Grafton Line: A Walk Through Dublin’s Shops & Parks
The Grafton Line
This route follows Grafton Street as we see Dublin's top shopping district, Molly Malone's statue, watch Dubliners in parks, catch some culture and preview some nightlife.
Dublin Without Maps
Dublin's twisted streets confuse visitors. My solution is Lines
- Each Route follows one main street. Like a walking subway line
- With stops on and just off the route
- Never worry about getting lost
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The starting point is easy to find. Right across the road from Trinity College.
1.The Irish Whiskey Museum
You can't start a walking tour without having some coffee. And even better when it has some whiskey in it. Learn how to make the best Irish Coffee here at the Irish Whiskey Museum.
I like this museum compared to a distillery tour because they teach you more about whiskey than one brand. During their Classic Tour, there's 3 whiskeys included so that means the tour is basically free!
2.Molly Malone Statue
Two minutes down Suffolk Street is the Molly Malone statue,
Dublin has had a long history of street traders. These traders were often women, pushing their carts on Dublin's streets. Molly is a fictional character from a famous ballad sung proudly by Dubliners after a few pints.
These street traders still exist. In fact, I used to know a lot of them because they bought from my dad's business! I'll tell you stories about them on my tour.
I'll Show You This Route. No Maps. No Stress. Lots of Stories
- I'll guide you on a private tour. Any day or time.
- 3 hours & just €150 for up to 4 people.
When the statue was unveiled, typical Dublin wit called it "The Tart With The Cart". You can tell which part of her tourists rub from the photo below.
3.Grafton Street
Grafton Street is the main shopping street in Dublin, but it's full of the chain stores you can find anywhere and not that charming. It is worth walking though just to hear the buskers that play on its pedestrianized streets.
The ladies selling the flowers are continuing Molly's legacy. Buy flowers from them just for their banter. They're very funny & true Dubs.
4.Shopping & Nightlife
A much better shopping district is found when you go to Wicklow Street. It's an absolute gem of an area here. Wicklow, Drury Street, South William Street & George Street, this two block area is full of local shops, coffee shop, restaurants and pubs. All local and very Dublin. You can easily spend the full afternoon here.
At night this area is full of energy too. If it's a nice evening, South William Street fills up with people drinking on the street. Stroll until you see a restaurant that you like. Fallon & Byrne, Cornucopia, The Old Stand are some of my regular spots. While the soda bread flavor at Murphy's Ice Cream is mandatory tasting!
I absolutely love this area. This is Dublin. Spend time here.
A Better Souvenir
If you want something really unique both to do, and to have as an Irish souvenir, you can forge your own Claddagh ring at workshop run by an Irish jewelry designer in this area on George's Street.
The comedy club at the International Bar is so small you might end up sitting on the stage, but Irish comedy legends have learned their trade here. Regular Irish people are naturally funny, so imagine how funny professional Irish comedians are. The Laughter Lounge is another top comedy club in Dublin.
5.Powerscourt Townhouse Centre
The best way back to Grafton Street is through the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre. It's a magnificent 250 year old Georgian mansion turned with impeccable taste into a shopping centre. But this isn't a mall. This is quality over quantity. Full of Irish businesses like Kennedy & McSharry. They sell the same style hats that they sold when they first opened in 1890.
Skip the touristy souvenir shops and buy true Irish tradition in the shops of Powerscourt. And have lunch here too, its restaurants are of high standards too.
6.Bewleys Cafe
People have been meeting at Bewleys Cafe for 98 years. Quintessential Dublin. It's the kind of cafe where you can picture James Joyce hunched over a table scribbling notes. What I really like today is their lunchtime theatre shows. They are just an hour long, cost less than 20 Euros and are fantastic. If you want to do something where you'll likely be the only tourist in the room full of Irish people, go!
Afternoon Tea is a big thing in Dublin. The posh hotels all do a very refined version. But for the most fun afternoon tea in Dublin, do the Afternoon Tea Bus Tour. Tea and a city tour all in one!
7.Dublin Bars
The side streets off Grafton Street have some of the best pubs in Dublin. Just the names alone will make many an Irish eye well up at the thought of a perfectly poured Guinness in the dark ambience of Nearys, Grogans, Kehoes, The Bailey & Bruxelles. Writing this is making me want to catch a bus into town and sink a pint of two in Grogans.
