dublin james joyce tour

JAMES JOYCE TOUR

Professional Guided Tours. Discover Dublin's History with Dublin City Walks

James Joyce’s Dublin Walking Tour.

2.5 hours, from €150 per group..

This walk around central Dublin brings you to over 20 sites associated with Joyce and the characters he created in his books – Dubliners, Portrait of the Artist, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, assisted with relevant readings and pictorial aids.

The locations chosen will offer an insight into both Joyce’s life and times and pinpoint some of the actual places mentioned in his books. Short readings will capture events from his works including the stories ‘The Dead’ outside the Gresham Hotel, ‘Eveline’ looking to the Docklands, and the setting for ‘The Sisters’ in present day Parnell Street.

The walk will also partially retrace both Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom’s meanderings through the city on the 16th of June 1904. Locations visited will include the pub where Bloom ate his lunch and the chemist shop where he purchased the bar of “sweet lemony wax.”

The history and social life of Edwardian Dublin will be explained and Joyce’s relationship with Nora Barnacle explored. The street where they had their first encounter and the hotel where she worked will be visited as will the site of their important first date outside Oscar Wilde’s house.

Belvedere College where Joyce received his excellent education and nearby Eccles Street can be visited and his domestic life discussed.

The walk can conclude with an optional visit to The James Joyce Centre (last entry 4.30pm, closed Monday, admission fee) where further information and artifacts can be viewed including the front door of No. 7 Eccles Street, probably the most famous literary address in the world.

Dublin Ulysses Tours

James Joyce Tours

All of the tours are focused on James Joyce and his novel Ulysses. The Ulysses Tour begins with a sit-down chat followed by a stroll through Dublin visiting famous landmarks and impressive artworks. The Footsteps of Leopold Bloom tour focuses on one chapter in Ulysses and follows the trail of the character through the episode. The James Joyce Tower Day Tour includes a walk through the city and a train journey to Sandycove and the famous Tower.

• The Ulysses Tour (3 hours)
• Footsteps of Leopold Bloom (2 hours)
• James Joyce Tower Day Tour (6+ hours)

  Private Tours from €100

contact for info, prices and bookings:

email: [email protected]

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Oscar Wilde Tour

Retrace the footsteps of Oscar Wilde in the early days of his life when he grew up in Dublin. This wonderful walking tour is run by Oisín Ó’Nualláin who has extensive knowledge of the life and times of Oscar Wilde. Visit Wilde’s birthplace, his family home, the pub where he worked, the chemist he frequented, his alma mater Trinity College, and the spectacular sculpture that memorializes him in the city where he spent his formative years. “To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.”

Visit here for bookings and information.

Highly recommended by Dublin Ulysses Tours.

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The James Joyce Tour

100 years after the publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses in Paris in 1922, this book remains a breathtaking read of staggering genius.  It is the story of one day in Dublin, the 16th of June in 1904 – a date we now celebrate annually as Bloomsday. Ulysses is a love poem to the universal City and all its humanity.

This tour takes you on a meandering walk through the city of Dublin and places associated with Joyce’s life in Dublin his birthplace, his school, and the hotel where he and Nora Barnacle spent the night before he left Ireland for Italy, never to return. We start the tour at Joyce’s statue in Merrion Square and the tour ends at another statue to him near O’Connell Street. You then have the option to make a full day of it and extend the tour either with your guide or make your own way by train out to Sandycove by the sea and visit the picturesque James Joyce Tower where he once stayed as a guest and which was inspiration in his famous book Ulysses.

Meeting Point: St Stephen’s Green Park entrance at the top of Grafton Street. Please be at the meeting point 15 minutes before your Tour start time. Get directions here.

Distance & duration of tour : 5k and 2.5 hours (approximate) 

Accessibility : This tour involves walking at a low level of intensity, through public areas, with some narrow paths, uneven surfaces such as cobblestone streets and steps.  

If you or anyone in your group has special needs such as mobility, hearing, sensory etc. please contact me and we can arrange a tailor-made tour. Contact me here.

If you need help booking an Artful Tour or would like to discuss a Tailor-made Artful Tour please contact Nicola below.

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Footsteps of Leopold Bloom Walking Tour

Truly immerse yourself in the mind and creativity of author and poet, James Joyce. Explore Dublin on foot in a new and exciting way with an interactive guide by your side.

• Retrace the steps of Leopold Bloom.
• Visit iconic sites in Dublin.
• Gain a different view of the Ulysses and its author.
• Explore various concepts and settings.

