What to Do in Dublin: 5 Walking Tours to See the Real City
Dublin By A Local
I just Googled “What to do in Dublin,” and the guides are as dismal as the Irish weather in January.
Written by people who don’t know Dublin. They just churn out the same Things To Do In Dublin list, copied from someone else who didn’t know it either.
Sure, the Guinness Storehouse and Book of Kells are popular for good reason. They are worth seeing. But if that’s all you do, you’re missing out.
Dublin’s Secret Side: Nature
Dublin has something that Paris, London, and Madrid don’t have. A gorgeous natural setting with sea on one side, mountains on the other.
The best of Dublin isn’t in the city at all. It’s in our coastal villages, which have everything people come to Ireland for: ancient ruins, castles, sea views, wild cliffs, authentic pubs and markets.
So please 🙏 spend one day in the city, then get out and explore the real Dublin, that 90% of tourists miss. You’ll thank me later.
Dublin By A Dubliner
I’m a Dubliner born and raised. See my Dublin, and not the version influencers push after a 48 hour stopover.
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5 Best Dublin Walking Tours
I've created 5 walking tours to show you what I love in Dublin. Away from the usual tourist trails and into real Dublin.
- City: Dublin City Centre. Where to stay, eat, drink & where to avoid.
- Village: Off the beaten track in a local village, park & farmers market
- Sea: Our millionaire's coast with Dublin's best views
- Cliffs: The Howth Cliff Walk Loop. Famous for a reason
- Park: Dublin's Phoenix Park. Home to presidents, popes, and deer.
Private tours any day | Group tours Fridays (Cliffs) & Saturdays (Village) See more, hear local stories and never get lost with a real Dubliner
👉 Book Your Walk
Tour 1. City
I went to school in the city from 6 until 22 and walk it every day. I know every inch of it and I've been in all the attractions. The hardest part is deciding which to visit. That's why I'm here, to tell you which are worthy of your time.
Here are my top 3 you should visit.
- Guinness Storehouse - You have to go! Simple as that.
- The Book of Kells - I'm a Trinity Graduate so I am biased!
- The Pearse Lyons Distillery - More local than Jameson & in a church
Also within walking distance: The Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, the Jameson Distillery, the River Liffey, the EPIC Museum, The Little Museum of Dublin, Grafton Street, Temple Bar, Christchurch Cathedral, Dublinia, the Irish Rock 'n Roll Museum, the Irish Whiskey Museum, and the National Museum.
Read more about the city walk→
Tour 2: The Village
The most off the beaten track tour. A walk in a local Dublin village.
Come to my village. and see real local Dublin life.
This is where I live and I have the best backyard in Dublin with gorgeous St Anne's Park and Bull Island nature reserve on my doorstep. The views to Howth and the Wicklow Mountains are nice backdrops for my morning coffee too.
You'll see how Dubliners actually spend their weekends, out in nature in Dublin's most beautiful park, being active with community building runs, playing our national sports, and eating at the Farmers Market, plus swimming in the freezing sea at the beach in Dublin Bay Biosphere.
You will be the only visitor in the entire area. This is Local as it gets.
I lead a group walk through the Village every Saturday!
Read more about the Village walk→
Tour 3. The Sea
The Most Beautiful Walk In Dublin Along Millionaire Coast
This is the Dublin 99% of visitors don't even know exists. And it is stunning!
This walk takes you through Dublin's wealthiest coastal area, where you'll understand why houses here cost millions. It's a 9km walk from Dún Laoghaire to Killiney, all paved, taking about 3 hours with stops for snaps and coffee.
Walk along the sea front, swim at the Forty Foot in Sandycove, (or just watch the locals do it while clutching your hot coffee), afternoon tea at Victorian hotels, lunch with ladies in Dalkey and catch your breath on the Killiney hills.
If you have one day to see coastal Dublin, do this walk.
Read my guide for the Sea walk to Killiney→
Tour 4. The Cliffs
We have cliffs here in Dublin. No need to drive across the country
Howth is very firmly on the tourist trail, but rightly so. It's the most beautiful part of all of Dublin with views that you'd expect to see on the Wild Atlantic Way in the west of Ireland, rather than just 30 minutes from town.
Today you'll walk the Howth's utterly stunning Cliff Walk, have fresh fish & chips and take a boat around Ireland's Eye. My family have had long roots in Howth. I'll show you the secret path that tourists miss, introduce you to my cousins at their fish shop on the pier, and tell you how to avoid the weekend crowds.
I do Group Walks here every Friday! Private walks every day.
