Dublin is one of those cities where a great photo is never far away. From candy-coloured Georgian doors to grand old bridges, wild deer wandering a city-centre park, and street art tucked down a laneway, there’s no shortage of backdrops for your family day out.
The best part? Many of these spots are free to visit, and the city centre is easy to explore on foot. For anything further out, Dublin’s bus, DART and LUAS network will get you there without much fuss.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Guide to Dublin for Families: Where to Eat, Stay, Play and Explore
Best Photo Spots and Instagram Places in Dublin
1. Poolbeg Lighthouse
The vibrant red lighthouse at the mouth of the River Liffey sits at the end of the Great South Wall. It’s a 4km walk from the car park out to the lighthouse, with lovely open views along the way.
2. Poolbeg Chimneys
Standing at just over 207m, the Poolbeg Towers are visible across the Dublin skyline from almost every direction, making them one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
3. St Stephen’s Green
St Stephen’s Green is a green oasis right in the middle of the city, with a history connected to figures like Arthur Guinness and Countess Constance Markievicz. Look out for the sculptural monuments dotted around the park, and let the kids loose in the playground or by the duck ponds.
4. Ha’penny Bridge
Built in 1816, the Ha’penny Bridge is one of Dublin’s best-loved landmarks — a pedestrian bridge over the River Liffey named after the toll once charged to cross it. Thousands of people still cross it every day.
5. Trinity College
Set on a beautiful city-centre campus, Trinity College is Ireland’s oldest and highest-ranked university, and its grounds make a stunning stop on any walk through Dublin.
6. The Library at Trinity College
The Long Room at Trinity is regularly listed among the world’s most beautiful libraries, and it’s home to the Book of Kells. A visit to the exhibition brings this 1,200-year-old manuscript to life, along with the artistry and history behind it.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Unique Places to Learn About Irish History, Heritage and Culture with Kids
7. Howth Harbour
Howth is a working fishing village, with trawlers and fish shops lining the pier. It’s an easy DART trip from the city, and once there you’ll find markets, a hike up Howth Head, and seals bobbing about in the harbour.
8. Deer in the Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed public parks of any capital city in Europe, first laid out as a royal hunting park in the 1660s and opened to the public in 1747. Today the 1,750-acre park is home to Dublin Zoo, Áras an Uachtaráin, Victorian flower gardens, walking and cycling trails, playgrounds, and the Papal Cross.
Its most photographed residents, though, are the herds of fallow deer that roam the park. They’re a wonderful sight up close, but please keep your distance and don’t feed them — just let them wander into your photos.
9. Martello Towers
There are 29 Martello towers along the Dublin coast, built in the early 1800s as lookout posts. Some are privately owned or fallen into disrepair, but a few are open to visit, including the Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio in Howth and the James Joyce Tower and Museum in Sandycove.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 40 Fun and FREE Things to Do in Dublin with Kids
Don’t miss… Looking for what’s on for families in Ireland? Our monthly round-up is packed with things to do.
10. Umbrellas on Anne Lane
For a truly unique backdrop, head to the canopy of colourful umbrellas on Anne Lane, just off South Anne Street in the city centre.
11. Georgian Doors
Dublin’s Georgian doors are famous the world over, and you’ll spot the best of them around Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square. See if the kids can spot a whole rainbow of front doors as you walk.
12. Portmarnock Beach
Known as the Velvet Strand, Portmarnock Beach is a sandy Blue Flag beach in North County Dublin, stretching five miles from Baldoyle towards Malahide. It’s a popular spot for swimming, walking and watersports.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Ireland’s Blue Flag Beaches are Perfect for Family Seaside Fun!
13. Dublin Convention Centre
The Dublin Convention Centre in the Docklands is known for its striking design and ever-changing light displays. Lit up in seasonal or themed colours, its reflection on the Liffey at night makes a brilliant photo backdrop.
14. Grand Canal
The Grand Canal runs from Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock all the way to the River Shannon. In the city, you can follow it through Ringsend, Ballsbridge, Ranelagh, Rathmines, Harold’s Cross and Crumlin. The traditional locks and barges along the water make for a lovely, unhurried walk or cycle.
15. Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral has stood in the heart of Dublin for more than 1,000 years and is home to a 12th-century crypt, one of the oldest and largest in Britain and Ireland. The unique footbridge linking the cathedral to Synod Hall is especially photogenic.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 30 Fun and Family-Friendly Things to Do In Leinster
16. Patrick Kavanagh Bench
This charming seated statue of poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh sits on the north bank of the Grand Canal, between Baggot Street Bridge and the upstream Eustace Bridge.
17. Dublin Zoo
Set in the heart of the Phoenix Park, Dublin Zoo first opened in 1831 and still operates as a charity today. With the Gorilla Rainforest, African Plains, Sea Lion Cave, Flamingo Lagoon and the elephants’ Kaziranga Forest Trail, there’s plenty to see, learn and photograph. Try to time your visit around the scheduled feeding sessions for a chance at an animal photobomb.
18. Killiney Hill
Killiney Hill is a favourite with walkers and hikers, thanks to its spectacular views: Dublin to the northwest, the Irish Sea (and, on a clear day, the mountains of Wales) to the east, and Bray Head and the Wicklow Mountains to the south.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Best Outdoor Places in Dublin for Families
Don’t miss… Start planning your trip with our Guide to Dublin for Families — everything on where to eat, stay, play and explore.