Follow in the footsteps of Leopold Bloom who features in the 'Lestrygonians' episode of the Ulysses while looking through the lens of Joyce. Visualise how he makes his way from Abbey Street to the National Library while considering the significance of food in a different and distinctive way.

Your guide will uncover Bloom's thoughts and highlight Joyce's work and words which bring art to the body. As you stroll through the city you'll pass by noted architectural treasures and other hidden gems that have set many scenes.

This tour offers Ulysses and literary fans the opportunity to truly embrace James Joyce and his creative efforts. It is also an alternative way to experience Ireland's capital city and enjoy the great outdoors. If you wish to further explore the work of Joyce, check out the James Joyce Centre now!

Buy Footsteps of Leopold Bloom Walking Tour Tickets

• Meeting point - James Joyce Centre, 35 North Great George's Street D01 WK44 Dublin 1 .

Refund Policy - Refunds available up to 1 day before event.

Attendees are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes early for check-in.

Duration - approximately 2 hours

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A Walk around James Joyce’s Dublin

This is a stroll around central Dublin, concentrating on places that are associated with James Joyce or with the characters in his novels and stories.

The route shown is about 3.5 miles in length and there are a lot of places to stop along the way, so real enthusiasts might like to split it over two days – one for the north side and the second for the south side of the Liffey.

It is by no means a definitive Joycean walk (that would be considerably longer) nor is it a recreation of the walk taken by Leopold Bloom. We chose this route because even if you are not a hard-core Joyce fan it’s a good walk with plenty to interest you along the way.

James Joyce Statue by  Phil Guest

The tour starts at the home of Leopold Bloom at No. 7 Eccles St, which can be reached on the No. 10 bus from the city centre.

Joyce Walk – The Northside

A. no 7 eccles st.

This is where Leopold Bloom began his epic day in Ulysses , eating a breakfast of:

“mutton kidneys which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine”

It’s also the location of the famous closing scene, where Leopold’s wife Molly Bloom enjoys the company of her lover Blazes Boylan, finally concluding the book with the line:

“ ..and yes I said yes I will Yes. “

Eccles St. is akin to a place of pilgrimage for many, but something of a disappointment as the house was knocked down some years ago, a private hospital stands in its place, but it once stood directly opposite No.76 on the other side of the street.

B. St George’s Church, Hardwick Place

Photo by Fergal Claddagh

A lovely Georgian building, built between 1802 and 1813, and probably one of the best Georgian buildings in Dublin. It is no longer a church and was for a time used as a party venue.

The carved Greek inscription on the portico reads ‘Glory To God In The Highest’.

St George’s is mentioned in Ulysses , its bells can be heard from the Blooms’ house in Eccles Street, and in the story Dubliners where

“The belfry of St. George’s Church sent out constant peals”

on a Sunday morning.

In recent times some  preservation and cleaning has been carried out, but it is not open to the public currently. It would be wonderful to see  it fully restored to its original state and to hear those bells pealing out again.

C. Belvedere College, Denmark St.

Image by bloomsday616

An exclusive Jesuit school, where Joyce was a pupil on a scholarship.

Stephen Dedalus, Joyce’s alter ego in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man , struggles with feeling ashamed of his poor background while attending Belvedere and it was here he was terrified into vowing to live a life of purity after hearing a rousing sermon about hell.

He was not long about abandoning the notion.

D. James Joyce Center, Nth Great Georges St.

Are you in Mr Joyce? By Squish_E

A useful stop to pick up some literature and learn a little about Joyce’s background and work.

The original front door of No. 7 Eccles St is here, salvaged by a quick thinking Joyce enthusiast when the building was destroyed.

In addition to Joyce, the centre has a wealth of information and some fascinating exhibits about other writers with  connection to Dublin and you will often find some special event going on.

E. Parnell Statue, O’Connell St.

Parnell Statue by mariusstrom

Keeping guard at the top of O’Connell St, Charles Stewart Parnell was the leader of the late 19th century Home Rule movement, which demanded a measure of self-government for Ireland.

He was an heroic figure at the time, but was brought down by a scandal over a love affair with a married woman.

Joyce was greatly influenced by his ideals and his story, and he appears over and again in his writing, notably at the Christmas Dinner scene at the start of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

F. Rotunda Hospital, Parnell Sq.

Rotunda Hospital by James Stringer

The Rotunda has been a maternity hospital since 1745, the first such hospital in the world, and has delivered many of Dublin’s babies every year since.

In Joyce’s time it also had a renowned concert hall. It was somewhat obliquely referred to in Ulysses in the phrase

“Accouching the Rotundaties”

as Bloom passed while attending the funeral of Paddy Dignam, who died in a drunken stupor.

