Dublin Free Walking Tour, a Quick Review
Every major city in Europe is great for weekend trips. The majority of the tourist sites are usually located right in the center of town and are pretty easily navigable by just walking. At the same time, almost every major city offers a free walking tour.
Quick weekend trip to Dublin
Back in January we decided that if we were going to be cold and miserable for a weekend, we could either choose Seattle (where we live) or Dublin (where we’ve never been) so if we’re going to be cold and miserable somewhere, why not try somewhere new! Combine that with a round trip airfare that we found for only $300 and it was a no brainer. We jetted off on a Friday night and started our stay out in San Francisco. Seriously, if you haven’t read about our hotel in San Francisco, and you like dark, dry humor, you need to give this one a read.
So, now that we’re going to be in Dublin, what the heck are we going to do? We don’t like to stick to hard schedules, so a lot of times we just wing it. Having the walking tours is a fantastic way for us to get a good glimpse of the city and ask for some local advice about where to grab good drinks, food, and other sightseeing ideas. If you missed the post about our Hilton Dublin experience, check it out before you keep reading!
Dublin City Walking Tour
The Dublin Free Walking Tour was the first one that popped up for us on Google, and so we went with them. They’ve got a North side and a South side tour. As the South starts at 11am and the North starts at 3, we were able to get both in on day 1 and luckily, we even got the same tour guide!
Dublin City Walking Tour
Both tours start at the Spire “or the giant needle.” There are some other very jocular names for it, my favorites being “The Erection at the Intersection” or the “Stiffie at the Liffey.” 🙂
Whatcha Gonna See?
On the south side of the tour, expect to see:
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Trinity College
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Temple Bar
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Dublin Castle
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Christchurch Cathedral
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St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Dublin City Walking Tour
And on the north side:
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Garden of Remembrance
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Moore Street Market
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Spire of Dublin
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Custom House
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GPO & The 1916 Rising
Dublin City Walking Tour
Dublin City Walking Tour
Dublin City Walking Tour
Why Free Walking Tours?
One of the parts that I love most about the free walking tours, not just in Dublin but in every major European city, is that you end up paying whatever you feel like paying. If the tour was excellent, tip 10 or 20 euros. Hated the guide and he/she wasn’t funny? Tip 1 or 2 euro. No judgement, dirty looks, or shame at all in any of it. We saw people give 50 euros and other people dig deep and give pockets full of change.
The tour guides are typically younger, louder, and more vibrant that the tour guide on the Hop on Hop off buses, and you’ll be able to find out some of the cool secrets in the areas. Never once have we left somewhere and said “wow, that tour sucked.”
When you find yourself in Dublin, make sure to use the Dublin Free Walking Tour, they were amazing. And google ahead of time for your next city. I’m willing to bet you’re gonna find there’s a free walking tour near you!
