My Extreme Day Trip to Dublin for Under £200

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I’ve been following the growing hype around ‘Extreme Day Trips’ for several years now. The concept is that you travel to and explore a new destination in under 24 hours.

So when I saw the perfect flights to Dublin for under £27, I jumped at the chance to experience an Extreme Day Trip of my own.

Despite some unexpected problems (I mean, what is even the shortest trip if it doesn’t have issues?), I had the most fantastic time. So much so that I’m already planning my second EDT for later in the year.

My Dublin Extreme Day Trip Itinerary

Before I get into the details, here’s how my day looked from start to finish:

Time	Activity	Allow
8:30am	Left Dublin Airport on the AirCoach	30 – 45 mins
9:15am	Arrived in the city centre	–
9:30am	Book of Kells Experience	60 – 90 mins
10:30am	Brunch at POG, Tara Street	45 mins
11:45am	Trinity College & Dubh Linn Gardens	45 mins
12:30pm	Grafton Street & Love Lane	45 mins
1:15pm	Coffee at Starbucks	45 mins
2:00pm	Temple Bar & Ha’Penny Bridge	30 mins
2:30pm	Portal	15 mins
3:00pm	Guinness Storehouse	90 mins – 2 hours
5:00pm	Dinner at Sano Pizza	45 mins
6:30pm	Head back to Dublin Airport	30 – 45 mins

One of the best things about Dublin as an Extreme Day Trip destination is that it’s almost entirely walkable. Every attraction on my itinerary was covered on foot once I arrived in the city centre.

That said, I walked over 35,000 steps on the day so a reasonable level of fitness helps — particularly for the walk up to the Guinness Storehouse.

I also filmed my entire day so if you’d prefer to watch rather than read, you can check out my full Dublin Extreme Day Trip vlog below:

Before Your Extreme Day Trip to Dublin

Before you book anything, here are a few things worth knowing that will hopefully make your Extreme Day Trip to Dublin significantly more enjoyable:

When To Visit

Shoulder season (April to May or September to October) is the best time to visit Dublin. You’ll get better flight prices than in the summer plus fewer crowds at attractions and a reasonable chance of dry weather.

Winter trips like mine can work out, but as I discovered, you’re entirely at the mercy of the weather – in both Dublin and at home.

What To Wear & Pack

This is something I don’t think gets talked about enough on Extreme Day Trips. You’re carrying everything with you all day – there’s no hotel room to drop your bags off at or duck back to for a change of clothes.

You’ll be outdoors for the majority of the day so you need to dress for the weather, but you also don’t want to be lugging a heavy bag around. I personally travelled with a small backpack that I could put layers in and out of when needed and it was the perfect call.

Money

Dublin uses the Euro. I used my card everywhere throughout the day without any issues. The only exception worth noting is Dublin Bus, which requires exact cash if you’re not using a Leap Card.

My Dublin Extreme Day Trip Cost Breakdown

I managed to complete this Extreme Day Trip to Dublin for under £200 – by just £0.81.

However, it’s worth noting that the travelling to and parking at the airport alone cost me more than my flights. So if you live closer to the airport you may be able to do this trip for significantly less.

Category	Cost
Travelling to & Parking at the Airport	£53.96
Flights	£26.98
Airport Transfers	£10.02 (€12.00)
Attractions & Experiences	£51.34 (€61.50)
Food & Drink	£56.89 (€68.17)
Total	£199.19

Travelling to & Parking at the Airport: £53.96

• Petrol: £20
• Parking: £33.96

Since my outbound flight was at 6:00am and my inbound flight landed at 11:00pm, I had no choice but to drive to and park at the airport.

I live roughly 50 miles from Manchester Airport, so £20 in petrol covered my return journey. I then booked the cheapest carpark with Holiday Extras for £33.96. It still baffles me that parking at the airport for a day costs more than my flights.

Flights to Dublin: £26.98

• Flights: £26.98

Dublin is well served from airports across the UK – including multiple London airports, Birmingham and Liverpool.

I took a return flight to Dublin from Manchester with Ryanair at a cost of just £26.98 return. At just under an hour, it’s one of the shortest flights you can take — which makes it ideal for an Extreme Day Trip.

I booked my flight four days in advance, which was an unexpected Extreme Day Trips lesson: book last-minute flights so you can check the weather.

