemblage of hundreds of thousands of plants, and a smattering of botanical specimens. In all their floral glory, the gardens are a wonderland for naturalists and botany aficionados, its verdant course dotted by a string of splendid greenhouses, like the impressive, structural and glass-clad Curvilinear Range and the Palm House. The great glasshouses full of exotica were constructed in the mid 19th century and designed by Richard Turner, who was also the man behind the glasshouses at Kew Gardens. The gardens are divided into distinct areas of interest, featuring long herbaceous beds, a rose garden, alpine houses, a vegetable garden, orchid beds, an arboretum, a yew-clad walkway along the river, and a wonderful area exhibiting the various natural habitats of Ireland. Also sheltering willows plunging gracefully over gleaming waters, the National Botanic Gardens are a luxuriant canvas of natural glory and luminescence.

Dublin's most famous park is steeped in history. It started life as common ground, not far from a lepers' hospital, and was eventually enclosed in 1664. The site of public hangings throughout the 18th century, it was not until Lord Ardilaun's patronage in 1880 that the park took on the landscaped form that we see now. Memorials are dotted around the flower beds, trees, and willow-fringed duck pond. James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and W.B. Yeats are just some of the famous names commemorated, while the Three Fates smugly measure the thread of humanity's destiny from their fountain at Leeson Street Gate. Free concerts are held on summer days in the bandstand.

More than 235 species of wild animals and birds inhabit Dublin Zoo, a vast expanse within Phoenix Park. Created in 1830 and recently restored and extended, this zoo is the third-oldest in the world, with London and Paris as "big siblings". The thirty acres (12.1 hectares) provide lots of treats for the family, including a pet's corner and new attractions such as City Farm, Monkey Island and Fringes of the Arctic. The train ride around the zoo is also fun and a welcome rest for weary legs! Refreshments are available in the restaurant and coffee shop, while a variety of cuddly toys can be found in the gift shop.

Founded in 1908 by art enthusiast Sir Hugh Lane, this elegant gallery houses Sir Hugh's collection of paintings by Dégas, Monet and Courbet; in addition to Rodin sculptures and a fine selection of modern Irish paintings. A magnificent stained glass room includes panels by Evie Hone and Harry Clarke: most notable of late, however, is the Lane's acquisition of Francis Bacon's studio, which is now reproduced in the gallery untouched. Free classical music concerts are held here on winter Sundays, lectures are frequently given: the Hugh Lane is worth a visit all year long. They also have a cafe and a bookshop that are open all the hours of the operation of the museum.