Cork City in Southern Ireland

City tour of Dublin, Ireland

Welcome to Dublin City A walking tour in the Irish capital

Dublin City welcomes nearly 6 million visitors annually. While it's a relatively small capital city, it's packed full of world-famous attractions and landmarks. You would realistically need a stay of two or three nights to make the most of a trip to Dublin and to see all that it has to offer. But, if you find yourself in Dublin for just one day, here's a walking route that we've laid out that allows you to tick some of the must-see destinations off your list of Ireland's "Fair City". A few years back, we set off on a similar day out, see how we got on doing Dublin in one day.

A walking tour of Dublin City, Ireland

Trinity College

While Trinity College is best known as the home of the Book of Kells and The Long Room library, both of which are available on the official tour — you are free to stroll through its magnificent grounds free of charge. Located in the heart of Dublin City and with over 17,000 students, Trinity College's campus is known for its lush gardens and collegiate-style Neoclassical architecture. The college dates back to 1592 and was constructed under the orders of Queen Elizabeth I. Notable alumni include Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and Bram Stoker. For €5, you can take the self-guided audio tour, taking in the campus' "14 points of interest". These tours are self-paced, and 60–90 minutes here should be more than enough to take it all in.

Trinity College in Dublin City
the Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin City

Ha'penny Bridge

A five-minute walk northwards from Trinity College will bring you to the River Liffey. Take a left onto Wellington Quay, and after another five-minute walk, you'll see the Ha'Penny Bridge. Officially known as the Liffey Bridge, it was first opened in 1816 to replace the ferry boats that used to connect the north and south banks. The ferry company was given the right to charge people who crossed the bridge a ½ penny for each journey — hence the name. Before the toll was eventually dropped in 1919, it increased by one penny, and the bridge was known for a time as the Penny-Ha'penny Bridge (1½ penny). God only knows what it would be known as today if that rate of inflation continued. Crossing over to the north bank of the bridge and turning left will bring you onto the Liffey Boardwalk, which connects with Gratton Bridge.

Christ Church Cathedral

After crossing Gratton Bridge, take a right onto Essex Quay, and then left onto Fishamble Street. This will bring you to Christ Church Cathedral. First developed as a Viking church over 1,000 years ago, today it is both an Anglican cathedral and one of Ireland's most stunning buildings. Inside, there is a rare copy of the Magne Carta, as well as the final resting place of Strongbow and the mummified remains of a cat and a rat — found stuck in an organ pipe and known by locals as Tom & Jerry. While there is a charge to enter the cathedral, you can also explore its exterior for free. The church underwent huge restorations between 1871 and 1878, and was very much "Victorianised" to beautiful effect.

Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin City
Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle

A walk of less than 5 minutes, along Castle Street from Christ Church Cathedral, will bring you to Dublin Castle. First built during the 13th century on the site of a Viking settlement, it is here where the black pool (dubh linn in Irish - where the name Dublin originated) is located. Used until 1922 as the British government's administration in Ireland, today the castle is a tourist attraction, a government complex and a conference centre. It's free to walk around the grounds, and the building known as the Chester Beatty is also a free-to-enter library and art gallery. On warm weather days, should you be so lucky, people gather on the large lawn of the castle — picnic baskets, blankets and cups of coffee optional. To enter Dublin Castle, and take a guided or self-guided tour, costs €5 and is well worth it.

Lunch at Temple Bar

Temple Bar is a 5-minute walk, back towards the River Liffey, from Dublin Castle. The area known as Temple Bar is essentially a cluster of restaurants, pubs, cafés and funky shops in the centre of Dublin City. It has become a tourist hotspot in recent years, and its prices reflect this. It's busy pretty much throughout the year, but especially during the summer months. The area is always a very interesting walk-through, with an endless stream of tourists, buskers, and other local characters flowing in and out. You'll find a massive variety of lunch options here, from traditional Irish dishes to Indian, Korean, and Japanese offerings, as well as what seems like an endless supply of burger joints. Insider tip — considering the prices and the wait times, it might be best to grab a sandwich from a nearby deli, and just walk through Temple Bar while sampling its unique atmosphere.

Temple Bar in Dublin City
St Stephen's Green, Dublin City

St Stephen's Green

Heading southward from Temple Bar, along South Great George's Street and Aungier Street, and then east on York Street, will bring you to St Stephen's Green — 22 acres of public gardens and parkland in the middle of Dublin City. Having first been developed on a former marsh in 1663, the layout we see today was put in place by Lord Ardilau in 1880. The park is rectangular and is surrounded by busy roads on all four sides (Named St. Stephen's Green North, South, East and West). Taking any of its numerous pathways will lead you past manicured gardens, sculptures (including a bust of James Joyce), and memorial tributes to World War II, the Irish Famine and the Second Boer War. St Stephen's Green is also the ideal place to relax, either on its numerous benches or lawns, and to plot out your next steps. One of Dublin's largest shopping centres, Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, is located on St. Stephen's Green West. Grafton Street, Dublin City's main shopping thoroughfare, is located to the North of the park. The four roads surrounding the park also host numerous Luas (Dublin City's tram service) and bus stops.

Evening

It's tricky to advise on the best place to spend the evening in Dublin, as it has so much on offer. Temple Bar is probably best avoided though. The price of drink here is said to be the highest in Ireland — so maybe head somewhere off the beaten track for those après-walk Guinness! The area to the south of St. Stephen's Green has a lot more reasonably priced pubs, with a far more relaxed atmosphere. On Camden Street Lower, you'll find pubs such as Ryan's, The Camden and Devitt's. Nearby you'll also find some of Dublin's most highly-rated restaurants, including Bunsen Burger, Mama Yo, and Delahunt. And for those in the mood to keep the party going — one street over, on Harcourt Street, you'll find the always popular nightclub, Copper Face Jacks.

Pub on Dawson Street, Dublin City

Walking tour of Dublin City Map

Other Dublin attractions

If you're looking to go a bit deeper, or a bit further afield, here are some other Dublin attractions that may be of interest.

Guinness Storehouse in Dublin City

Guinness Storehouse

The Guinness Storehouse is Ireland's #1 indoor tourist attraction. Pose for photos outside its famous gates, or head inside for the grand tour.

Crawford Art Gallery in Dublin City

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

Covering the history of Ireland's emigration since the 1600s, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is both fascinating and harrowing in equal measure.

St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin City

St Patrick's Cathedral

Being Ireland's largest Catholic Church and featuring its oldest choir, St Patrick's Cathedral is one of Dublin's two cathedrals, along with Christ Church Cathedral.

The 3 Arena, Dublin City

The 3 Arena

Previously known as The O2 and The Point Depot, The 3 Arena is Ireland's main concert venue and is located on the northeast end of Dublin City.

Croke Park, Dublin City

Croke Park

Ireland's national sports stadium and home to the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), Croke Park hosts international music concerts throughout the year and also stages the All-Ireland hurling and football finals.

Pearse Lyons Distillery

Pearse Lyons Distillery

Nestled inside the former Church of St. James and a five-minute walk from the Guinness Storehouse, you'll find Pearse Lyons Distillery. Opened in 2017, its whiskey continues to grow in popularity.

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