G. Writer’s Museum, Parnell Sq

Writers Museum by infomatique

A fascinating repository of artefacts, portraits and information about Dublin’s many writers.

James Joyce is in there of course, but also Oscar Wilde, Jonathon Swift, Samuel Beckett, W.B. Yeats, Patrick Kavanagh and many more.

The building is a wonderful example of Georgian architecture and is worth a visit in itself.

H. Gresham Hotel, O’Connell St.

Gresham Hotel by UggBoyUggGirl

A well-known hotel which was from its beginnings in 1817 until quite recently an important centre of Dublin social life.

In the The Dead Gabriel and Gretta Conroy spend the night at the Gresham after a party given by his two aunts. They arrive with Gabriel full of anticipation of the night ahead, but his world is shattered by Gretta’s revelations and weeping about the death of her former love. He stands looking out the window as she sleeps:

“His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling”.

I. GPO (General Post Office), O’Connell St.

GPO, by miguev-maps

“ Under the porch of the general post office shoeblacks called and polished “.

This was also the place where “ trams slowed, shunted, changed trolley, started for Blackrock, Kingstown and Dalkey “, though Joyce marked the location with reference to Nelson’s Pillar, which stood opposite from when it was built in 1808, to honour Admiral Nelson following the Battle of Trafalgar, until it was blown up in 1966.

The GPO was also the central site in the Easter Rising of 1916, and the place from which Padraig Pearse read the Proclamation of Independence.

J. O’Connell Monument, O’Connell St.

The huge cloaked liberator, by DearbhlaS

Standing dramatically overlooking the entrance to the street which bears his name, Daniel O’Connell was the leader of the Catholic Emancipation movement in the early 19th century, campaigning for Catholics to be allowed to vote.

During Paddy Dignam’s funeral procession Leopold Bloom remarked on

“the hugecloaked liberator’s form”

It is worthy of remark.

In this picture though, a bird perched on O’Connell’s head has made a different kind of comment!

K. Bachelor’s Walk

Bachelor’s Walk by luiginter

“I’m just running round to Bachelor’s walk, Mr Bloom said, about this ad of Keyes’s”

While there he see Dilly Dedalus at Dillon’s auction house and presumes she has been trying to sell her impoverished family’s possessions.

“Good Lord, that poor child’s dress is in flitters. Underfed she looks too.”

Dillons was one of several auction houses that once operated in this area, all now closed. There is a wonderful bookshop along here though, The Winding Stair”, that is worth dropping into. You can walk back to O’Connell Bridge on a boardwalk by the river.

L. O’Connell Bridge

Gulls on the Liffey, by diluvi

As Leopold Bloom crossed the bridge he bought some Banbury cakes from a street trader to feed to the gulls.

“Aware of their green and cunning he shook the powdery crumb from his hands. They never expected that. Manna.”

You’ll still see plenty of greedy gulls here, but the views from the bridge are much changed since Joyce’s day.

O’Connell Bridge was originally built in the 1790s but was widened in 1888 and is now almost an exact square, as wide as it is long.

The Bridge is the main crossing point between the north and south of the city, so if you are splitting this walk over two days, it’s the end of part one.

Joyce Walk – The Southside

After crossing O’Connell Bridge, walk up Westmoreland St towards Trinity College.

This was the street where Leopold Bloom’s taste buds were aroused as he passed Harrison’s Restaurant, now long gone.

“Hot mockturtle vapor and steam of newbaked jampuffs rolypoly poured out of Harrison’s”

M. Bank of Ireland, College Green

Bank of Ireland, by infomatique “Before the huge high door of the Irish house of Parliament a flock of pigeons flew. Their little frolic after meals. Who will we do it on? I pick the fellow in black.”

Bloom thinks as he passes the bank.

Once the seat of the Irish Parliament, it was a bank by Joyce’s time, and was where Stephen Dedalus went to cash the prizes he won at Belvedere College, with the intention of treating his family to various expensive gifts.

As you cross the road to Trinity, look out for the statue of Thomas Moore on the traffic island.

“He crossed under Tommy Moore’s roguish finger. They did it right to put him up over a urinal; meeting of the waters”

Thomas Moore was famed for his songs, collectively known as “Moore’s Melodies”. One of the best loved was “The Meeting of the Water”, about a place where two rivers join in Co Wicklow. At the time there was a urinal in this area.

Thoughtfully Bloom adds:

“Ought to be places for women.”

