So you can spend a ton of time here, or just a little bit of time – it is completely up to you. The first time I came to Dublin in 2012 I did a full tour of Trinity College walking around the campus and learning about different cool spots and its history. It takes about 1.5-2 hours depending on how long you linger at the Book of Kells and the Old Library. This time, though, we got tickets just to see the Book of Kells and the Old Library.

The website for Trinity College and the Book of Kells is really good, and allows you to book either a combo tour with both a tour of the College and tickets to see the Book, just the Book, or just the tour. You need to book at least a day in advance in the off season, and probably longer if you are going in the summer. If you are going on a nice day, I would really recommend doing the tour of the College and seeing the Book, as the tour guides are excellent and you can learn a lot. The campus is really beautiful and full of history. But, if its rainy and you are short on time, book the tickets just for the Book of Kells which is 18.50 euro.

You will have access to a free audioguide which you can use through your smart phone, and the exhibit gives you quite a bit of interesting history before you get to the Book. The Book of Kells is important because it is an extremely detailed and beautifully written and illustrated illuminated manuscript dating to around the 9th Century. The exhibit about the Book and others like it is really well done. Then, the Book of Kells itself is in a dark room protected behind glass, and open to two pages. Fair warning, you cannot touch it, and you can only see 2 pages of the Book. If this is not something that interests you I would recommend saving your 18.50 euro.

The best part for me was heading up the stairs into the Old Library. This place is absolutely stunning and really smells of old books. You feel smarter just standing in here as if by osmosis. I have been to a lot of pretty libraries on my travels, but this one is probably the best. The ceilings are about 50 feet high and there are two floors of books piled up to the ceiling in neat rows all the way down the room. There are marble busts of famous literary people, politicians and philosophers lining each row.

In the middle of the library you can see Brian Boru’s harp – which is what the national symbol of Ireland is based on and it’s also the harp that’s on the Guinness label. It is called Brian Boru’s harp because it was once thought to be owned by the High King of Ireland, but this was later dismissed, but the name sticks.

There is a sweet Trinity College bookshop and gift shop as you make your way down and out of the Library building with high quality souvenirs. Seeing the Book of Kells is pretty much a must if you visit Dublin, but again, just be aware that it’s going to be pretty anti-climactic since it’s only ever open to two pages.