Vikings, rebels, poets and pubs on the banks of the Liffey.
Dublin began as a Viking port beside a dark pool, spent seven centuries as the seat of English rule in Ireland and, in 1916, saw an independent Ireland declared from the steps of its Post Office. Between medieval cathedrals, Georgian squares and century-old pubs, three free walking tours let you explore it at your own pace.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the mixed route.
From the walled medieval town and its cathedrals to the buildings where an independent Ireland was proclaimed.
Crypts that preserve the dead, travelling relics and pub legends, always separating the documented from what tradition tells.
From the halfpenny toll bridge to Oscar Wilde's square, by way of Temple Bar, Trinity College and St Stephen's Green.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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Itineraries
We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.
All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.
See the itinerary 2A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.
See the itinerary 3The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.
See the itineraryWhat to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
The national dish: lamb or mutton simmered slowly with potato, onion and carrot until the broth thickens on its own. It's classic pub lunch fare; The Stag's Head, with its Victorian mahogany and stained glass, and O'Neill's, round the corner from Trinity, are two old-school places to order it.
Where to try it
Battered fish and thick-cut chips, wrapped up to eat standing or on a nearby bench. Leo Burdock opened in 1913 a few steps from Christ Church and bills itself as Dublin's oldest chipper. Ideal for supper after the mystery walk.
Where to try it
A thick, creamy soup of fish and shellfish, salmon, cod and mussels, served with Irish brown soda bread and butter. Davy Byrne's on Duke Street, where Leopold Bloom eats his gorgonzola sandwich in Ulysses, serves it at lunchtime.
Where to try it
The most Dublin of dishes: sausages, rashers, potato and onion cooked slowly in one pot. It was a working-class supper, made with whatever was left in the larder. Have it in the evening at The Brazen Head, with live traditional music.
Where to try it
Warm scones with butter and jam, with a pot of tea or a coffee. Bewley's opened its Grafton Street café in 1927, and its Harry Clarke stained-glass windows make it the perfect stop for breakfast or an afternoon break.
Where to try it
