Grafton Street: A Walk Through Dublin’s Shops & Parks
Dublin Without Maps
Dublin's twisted streets confuse visitors. Vikings cities weren't built for tourists. My solution is routes which follows one main street. Like a walking subway line, with stops on and just off the route. Never worry about getting lost!
The Grafton Street Route
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.
If you've already read my Dame Street Route, that has a lot of tourist attractions. But around Grafton Street, Dublin and Dubliners are the attractions.
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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 was the most famous. You can tell which part of her tourists rub for good luck from the photo below.
These street traders still exist. In fact, I know a lot of them because they were customers at my dad's business! I'll tell you stories about them on my tour.
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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 through just to hear the buskers that play on its pedestrianized streets.
4.My Favorite Area of Dublin
Instead walk down Wicklow Street. This area around Wicklow, Drury Street, South William & George's Streets is full of local shops, restaurants, pubs & characters. All local, all very Dublin.
During the Day: You can easily spend a full afternoon here browsing independent shops and people watching.
Shop at The Irish Design Shop and Industry & Co. Have coffee at Kaph. Wander the Victorian George's Street Arcade Eat a quick lunch at Fallon & Byrne or Cornucopia,
Want something truly unique? Forge your own Claddagh ring at the workshop run by an Irish jewelry designer on George's Street.
At Night: This area transforms completely. If it's a nice evening, these streets fill with Dubliners enjoying life. It's centered around Grogan's.
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.
I absolutely love this area. This is Dublin. Spend time here.
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.
Have lunch at the Pepper Pot or pizza at the Little Pyg at Powerscourt
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.
The Rolling Donut
Next to the Gaiety is The Rolling Donut. This is the starting point for the Delicious Donut Tour of Dublin. I won't judge you if do it. Your dentist might though. A slightly healthier tour is the Dublin Walking Food Tour.
9.Hotels Near Grafton Street
If I had to pick one area to stay in Dublin, it's on the streets around Grafton Street.
- The Merrion Hotel - 5* luxury with 2 star Michelin restaurant
- The Green- 9.2 rating on Booking.com. And reasonably priced
- The Hilton Dublin - Excellent location. Great for loyalty fans
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10.St Stephen's Green
A Dublin landmark, the 22 acre park is thanks to the Guinness family. 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. It's a nice place to slow down in the middle of a capital city.
11.The Little Museum of Dublin
One of those quirky museums. A guide puts on an Oscar worthy performance during your 29 minute tour. Yes, 29 minutes. It's a fun departure from the real world. Very popular and highly rated by previous visitors. It's little, book 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.
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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.
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! Check the Iveagh Gardens schedule and book anything that is on when you are here, even if you've never heard of them!
14.Camden Street
We do a little right turn here to show you Camden Street. It's a long stretch of bars & restaurants. You could eat here every night of your trip.
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!
Camden Street is where Dubliners go at night. Not Temple Bar. More about that here.
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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.
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