Dublin is full of brilliant backdrops just waiting to be captured — from candy-coloured doors and hidden gardens to sweeping coastal views and quirky public art. Whether you’re after a classic postcard shot or something a little more unexpected, this city (and county) delivers.
One of the best ways to discover Dublin is on foot. The city centre is small and easy to explore, while the bus, DART and LUAS will take you further afield to uncover even more.
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Quick Jump: Dublin’s Best Photo Spots
1. Poolbeg Lighthouse
2. Poolbeg Chimneys
3. St Stephen’s Green
4. Ha’penny Bridge
5. Trinity College
6. The Library at Trinity College
7. Howth Harbour
8. Deer in the Phoenix Park
9. Martello Towers
10. Umbrellas on Anne Lane
11. Georgian Doors
12. Portmarnock Beach
13. Dublin Convention Centre
14. Grand Canal
15. Christ Church Cathedral
16. Patrick Kavanagh Bench
17. Dublin Zoo
18. Killiney Hill
19. Grand Canal Square
20. Oscar Wilde Statue
21. The Spire
22. The Hungry Tree
23. Jeanie Johnston
24. The Icon Walk, Temple Bar
25. Butterfly House at Malahide Castle
26. Iveagh Gardens
27. EPIC Sign
28. Buskers on Grafton Street
29. Kilmainham Gaol
30. Dun Laoghaire Pier
The 30 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. A scenic walk from the car park will take you out to see it up close.
2. Poolbeg Chimneys
At just over 207m high, the iconic Poolbeg Towers are visible across the Dublin skyline from almost every direction — one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
3. St Stephen’s Green
St Stephen’s Green is an oasis in the middle of the city. This historic park and garden has links to many important figures, including Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, and Countess Constance Markievicz.
Keep an eye out for a number of significant Irish sculptures, while younger visitors will enjoy the playground and the duck ponds.
4. Ha’penny Bridge
Built in 1816, the Ha’penny Bridge is a landmark pedestrian bridge crossing the River Liffey. Named after the original toll paid for crossing, it’s now used by thousands of people every day.
5. Trinity College
Set on a beautiful campus in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, Trinity College is one of Ireland’s leading universities and a stunning backdrop as you walk through the city.
6. The Library at Trinity College
The Long Room at Trinity is one of the world’s most beautiful libraries. It’s also home to the Book of Kells, one of Ireland’s greatest cultural treasures. As you explore the exhibition, you’ll learn about this 1,200-year-old manuscript and the artistry behind it.
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7. Howth Harbour
Howth is a working fishing village, with trawlers and fish shops lining the pier. Easily reached by DART, there are markets to explore, Howth Head to hike, and seals to spot in the harbour!
8. Deer in the Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed public parks in any capital city in Europe. Originally a royal hunting park in the 1660s, it opened to the public in 1747.
Open daily, all year round, the park offers plenty to see and do, including Dublin Zoo, Áras an Uachtaráin, Victorian flower gardens, walking and cycling trails, playgrounds, the Papal Cross and more.
Although the park is home to the Irish President, its most-visited residents are the herd of fallow deer that roam freely. You can spot them as you walk or drive through — just remember to keep your distance and never feed them. Let them photobomb from afar!
9. Martello Towers
There are 29 Martello towers along the county’s coastline. Built in the early 1800s as lookout posts, some are privately owned today while others 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.
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10. Umbrellas on Anne Lane
For a truly unique backdrop, this canopy of colourful umbrellas on Anne Lane, off South Anne Street in the city centre, is well worth a visit.
11. Georgian Doors
Georgian doors are synonymous with Dublin and can be seen prominently around areas like Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square. The vibrant colours are fun to spot — can you get photos with the whole rainbow?
12. Portmarnock Beach
Portmarnock Beach, known as the Velvet Strand, is a stunning sandy Blue Flag beach in North County Dublin. Stretching five miles from Baldoyle towards Malahide, it’s popular for swimming, walking and watersports.
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13. Dublin Convention Centre
The unique design and ever-changing light display of the Dublin Convention Centre in the Docklands is a real vision. Lit up in seasonal or themed colours for events, the reflection on the Liffey at night makes for a fantastic photo spot.
14. Grand Canal
The Grand Canal stretches from Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock all the way to the River Shannon. In the city, you can follow it through areas like Ringsend, Ballsbridge, Ranelagh, Rathmines, Harold’s Cross and Crumlin.
While the canal itself is a scenic path to walk and cycle, the traditional locks and barges along the water are a sight to behold.
15. Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is one of Ireland’s most historic buildings, standing in the heart of Dublin for more than 1,000 years.
The cathedral is home to a famous 12th-century crypt, one of the oldest and largest in Britain and Ireland. While the cathedral itself is a showstopper, the footbridge joining it to Synod Hall is particularly eye-catching.