19. Grand Canal Square
Grand Canal Square is instantly recognisable for its striking red “carpet” that extends from the theatre out over the dock, edged with bright red light sticks that glow after dark. Designed by American landscape architect Martha Schwartz, the 10,000 sq metre square is one of the largest paved public spaces in Dublin city.
20. Oscar Wilde Statue
This life-size, colourful statue of poet and playwright Oscar Wilde can be found in Merrion Square, opposite his childhood home at 1 Merrion Square.
21. The Spire
The Spire of Dublin, also known as the Monument of Light, is a stainless steel monument standing 390ft tall in the centre of O’Connell Street.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: How to Have a FREE Family Day Out in Dublin
22. The Hungry Tree
The Hungry Tree stands in the grounds of The Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Ireland’s oldest school of law. This mature London Plane tree appears to be slowly “eating” a cast-iron bench, its gnarled bark spilling over the seat as the tree has grown around it. The grounds are open to the public, so you’re free to visit and see it for yourself.
23. Jeanie Johnston
The original Jeanie Johnston made her maiden voyage from Blennerville in Tralee, Co. Kerry, to Quebec in 1848, and went on to carry around 2,500 Irish emigrants across 16 transatlantic voyages during the Famine years. Today, an authentic replica sits in Dublin’s Docklands, where you can take a tour or simply use it as a striking photo backdrop.
24. The Icon Walk, Temple Bar
Image © Fáilte Ireland/Tourism Ireland. Courtesy of Paola Floris
The Icon Walk in Temple Bar is a public art project made up of imaginative, inclusive portraits of iconic Irish figures, past and present. You’ll find these creative pieces along the streets leading up to the Icon Factory Gallery.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 30 Terrific Things to Do in Dublin for Teens and Older Kids
25. Butterfly House at Malahide Castle
Step inside Ireland’s only butterfly house at Malahide Castle & Gardens and watch dozens of butterflies fly among tropical plants. With a wide variety of species on show, it’s a treat for amateur enthusiasts and seasoned lepidopterists alike.
26. Iveagh Gardens
Known as Dublin’s “Secret Garden”, the Iveagh Gardens sit in an almost hidden spot at the top of Harcourt Street, behind the National Concert Hall. Many original features remain or have been restored since 1995, including the yew maze, the rosarium and the fountains.
27. EPIC Sign
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is housed in The CHQ Building, a beautifully restored Georgian warehouse. Inside, you can discover why millions of people left Ireland, where they went, and the stories they carried with them, across 20 interactive galleries. Out front, the EPIC sign itself is a popular photo spot.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: These Are the Best Museums in Ireland to Visit with Kids
28. Buskers on Grafton Street
Buskers are part of the fabric of Grafton Street, from traditional Irish music to pop and rock singalongs. Many well-known Irish musicians started out busking here, including Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and Bono. Keep an eye out around Christmas Eve, when some of Ireland’s biggest music stars have been known to join an impromptu busking session for charity.
29. Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 as the new County Gaol for Dublin. While most prisoners held here were common criminals, it also held political prisoners central to Ireland’s fight for independence, including Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, the Fenians, Charles Stewart Parnell, Countess Markievicz and the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. Today it’s a popular attraction, with guided tours and a museum to explore.
30. Dun Laoghaire Pier
Image courtesy Fionn Mc Cann
The East Pier of Dun Laoghaire Harbour is a favourite with walkers, joggers and anyone after sea air. Look out for the Victorian shelter and bandstand, first built in 1890 and since carefully restored.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Things to Do with Preschoolers in Dublin
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most Instagrammable place in Dublin?
There’s no single “best” spot — it depends on what you’re after. Trinity College and the Book of Kells Library are firm favourites for a classic, historic shot, while the Georgian doors around Merrion Square and the Icon Walk in Temple Bar are great for something more colourful and offbeat.
Are these Dublin photo spots free to visit?
Most of the spots on this list, such as St Stephen’s Green, the Ha’penny Bridge, Grand Canal Square, the Georgian doors and Killiney Hill, are free to enjoy. A few, like Trinity College’s Long Room, Dublin Zoo, EPIC and the Jeanie Johnston, are ticketed attractions, so it’s worth checking current opening times and admission details before you travel.
Which Dublin photo spots are best for families with young kids?
St Stephen’s Green, Phoenix Park (with its deer and playgrounds), and Dublin Zoo are all easy, buggy-friendly options with plenty to keep little ones entertained between photos.
Do I need a car to visit these spots?
Not at all. Dublin city centre is very walkable, and locations further out like Howth, Killiney, Portmarnock and Dun Laoghaire are all reachable by DART or bus.
Related Articles
- Guide to Dublin for Families: Where to Eat, Stay, Play and Explore
- 40 Fun and FREE Things to Do in Dublin with Kids
- Best Outdoor Places in Dublin for Families
- Ireland’s Blue Flag Beaches are Perfect for Family Seaside Fun!
Before You Go
Loved this list? Save it for your next family day out in Dublin, or browse more of our favourite adventure ideas for days out around Ireland.
Get More Family Days Out Delivered to Your Inbox
Want more ideas like this? Sign up to the MyKidsTime newsletter for weekly inspiration on family days out, free activities and things to do with the kids, straight to your inbox.
