Ireland · SELF-GUIDED TOURS IN DUBLIN
Good self-guided tours in Dublin fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 11 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Visit Dublin’s Saint Patrick’s Cathedral at your own pace with admission and an audio guide in six languages. See Jonathan Swift’s grave, the Door of Reconciliation, Gothic details, stained glass, and the Discovery Space with choir recordings and brass rubbing.
“Beautiful Church Loved the architecture and stone used inside, gorgeous”
Enter Dublin’s nearly 1,000-year-old Christ Church Cathedral with a self-guided visit to the nave and Ireland’s largest crypt. See medieval floor tiles, stained glass, relics, the Magna Carta, and Tom and Jerry, the mummified cat and rat. Audio guides are available in several languages.
“the kids scavenger hunt was a big hit with my 9 year old.”
Explore Dublin with a private, self-guided mystery game that uses audio stories and location-based clues. Visit the National Museum, Wolfe Tone statue, St. Ann’s Church, Olympia Theatre, City Hall, and the Liffey. Allow about 90 minutes, with freedom to pause and continue later.
“The concept and the information on the haunted locations were great, but there are many bothersome things that need improvement. Firstly, it said you don't need wifi after downloading the tour, but after we went to the startpoint only the ones, that had a sufficient internet connection could play. Furthermore, quite often we had the right solution but the app didn't accept it unless it was in all uppercase/lowercase or with an additional space ect.”
You’ll collect a mystery backpack at The Clockwork Door in Temple Bar, then follow an ancient treasure map through central Dublin. Solve puzzles beside monuments, pubs, and the Garda station on Kevin Street. This private, English-language activity takes about two hours and returns to the starting point.
“I was very excited about this adventure, having experienced a similar activity called Treasure Trails in other cities. I was, unfortunately, quite disappointed with this 'adventure'. The backpack with the materials was poorly designed, making access to it tedious and frustrating. Having to buckle it up and re-buckle it to ensure nothing fell out as you explored from location to location was a nuisance; an easy zip backpack would have immensely improved the experience. On a practical level, the evidence box etc, although imaginative, was not conducive to an activity where one walks about a busy city. The clues were not well phrased, and there was little clarity in the…”
You’ll collect a clue envelope near Trinity College, then follow riddles and tasks through central Dublin toward Parliament House. This self-guided, private experience takes about 90 minutes to two hours, includes Temple Bar, and lets you set your own pace without a live guide.
“This was a unique way to discover different parts of Dublin, but it could be better. It rains constantly in Dublin, making the paper guide impractical. A digital guide, perhaps one with GPS guidance to the different spots would have been helpful. Read more”
Use the Questo app to follow a fictional family mystery through Dublin’s Old Town. You’ll solve clues at 12 pubs, including The Brazen Head, Temple Bar Pub, The Shelbourne, and Toners. There is no guide, and your group can share one phone and stop for drinks whenever you like.
“We had great fun and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, many of the pubs included wouldn't have been found without playing and we enjoyed a pint in 10 of the pubs! We also enjoyed the interesting facts and the story too ☺”
Use the VoiceMap app to guide yourself from St Michael’s Church along Dún Laoghaire’s Metals and East Pier. In about 1 hour 15 minutes, you’ll see memorials, a Crimean War cannon, the bandstand shelter, and Dublin Bay views. Audio, maps, and route data work offline.
“I was able to breathe the EirE of the AvEntur A.. And ElEveilZr The SEnIrs Of This Discovery ☘️... Maj 🌈Auto-translated”
Use the Let’s Roam app to explore central Dublin for about two hours, solving riddles and photo challenges at Trinity College, Ha’Penny Bridge, the Spire, and nearby sights. Choose a player role, start anytime from 7 AM to 10 PM, and move at your own pace without a guide.
“I dont usually leave bad reviews however I feel this one is necessary. We booked this as a chance to explore the city in a new light, having done other treasure hunts in the past with other providers, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Sadly, this one Read more”
Use your phone to solve nine clues across Dublin’s Liberties, passing St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, IMMA, and other landmarks. This self-guided game has no physical guide, works offline, runs 24/7, and lets you pause or resume at your own pace.
“How much time we wasted. The purchase was much more complicated than need be. Wasted so much time. I regret finding this activity”
Use a GPS-guided VoiceMap audio tour to walk from the Custom House to Grand Canal Square in about an hour. You’ll hear local context as you pass the Famine Memorial, Jeanie Johnston, Samuel Beckett Bridge, IFSC, and dockside landmarks. Bring your own phone and headphones.
“It was fun!! learned a lot, and I took note of points that otherwise I would have missed. The guide was easy to understand and the pace was manageable.”
Let author Turtle Bunbury guide you on foot from St Stephen’s Green through Merrion Square to Trinity College. Hear stories about Wolfe Tone, Oscar Wilde, Vikings, Normans, and Irishmen in Mexico, using offline audio and maps for about 60 to 75 minutes.
“This audio tour was a nice way to see this little section of Dublin. Very helpful, easy to use! Highly recommend.”
Pick a coast road, a castle or a counter.
