In Dublin’s fair city, tech is so pretty…at least, it looks that way.

Dublin apps: European technology hub Dublin is bursting at the seams through playing host to some of the biggest innovation companies in the world, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Meta, Hubspot and more. A hugely popular city break hotspot, it contains numerous nooks and crannies that must be explored.

Of course, downloading some essential apps allows you to visit a foreign country or city as bustling as Dublin. According to The Business of Apps, there were over one billion travel app users in 2022, with more than 75% using a smartphone or website to make hotel and restaurant bookings. In addition, figures from Statistica show that 6.6 million people visited Dublin in one year alone.

Last month we spoke about travel tech and the best apps on the market. If you’re planning a visit to the Emerald Isle anytime soon, more specifically Dublin, there are a few apps you need to download before takeoff. We took a look at some of the most useful.

SmartGuide travel guide & map – Dublin apps

An essential for travelling anywhere, SmartGuide is an app which turns your phone or tablet into a personal tour guide. As Dublin seeps history, the audio traveller offline city maps are essential for helping you navigate the city whilst avoiding pesky tourist traps. Although Dublin has excellent Wi-Fi connectivity, this app lets you download absolutely everything for offline use. Free to use and available on iOS and Android, it will help you find your way through the city streets like a pro.

TFI Go

As Dublin is a relatively small city, public transport is less regular than in other countries. With bus, train, DART and Luas lines running at different hours on different days, downloading the free-to-use TFI Go app is a must. Available on Android and iOS, it enables users to purchase tickets for public transport from their phones. Buy your tickets, activate them through the app and let technology take you to your destination of choice.

Dublin Map and Walks

This nifty little offline app provides several self-guided city walks, maps, and navigation features. Although paid for, it is budget-friendly and allows you to explore Dublin at your own pace and in your own time for a fraction of the cost of a bus tour. As it’s offline, no data plan or internet connectivity is required. Available on iOS and Android, you can also track your steps, share images of attractions along the way and bookmark locations, so friends and family will know where you visited last. The number of tours is endless, from the nightlife streets to a walk along the infamous River Liffey to an Old City Walk and a Hidden Places excursion. It even features a pub crawl option! 

Dublin Event Guide (iOS only)

An excellent app for the budget-conscious, Dublin Event Guide offers visitors and locals the most up-to-date information on free concerts and events across the capital. What’s more, it doesn’t require downloading, and it contains useful articles and interviews on everything and everyone in Dublin. It’s free to use and available on both Android and iOS.

Dublin Travel Guide

Aimed at those who like to pack light, the Dublin Travel Guide eliminates the need to carry any books and operates offline. One of the cooler features of this app is its AR functionality, which enables you to see and find the best spots in Dublin in a 360-degree format. Featuring four different itineraries, it also provides interactive zoomable offline maps, which are GPS capable, showing attractions, public bus stops, metro maps, restaurants, pubs, hotels, hospitals and other points of interest. A foolproof app, it’s free to use and available on iOS and Android.

Dublin Walls

Travel back in history with the Dublin Walls app. This clever creation, free to download, enables users to experience ancient towers, prisons and old gates in 3D. It contains videos, information, graphics, photos and more to give you a glimpse into what Dublin was like back in the day. Fun and easy to use, it’s available on iOS only.

Met Eireann

If there’s any app that’s a must-download on a trip to Ireland, it’s this. Ireland’s primary weather source, Met Eireann, offers a platform where you can check whether it will rain, hail or shine. With wind readings, weather warnings and a live map, you can also scroll to see which direction rain is heading in real time. This must-have app is free to download on both Android and iOS.

Irish Pubs

Another thing Dublin is famous for is its pubs. With over seven hundred places to grab a pint of Guinness in the city, it can be unclear where the best place to go is. The iOS-only free-to-download Irish pubs app allows you to search all rated pubs nearby, with a GPS feature to help you plan your route to get there and back. What’s even more useful, it has a filter that enables you to search for live music, food and sport. Safe to say, this app provides users with more than just the luck of the Irish!