As a popular tourist destination, Dublin has many bus tours that allow travelers to see the city from the top of an open top bus, if the weather is nice, and a regular double decker bus if it is raining or cold. The tours are guided and tickets are normally sold on a “hop on, hop off” basis, allowing you to get off the bus if there’s a place of interest you want to see and then catch a later bus on the same day to resume the tour. This article will look at three of the companies offering these bus tours of Dublin.
Tours from Dublin Bus
The city’s main public transportation operator, Dublin Bus, operates tours as well as regular fixed route buses. There is currently a choice of four tours from Dublin Bus. The Dublin City Tour starts from Cathal Brugha Street and runs on a circular route with 22 stops taking in many of Dublin’s attractions including the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, Dublin Castle and the zoo. There is an option to add a riverboat cruise along the River Liffey to your itinerary too.
The North Coast Tour includes admission to Malahide Castle, home to the Talbot family for almost 800 years. The tour takes in several seaside towns and ends at the North Bull Island nature reserve and bird sanctuary.
The South Coast Tour includes free admission to Powerscourt House and Gardens, at the foot of Great Sugar Loaf Mountain. This stately home has probably the finest botanical gardens in Ireland, and also contains several shops, a restaurant and a golf course.
Finally, the Ghostbus is a haunted night time tour of Dublin, featuring a bus specially decked out in Gothic décor and a suitably creepy commentary. It takes in the medieval burial ground of St. Kevin’s Park and the haunted steps of St. Audoen’s. The tour is not recommended for children under 14.
Dublin Bus Tours from Gray Line
Gray Line Tours depart from the Dublin tourism center every 10 to 15 minutes starting at 9. 30 am and finishing at 5.30 pm in summer and 4. 30 pm in winter. They have 25 stops along their route, with a slightly greater emphasis on historical sites than the Dublin Bus City Tour.
Amphibious Bus Tours of Dublin
Finally, if you fancy seeing Dublin from both land and water, amphibious “Duck” tours are available from Viking Splash. Don’t expect comfort from this bone shaking ride, but you do get to spend 15 minutes of the 75 minute tour cruising Dublin’s Grand Canal, where among other sights, you can get to see U2′s recording studio. Ant interesting change from the norm, though the usual historical sites are visited as well.
Photo credits
-THE LIFFEY VOYAGE RIVER BUS by infomatique
-Dublin Bus Tours by Let Ideas Compete