N. Trinity College

Trinity main entrance, by jcorrius

Alma Mater of many Irish writers, including Swift, Beckett, Wilde and Goldsmith, but not of Joyce.

As a catholic he would have been forbidden to attend without permission from his bishop, which was virtually impossible to get. He probably never passed through those doors, but you should.

Perhaps it was pique that led Bloom to ponder while passing the building where the Provost of the University lived and still lives to-day:

“The reverend Dr Salmon: tinned salmon. Well tinned in there. Wouldn’t live in it if they paid me.”

Many consider it to be the finest house in Dublin, and certainly No 1 Grafton St is an unbeatable address.

O. Nassau St

This was where, in 1904, James Joyce met his future wife, the red-haired Galway girl, Nora Barnacle, and asked her for a date. It’s a good street to do some shopping for souvenirs to-day.

Though some of the shops are a bit overpriced, the long established Kevin & Howlin is a good place to buy tweed and woollens.

P. Finn’s Hotel & Sweny’s Chemist

Finns Hotel, by Jack_Dawkins

This was where Nora Barnacle worked as a chambermaid. It’s a long time closed, but if you stand on Clare St you can still make out the name written on the gable end of the building. Look out for this as you near the top of Nassau St.

Bloom was right about chemists:

“Sweny’s in Lincoln place. Chemists rarely move.”

Not only is Sweny’s Pharmacy still there, it has changed little and still has its black-and-white exterior and an interior crammed with potions and vials.

And yes, like Bloom, you can buy handlotion and lemon soap!

Q. Merrion Square

Number 1 Merrion Square, the first house on your left as you turn into the square, was where Joyce arranged to meet Nora Barncacle for their first date. She stood him up. It was also where Oscar Wilde’s father, a doctor, practiced.

Oscar Wilde, photo by infomatique

Inside the gate of the park opposite that house is a rather unusual statue of Oscar Wilde, lolling on a rock. As many people hate this statue as love it – make up your own mind!

There are many other literary and historic associations here, including No. 58, former home of Daniel O’Connell, Nos. 52 and 82 where W. B. Yeats lived and No 84 which was the office of George Russell (A.E.).

The National Art Gallery, where Bloom and Stephen pass briefly in the entrance portico, has several portraits of Irish writers and other notable figures and is worth a visit.

At the other end of Merrion Sq (but not worth detouring to) is The National Maternity Hospital, known commonly as Holles St Hospital, where Bloom visited the unfortunate Mina Purefoy,who had been in labour for three days!

“Send us, bright one, light one, Horhorn, quickening and wombfruit.”

R. St Stephen’s Green

Stephen’s Green by Janine de Azevedo

A fine and much loved city park which has a bust of Joyce in its centre, close to the bandstand. It was memorably described in Ulysses:

“ t he trees in Stephen’s Green were fragrant of rain and the rainsodden earth gave forth its mortal odour”

The hotel opposite, The Shelbourne, is mentioned several times in Joyce’s books. Then, as now, it was an expensive hotel and a popular place for well off Dubliners to socialise.

There is a bust of James Joyce in the Green and it is a very pleasant place for a picnic or an alfesco lunch on a sunny day. If you are going to have a picnic, pick up some food at one of the many shops and delis on Baggot St after you leave Merrion Sq.

S. The National Museum, Kildare St.

“Straw hat in sunlight. Tan shoes. Turnedup trousers. It is. It is. His heart quopped softly. To the right. Museum.”

While there he expounds to a captive audience of Dublin intellectuals on his theories about Shakespeare and Hamlet.

T. Molesworth St & Dawson St

Photo by Squish_E

In Ulysses Bloom helped a blind man across Dawson St and into Molesworth St.

“He touched the thin elbow gently: then took the limp seeing hand to guide it forward. Say something to him. Better not do the condescending. They mistrust what you tell them. Pass a common remark . “

The plaque pictured is set into the pavement where they crossed. It is one of several such plaques at various points of Leopold Bloom’s walk, keep an eye out for them as you go.

U. Davy Byrnes, Duke St

Davy Byrne’s Moral Pub by Tom Harpel

“He entered Davy Byrne’s. Moral pub.”

Bloom stopped here for lunch – a gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of Burgundy wine. The pub is still going strong and you can order the same lunch to-day, but it will cost you a lot more than Leopold Bloom paid!

Look out for another plaque set in the pavement outside.

V. Grafton St

Bewleys, by jcorrius

Then, as now, an busy shopping area

“gay with awnings”

As he passed

“the windows of Brown Thomas, silk mercers. Cascades of ribbons. Flimsy china silks. Gleaming silks, petticoats on slim brass rails, rays of flat silk stockings….”

