Choose from eight different trails based on your interests – and to help you along, we’ve compiled a list of 16 gorgeous locations you should not miss. Some might even surprise you!
1. The Hungry Tree
Approach at your peril! Discover Dublin's secret garden as you make your way along the Dublin Northside 1 Trail.
2. George's Street Arcade
One of the most striking things you’ll notice while strolling through Dublin’s charming streets is the diverse range of design and architecture on show. George’s Street Arcade is on The Real Dublin Trail.
3. Glasnevin Cemetery
Embrace the tranquillity of Glasnevin Cemetery while paying your respects to some of Ireland’s most famous Irish revolutionaries and authors. Stop off on your Dublin Northside 2 Discovery Trail.
4. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
As you come near the end of Dublin Northside 1 Trail, you’ll make your way back towards the River Liffey. Learn about Dublin’s docklands and finish the trail with stories of Irish emigrants at the fascinating EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.
5. General Post Office (GPO)
It's amazing what you can discover when you look up! The General Post Office (GPO) still bears bullet marks from the 1916 Easter Rising. Learn more about this on the Rebellion Tour.
6. St Stephen's Green
The lush green oasis of St. Stephen’s Green is a hugely popular haunt located at the very top of the Grafton Street shopping district. The park is lined with nods to the past in the form of several statues of famous figures. Explore them on the Empire Walking Trail.
7. Powerscourt
Showcasing the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity in our vibrant city, you’ll find the Powerscourt Centre on The Real Dublin Trail. A stunning Georgian building that dates back to 1774, this elegant space is home to boutique fashion houses, antique stores and Irish design shops, and is well worth a visit.
8. Garden of Remembrance
The Dubline Trail in our free Discovery Trails app runs through the heart of the city, connecting the people, places and stories of Dublin. In the tranquil Garden of Remembrance, there’s a commemorative sculpture dedicated to all those who gave their lives in the name of Irish freedom.
9. Kilmainham Gaol
To Kilmainham Gaol [Jail] next, one of the most compelling supporting characters on the Echoes of War Trail. Over a nine-day period in May of 1916, 14 revolutionaries were executed by firing squad at the jail, including Patrick Pearse, Seán Heuston, Eamonn Ceannt, Sean MacDiarmada and James Connolly.
10. Croke Park GAA Stadium
Croke Park has been at the heart of Irish sporting and cultural life for over 100 years. The iconic stadium features stadium tours, a skyline tour, and a state-of-the-art interactive visitor experience – and not forgetting the roar of excitement on match days! All this can be found on the Dublin Northside 2 Trail.
11. Bank of Ireland building
Did you know that the famous Bank of Ireland building actually began life in 1735 as Ireland’s parliament? At this stop on the Story of Dublin Trail you’ll discover some of the political designs that have gone on here in the past, and learn why College Green has long been one of Dublin’s great meeting points!
12. The National College of Art & Design
A stroll through the Liberties as part of The Dubline walking trail offers an authentic slice of ‘old Dublin’. Along the way you’ll encounter the National College of Art & Design.
13. St Audoen's Church
Dublin’s oldest surviving medieval church, St Audoen's Church was built in the late 12th century. If you feel in need of some luck, give the ancient touching stone a rub while on the Story of Dublin Walking Trail.
14. Royal College of Surgeons
The Rebellion Trail offers you an insight into the Easter Rising. As you stroll through leafy St Stephen's Green, you’ll learn how the rebels took cover from British soldiers in trenches they’d dug, before retreating to the nearby Royal College of Surgeons.
15. Iveagh Buildings
The Empire Trail takes you on a fascinating journey through Dublin during the 18th and 19th centuries. Along the way you’ll encounter some very striking five-storey red-brick structures; The Iveagh Trust Buildings built by Sir Edward Guinness. Learn more about his story in our free Discovery Trails App.
16. Heuston Station
The Echoes of War walking trail begins at Heuston Station. Striking in design, the entrance to the building boasts a series of Corinthian columns, an elegant nod to classical Greek art and architecture.
If you’ve been inspired by these gorgeous locations, then we suggest you download The Dublin Discovery Trails App! You can explore the city using a series of engaging audio guides and interpretive panels. Each trail shows a different side to historic Dublin, from its glorious Viking origins to the havoc caused by the 1916 Easter Rising.