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16. Patrick Kavanagh Bench
Irish poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh is commemorated with this unique seated statue along the Grand Canal, on the north bank between Baggot Street Bridge and Eustace Bridge.
17. Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo, in the heart of the Phoenix Park, was opened by the Zoological Society of Ireland in 1831 and still operates as a charity today.
With areas like the Gorilla Rainforest, African Plains, Sea Lion Cave, Flamingo Lagoon and the elephants’ Kaziranga Forest Trail, there’s so much to discover, learn and see. Check the scheduled feeding times for a great way to learn more about the animals — you might even get photobombed by one of the residents!
18. Killiney Hill
Killiney Hill is a popular spot for walkers and hikers, with spectacular views over the surrounding areas: Dublin to the northwest, the Irish Sea and the mountains of Wales (on a clear day) to the east and southeast, and Bray Head and the Wicklow Mountains to the south.
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19. Grand Canal Square
Grand Canal Square features a striking red “carpet” extending from the theatre out over the dock. Bright red angled light sticks are eye-catching by day, but a real stand-out when glowing at night.
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
The lifesize, colourful statue of Irish 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.
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22. The Hungry Tree
The Hungry Tree is located on the grounds of The Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Ireland’s oldest school of law. This mature London Plane tree is slowly “eating” a cast-iron bench beside it.
As the tree has grown, it has overtaken parts of the structure in its path, its gnarled bark spilling over the back of the bench so it looks like the seat is being swallowed into the trunk.
The grounds are open and accessible to the public, so you can visit The Hungry Tree for yourself.
23. Jeanie Johnston
The original Jeanie Johnston made her maiden voyage from Blennerville in Tralee, Co. Kerry to Quebec in Canada in 1848 with 193 passengers on board. She carried thousands of Irish emigrants across 16 transatlantic voyages to North America during the Famine years.
Today, you can climb aboard the authentic replica Jeanie Johnston in Dublin’s Docklands for a tour — or simply use this landmark ship as a phenomenal 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 featuring a series of imaginative, inclusive snapshots of iconic Irish figures, past and present. These creative portraits are displayed on the walls of the streets leading up to the Icon Factory Gallery.
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25. Butterfly House at Malahide Castle
Step inside Ireland’s only butterfly house at Malahide Castle & Gardens. Watch the butterflies fly among tropical plants and spot their individual markings — a paradise for amateur enthusiasts and experienced lepidopterists alike.
26. Iveagh Gardens
Iveagh Gardens are popularly known as Dublin’s “Secret Garden”, thanks to their almost hidden location at the top of Harcourt Street, behind the National Concert Hall.
From modest beginnings as an earl’s lawn, the gardens went on to host the splendour of the Dublin Exhibition Palace in 1865. Many original landscape features are still in place or have been restored since, including the yew maze, the rosarium and the fountains.
27. EPIC Sign
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is located in The CHQ Building, a beautifully restored Georgian warehouse. Discover why over 10 million people left this island, where they went and what they brought with them, through 20 interactive galleries of personal stories.
One particular photo hotspot is the EPIC sign out front!
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28. Buskers on Grafton Street
Buskers are an integral part of life on Grafton Street, from traditional Irish music to pop and rock you can sing along to. Many of Ireland’s best-known musicians started out here, including Damien Rice, Glen Hansard and Bono.
You can still spot familiar faces on occasion, most notably on Christmas Eve, when some of the country’s biggest stars host an impromptu busking session for charity.
29. Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 as the new County Gaol for Dublin. While most of its prisoners were common criminals, it also held political prisoners involved in Ireland’s struggle for independence, including Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, the Fenians, Charles Stewart Parnell, Countess Markievicz and the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.
Today, the Gaol is 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 popular spot for walkers, joggers and pleasure seekers. It features a Victorian shelter and bandstand first built in 1890, which has since undergone extensive renovations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free photo spots in Dublin?
Many of Dublin’s most photogenic spots cost nothing to visit, including St Stephen’s Green, the Ha’penny Bridge, the Spire, Georgian Doors around Merrion Square, the Hungry Tree, the Icon Walk in Temple Bar and the deer in the Phoenix Park.
Where can I get the best Instagram photos in Dublin city centre?
Trinity College and its Long Room library, the Ha’penny Bridge, Grafton Street’s buskers, the Spire on O’Connell Street, and the colourful Georgian doors around Merrion and Fitzwilliam Squares are all firm favourites for city-centre shots.
Are there good photo spots outside Dublin city centre?
Yes — Howth Harbour, Killiney Hill, Portmarnock Beach and Dun Laoghaire Pier all offer stunning coastal views a short DART ride from the city, while Malahide Castle’s Butterfly House makes for a colourful family outing.
Is Dublin family-friendly for a photo walk?
Dublin is very walkable and many of these spots — like St Stephen’s Green, the Phoenix Park and Grand Canal Square — have space for kids to run around, playgrounds nearby, or animals to spot along the way.
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