A Walking Tour of Dublin

The Old Bridge - Dublin, Ireland.
In my opinion, the best way to explore a new region is by pounding the pavement! By walking along the many side streets and pathways of a vast city, you can discover all of the nooks and crannies that you would otherwise overlook when you zoom past in a car or abroad a packed tour bus.

Take Dublin for example. I've always wanted to visit Ireland but have always opted for destinations further afield to make the most of my time off work. However, once I found out I was expecting a new addition to my family, I listened to the advice of many pregnancy travel guides and decided it'd be best to opt for a holiday closer to home. So after many years of planning to visit the Emerald Isle, I finally took the plunge, booked my flights and before you know it the airport coach had dropped me off in the midst of O'Connell Street. And what a place to start! 

I cannot wait for my little girl to be here!

From the front entrance of my lodging for the week, the Gresham Hotel, I began to take a stroll along O'Connell Street; the city's main thoroughfare. I quickly became mesmerised amongst the many monuments of Daniel O'Connell, William Smith O'Brien, Charles Stewart Parnell and James Larkin. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can even spot a statue of James Joyce along one of the many side streets that filter out along this distinguished road. 

Despite the formidable presence of these statues, no walking tour along O'Connell Street would be complete without a trip to the General Post Office (GPO); the site upon which most of the fighting of the 1916 Easter Rising took place. You can't miss this breathtaking building as its majestic exterior takes centre stage on O'Connell Street. Step inside and you will be equally bowled over by its beautifully restored interior. Although the post office's museum has now closed, the new 'GPO Witness History' visitor centre is set to open in March 2016. Even if you only pop inside to change some Euros or pick up some stamps for your postcards, this fully functioning post office is well worth a visit!

After visiting the GPO, I then proceeded to spend a good hour or two wandering up and down O'Connell street, peering into shop windows, marvelling at the mix of traditional buildings with modern interiors, and craning my neck to catch a glimpse of the top of the 398ft Spire of Dublin.

Dublin street with beautiful moss homes.
Once I had read the names of all 32 counties from the Parnell monument, I tore myself away from O'Connell Street and walked towards the River Liffey, Although you can cross the river alongside the main road of traffic, it's worth venturing along the street to your right and crossing via the Ha'penny Bridge. Despite its official title of the 'Liffey Bridge', like many monuments in Dublin, the bridge has earned a nickname of 'Ha'penny Bridge' due to the fact that you used to have to pay a halfpenny toll to cross. Although this toll has now been lifted, it's worth carrying a couple of coins anyway to give to the street performers who you will meet on the other side of the bridge!

Indeed, as soon as I crossed Ha'penny Bridge I soon found myself in the midst of Temple Bar which is the source of much of Dublin's vibrant nightlife. Full of traditional pubs, lavish bars, eclectic restaurants and quirky shops, these streets are a great place to stop. Although I had to forego the Guinness and Irish ales, I was able to enjoy an amazing cinnamon tea and some homemade toffee cake in a quirky Joy of Chá tearoom. I was also lucky that on the day I arrived, Temple Bar was hosting a second-hand book fair. After stopping to scrounge these stalls and pick up a copy of 

'The Dubliners' (well, when in Rome!), I stopped to listen to some of the local street performers before hitting the main streets once again. By this time, I had ventured back towards Westmoreland Street where I was greeted with views of Trinity College Dublin; home to the Book of Kells, the Book of Durrow and many hordes of happy students. I chose to save this popular tourist site for the next day and kept travelling towards the main shopping region of Grafton Street. On my way, I stopped to take a few photos of the Molly Malone statue, or 'the Tart with the Cart' as many called her! It's well worth taking a few moments to enjoy this mini monument as it is often crowded with many street performers and eager tourists singing her namesake.

After picking up some souvenirs in Grafton Street and the St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, I decided to take a walk around St Stephen's Green itself. Before even setting foot in the park, I had to stop to marvel at the horse drawn carriages that tour the area and, of course, the impressive Fusilier's Arch entrance. Once you have taken in the overall grandeur of this massive structure, if you take a closer look you can spot the names of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who fought in the Second Boer War inscribed within the stone work. Step into the park itself and you will be equally mesmerised by the park's many monuments, landscaping features and its ornamental lake. Indeed, St Stephen's Green is an ideal spot to take pause, rest your feet on a nearby bench, and watch the ducks and other wildlife that wander in and around the ornamental lake.

In fact, by the time I'd reached the Wolfe Tone Memorial at the other side of the park it was beginning to grow dark; so at this stage I decided to backtrack towards Temple Bar and O'Connell Street for dinner and music at a traditional Irish pub. Although my frequent pit stops and tea breaks meant that my walking tour barely touched the surface of the cultural sites and natural wonders that populate the city of Dublin, my travels had equipped me with a wealth of ideas with which to fill my next few days in Ireland! 

In this manner, I've found that taking a walking tour of a city upon first arrival can be more rewarding than any pre-planned tour guide. By treading a city's stone pathways, you can plan discover unique activities, local culinary hotspots, and explore a new region at a pace which suits you. So why not give a walking tour a try on your next holiday? Who knows what you might find!