World City Guide

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Dublin Tourism has published a Ulysses Map of Dublin (¬1.30), for those who wish to conduct a self-guided walk in the footsteps of Joyce’s famous character, Leopold Bloom.

Discover Dublin Tours, 20 Stephen Street Lower (tel: (01) 478 0193; website: www.musicalpubcrawl.com), organises a two-and-a-half-hour musical pub-crawl in the Temple Bar area for ¬10. Tickets are available on the night and also from the Dublin Tourism Centre on Suffolk Street. The tour commences upstairs in Oliver St John Gogarty’s (corner of Fleet Street and Anglesea Street) and operates nightly at 1930 from May to October; Fridays and Saturdays only in November, February, March and April.

The Dublin Literary Pub Crawl (tel: (01) 670 5602; e-mail: info@dublinpubcrawl.com; website: www.dublinpubcrawl.com) is a two-hour tour featuring poetry recitals and singing, as well as visiting Dublin’s famed pubs that have literary connections. Tours cost ¬10 (concessions available), commencing upstairs at the Duke Pub, 9 Duke Street, Monday to Saturday at 1930 from April to November (tickets on sale from 1900); also Sundays at 1200. From December to March, tours operate Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1930 and Sundays at 1200 and 1930.

Historical Walking Tours of Dublin (tel: (01) 878 0227; e-mail: tours@historicalinsights.ie; website: www.historicalinsights.ie), led by Trinity College history students, provide insights into the cultural, religious and political history of Dublin, with such themes as ‘A Terrible Beauty - The Birth of the Irish State 1916-1923’ and ‘Unmanageable Revolutionaries – Women in Irish History. Walks start from the front gate of Trinity College, May to August daily at 1100, 1200 and 1500, and Friday to Sundays at noon from October to April. They cost ¬10 and last 2.5 hours.

Bus Tours
Two bus companies – Guide Friday (tel: (01) 605 7705; website: www.irishcitytours.com) and Dublin Bus (tel: (01) 873 4222; website: www.dublinbus.ie) offer hop-on, hop-off bus tours covering all the major sights of the city centre, with running commentary from a tour guide. A day ticket costs ¬14 and tours commence approximately every 15 minutes from O’Connell Street.

Other Tours
Guided tours by horse and cart can be picked up at St Stephen’s Green during the summer months. The duration and price (usually between ¬15 and ¬50) should be negotiated with the driver before setting off.