Dublin city on foot

How to explore Dublin city on foot

Dublin is one of those cities that lends itself perfectly to being explored on foot - helpful at a time when we’re being encouraged to stay outdoors and social distance.

Every corner of the city has a story to tell.

Let’s start with Jonathan Swift’s Dublin - an audio tour of Georgian Dublin in 1743 that allows you to visit locations in the city that played a key role in the life of the renowned satirist.

You can download a map and listen to the tour on the Museum of Literature Ireland’s website.

Facts, mysteries and scandals that surround the life of one of Ireland’s most famous authors, are brought to life through Swift’s housekeeper, Mrs Ann Whiteway.

Stopping at 15 places, the tour starts at Hoey’s Court, near to where Swift was born in 1667 and progresses to spots including St. Werburgh’s Church, Dublin Castle’s beautiful Chapel Royal and Swift’s local pub, Lord Edward’s, where he wrote many of his essays. The final stop is St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Swift was Dean for many years and where he is buried.

As a walking city, Dublin delivers on travelling sustainably and conscientiously.

With its added network of bikes, buses and trams, you can ditch the car when you visit.

The best of park life awaits at Stephen’s Green, Merrion Square and the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, somewhere to sit and take a break from exploring the city’s nooks and crannies by foot. Glasnevin is also home to Glasnevin Cemetery, which opened in 1832 and is now home to over 1.5 million burial sites - a goldmine for genealogists and history buffs.

On the other side of town, head through the iconic Fusilier’s Arch and into leafy St. Stephen’s Green, where you can picnic, feed the ducks or check out the memorials to the likes of Robert Emmet, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and WB Yeats.

At the bottom of Grafton Street is Trinity College, which was founded in 1592. On your route through town take a minute to stand in Front Square and let life pass you by for a bit.

Walk on to Dublin Castle. From Viking fortress, to the seat of British rule in Ireland, the castle is now a place of stately significance.

Tour the State Apartments, Medieval Undercroft and Chapel Royal before relaxing in the tranquil Dubh Linn Gardens, on the site of the ‘black pool’ that gave Dublin its name.

Within 10 minutes’ walk of each other and also within the city centre, are the spires of St. Patrick’s and Christ Church cathedrals.

The embalmed heart of St. Laurence O’Toole (a 12th century Archbishop of Dublin) lies in a shrine in Christ Church Cathedral – an intriguing oddity to add to a day out.

Finish the day at the Shelbourne Hotel’s Horseshoe Bar, a famous haunt for local personalities, so you never know who you might spot.