Dublin Treasures: Book of Kells & Old Town Walking Tour
2.5 hours
City Highlight Tours
Dublin
Choose one of 4 locals available
Experience hosted by Eamon, Mydie & other locals
Private Tour
Carbon Neutral
Discover the heart of Dublin through ancient manuscripts, iconic landmarks, and rich local legends. From the stunning Book of Kells at Trinity College to the vibrant streets of Temple Bar, this tour brings the city’s culture to life. Walk with a local host and see Dublin as only insiders do — full of stories, spirit, and charm.
Destination
Dublin, Ireland
Category
City Highlight Tours
Duration
2.5 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
English
Included
Private guide
Entrance ticket Book of Kells
1 Local snack or drink
All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral
6 reasons to book this tour
Can be 100% customized to your wishes
Get to truly embrace the culture of the city
Learn about Book of Kells in Dublin
Connect with a knowledgeable local
Hear fascinating stories and insights
Discover cultural highlights & their local relevance
What you can expect
Dublin is steeped in history, legends, and literary brilliance — and on this private tour, your local host will guide you through the heart of it all.
Through immersive storytelling and hand-picked locations, you’ll dive deep into the soul of Dublin and uncover the cultural forces that shaped this vibrant city. From ancient manuscripts to cobbled laneways echoing with music and myth, this tour brings the spirit of Dublin to life. Culture isn’t just in museums here — it’s in the streets, stories, and everyday rhythm of the city.
As you explore with your host, you’ll visit iconic places like the Book of Kells, housed within the magnificent Long Room Library at Trinity College, and wind your way into the creative and rebellious energy of Temple Bar. Along the way, discover how Dublin’s traditions, beliefs, and tales of the past still influence its present-day personality.
Our local hosts are natural storytellers — from historians to artists — each bringing their own flavor and flair. Want to shift the route or linger longer at your favorite stop? No problem. This tour is all about making their Dublin, your Dublin.
Choose your local
Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
Eamon
The Happy Historian
5.0294 reviews
English
Mydie
The Great Storyteller
4.975 reviews
English
Ben
The Native Outdoor Dub
4.945 reviews
English
Ruairi
Born and Bred Dub
4.9292 reviews
English
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
Meeting point
Meet at In front of Costa Dawson Street - Dublin to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
Culture of the City
On this private tour, you’ll experience and discover Dublin through its culture. Whether it’s focused on a tradition, a special part of town with a story to tell, cultural beliefs, or around a cultural activity that shaped the city into what it is - this tour will be a cultural awakening you can’t miss!
Book of Kells in Dublin
Your tour will focus on Book of Kells and Old Town, a very important cultural subject in Dublin. Thanks to your local host, you’ll learn and see how made an impact in Dublin, making you experience the city from a different perspective.
Cultural Highlights
As you deep dive into the subject of your tour, you’ll make stops to visit unique spots that will give you a full picture of the city. Visit Book of Kells, Trinity College, Temple Bar, and more and see how these cultural highlights are part of the local life but have so much history behind them!
Storytelling Journey
As you discover the cultural side of Dublin, you’ll be able to embrace it thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are reliving history in the present time.
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Michel🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
9 September 2025
Ruairi is a great tour guide. He is personable, knowledgeable and passionate about Dubiln and Ireland. We truly enjoyed the few hours we spent with Ruairi.
Michel & Joanne A very pleasant experience!
Jeff 🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
7 September 2025
Ruari was great. We learned a lot , enjoyed ourselves and left sated Great afternoon introduction to dublin
Julie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
5 September 2025
Mydie was an absolute delight to spend three hours with walking, chatting, and learning about Dublin and Ireland's history. She's funny, down-to-earth, and a wonderful host for the tour. We were old friends by the end and hated to part ways!THE best way to experience Dublin!
denalda🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
5 September 2025
First, let me start by saying that Ruairi was so accommodating for us. We had had some travel challenges and ended up arriving in the city 14 hours late. He changed his schedule to accommodate us and then shifted the tour to start at our hotel and then gave us a truly marvellous tour of all of Dublin’s hidden gems.
Superbly knowledgable about Dublin‘s history, Irish history and available attractions within the city. all this while being charming and funny. We had a great day.Ruairi , A true Dubliner
Lynn🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
4 September 2025
My sister and I took the Kickstarter tour on our first night in Dublin. Even before our tour, Ruairi communicated with me and gave me great recommendations to maximize our time. We told him we wanted stories, not just pointing out buildings, and he delivered! We had a lovely tour ending at a proper Irish pub, where Ruairi shared a pint of Guinness and an extra hour of conversation with us. He remained available to us even days later, giving us tips for the next leg of our journey. I just wish we’d had time for the hidden gems tour. Ruairi is the best!
