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Gems of Dublin - Private Walking Tour for Tourists from USA
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From €350 per person
Two hours, a knowledgeable local, and a route through the heart of Dublin - that’s the shape of this tour. It’s private, so the pace is entirely yours, and your guide knows the city’s stories as well as its streets.
You start at the main entrance to Christ Church Cathedral - a 1,000-year-old Viking church and one of Dublin’s oldest working buildings - before heading through some of the most storied spots in the city. From Christ Church you make your way to Dublin Castle, first built in 1204 and now a fascinating mix of historic state rooms and modern government buildings. Then it’s into Temple Bar, alive with colour, traditional music and good-natured noise, before a quick stop to pay your respects to Molly Malone, made famous by the folk song practically every Dubliner knows by heart.
The Irish Houses of Parliament - now the Bank of Ireland since 1803 - marks the turn onto College Green, where Trinity College has been educating people since 1592. Your guide will point out the entrance to the Book of Kells and Old Library if you want to go in after the tour (admission is separate). The walk ends at the peaceful St. Stephen’s Green, with Grafton Street’s shops and cafes right next door if you want to linger.
Meeting point: Main entrance of Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch Place, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.
If you want to go inside Christ Church Cathedral after the tour, budget an extra 30 to 45 minutes. The crypt is the oldest in Ireland and genuinely worth exploring - it runs the full length of the cathedral and houses some remarkable artefacts. Admission for adults is €10.00.
The Book of Kells at Trinity College is one of the most visited attractions in Ireland, and queues can be long without a pre-booked ticket. If you’re planning to go after the walk, book your time slot online before you travel - it’s the same price but you skip the line entirely. The Old Library is included in the same ticket and is, if anything, the more impressive room.
Temple Bar is best experienced in the morning or early afternoon if you want the cultural side of it. The street comes alive with music and crowds from early evening, which is great if that’s what you’re after, but if you want to browse the galleries, the markets (running on Saturdays and Sundays), or just soak up the architecture without shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, earlier is better.
St. Stephen’s Green is a working park used by Dublin office workers on lunch breaks and locals walking their dogs. That’s what makes it feel genuine rather than touristy. If you finish the tour there, grab a coffee from one of the cafes on the south side of the green and sit in the park for a bit - it’s one of the best ways to end a Dublin morning.
Grafton Street buskers are taken seriously in this city. Busk licences are competitive, and the standard is genuinely high. Glen Hansard of The Frames - who won an Academy Award for the film Once - used to busk on Grafton Street regularly. Keep an ear out.