Dublin —
Sightseeing & Walking Tours
Photos: (from upper left, clockwise) A
trio of double-decker open-top hop-on/hop off sightseeing buses; the Viking Splash vehicle; a Pat Liddy Guided Walking Tour; and the Liffey Voyage boat.
Sightseeing in Dublin is a year-round and fun-filled activity. The choice of tours is
almost as varied as the city itself. Whether you want to hop-on/hop-off and design your
own sightseeing plan, follow a themed tour (from literary and historic to pubs and
music), walk with a local guide, or cruise in the water, Dublin has a tour for you. Note: Tickets to most tours are available from the
Dublin Tourism Office, Suffolk St., Dublin 2; check with each company for latest tour
prices and schedules. Here is a sampling:
Downtown
Hop-on/Hop-off & Sightseeing Bus Tours
Dublin Guided Walking
Tours
Dublin Special
Theme Tours, Boat Rides & Walks
Downtown Hop-on/Hop-off &
Sightseeing Bus Tours
Dublin City Hop-On/Hop-Off Tour - The city's main transport company, Dublin Bus, operates this open-top double-decker bus providing continuous narrated tours (1 hr. 15 min.) and hop-on/hop-off stops at 19 different locations. Tickets are valid for 24 hours. Daily, year-round, from 9:30am. to 5pm. or later. Buy tickets on board, at Dublin Tourism Centre or from Dublin Bus, 59 Upr. O'Connell St., Dublin 1; tel. 01-873-4222; web site www.DublinBus.ie
Dublin
Tour Hop-on/Hop-off Tour - Open-top red double-decker bus offers
a 90-minute tour with live commentary and 20 hop-on/hop-off stops including
Phoenix Park. Tickets are valid for 24 hours. Daily, year-round
(except Dec. 16-27 and March 17), from 9:30am to 5pm or later. Buy tickets
on board, at hotel concierge desks, House of Ireland, or from the Dublin
Tourism Office. Operated by Irish City Tours, 33 Bachelor's Walk, Dublin
1; tel. 01-872-9010; web site: www.irishcitytours.com.
Dublin Guided Walking Tours
Angel Tours of Dublin – This firm offers two different guided walking tours with well-trained and well-versed guides - The Heart Of Dublin, an overall introduction to the city and its Viking and medieval past; and Ulysses Special, full-day tour designed for Joyce lovers, tracing Leopold Bloom’s route through the sites mentioned in James Joyce’s monumental novel. Tours vary in length and assemble at The Spire on O’Connell St. Call ahead for reservations and to confirm time and assembly points. Information: Angel Tours Dublin, mobile tel. 087-228-8760; web site: www.angeltoursdublin.com
Historic Tours — Walk in the footsteps of Dublin's
historical personalities and major events, led by history graduates from
Trinity College. Tours assemble at the Trinity College front gate. 2 hrs. April-Sept. daily
at 11 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.; Oct.-March on Fri.-Sun at noon. For tickets,
pay on the day. For info, contact Historical Walking Tours of Dublin, 64
Mary St., Dublin 1; tel. 01-878-0227; web site www.historicalinsights.ie.
Historical, Literary & Musical Walking Tours – Combine Dublin’s many cultural facets into one comprehensive tour on a two-hour guided walk around the city in an entertaining and informative style. You’ll see places associated with James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Brendan Behan, as well as historic landmarks from the 1916 and the Civil War, and walk in the footsteps of Thin Lizzy, The Dubliners, U2 and Bob Geldof. Book online and get a 50% discount. You can also book at any Dublin Tourism Office or turn up on the day. Tours assemble at the Spire at the middle of O'Connell Street, departing Thursday-Monday all year at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. More information: Ronan Westlake, Definitive Dublin Tours, tel. 086-545-3832, web site: www.dublinwalkingtour.com
Literary Pub Crawl — A guided tour by two actors who perform extracts from Dublin's best known writers while visiting four literary pubs, followed by a quiz with prizes. Tours assemble at the Duke Pub, 9 Duke St. 2hrs, 15 mins. Apr. – Nov Mon-Sat. at 7:30 p.m. and Sun at noon and 7:30p.m.; Dec. – March Thurs., Fri. and Sat. at7:30 p.m. and Sun. at noon and 7:30 p.m. For tickets, book in advance at the Dublin Tourism Office. For info, contact Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, 37 Exchequer St., Dublin 2; tel. 01-670-5602; web site www.dublinpubcrawl.com.
Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours of Dublin – Walk around Dublin with Pat Liddy, a well-known Dublin historian, author and artist. Pat and his team of historians/raconteurs offer five different walks – Georgian & Victorian Dublin (Mondays at 10:30 a.m. & Fridays at 2:30 p.m.); Viking & Medieval Dublin (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 2:30 p.m.), Castle & Cathedral (Mondays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.); Historic Northside (Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m.); and The Dublin Experience – An Overview (Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.). Each tour reveals little-known facts and stories about Dublin and its landmarks. Tours depart from the front of the Dublin Tourism Office, Suffolk St. in the high season, and from the Dublin Bus Office, from November 1 - April 30. Duration: approx. 2 hours. More Information: Pat Liddy, tel. mobile #087-905-2480, website: www.walkingtours.ie
Traditional Irish Musical Pub Crawl - Experience the musical tradition of Dublin's pubs on this tour led by two professional musicians. Tours assemble at Oliver St. John Gogarty Pub (upstairs), Fleet St. & Anglesea St., Temple Bar. 2hrs. 30 mins. May-Oct. daily at 7:30pm; Nov., Feb., March & April Fri. & Sat. at 7:30pm. For tickets, book in advance at the Dublin Tourism Office or pay on the night. This firm also offers other musical tours including rock and roll pub crawls. For info, contact Musical Pub Crawl, Discover Dublin, 20 Lr. Stephen St., Dublin 2; tel. 01-478-0193; web site www.discoverdublin.ie
1916 Rebellion
— The Easter Rising of 1916 and Ireland's struggle for independence
are the focus of this historical tour. Tour guides Lorcan Collins and
Conor Kostick are co-authors of the book, The Easter Rising, published
by O'Brien Press. Tours assemble at the International Bar, 23 Wicklow
St. 2 hrs. March
– Oct. at 11:30 a.m. Mon.-Sat. and 1pm on Sun. plus a 2:30 p.m.
departure Mon.-Sat. from April – Sept. For tickets, pay on
the day or in advance at the Dublin Tourism Office. For info, contact
1916 Tours, tel. mobile 086-858-3847;
web site www.1916rising.com.
Dublin Special
Theme Tours, Boat Rides & Walks
Boat Cruises – See Dublin from the vantage point of the Liffey River on the 52-seat “Spirit of the Docklands” boat cruise, with full commentary on board. The route moves east from O’Connell Bridge and explores Dublin’s newest corner of development – the docklands, and gives a preview to “Dublin of the future,” as well as a waterside view of hundreds of new riverside apartments including Colin Farrell’s penthouse and many new commercial buildings including dozens of banks and U2’s headquarters. 45 minutes. All sailings depart from and return to Bachelors Walk, March - November. More information: Liffey River Cruises, The Boardwalk, Bachelor’s Walk, tel. 01-473-4082, web site: www.liffeyrivercruises.com
Eco-Friendly Tour of Dublin – These pedi-cabs are stylish eco-friendly mini-taxis, powered in bicycle style by a qualified driver. They operate free of charge around the city centre within a 2 km radius of O’Connell Street. Cabs line up on O’Connell Street waiting for passengers on a first-come, first-served basis. More information: web site: www.ecocabs.ie
Ghostbus Tour — An entertaining bus tour
of Dublin's haunted places from St. Kevin's Graveyard (noted for body-snatching)
and the Haunted Steps to Dracula's origins. 2 hrs., 15 mins. Double-decker
bus. Mon. to Fri. at 8pm, Sat-Sun at 7pm and 9:30pm. (Not suitable for children 14 years or younger). Buy tickets at Dublin
Tourism Centre or Dublin Bus, 59 Upr. O'Connell St., Dublin 1; tel. 01-873-4222;
web site www.DublinBus.ie
Rock ‘n’ Roll & Writers Bus Tour – Ride around in Dublin a colorfully decorated and retro-fitted bus with a rock ‘n roll and literary theme. The 75-minute circuit takes in haunts of Bono, Van Morrison, and other landmarks such as Rory Gallagher Way, Phil Lynott’s Statue, the U2 wall, and the Dirty Old Town area, as well as places associated with Dublin’s great literary legends – Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and Brendan Behan. Tours depart daily from Westmoreland Street at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. More information: tel. 01-620-3929. Web site: www.dublinrocktour.ie
Viking Splash Tours — Sightsee in downtown Dublin
with a Viking slant by land and water on board a reconditioned amphibious
vehicle (of WW II vintage). This action-packed tour starts at Bull Alley,
beside St. Patrick's Cathedral and wends its way through Dublin streets,
passed major landmarks, and into the historic Grand Canal basin. 75 mins.
Feb.-Nov. (hours vary; operates
daily except Tues. in Feb.-May and Nov.). Buy tickets at the Dublin
Tourism Centre or at Viking Splash Tours booth at Bull Alley St., Dublin
2; tel. 01-707-6000; web site www.vikingsplash.ie.
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