This trip took place in early January, and I selected the only clear, dry day in Dublin for the best part of a week. I don’t think I’d have the same enthusiasm for Extreme Day Trips as I do now if it had rained all day and I spent the entire day wet.

While I checked the weather for Dublin, I didn’t check the weather for Manchester. This meant I drove to and from the airport in half a foot of snow. Not ideal when you’re driving across the highest motorway in England at 3.00am.

This ‘adverse weather’ in Manchester also resulted in some delays. I landed an hour late in Dublin and an hour late again when I returned to Manchester.

This brings me to my second Extreme Day Trip lesson: Allow for minor delays. Yes, you could get a significant delay or cancellation that ruins your trip, but these are rare. However, delays of up to 90 minutes are not uncommon.

Thankfully, my one-hour delay into Dublin didn’t impact my day. I still landed at 8:00am, so I had around 12 hours to explore the city before needing to return to the airport. However, if I had a later or longer flight with less time at my destination, a delay would have had a much bigger impact.

Airport Transfers: €12.00

• Airport Transfers: £10.02 (€12.00)

Getting from Dublin Airport into the city is pretty straightforward with a couple of options available:

1. Dublin Bus: Routes 16 or 41 will take you from the airport to O’Connell Street for €2.00 with a Leap Card or €2.60 in cash (coins only, exact fare required). However, this is also the slowest way to get into the city since the bus stops multiple times – not ideal for an Extreme Day Trip.
   
2. Air Coach: I took the AirCoach (route 700) into the city which cost €12 return since it was the perfect balance between time and money. Buses run every 30 minutes pretty much 24/7 and there’s no pre-booking needed.
   
3. Taxi / Uber: This is the quickest and convenient method. However, it’s also the most expensive at roughly €25 – €45 each way which is very hard to justify when my flights cost less than £27.
   

Attractions & Experiences €61.50

• Book of Kells Tour Tickets: £17.95 (€21.50)
• Guinness Storehouse Tickets: £33.39 (€40.00)

I made a list of all the things I wanted to see and do in Dublin in advance. I then used Google Maps to create an optimal route, made a rough timeline and booked tickets for paid experiences.

Book of Kells Experience: €21.50

The Book of Kells Experience at Trinity College is one of Dublin’s most visited attractions — though I’d say it’s one for those with an interest in history and culture rather than an essential stop for everyone.

The Book of Kells itself is a 1,200 year old illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels, written in Latin by monks around the year 800. Only two pages are on display at any one time, changed every 6 to 8 weeks — so what you see on the day is entirely down to luck.

The experience actually spans two buildings — the Old Library, where you view the manuscript and the Long Room, followed by a short walk to the Pavilion for a digital exhibition. The Long Room is the real reason to visit. It’s stunning — and one of those rare places that actually lives up to its photos.

That said, I think timing made a huge difference. I booked the earliest available slot at 9:30am and was one of the first people into the exhibit. As such when I entered the Long Room at about 10:00am there were only two other small groups, around six people in total.

I spent around 20 minutes in this area and by the time I left I’d estimate around 50 people had filtered in so I can only imagine how much busier it gets later in the day.

Trinity College: Free

Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, Trinity College is Ireland’s oldest university and has produced some of the country’s most celebrated literary figures – Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Bram Stoker all studied here.

It’s worth a wander even if you’re not visiting the Book of Kells. The historic cobbled grounds and architecture are impressive.

Dubh Linn Gardens: Free

Dubh Linn Gardens sits just behind Dublin Castle, a short walk from Trinity College. It’s not a destination in itself – more of a pleasant green space to walk through between stops. That said, it’s free, it’s pretty, and in a city you’re only visiting for one day, it’s worth including.

Love Lane: Free

Love Lane, officially known as Crampton Court is tucked in Temple Bar and easy to walk straight past without noticing. It’s part of Dublin City Council’s ‘Love the Lanes’ initiative, which has allowed local artists to transform the area’s laneways into an open-air gallery.

The walls are covered in tiles featuring over 100 public contributions — quotes, song lyrics, poetry and dedications submitted by people from all over the world. It’s surprisingly lovely for what is essentially a back alley. Worth 10 minutes of your time if you’re in the area.