Catherine🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
4 September 2025
Eamon was so energetic and passionate about Dublin. We took the tour our first day in Dublin. It was a great way to see the city and learn about it's history. Eamon kept a great pace and we saw so much. Definitely would take a tour with Eamon again!!High Energy tour of Dublin
Steven🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
4 September 2025
Had a great time with Ruairi. He is a great storyteller and historian and we thoroughly enjoyed all the food!Great food tour of Dublin.
Janet🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 September 2025
Mydie did a great job sharing all the extra special things about Ireland. She was a wealth of knowledge and details. She organized our day, tickets and was able to adapt on the fly when we decided to get lunch and found us the best fish and chips place in Dublin! It was a great day and our group of 4 would recommend her! Dublin experiences
Leslie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
1 September 2025
Ruairi was fantastic. We had a larger group with both adults and children and he was able to engage everyone the entire tour. It was an amazing mixture of local food with storytelling and history. Can’t recommend Ruairi enough !!Dublin Highlights
Christine
(About local )
1 September 2025
Ruairi is an awesome tour guide. He is knowledgeable and delivers historical information in a ln interesting and fun manner. He knows lots of inside stories that provide additional fun facts and laughs. He also is timely and a good communicator, and adjusts your touring experience to meet your needs. We highly recommend him! Awesome tour guide
Michael🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 August 2025
Eamon was an excellent guide for my wife and I on August 26th. He is knowledgeable and easy going and made the tour a wonderful experience. We highly recommend taking a tour of Dublin with Eamon. Great Experience!!
Cat🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
26 August 2025
Terrific tour and great food. Highly recommended!He’s great!
Daniella🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
24 August 2025
It was an absolute pleasure to meet Ruairi, he is funny, and the history and stories shared were priceless. The area selected for the tour was great, and filled with amazing shops and restaurants, you could sense the local vibe.
The reason for my rating was the food, I thought that for the price and number of stops (10 locations) only two were true meal samples: a falafel and a tiny beef stew. The rest were pubs, nuts, cheese sample, a couple pieces of chocolate, and ice cream. At the end, I was still a bit hungry.
Great guide, great area, food was average
Glen🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
23 August 2025
Muddier was friendly and informed and gave us an excellent taste of the Irish capitol. Marvellous Mydie
Adam🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 August 2025
Had a wonderful experience with Ruairi! Ruairi intertwined the history of Dublin/Ireland with his personal and historical stories that you would not necessarily find in the history books. Very evident that Ruairi has a unique and behind the scenes perspective of Dublin and it’s people.
History and Story Telling
Eva🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
20 August 2025
Eamon introduced us to Dublin, the storys, the myths, the pubs and a lot of lovely spots in the most enjoyable Way. Thank you. Walking with a storyteller.
Marc
(About local )
20 August 2025
Eamon was a great guide for our diverse and challenging group - he helped a ton with many excellent suggestions, was extremely knowledgeable, and delivered everything with humour and a smile! We need more guided like Eamon.Great guide!: helps, entertains, teaches
Josh🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
18 August 2025
Ruairi is incredibly knowledgable, friendly & fun! He took our family of four (including a 16 yo & 11yo) on a fun & very tasty tour of Dublin. It is the BEST way to see and taste the very best of Dublin. It was our first time in Dublin and we cannot recommend doing this tour (and doing it with Ruairi) enough! It was the highlight of our time in Dublin.Incredible food tour in Dublin
David
(About local )
15 August 2025
Thank you Mydie for giving a brief but invaluable sense of being part of Dublin!
An enthisiastic and truly local Guide!
Zlatko🇧🇬 Bulgaria
(About local )
14 August 2025
Angelina and I were extremely lucky to have chosen Eamon for this tour of Dublin dedicated to its history, particularly the stories of the Irish giants in literature, drama and poetry. He is very passionate in describing them and explaining the gems of the Irish capital. We wholeheartedly recommend him as a guide for tours in Dublin and beyond.Eamon unveils the hidden gems of Dublin
Sharon🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 August 2025
Eamon was simply outstanding - one of the best experiences of our family trip. His passion and depth of knowledge are hard to beat - would certainly book again. Thanks Eamon!!Outstanding!
