A first weekend in Dublin: Trinity, the Liffey and castle
The Book of Kells and Trinity: what to know before booking
Dublin Castle and the Old City: choose the right ticketAn example packing list for Dublin in December
Use this as a starting point and choose what suits your plans. Packtricia tailors your list and quantities to your trip length, weather and preferences.
Clothing
- Underwear
- Bras (if worn)
- Socks
- Sleepwear
- Thermal base-layer top
- Long-sleeved tops
- Trousers
- Warm sweater or fleece
- Warm insulated coat
- Water-resistant walking shoes
- Scarf
- Gloves
Toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Deodorant
- Skincare products
- Sunscreen
- Hairbrush or comb
- Shaving supplies (if used)
- Menstrual products (if needed)
- Contact lens solution (if used)
Essentials
- Passport or accepted travel ID
- Travel tickets and booking confirmations
- Wallet and payment cards
- Phone
- Charging cable and charger
- Travel adapter (if needed)
- Medication (if needed)
- Glasses or contact lenses (if used)
- Refillable water bottle
- Day bag
- Backup cash
- Power bank
- Water-resistant pouch for phone and documents
Monthly weather and packing notes
December suits a warm coat, scarf and gloves. Keep an indoor alternative and check festive closures before committing to an outdoor-to-museum plan. In Dublin, plan one outfit for Trinity and the Liffey bridges, carry rain protection for Dublin Castle’s courtyards, and use removable layers inside the Kildare Street archaeology museum.
- Daytime
- 6–10°C
- Evenings
- 1–5°C
- Rain
- Showers possible
- Daylight
- Short winter days: keep exposed walks in daylight.
- Packing style
- Warm insulation, rain protection and grippy closed shoes
Planning bands are the rounded 1991–2020 Dublin Airport mean daily maximum (8.3°C) and minimum (2.6°C), plus or minus 2°C. These bands are clothing prompts, not forecast limits or statistical confidence intervals. Airport averages are a nearby station proxy, not street-level city measurements. Liffey bridges feel more exposed in wind. Rainfall is 72.1 mm in an average month, with 13.3 days of at least 1 mm. Check the forecast for your own dates.
Outfit ideas for your outings
December: Trinity and the Liffey bridges
- Long-sleeved base top
- Warm knit or fleece
- Long trousers
- Broken-in water-resistant walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Warm weather-resistant coat with a hood
A breezier outing around Dublin Castle’s courtyards
- Long-sleeved base top
- Warm knit or fleece
- Comfortable trousers
- Broken-in water-resistant walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Keep warm weather-resistant coat with a hood accessible rather than in the suitcase
Indoor time at the Kildare Street archaeology museum
- Long-sleeved base top
- Removable knit
- Comfortable trousers
- Closed walking shoes
- Small bag for the jacket once indoors
What to leave behind
- Summer-only outfits: Dublin's December averages still call for insulation during slow outdoor stops.
- Unworn stiff shoes: test your footwear before long sightseeing days on paving, slopes and steps.
Reviewed 2026-10-08
Met Éireann: Dublin Airport 1991–2020 climate averages · Visit Dublin: visitor information · Transport for Ireland: journey planner