• City Hall - The first landmark is Dublin’s City Hall, originally constructed in the 18th century as the Royal Exchange. It later served as the headquarters for Dublin Corporation, the city’s governing body, before they moved. Today, this elegant building hosts local government meetings and serves as a versatile venue for events ranging from weddings to film shoots.
• Dublin Castle - Turning the corner and heading up the cobblestoned Castle Street, visitors enter the upper courtyard of Dublin Castle, a center of power and government administration in Ireland for over 700 years, from the Anglo-Norman conquest until the end of British rule in 1922. While taking a brief pause in commentary to comply with local regulations, visitors can capture memorable photos and admire the blend of 18th and 12th-century architecture, where remnants of early Norman rule remain. As the tour exits the courtyard, the story of the great 16th-century escape of the last Gaelic chiefs from the still-intact Record Tower is shared, along with tales of a famous 19th-century writer who once worked there.
• Dubh Linn Gardens - Moving to the rear of the castle, the tour visits the circular garden that was once the “dark pool” from which Dublin derives its name. Here, visitors pass notable landmarks such as the Garda Memorial, David & Goliath Statue, the Coachouse, the Special Olympics tribute, and the Chester Beatty Museum and Library.

Located where the black pool (Dubh Linn) once was, stories spanning from medieval Viking times to the present day are shared.

There is an opportunity for comfort and refreshment breaks, photo opportunities, and perhaps a note to return later to explore the free admission exhibits more thoroughly.

• Ship Street Great - The first fully intact section of Norman walls forms the southern perimeter of the medieval city. Stories and anecdotes abound at what is arguably Dublin’s most intriguing street corner.

Visitors can orient themselves with creative maps of the medieval walls engraved into stone pillar-mounted metal plates and gaze along the first intact section of the original walls forming part of the outer perimeter of Medieval Dublin.

Standing beneath the plaque bearing the name of Jonathan Swift, the famous 18th-century writer, philanthropist, and Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, who was born nearby.

This area was once known as Little Italy, home to many Italian migrants in the 19th century. Visitors will hear peculiar anecdotes about mistranslated street names and suffragette protests.

• Saint Patrick’s Cathedral - Rivaling Christchurch Cathedral, this stop offers views of the majestic cathedral and gardens, tracing the turbulent history from the Vikings, through the Normans, the Reformation, Oliver Cromwell, Guinness, to the fine cathedral and gardens admired today.

An outdoor café and ample garden seating may tempt visitors if weather and time permit.

• The Liberties - Leaving the looming presence of St. Patrick’s Cathedral behind, the tour crosses Patrick St to pass through an arched alleyway into one of Dublin’s most renowned and historic neighborhoods, The Liberties.

The name originates from medieval times when parcels of land called “liberties” were created, free from the laws and taxes imposed within the city walls.

Here, visitors learn about the Clo-Gaelach, the old Irish script visible on street signs, as they stroll along a 19th-century streetscape lined with red brick terraced houses originally built for Guinness workers.

Passing the church of St. Nicholas of Myra, the once-thriving Iveagh Market, and streets named after luminaries such as Dean Swift, John Dillon, and Thomas Davis, just some of the famous figures associated with the area.

Exiting The Liberties, visitors are rewarded with the striking structure of the second section of medieval walls on Lamb Alley.

• St. Audoen’s Church - Continuing the medieval journey to St. Audoen’s Church, the capital’s only remaining medieval parish church still in use. Dedicated to St. Ouen, its 15th-century bell tower houses the oldest church bells in Ireland!

Strolling through St. Audoen’s Park, a truly historic green space, visitors can enjoy the “Singing Hollow” and other sensory play pieces before exiting via a stone arch.

Turning along Cook Street, named for the medieval bakers who placed their ovens outside the city walls to prevent fires, the tour walks alongside the third medieval wall section, magnificently restored, and the ominous St. Audoen’s Arch, the last surviving gate in the original city walls.

Reaching Winetavern Street, a name revealing its function as a hub for wine merchants and a busy trade route from the quays, where King’s Gate once stood.

• Christ Church Cathedral - Ascending Winetavern Street, visitors walk the line of a former Viking market street, famous for its taverns and now defined by the stunning Christ Church Cathedral towering above. Passing under the iconic, neo-Gothic covered bridge arching overhead, connecting the Cathedral to the medieval Synod Hall (now the Dublinia Museum).

Rounding the front, the grand Victorian restoration work becomes clear, contrasting with the remnants of the Viking and Norman foundations beneath. As the tour passes, visitors can peer into the ruins of the original Chapter House before exiting onto Fishamble Street, the site of Dublin’s oldest, forever famous as the location for the 1742 premiere of Handel’s Messiah.

The entire circuit is steeped in Viking, Norman, and cultural history.

• Fishamble Street - Fishamble Street is named for the market that was once a thriving hub. Visitors can see where George Friedrich Handel first performed his Messiah and hear the macabre tale of the execution of Darkey Kelly in the 18th century, as the tour winds down to the River Liffey into the shadow of the 20th-century local government office block that is Wood Quay. The engraved metal slabs set into conventional pavement remind visitors that they stand on the site of one of the largest Viking settlements ever found outside of Scandinavia.

Passing a famous theatre first opened in the 17th century, and a Viking longboat, another reminder of the Viking past here, before exiting via the west end along Essex Gate, a cobblestone street named after what was once an entrance into the medieval walled city of Dublin.

• Temple Bar - Crossing Parliament St., to the right behind an olive green facade is a quaint café, once a 17th-century shop with an interesting connection to the Guinness family. Continuing along the cobblestoned street, the tour enters Temple Bar, the cultural quarter famed for its “ceol, ol agus craic” (music, drink, and fun). Visitors learn about the history of this popular district, the origin of its name, and the unusual way it evolved into what it is today.

Exiting Temple Bar, the tour crosses over Dublin’s main river, the Liffey. Following the boardwalk on the river’s north side, visitors take a moment to linger and gaze at a rather unsightly gap in the south quay wall covered by a timber grill. This is the modern intersection of the Liffey and Poddle rivers, the latter once containing the famous black pool.

Passing the sleek Millennium Bridge, the tour arrives at the last but by no means least stop.

• Ha’penny Bridge - A quintessential Dublin landmark, the Ha’penny Bridge is more than just a crossing; it’s a piece of history! Officially the Liffey Bridge, this elegant cast-iron pedestrian bridge opened in 1816. Its famous nickname, Ha’penny Bridge, originates from the half-penny toll charged to cross it until 1919, replacing a ferry service.

What better place to end the tour than at this iconic landmark, to take a photo with this unmistakable Dublin backdrop, where the medieval and modern cities meet.

• Live commentary with a qualified local guide
• Entrance to medieval church and visitor centre (subject to opening times)

• Snacks
• Gratuities

Dublin is not only a vibrant city, but it is also steeped in a long history dating to Viking times and before. This walking tour, led by a local “Dub” and qualified guide, will bring to life the medieval city, where you will discover interesting facts and hear fascinating stories right where they happened. As you go, your guide will point out useful landmarks and answer any questions you have. Subject to opening times (Apr - Oct), you will visit a medieval church where there has been services continuously for more then 800 years, included for free as part of the tour.

As a unique point of difference, your guide can also provide you with a unique video route map, complete with captioned photos, video clips and music, sent to you after the tour via a secure personalised link as souvenir to share with friends and family and for memories to cherish!

• Walking time for the attractions is already included in the total duration time

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.