Geetha🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
12 August 2025
Highly recommend Ruairi to anyone looking for a fun and engaging private tour! Tour was excellent!Suoerb tour of Dublin with Ruairi
David🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 August 2025
Tasty and Entertaining
Carol &Brendan🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 August 2025
Ben was our first choice to walk with a
few hours after we arrived from Chicago. We desired someone interesting that could keep us awake . We had a memorable few hours together and loved every minute . Ben is a good listener, knowledgeable and interesting. We highly recommend Ben Walking Tour on Artivwl Day!
mg2rcrrs6q🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
10 August 2025
Ruairi was fantastic! The tour was full of great stories, hidden gems, and authentic Dublin charm. He made the city come alive and gave us brilliant tips for the rest of our stay. Absolutely unforgettable!The Best Way to Experience Dublin
Anne🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 August 2025
Very knowledgeable and interesting. Nice bikes as well and enjoyed the ride. Anne ratcliffe
Larry
(About local )
8 August 2025
Mydie was an excellent host! We scheduled a day drive out to the inland of Ireland with only one specific destination (National Sheep Dog Trials near Athlone). We started out of town on the main highway but then transitioned to smaller side roads to get a feel for the countryside. Mydie had valuable knowledge and experience to show us some unique historical places. We also found interesting photo sites. Several times we were on even smaller one lane roads. Most of what we saw would not be seen on a bus tour. Mydie was a great conversationalist and kept the trip enjoyable.
We highly recommend herThe Backroads of Ireland
Erin
(About local )
7 August 2025
Mydie was an absolute delight. Great knowledge of Dublin, all the while keeping in mind what we wanted to see and hear about. We left the tour feeling like Dublin’s and having made a new friend! Erin
Ashley🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
6 August 2025
Eamon did a FABULOUS job of showing us the main sites, and hidden gems (as the name of the tour implies!) of Dublin. He’s cheerful and enthusiastic and was able to keep our attention which can be hard to do. We could tell he’s passionate about what he does. Would absolutely recommend Eamon and this tour!Great tour of dublin!
Georgianna🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
5 August 2025
We thoughly enjoyed our tour with Eamon! We learned so much and he was extremely interesting and fun! I highly recommend himEamon was great!
Ashley🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 August 2025
We had a fabulous food tour in Dublin with Ruairi! We had a big family group with children and grandparents and he was absolutely wonderful. We started the tour in a local pub like friends listening to his great stories and we left full of food, laughs and great memories. It really doesn’t get any better than Ruairi! Do not hesitate! Book him now! Thank you Ruairi!Ruairi was the BEST!
Whitney
(About local )
1 August 2025
Eamon was a fantastic tour guide! Our three hour tour flew by us in a whirlwind of fun - tons of history and facts, beautiful sights, and laughs along the way. Highly recommend!A very happy historian indeed!
Brian
(About local )
24 July 2025
Thanks again for the fantastic tour—it was truly the highlight of my trip to Ireland. Exploring Dublin with you was unforgettable. The way you brought the 1916 Rising and Irish history to life through your storytelling was something special. Your passion for Ireland and its history came through in every stop and story, and it made the entire experience so memorable.
We had a great time weaving our way through the city—with a few well-earned stops at some classic Dublin pubs along the way!
I couldn’t recommend Eamon more highly. He’s an incredible guide, a gifted storyteller, and someone I’ll absolutely be booking the next time I’m back in Ireland.
The Highlight of Our Ireland Trip
Verena
(About local )
22 July 2025
Thanks Eamon, we had a fantastic time and enjoyed the 90+ minutes walking tour with you. It is great that we had the opportunity to see some places besides the regular tourist route. :)Great Walking Tour of Dublin!
Cassie
(About local )
20 July 2025
Ruari exceeded my expectations!! Such a knowledgeable, friendly guide. He really tailored the 10 Tastings to those in the group. We learned history and context for each location we visited. Had a delightful time feeling like a local with Ruari !!Ruari Knows Dublin!
John🇮🇪 Ireland
(About local )
20 July 2025
We did th Dublin City centre tour with Ben yesterday. We were a group of three retirees. My self John (Irish) and my two friends of 40 years Brett and Penney originally from South Africa but now living in Australia. The three of us have traveled extensively and have been on numerous tours but as Brett said “this tour was right up there at the top” Ben was patient, very knowledgeable, organised, humorous and had lots of interesting facts and funny little stories about the various places we visited.
Thank you Ben.Dublin with Ben.