Read my full Howth Cliffs guide →
Tour 5. The Park
Dublin's Phoenix Park. Home to friendly deer, Dublin Zoo, the home of the Irish President, the US Ambassador, the Pope's Cross, Farmleigh House. The full guide to the Phoenix Park is coming soon!
Dublin Hotels
Where to Stay in Dublin
Dublin's has a place to rest your head no matter your style.I've sorted my recommendations by traveler type - luxury, budget, coastal, village stays with real guest reviews. All my hotel recommendations are on this page👇
Darragh
Dublin Pubs
This is a topic that deserves a page all of its own so I wrote one. Writing about Guinness & pubs was my favorite page to write for some strange reason 😂. Read about the best pubs in Dublin
You have to do a pub crawl in Dublin, it's up with Guinness as something you just have to do. Here are the best pub crawls in Dublin.
- A traditional pub crawl in Dublin. It's a group tour and a good way to meet new people while seeing the pubs of Dublin.
- The Literary Pub Crawl so you can feel like you're learning smart while drinking
- A Private Pub Crawl with Me! We go far from the tourist bars and visit my locals. I've put a lifetime of research into picking these Dublin bars!
Temple Bar
I shake my head in disappointment when I hear of people going to Temple Bar or Disney Dublin as locals call it.
Dublin is a city with the greatest pubs in the world full of friendly Irish people. And so many visitors to walk by these beautiful bars and go to touristy fake Temple Bar.
Instead, Here are my Alternatives to Temple Bar for a great night out that are more authentic and local.
🎸The Irish Rock n Roll Museum is the best thing in Temple Bar. Rated 4.9 by more than 5,000 visitors.
Traditional Irish Music
The guidebooks say go to The Cobblestone for Irish traditional music. The musicians are excellent but they are tucked away in a corner and you have to be very quiet out of respect for them. I understand it but I don't love it.
Instead:
🎻 If you want to hear Irish music and learn how to Irish dance, my good friend Dan runs the brilliant Irish Dance Party.
🎵Do a traditional Irish music pub crawl that goes off the tourist trail into more local musical bars.
🪕 On a Sunday, go to Rake The Ashes at Tucker Reilly's. You'll hear Irish music surrounded by only Irish people. The craic is unreal. I'm there most Sundays!
Dublin Restaurants
Dublin has the quality of restaurants that you'd expect in a capital city. To make this easy, walk to this intersection and explore the streets in this area. They are full of local restaurants where Dubliners eat. And leave room for dessert at Murphy's Ice Cream at the end.
Dublin Food Tours
I do a food tour in every city I go to. Just love them, a good mix of exploring the city, entertaining guide and of course, food. Here are the 3 best in Dublin
- Delicious Dublin is the highest rated of all the Dublin food tours
- The Dublin Walking Food Tour is superb and a good idea to do on your first night, so you can pick up tips on where to eat for the rest of your time here.
- This is a private food tour where you get 10 different tastings. Come hungry!
Dublin Day Trips
Close But a World Away
It's amazing how quickly you go from busy city to barren wilderness in the Wicklow Mountains and castles ruled by ancients rules. Base yourself in Dublin and go on these day trips.
- A full day tour of Wicklow Mountain National Park and Glendalough’s medieval monastic settlement. . This company uses small buses so you can get to places the big coaches can't. Very highly recommended!
- Ancient Sites of Ireland Day Tour - You'll see some of the oldest sites in Ireland including Trim Castle and the Hill of Tara where the High Kings of Ireland ruled from.
- The Blarney Stone, Rock of Cashel & Cahir Castle. If you're short on time in Ireland but still want to see three of Ireland's most famous sites, this is perfect.
Getting Around Dublin
👣 Dublin is small. Everything in the central city area is walkable.
🚌 The Dublin Hop-on Hop-Off bus is the easiest way to see the city and includes admission to the wonderfully quirky Little Museum of Dublin
🚃 The DART rail brings you to all my coastal walks.
⛴️I love this River Liffey Sightseeing cruise. It's a unique walk to see Dublin!
🚗 If you are just staying in Dublin, don't rent a car. You do need one if you're exploring the rest of Ireland. Check rental rates with Discover Cars, who compare prices with all the big rental companies.
Now You are A Dublin Expert!
These aren't your typical tourist recommendations. They're a local's insider guide to the Dublin most visitors never discover.
Start with accommodation, pick your walks, book some experiences, and get ready to fall in love with Ireland's capital.
👉 Still need help? Book a trip planning call with me that will save you hours of research.
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Darragh