Leopold Bloom thought about buying a pin cushion for Molly.

James Joyce was known to be fond of a trip to Bewley’s Oriental Cafe, further up the street, and referred to it as :

“the Lofty Clattery Café”

By now you are surely in need of a cup of coffee, so this is a good place to finish your tour.

Map of James Joyce Walk

From my location

Published: January 9, 2009 | Updated: April 11, 2017 | Image Credits

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Dear Sir/Madam I visited Dublin recently and in your informationI was disappointed to see no mention of no. 64 Shelbourne Rd outside which there is a plaque  showing  that Joyce lived there in the early 1900s. My mother lived at no. 66 as a child during that same time and I have a newspaper cutting showing a copy of a letter dated 1904 which he wrote to Nora. The address shows 60 Shelbourne Rd!  I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Mrs. Margaret Cameron

It is in fact No. 60 Shelbourne Road that Joyce lived in, I currently live in this house myself.

[…] this awesome Joycean itinerary (with map!) to follow a literary path around […]

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• A Tour Of James Joyces...

A Tour Of James Joyce's Dublin

Undoubtedly Ireland’s most famous writer , James Joyce also made the city of Dublin famous through his far-reaching works. The literary hero, said by Time magazine to have ‘revolutionised 20th-century fiction’, was born and reared in the city’s south side suburbs, and returned to it constantly in his writing throughout his career, in spite of having emigrated permanently in his early 20s.

Sandymount strand.

Two out of 18 episodes of Joyce’s 1922 epic novel Ulysses – his best-known work – are set on the strand that runs alongside the suburb of Sandymount . One of these is the ‘Nausicaa’ episode, whose risqué- for-the-time masturbation scene led to the book being banned in the US . Not far from Sandymount, the seaside resort of Sandycove also appears in Ulysses. Here, the Martello tower that is the setting for the novel’s opening scene has been turned into a James Joyce Museum . Sandymount Strand, Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland

Belvedere College

School, University

The Gresham Hotel

Davy Byrnes

The always-picturesque north Dublin peninsula of Howth Head comes up in several of Joyce’s best works. This is where the central character of Ulysses , Leopold Bloom, proposes to his future wife Molly, and where the family of the main character in the Dubliners story ‘ Eveline ‘ is said to have picnicked with her family. Howth Head also features regularly in his 1939 novel, Finnegans Wake .

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Dublin’s James Joyce Walking Tour: A Must-See Attraction for Literature Lovers in 2024

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The James Joyce Walking Tour, one of the city’s most popular attractions, is a must-see for literature lovers and history buffs alike. The tour, which started in Late November 2023, is open until June 8th 2024. This extensive tour takes guests on a journey through the heart of Dublin, exploring the life and works of James Joyce, one of Ireland’s most celebrated writers. Led by expert guides from the James Joyce Centre, the tour covers the various locations described by Joyce in his works, providing a fascinating insight into the writer’s life and art. The James Joyce Walking Tour is divided into two parts: Introducing Joyce’s Dublin and Footsteps of Leopold Bloom. The former covers the places where Joyce lived and worked in Dublin, such as Belvedere College and the Gresham Hotel, while the latter takes you on a journey through the streets of Dublin that are featured in Joyce’s masterpiece, Ulysses. Throughout the tour, the knowledgeable guide will provide guests with a wealth of information about Joyce’s life and works, giving them a deeper understanding of his literary legacy. Guests will also see some of Dublin’s most iconic landmarks, including the James Joyce Statue and the National Library of Ireland. The James Joyce Walking Tour is an engaging and informative experience that is sure to delight any literature lover. With its fascinating insights into the life and works of one of Ireland’s greatest writers, this tour is a must-see attraction for visitors to Dublin.

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Introducing Joyce's Dublin Walking Tour

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The James Joyce Centre offer walking tours of the city based on Joyce’s life and work. During the Spring/Summer season they run these tours 3 times a week and during the Autumn/Winter Season they run one tour a week on a Saturday. These tours change week to week - visit website for details.

All tours depart from the James Joyce Centre and last 90 minutes.

The Centre also provides private tours for groups who book in advance. If you are interested in a private tour please contact the centre directly.

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The best things to do in Dublin: 23 brilliant ideas

Whether you’re arriving on a glorious summer’s day or a moody winter’s night, Ireland ’s capital city promises a warm welcome like no other. A place shaped by its joyous, generous people and their hallmark hospitality, whether you’re itching to immerse yourself in the city’s rich history, determined to tackle a mountain, or are simply seeking a sanctuary in which to sink innumerable pints, Dublin will no doubt feel like a home from home. From Francis Bacon’s eccentric studio to Malahide’s haunted castle and mind-bending boat trips, this is one city that masters culture both high and low. So, without further ado, these are the twenty best things to do.

