Trinity College and the Book of Kells

Trinity College, founded in 1592, is the oldest university in Ireland, its cobbled squares and Georgian buildings a calm heart in central Dublin. Its treasures draw visitors from the world over: the Book of Kells, a dazzlingly illuminated ninth-century gospel manuscript, and the Long Room, a soaring barrel-vaulted library lined with two hundred thousand old books.

What you actually see

• The Book of Kells - the exquisitely illuminated medieval gospel manuscript.
• The Long Room - the breathtaking barrel-vaulted old library.
• The campus - the cobbled squares and Georgian buildings.
• The old books and busts - the ranks of ancient volumes and marble busts.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor visit for any weather. Book a timed ticket ahead in the busy season, and go early to avoid the biggest crowds. Note the Long Room is undergoing conservation, so check its status.

Honest expectations

It is very popular, so timed tickets and queues are the norm, and the Book of Kells display is brief before the Long Room. The Long Room has been under a major conservation project, so it may be altered or its books removed, so check ahead. The campus itself is free to wander.

Nearby

Grafton Street, Temple Bar and the National Museum are a short walk in central Dublin.