The Best Time To Visit Dublin: A 2022 Seasonal Guide

2022 is being billed as the big bounce-back year for travel and adventure, and as always, Ireland’s capital will be a destination that is high on many a bucket list. If you’re considering going to Ireland, you may be asking the questions such as where to stay in Dublin, what to do with friends or family, or where to head for a drink afterwards.

Before you can start asking all the questions we just mentioned, you may also be wondering: when is the best time to visit Dublin?

To answer it simply, the best time to visit Dublin obviously depends on what you’re hoping to see and what kind of weather you’re willing to put up with to do it (because that’s mostly what we do with the weather here). In the tropics, you get a wet and dry season, in Ireland it’s just wet or wetter.

Yet no matter how much we like to poke fun at ourselves and precipitation, we Irish folk know how to have a good time! Luckily for you, we’re equally enthusiastic about showing one to visitors as well, meaning all the time is basically the best time to visit! Let us walk you through some of the year’s biggest highlights as you plot your epic 2022 Dublin and Ireland expedition.

The Best Times to Visit Dublin:

  • Spring from March to May: St. Patrick’s Day Festival, International Literature Festival, music and dance festivals 
  • Summer from June to August: All-Ireland Championships, Pride Parade, hiking in mountains or exploring other counties
  • Autumn from September to November: bird watching, Halloween festivals, farmers market
  • Winter from December to February: Distillery tours, pub crawls, castle tours, and more

Best things to do In Dublin during Spring (March to May)

Where else is there to start but spring? There is a buzz in the air as glimpses of the brief yet pleasant summer ahead begin to appear and the event season gets rolling. March is admittedly still quite cold and wet, with average highs of around 10°C (50°F). By late May, however, it can be pushing 20°C (68°F) on a good day and you can expect at least a couple fewer rainy ones as well.

That’s more than enough to get the locals excited and it easily the biggest party of the year – St. Patrick’s Day! While the official date is the 17th of March, the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Festival lasts four days from the 15th-19th of March each year, culminating with the city’s famous parade. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, but at this point, there is a lot of optimism that the 2022 edition will go ahead. It will surely be one for the ages.

Spring is also a great time to get a dose of Dublin’s much-vaunted literary and cultural scenes in the form of the Dublin Dance Festival from the 1st-19th of May and the International Literature Festival Dublin from the 20th-30th of the same month. Sandwiched between these two and St Patrick’s Day is one of Ireland’s biggest musical celebrations, MusicTown, which takes place over the two middle weeks of April each year.

Best things to do In Dublin during Summer (June to August)

The summer months are the busiest of the year and for good reason. Dublin, like many cities in higher latitudes, is in full throng and there are more activities and events available in this season than during any other time of year. Days in the 20s°C are more common, and daylight hours stretch to their longest, with the city’s nightlife following suit.

The Dublin Pride Parade is another of the most festive dates on the calendar and like many other events that were cancelled over the past couple of years, it’s scheduled to make a return in 2022, on the 25th of June. Another undoubted summer highlight is the All-Ireland Senior Championships in July, where Ireland’s national sports, Gaelic football, hurling and camogie take to their biggest stage of the year. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in a truly unique aspect of Irish culture and/or enjoy watching sports, it’s impossible to go wrong with this one!

Summer is also the best time to explore Ireland’s scenic wonders, with the closest to Dublin being Killiney Hill, the Bray to Greystones cliff walk and the Dublin Mountain Way. It’s also worth keeping in mind that Ireland isn’t the biggest country, meaning it’s even possible to use Dublin as a launching pad for day trips or even multi-day excursions to explore wonders such as the Wild Atlantic Way, The Ring Of Kerry and many others.

Best things to do In Dublin during Autumn (September to November)

Continuing with our nature theme, autumn is a great time to see some of Ireland’s little-known but impressive wildlife. During the autumn months, millions of birds including Canadian geese, Icelandic whooper swans, Eurasian golden orioles and others use Ireland as a rest stop on their epic seasonal migrations. The same thing is happening in the waters just off the coast, where cetaceans such as humpback whales, minke whales, orcas and other species are passing by and can be spotted on whale watching tours. Keep in mind that both of these activities generally take place in other parts of the country and will require at least a day trip.

Autumn is also harvest season, meaning farmers markets are packed with fresh local produce and artisanal goodies. The Moore Street Market, Green Door Market and Temple Bar Food Market are all excellent choices that offer both seasonal produce and yummy street food. If vintage clothes and eclectic goods are your things, check out George’s Street Arcade, Dublin’s first dedicated shopping district that has been open since 1881!

Finally, enjoy another globally popular holiday that you’ve probably celebrated many times before in the place where it was actually invented. Yes, that’s right, Halloween comes from Ireland, so get out your Harry Potter robes and your broomstick and make Dublin your own personal fantasy world for the night – you won’t be alone. If you need a place to costume up and get cosy at the end of a long night of butterbeers (or Guinness), our hotel, located right in the heart of downtown Dublin, has wonderful autumn offers that you can take advantage of.

Best things to do In Dublin during Winter (December to February)

Winter in Ireland, especially in Dublin, is not all doom and gloom. In fact, it’s during the short days and long winter nights that the many indoor attractions a city like Dublin has to offer really come to the fore.

Distillery tours such as those at the Guinness Storehouse and Jameson Distillery are perfect if you want to strike a balance between fun and enjoying a cultural experience, although any drinking you do in Ireland could be said to fall into that category. The nightlife of Temple Bar and other hotspots around the city also continues to burn bright throughout the winter months.

Winter is also a perfect time to visit the incredibly beautiful Trinity College Library and The Book Of Kells, castle hop between Dublin’s 11 castles (yes, you heard that right Game of Thrones fans) in and around the city and head even further back in time to mark the winter solstice at the famous and mystical Neolithic site of Newgrange. Last but not least, a merry Irish Christmas and a festive Dublin New Year await!

So, whenever you plan to visit Dublin, one thing is certain! You need an ideal base to explore the city and nearby areas! Maldron Hotel Smithfield is just that — a superior 4-star hotel in the heart of the city! There are so many things to do and see right at the doorstep so you’ll be sure not to miss anything! Check out our fabulous hotel rooms in dublin city centre today. 

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