How many days should I spend in Dublin?

We recommend spending three to four days in Dublin to explore all that the city has to offer, leaving some time to take a day trip outside the city if you like.

1. Have the most invigorating swim of your life

Irish people are hardy. To prove it, they love jumping into freezing-cold water (just observe the blueish bathers, teeth clenched, braving the chill on beaches during the so-called 'summer'). But they take it to the extreme at the colloquially known Forty Foot bathing pool – a deep inlet in Sandycove on the southern tip of Dublin Bay. Christmas Day is a particularly popular time to dive into the icy Irish Sea – well, naturally. But if you're gutsy enough, you can take the plunge any time of the year (wetsuits for lightweights).

2. Delve into the lore of Ireland’s Eye

Don’t fancy getting in the water? We don’t blame you. Take the dart to Howth and hop aboard seaman Shane’s small, ruby red fishing boat for an intimate (and, needless to say, far warmer) look at the rugged cliffs of Howth, Lambay Island, and along the coast from the Mountains of Mourne to Binn Eadair, all from the perspective of the Ireland’s Eye – an uninhabited island steeped in mysterious lore. A far cry from any old boat trip, Shane blasts music by Irish musicians such as Sinéad O'Connor between sharing local history and mythology linked to the invasion of the Vikings, introducing the local seal colony and pointing out wild sea birds, including gannets, guillemots, cormorants, kittiwakes and seagulls. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a puffin.

3. Get into Joyce in a curiosity shop

Sweny's Pharmacy is a curious place that looks like a cross between an apothecary and a delightful old bookshop. It’s mentioned in James Joyce's Ulysses and is run entirely by volunteers who introduce people to the author without bashing them over the head with a heavy copy of his most famous work. Instead, they hold lively reading groups amid the glass bottles of elixirs and bars of sweet, lemony soap.

4. See the best view of the city (from a pub)

Climb the winding road into the Dublin Mountains to find the Blue Light , a pub built in the 1800s, squatting on the hillside. Inside are open fireplaces and cosy, higgledy-piggledy rooms where traditional musicians often spark up an impromptu session. But on a sunny day, the terrace is where you want to be, as the whole of Dublin is laid out before you.

5. Find the coolest small shops

The patchwork of side streets near the grand Powerscourt Townhouse is known as Dublin's creative quarter for its boutiques and design shops. Costume stocks lust-worthy labels such as Isabel Marant and Roland Moure, while Article has standout modern, Irish tableware and patterned linens, Industry & Co promises chic European accessories and homewares, and the Irish Design Shop just next door offers locally crafted jewellery and gifts, both contemporary and traditional. Meanwhile, a five-minute walk away within the Temple Bar area, Indigo and Cloth is an unmissable spot for a carefully curated selection of men’s and womenswear by brands such as Universal Works, Norse Projects and A Kind of Guise, alongside modern accessories, homewares and the possibly the best filter coffee in town.

6. Watch the world's fastest, fiercest field sport

The Gaelic game of hurling has been played for over 3,000 years, yet it still inspires the same fanatical following as a World Cup final. Go to a match at the impressive national stadium, Croke Park (which also houses a museum about the sport), to experience 'the clash of the ash' – the sound of players' wooden hurleys fiercely colliding as they hit the leather ball.

7. Bag the hottest new table in Dublin

Technically, Allta has been around since 2019, but this year, chef-patron Niall Davidson has taken things up a notch with a brand-new, expansive space in Dublin’s Docklands. Formerly a wine bar , now a cosseting, contemporary dining destination flooded with natural light; here, you’ll find nothing but a celebration of the best Irish produce. An excellent excuse to explore a different side of the city, Davidson – who previously worked in lauded London institutions , including Chiltern Firehouse and St John Bread and Wine – adopts global influences to conjure delicate, indulgent, ingredient-led dishes to be enjoyed against a carefully curated backdrop of tunes played through a Toby Hatchett sound system. For an extra special experience, watch for spots at the restaurant’s intimate chef’s table. Oh, and if the foie gras scarpinocc (pasta) in duck consomme is on the menu, order it.

