Dublin flights and travel guide

From the markets of the Liberties to the broad sweep of Grafton Street, the Guinness Brewery to the fine Georgian buildings of Merrion Square and St Stephen's Green, Dublin is a beguiling city. Travellers taking cheap flights to Dublin may not find the show-stopping attractions of other European cities, but it has bags of charm and a local population who love to "have the craic".

They also revere the written word. The literary tradition stretches back millennia. Trinity College Dublin houses the 7th-century Book of Durrow and 9th-century Book of Kells and the Dublin Writers Museum in Parnell Square brings to life literary figures from the past 300 years through their books and personal items.

Dublin - and Ireland - is as famous for its pub culture as it is for its artistic heritage. The city's most famous pubs have literary connections. Davy Byrne's is immortalised in James Joyce's epic Ulysses, McDaid's was a favourite of Brendan Behan's and other writers in the 1950s, and The Palace served the likes of Flann O'Brien and Patrick Kavanagh.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Dublin

Back to top

Dublin climate

The Irish climate is mild - it never gets too hot or too cold - and changeable. Travellers taking cheap flights to Dublin should ensure they have plenty of layers in their luggage. Summer temperatures hover between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius. Winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing; the average is about 7 degrees between December and February. Spring and autumn are mild, but unpredictable. A rain jacket is a must-pack item.

Back to top

When to fly to Dublin

Peak Season: 
Summer is when most visitors arrive on their cheap flights to Dublin. This is when the weather is (generally) best and the festivals and summer schools are in full swing.

Off Season: 
Winter is, in general, the low season. The weather is unpredictable and festivals in short supply. However, bargain hunters could score cheap flights to Dublin and cheap hotel deals during the winter months.

Shoulder Seasons: 
Spring and fall are shoulder seasons and good times to visit. The weather is pretty good and the crowds of visitors have melted away meaning a more pleasant vacation.

Back to top

Getting downtown Dublin

Once visitors have arrived on their cheap flights to Dublin there are several ways of getting downtown. Several car rental companies have desks at Dublin Airport including Avis and Hertz. Taxis are freely available from the forecourt on the Arrivals level road. There is no rail link from the airport but Dublin Bus offers many routes throughout Dublin and AirLink express buses to Heuston and Connolly train stations. Airlink, Aircoach, Flybus and Urbus offer services to various points around the city.

Back to top

Getting around Dublin

After arriving on cheap flights to Dublin, visitors will discover that the downtown core is best seen by foot. Apart from taxis, the public transit system has improved greatly in recent years. The DART rail line follows the coast, from Malahide and Howth north of the city to Bray and Greystones to the south. Dublin Bus has an extensive network. Buses run between 6am and approximately 11.30pm. Adult fares range between €1.15 and €4.50. The Luas is a tram service with two lines - the Green Line that runs from St Stephen's Green to Sandyford (south County Dublin), and the Red Line, from Connolly railway station to Tallaght (southwest of County Dublin). Trams run between 5am until half-past midnight and fares cost about €2.50.

Back to top

Dublin insider information

• It's not the healthiest snack, but visitors who have taken cheap flights to Dublin should pencil in some (lunch)time for fish and chips from Leo Burdock's shop near Christchurch Cathedral. The shop has stood on Werburgh Street since 1913 and is a Dublin institution. 
• St. Michan's Church, built in the 17th century on the remains of an 11th-century Hiberno-Viking church, is worth a stop. In its vaults lie several bodies that have barely decomposed. This is due to the dry atmosphere created by St. Michan's magnesian limestone walls. It is said that Bram Stoker, the Dublin-born author of Dracula, visited the church and many believe the mummified remains were inspiration for his book. 
• Number 29, a restored four-story town house on Lower Fitzwilliam Street, is a museum exhibiting the lifestyle of a Dublin middle-class family during 1790 and 1820. Offers a fascinating insight into how the middle classes lived. 
• On sunny summer days office workers, students and tourists make for St. Stephen's Green at the top of Grafton Street. The pleasant nine-hectare park is dotted with flowerbeds, trees, ponds and playground. The bandstand, dating from 1887, is the focal point for free lunchtime concerts during the summer months.

Back to top

Dublin airports

Dublin Airport (DUB) (website: www.dublinairport.com). The airport is situated 11km (7 miles) north of Dublin, near the M50 and M1 motorways.

Back to top