The Underground Donut Tour is the world’s only food tour specialising in donuts. The company started in Chicago, USA, but has spread its celebration of this sweet treat worldwide, including Dublin and most recently the historic city of Cork.
The two-hour Cork tour begins in the heart of the city at the award-winning, family-run Dulce Bun Bakehouse. After sampling some delicious buns, the tour makes its way through the city, with the guide explaining the history of key landmarks and streets along the way.
Delicious, freshly made baked goods are sampled at three other outlets on the tour: Cameron Bakery, which specialises in French pastries, the Offbeat Donut Co. and Golden Bites, which serves Brazilian-style churros.
The tour includes a stroll around the city’s famous English Market, which dates back to 1788, and a visit to the imposing neo-Gothic National Monument. It passes the Crawford Art Gallery, housed in the beautiful Customs House, and reveals where you can see the old city walls, ancient lanes and other evidence of Cork’s rich history.
Dublin also offers an underground doughnut tour that starts in the heart of the city near St Stephen’s Green at The Rolling Donut, one of Dublin’s original doughnut shops. With a wide range of flavours, as well as sourdough and vegan options, it’s the perfect place to indulge while learning about Dublin’s history.
From there, the tour heads towards historic Dublin Castle, stopping to sample some Irish churros before meandering through the vibrant Temple Bar area. Crossing the River Liffey over the Ha’penny Bridge, so named because of the toll pedestrians had to pay until 1919, the tour arrives at its third stop, The Hot Donut, which serves both savoury and sweet doughnuts. The tour ends at the Offbeat Donut Co. back in the Temple Bar area, from where it’s a short walk to some of the city’s other major attractions such as Trinity College and the National Gallery.