8. Go somewhere haunted for a few spirits

With its pencil-like watchtowers and Celtic crosses, Glasnevin Cemetery gives a great insight into Ireland through the centuries. Enthusiastic tour guides tell grisly tales and take visitors to the graves of key Irish figures such as Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, Eamon De Valera and Brendan Behan. Afterwards, stop into the wonderfully old-school pub, the John Kavanagh – locals call it 'The Gravediggers' due to the profession of many of the punters. It's said that, in the past, coffins were left outside the door for days during particularly lively wakes.

9. Walk the gorse-covered cliffs of Howth Head

If being on the water is still too much of a stretch, pull on your comfiest shoes for a walk along Howth Head, where you can drink in the area’s dramatic scenery and spy some of the local wildlife. At weekends, there's a farmers' market opposite Howth Harbour where you can snap up locally grown goods for a delightful alfresco lunch.

10. See Dublin from a new angle

You’ve probably wandered across the O’Connell Bridge or the Ha’penny Bridge hundreds of times, but how often have you been under them? Dublin probably isn’t the first city to spring to mind regarding watersports. However, the guys at City Kayaking are breaking the mould by offering the chance to get out of your comfort zone and see the city from a quirky new perspective. Rent a kayak, take a guided tour or even hear the unique acoustics of a music session underneath a bridge.

11. Get a look inside an artist’s studio

Fueled by alcohol and a thirst for hedonism, Dublin artist Francis Bacon’s life was erratic and mercurial, so it’s no surprise that his working studio was just as chaotic. What is a surprise, however, is that his studio has been preserved for all to see at Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery . Even more remarkable is that Bacon spent most of his life in London, and thus, the entire space was broken down into thousands of parts and painstakingly reassembled in his home city. Head over to the Hugh Lane on Parnell Square for a window into a wild talent who lived an equally wild existence.

12. Venture down into Dublin’s mummified past

Brave the narrow stone steps leading down to a dusty church basement to see the final resting place of Dublin’s elite. Housed beneath St Michan’s Church , the five long burial vaults contain the mummified remains of many of the city’s most influential families as well as a few other curiosities, including an 800-year-old mummy known only as ‘the crusader’ and the death mask of legendary rebel Wolfe Tone. If you’re in Dublin for Halloween , then this could be the perfect spooky spot.

13. Explore Ireland’s oldest public library

When you think of things to do in Dublin, you may not place a cosy read at the top of the list. However, when libraries are this stunning, priorities change. A favourite haunt of Jonathan Swift, James Joyce and Bram Stoker, Marsh’s Library is the oldest public library in Ireland and contains over 25,000 books and 300 manuscripts. Hidden away in a quiet corner of the St Patrick’s Cathedral grounds, the library opened in 1707 and is one of the last 18th-century buildings in Ireland still used for its original purpose. On a darker note, some of those bookcases still bear scars from the dramatic events of the 1916 Easter Rising. The morning of Sunday 30 April saw a British army machine-gun spray the library with bullets, the holes of which are still visible today on the original oak bookcases.

14. Tour a whiskey distillery inside a church

The sight of gleaming copper pot stills backed by ethereal light emanating through colourful stained glass windows makes a trip to the Pearse Lyons Distillery a wholly unique whiskey experience. Built in 1859, St James’s Church is easy to spot, with its glass spire soaring above the stone nave, making for a bizarre architectural contrast. There are four separate tours (including a VIP tour led by the head distiller) and plenty of opportunities to hear the stories behind this quirky spot and, of course, to sample their quality Irish whiskey.

15. Spot wild deer in a spectacular park

For a relatively small capital city, Dublin’s Phoenix Park is a widescreen heavyweight when it comes to urban greenspaces. Covering a grandiose 707 hectares (1,750 acres) and lying just west of the city centre above the River Liffey, the park is also home to around 600 fallow deer. Deer were introduced to the park in the 1660s for hunting but now live a more languid life and can often be seen in the fields surrounding the Papal Cross. Morning is an excellent time to see them and, due to the park’s yawning size, it’s a wise idea to hire a bike.

16. Seek out a sublime statue

Lying back lethargically on a large quartz boulder wearing a green smoking jacket with a pink collar, the Oscar Wilde statue in Merrion Square Park very much reflects the Dublin poet and playwright’s wit. Sculptor Danny Osborne's quirky statue of Wilde was made using semi-precious stones such as jade and thulite and was unveiled in 1997 to unanimous acclaim. The park is also home to the Joker’s Chair sculpture, a tribute to comedian and Father Ted star Dermot Morgan.