tom🇳🇿 New Zealand
(About local )
16 July 2025
We did the sights and hidden gems tour. Ruairi is a great storyteller and has excellent insider’s knowledge of Dublin. From the little known stories of events to the characters that make up the city. Great historical notes along with a locals knowledge of contemporary history made this a great tour of the inner city on a changeable blustery day. Great insights into Dublin
Ted🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 July 2025
Our family of five (three teenagers) booked Ruairi after reading his reviews, and the tour did not disappoint. Ruairi is a lifelong Dubliner and has extensive contextual knowledge of Dublin’s ancient and recent history. Not only did we visit and learn about major landmarks and events, Ruairi also shared stories and history that you’ll never read in any textbook. He has an excellent sense of humor and we laughed a lot. Ruairi also shared stories that kept our teenagers interested and even pointed out several shops/restaurants frequently by the rich and famous. Many of the shop keepers along the tour know Ruairi and it gave the tour an authentic personal touch. I can’t share all the highlights because we promised Ruairi we wouldn’t share any spoilers, but you will get a unique and special experience in Dublin on his tour. 10/10. Thank you, Ruairi!Excellent experience
Chetan
(About local )
12 July 2025
Eamon was a perfect guide. Full of energy and information. Very communicative and helpful. Couldn't ask for more.Great Guide
Sharyn, John (husband), Evan (son), Tabi (girlfriend)
(About local )
10 July 2025
Absolutely outstanding experience! Mydie was prompt, upbeat, and full of energy from the moment we met. Her deep knowledge of Dublin’s history, culture, and hidden gems brought every corner of the city to life in the most engaging way. What truly set her apart was her flexibility—she effortlessly tailored the day to our interests while keeping the pace fun and relaxed. It was the perfect blend of insight, warmth, and charm, making this one of the most memorable parts of our trip. Highly recommend Mydie to anyone visiting Dublin!Awesome Tour with Mydie!
Emily
(About local )
8 July 2025
Our food tour with Ruari with wonderful and a perfect introduction to the city and its food. We made 10 stops and sampled a variety of food, from chocolate, Guinness, fish and chips, stew, ice cream, cider, and more. Definitely come very hungry to this tour. Ruari was so knowledge and hilarious, with lots of great stories of the places we went and the city. His personality truly made this tour unique. I definitely recommend to anyone visiting in the city!Unique and delicious tour
Maureen🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 July 2025
Ruairi was great! Very informative and an absolutely phenomenal story teller. He has lots of knowledge about the history of Dublin and had some funny stories about his former tours. He also introduced us to some great local characters and greatly lessened a lot of my biases to boot. Great tour.
Steve & Jodi🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
30 June 2025
So happy we booked this food tour with Ruari! We enjoy doing a food tour to literally get a taste of the city and Ruari delivered an exceptional experience. We had some must see places on our list that I doubt we would have had time to find on our own and thanks to Ruari we actually got to visit them. We really enjoyed all of our tastings and Ruari’s stories. If you are looking for a great food tour, I’d highly recommend this one with Ruari. He also went above and beyond when our flight in was delayed and met us at our hotel which we REALLY appreciated because we almost always get lost in new cities. He also took us on our first luas ride which gave us the confidence to use it on our own. Saved us so much time over the course of our visit. Thank you, Ruari!Fabulous!
Anne Marie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 June 2025
If you want to enhance your visit to Dublin (or just looking for something different to do), do yourself a favor and book a food tour with WithLocals! …specifically Mydie!!
From the minute our group met her, we knew we’d enjoy her company. She’s got a terrific personality and was very entertaining with her stories of Irish history and legends.
Let’s see if I can remember everything…3 different kinds of potato cakes (a little thicker than our potato pancakes) with a glass of hard cider, then a doughnut, then a good-size portion of smoked cod & chips (they had a sign outside listing all the celebrities who had eaten there), then Irish Guinness stew, then a falafel stuffed with mozzarella and finally the best ice cream we’ve ever had.
With this said, if anyone in your group has special dietary needs, they are happy to work around it.
We look forward to checking out WithLocals food tours in other cities we travel to in the future. Job well done, Mydie!A 10+++ ❤️ Experience!
Peter🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
25 June 2025
Eamon did a great tour. He really did the right spots for us. Well done. THANKS
Great experience
Mark
(About local )
25 June 2025
Eamon did a 3 hour private tour for our family of 5, and this was the absolute highlight of our time in Dublin! He is so knowledgeable and passionate about Irish history, and we learnt so much from him about what we were seeing. We would highly recommend his tour! Thank you Eamon! Dublin Tour with Eamon O’Sullivan
Jennifer
(About local )
24 June 2025
We were a group of work colleagues that thoroughly enjoined this lively tour. Eamon made history come alive!Interesting and Fun!
Pernilla
(About local )
18 June 2025
A true Dubliner showing his home city with knowledge and a sense of humor. Great sights, behind the scenes, and a door opener to the places and the people you would never find on your own.
/Gus Enquist, Gustav's Europe & BeyondRuairi is Dublin incarnate
Charles
(About local )
15 June 2025
Mydie was a wonderful tour guide that showed us the authentic Dublin experience. We went to a number of delicious spots that we would never have discovered on our own. She also gave us a bunch of historic tidbits along the way. Highly recommend! Wonderful Tour!
Naomi
(About local )
13 June 2025
Eamon was personable and full of great information. We really enjoyed our tour with him and especially appreciated his friendly and fun nature and his patience in answering our questions. I would definitely recommend him for an excellent introduction to Dublin!Great tour with Eamon
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