8.The Gaiety Theater
At the top of Grafton Street is the Gaiety Theater. It's a lovely night out to see a show here. Riverdance is often on here along with more mainstream plays. If you're here at Christmas and have kids, bring them to the pantomime, a very Irish tradition. The Abbey is Dublin's more serious theatre if that's more your thing.
Dublin Food Tours
If there's one thing I take seriously, it's donuts. Next to the Gaiety is The Rolling Donut. This is the starting point for the Delicious Donut Tour of Dublin. This is really what you came to Dublin for right? Sugary heaven.
The Dublin Walking Food Tour is one of the best food tours! Come hungry.
I love Eatwith that allows you to eat in Dubliners homes!
9.The Shelbourne Hotel
The Shelbourne Hotel has been THE hotel in Dublin for 200 years. Presidents & princesses stay at the Shelbourne. It is naturally on my list of recommended hotels to stay in Dublin.
Darragh
My 5 favorite hotels in this area are :
- The Merrion Hotel - 5* luxury with 2 star Michelin restaurant
- The Hilton Dublin - Excellent location. Great for loyalty fans
- The Westbury - Another Dublin classic. 5 Star luxury on Grafton Street
- The Fitzwilliam- They just finished a massive renovation. Gorgeous.
- The Green- 9.2 rating on Booking.com. And reasonably priced
10.St Stephen's Green
A Dublin landmark, the 22 acre park has been there since 1650s. The park you are walking through today is thanks to Arthur Guinness. He opened it to the public in 1880.
What's best about it is just watching Dubliners there. They're taking a break from the offices, older folks are meeting up, kids are feeding the ducks (hopefully not bread!). It's just a nice place to slow down and sit a while in the middle of a capital city.
11.The Little Museum of Dublin
One of those quirky museums. A guide puts on a Gaiety worthy performance during your 29 minute tour. Yes, 29 minutes. It's a very fun departure from the real world. Very popular and highly rated by previous visitors. It's little, so book your tickets early.
12.Irish Famine Museum
At the top of the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre is the Irish Famine Museum. We all learn about this tragic turning point in our history in school, but I just visited it last week and I learned so much more. If you have Irish ancestry, you owe it your ancestors to stop for 30 minutes to learn what they went through.
Book The Jetlag Blaster Tour
- For the morning you land in Dublin & you're tired from the red-eye.
- My special tour will get out in the fresh air, keep you energized and get you acquainted with Dublin! Lots of coffee stops.
Grafton to Harcourt
At the top of Grafton Street, keep going straight. Past Stephen's Green, the street becomes Harcourt Street, but just follow the train tracks!
13.Iveagh Gardens
This is my favorite park in the Dublin. And it is so hidden away that I didn't even know it was there until my mid 20s! What a gorgeous little park. You have to known exactly where it is because it's down a side street (Clonmel Street) but even then, it's accessed by a small gate and not that obvious.
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There's a waterfall, lots of little nooks and they do a good festival here every year too. Make it your mission to find this park!
It is also my favorite place for an event in Dublin. It's so unique, they have concerts, food festivals. Check the Iveagh Gardens schedule and book anything that is on when you are here, even if you've never heard of them! The experience is worth it!
THE BEST OF DUBLIN IS NOT THE CITY. IT'S OUT BY THE SEA
- 99% of visitors never see these coastal villages
- Escape the city & enjoy Dublin's natural beauty
- 3 Walks to choose from. The Sea | The Cliffs | The Village
14.Camden Street
We do a little right turn here to show you Camden Street. This is where Dubliners really go at night. It's a long stretch of bars & restaurants that is alive until 3am. It's one of my 7 better areas than Temple Bar where you'll find more details about.
You have got to the find the Last Bookshop on Camden Street. It's chaotic inside, but walk through it for the most unexpected coffee shop in Dublin!
15.The Grand Canal
The tour ends at the Grand Canal. Take a seat, catch your breath, and think back on what you’ve just done.
You sipped Irish whiskey, met a tart, devoured a donut, caught a play, tried on a Peaky Blinders hat, walked with Dubliners, shopped local, saw a little museum, raised a pinky at Afternoon Tea, found a hidden waterfall, and scouted your return for the night shift on Camden Street.
And all you had to do was remember one street name.
Next Up
The Dame Line: A Walk from The Book of Kells to Guinness. The most popular route.
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More Scenes along the Grafton Line