17. Take a day trip south and tackle an iconic mountain

While Great Sugar Loaf might not trouble Ireland’s tallest mountains (a height of 501 metres makes it the 404th–highest in Ireland), its photogenic conical peak and 360-degree views make for an alluring day trip. Less than an hour’s drive from central Dublin, the walk to the summit from the car park is a reasonably straightforward climb that should take an hour or so to reach the craggy top (expect to scramble over these loose rocks). On clear days, it’s possible to see all the way 150km across the Irish Sea and make out the distinct peak of Snowdon, Wales’ tallest mountain.

18. See how Ireland’s most famous export is made

The Guinness Storehouse is a brewery unto its own – and a compulsory addition to any things to do in Dublin round-up. Spanning seven floors and with a story over 260 years old, the ubiquitous stout has a brewery experience to match its notoriety. This is perhaps best exemplified by the building having an entire floor dedicated to Guinness’s heroic advertising feats, both in print and on film. While it’s interesting to see how the black stuff is made, the real pièce de résistance is finishing at the top floor Gravity Bar, which has panoramic views over Dublin and a perfect pint included in the ticket price.

19. Delve into the world of Dublin’s literary masters

Ireland’s gift for the written word is such that it has a museum dedicated to the quality of its literature. Branded MoLI in homage to James Joyce’s fictional heroine Molly Bloom, the Museum of Literature Ireland is a walk through 1,500 years of writing that’s put together thematically rather than a dry chronological walk-through. Situated between the bucolic pair of St Stephen’s Green and the Iveagh Gardens, MoLI showcases author-focused installations and immersive audio-visual displays, giving it more of a gallery feel. And don’t miss the landmark ‘Copy 1’ of Joyce’s epic Ulysses .

20. Become an Irish coffee connoisseur

Sure, you’ve heard of – and perhaps even indulged in – an Irish coffee, but have you had the privilege of meeting its much loved, but rarely seen, northern sister? Make a pilgrimage to the award-winning Bar 1661 to discover the joys of an expertly crafted Belfast coffee alongside the brilliance of the OG, as well as an array of hyper-creative and utterly delicious cocktails. Oh, and if you’re wondering what the difference is between the caffeinated siblings, here’s a hint: one runs colder than the other.

21. Visit a castle which dates back to the 12th century

For a look back at centuries past, take a jaunt on the dart Malahide Castle , a fortress first built in the 1100’s. Nestled within 260 acres of greenery, tour of the building's grand, winding corridors and rooms to understand the rich history of its changing inhabitants – many of whom reportedly haunt the space to this day. But don’t be frightened. They’re friendly, apparently. Plus, there is plenty of captivating artwork, a butterfly sanctuary, and the Evoka gift shop selling locally crafted homewares, accessories, and baked goods for distraction. If you’re visiting in late spring or summer, keep a keen eye on the destination’s website, for they often host concerts by leading musicians within the castle's sprawling grounds.

22. Sweat it out at one of the city’s new chic, rustic saunas

Speaking from experience, an escape to a city celebrated for its drinking culture can have its consequences. But fret not, because south Dublin is now home to a clutch of elegant, understated outdoor saunas designed to revive and restore. Situated no more than a 20-minute cab ride from the city centre, Saunos and Helios Sauna offer cold plunges and hot boxes which will no doubt scare any whiff of a hangover away so that you’re ready to sample your next tipple thoroughly refreshed.

23. See from Dublin to New York

Wave to a friend in a different time zone or perhaps even meet the love of your life at Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys’s ‘Portal’ – a live stream installation which allows the people of Dublin and New York City to interact via public video link. Previously available 24/7, due to certain, ahem, inappropriate behaviour, teleportation hours are now 11am to 9pm Dublin time, and 6am to 4pm in New York City time, which still leaves plenty of time to exchange a wink or two.

• James Joyce

Walking Tours

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 11am

The James Joyce Centre is pleased to offer two walking tours: Introducing Joyce’s Dublin and Footsteps of Leopold Bloom .

Introducing Joyce’s Dublin takes you through North Central Dublin, where much of Joyce’s work is set. It is a historic and bustling part of the city that Joyce was intimately familiar with. Our guide will take you to such places as Belvedere College, St. George’s Church, Hardwicke Street, No. 7 Eccles Street, the Parnell Monument, the Gresham Hotel, and the James Joyce Statue.

Footsteps of Leopold Bloom retraces Leopold Bloom’s exact route in the ‘Lestrygonians’ episode of Ulysses . Our guide will explain Bloom’s various observations about life, the city, and the theme of the episode: food! Famous stops include O’Connell Bridge, Trinity College, the Bank of Ireland, Grafton Street, Davy Byrnes, and the National Museum.

Find out more and sign up for a tour by clicking this link.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

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