Grafton Street: Free

Grafton Street is Dublin’s most famous shopping street. I mainly went through here to grab a coffee and pass through. However, thanks to the incredible buskers it’s one of those streets that has a buzz about it regardless of what you’re there for.

The Temple Bar: Free

No trip to Dublin is complete without at least poking your head into The Temple Bar. It’s one of the most photographed pubs in Ireland and lives up to its reputation.

Since I was on my Extreme Day Trip to Dublin solo I only stopped for photos, but had I been with friends I’d have gone in for a drink. Yes, it’s touristy and yes, it’s overpriced — but it’s also iconic.

Ha’Penny Bridge: Free

Built in 1816, the Ha’Penny Bridge is Dublin’s most iconic crossing over the River Liffey. The bridge got its name from the half-penny toll charged to pedestrians when it first opened, replacing a ferry service that had operated on the same stretch of water.

Honestly? It’s a bridge. But it’s a beautiful one, and worth a few minutes and a photo stop as you make your way between Temple Bar and the north side of the city.

Portal: Free

One of Dublin’s more unique attractions is the Portal on North Earl Street, just off O’Connell Street. This giant circular screen livestreams a real-time, unfiltered video connection between Dublin and cities around the world.

When I visited the screen was showing Vilnius in Lithuania and after a few minutes switched to New York City. There were several people standing around the Portal screen in Dublin all waiting to see if anyone on the other side would interact with us. It’s free, it’s fun, and well worth 10 minutes of your time if you’re in the area.

Guinness Storehouse: From €20

Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse start from €20, however they are sold using dynamic pricing — so peak times will cost you more. I’d therefore recommend booking in advance to get the best price.

I upgraded my ticket to €40 to include two enhanced experiences:

• STOUTie: Your selfie on the top of a pint of Guinness.
• Guinness Academy: Learn to pour the perfect pint of Guinness.

Both took around 20 minutes each and were absolutely worth the upgrade.

I should add that whilst I don’t enjoy Guinness I do drink alcohol, so I gave my freshly poured pint a sip after completing the Academy. It confirmed what I already knew – Guinness still isn’t for me. Since I was travelling solo there was nobody to pass it on to, so sadly I left it behind.

Tours around the Guinness Storehouse are self-guided so you can spend as much or as little time as you like – I was here for just over two hours.

Food & Drink: €68.17

One thing I’d do differently next time I go on an Extreme Day Trip is research where to eat in advance. I put a lot of effort into planning my attractions but not my food – and I’m pretty sure it cost me, both financially and in terms of missing what are probably some of the best places to eat in the city.

After the Book of Kells I headed to Bread 41 for brunch. It was packed with locals and has rave reviews, so it’s absolutely worth visiting — the menu just wasn’t what I fancied at the time. So instead I ended up at POG. The food was okay, nothing special – I wouldn’t rush back.

By the time I reached Grafton Street I was ready for a sit down and a rest. I’d have loved to have tried a local coffee shop but instead I went with the reliability of Starbucks. Knowing I could sit down, use the WiFi and write up a few notes from my morning was worth the trade off on this occasion.

Dinner was at Sano Pizza on my walk back into the city after the Guinness Storehouse. They had an offer on – and by that point I’d experienced enough of Dublin’s food prices to know a good deal when I saw one. The pizza was delicious and the atmosphere was great, even if the service was a little slow. I’d definitely go back.

Final Thoughts

Dublin was my first Extreme Day Trip and looking back it’s hard to imagine a better destination. The flight is short, the airport is a reasonable distance from the city so you’re not spending valuable time travelling, and once you arrive the city is easy to navigate and almost entirely walkable.

However, I’d also visited Dublin twice before – albeit over ten years ago. So I think having some familiarity with a city, even a distant one, did give me some confidence. That being said, I don’t think prior knowledge is essential. Dublin is straightforward enough that a first-time visitor could follow this itinerary without any issues.

I learnt a lot during my Extreme Day Trip to Dublin. If I were to do it again, here’s what I’d do differently:

• Research where to eat in advance — don’t leave food to chance like I did
• Allow for minor delays — they’re more common than you’d think
• Budget more for food and drink than you think you’ll need — Dublin is expensive

Meanwhile, some of the best things I did when planning my first Extreme Day Trip to Dublin were:

• Book flights last minute so you can pick the best weather window
• Use Google Maps to plan your route before you arrive