Bike Tour Along The Historic Waterways Of Dublin

About This Tour

This is the only bike tour in Dublin that takes you through both the city centre and the outskirts, threading together a network of little-known cycleways through parkland, along rivers and canals. You’ll be in the middle of the city for most of it, yet it barely feels that way - there’s fresh air, greenery, and genuinely fascinating stories at every stop along the route.

Your guide tends to focus on the lesser-told corners of Dublin’s history rather than the well-worn highlights, so expect some surprising and occasionally murky glimpses into the city’s past. You’ll hear how one of Ireland’s most prominent nationalists escaped certain execution through cunning and guile - and the unlikely role two swans played in that story. Lunch is a stop along the way at a pub that’s been welcoming its working-class regulars since 1833.

This is a private tour, conducted in English. A safety helmet and high-visibility vest are provided, and you’ll need a good level of fitness and should be comfortable cycling in an urban environment.

What’s Included

• Use of bicycle
• Safety helmet and high visibility vest

What’s Not Included

• Lunch

Itinerary

1. Head out along the coast on the newly completed cycle lane, taking in views of Dublin Bay and learning about the area’s transport history. (pass by)
2. Stop at a cafe perched on a 200-year-old sea wall - originally built on the orders of Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Hear about the history of Dublin Bay and how one of Ireland’s major nature reserves was accidentally formed. (30 min)
3. Pass through an elegant park that was owned and developed by the Guinness family, cycling along its tree-lined laneways. (pass by)
4. Stop beneath Croke Park stadium - capacity 83,000, the third largest in Europe. Learn the history of the GAA, its roots in Irish community life since its foundation nearly a century and a half ago, and the story of the man who arguably did more than anyone to shape it. (15 min)
5. Join a public tour of a famous Dublin cemetery, hearing about the notable, quirky and sombre figures buried there - well known and long forgotten. (90 min)
6. Lunch stop at a unique pub that has been welcoming its working-class regulars since 1833. (45 min)
7. Discover a recently constructed cycle path through lush green foliage - a real local gem. (10 min)
8. Pass through the Phoenix Park, the largest enclosed park of any capital city in Europe, home to red deer since 1662. (pass by)
9. Cycle along the path beside the River Liffey, watching the rowers and stopping to acknowledge the 49,400 Irishmen who fought in World War 1. Hear the story of how a prominent Irish nationalist escaped certain execution through cunning and guile, and the significance of two swans in that tale. (10 min)
10. A brief stop outside Kilmainham Gaol, one of Dublin’s most visited attractions. Hear the story of the gaol from public executions through the Great Famine to the executions of the 1916 Rising leaders. (10 min)
11. A view over the formal gardens of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham - a replica of the original 17th-century layout - and the building alongside it, now the Irish Museum of Modern Art. (5 min)
12. Final stop at Croppies Acre, said to be a mass burial site for victims of the 1798 Rebellion. It sits between Collins Barracks National Museum on one side and the Guinness Brewery on the other. (5 min)

Meeting point: Outside The Bike Stop bike shop.

Good to Know

• This is a private tour, conducted in English
• Public transport options are available nearby
• Not suitable for pregnant travellers
• Not suitable for travellers with poor cardiovascular health
• You’ll need a good level of fitness and should be comfortable cycling in an urban environment

Local Tips

Start time matters more than you’d think. The coastal section is best done before the afternoon wind picks up off Dublin Bay - so if you have a choice, a morning start puts the trickier stretch behind you while the conditions are good and the light on the bay is at its best.

The cemetery stop is one of the highlights. Ninety minutes might sound like a lot of time to spend in a graveyard, but this particular one rewards it. The stories your guide tells here are the kind you’ll still be thinking about on the flight home. Don’t rush it on behalf of anyone in your group.

The pub lunch at the 1833 pub is the real deal. It’s not a tourist pub that’s been polished up and put on the map - it’s genuinely local and has been for nearly two centuries. Order what looks good on the board rather than defaulting to the tourist-facing menu.

Croke Park is worth a second look even from the outside. If you’re into sport at all, the story of the GAA and what it means to Irish identity is one of the more interesting things you’ll hear on this tour. Ask your guide about Bloody Sunday in 1920 - it happened in that stadium and it’s a story most visitors don’t know.

Croppies Acre tends to catch people off guard. Tucked between Collins Barracks and the Guinness Brewery, it’s one of those spots that feels almost forgotten despite its significance. It’s a quiet way to end a day that covers a lot of ground.

Nearby on IrelandMe

• Classic Irish Pubs private tour of Dublin
• Book of Kells, Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral tour
• Best of Dublin in 4 days