The World Travel Awards

Get out on the water

It’s one thing admiring Dublin Bay from a DART carriage, or the heights of a cliff walk; it’s quite another to get out on the water itself. Options are plentiful here – Dublin Bay Cruises sails between Howth and Dun Laoghaire, Go Sailing offers sailing trips on a 54-foot yacht, and it’s possible to get paddling with kayaking.ie too. Looking back on the cityscape, taking in views stretching from Howth to Dun Laoghaire and Poolbeg Lighthouse to the flagship Pigeon House towers, you’re bang in the middle of the Biosphere!

Take a trip on the DART

Locals take the DART for granted, but the 53km suburban rail service offers some of the best views in the city for less than the price of a drink. From the cliffs of Howth to the River Liffey’s bridges and coastal villages crammed with heritage gems and delicious seafood, this is Dublin Bay’s hottest ticket. Ride the railway right around Killiney Bay and make it a daytrip by continuing all the way to Bray, Co. Wicklow.

James Joyce Tower & Museum

Dublin Bay is overlooked by several Martello Towers – granite, pepperpot-like fortifications dating back to Napoleonic times. One of the most intriguing is the tower overlooking Sandycove, just south of Dun Laoghaire. It hosts the James Joyce Museum, a trove of letters and artefacts associated with Dublin’s defining author. It’s also the opening location in ‘Ulysses’. On Wednesdays, there are readings of Ulysses in Fitzgerald’s pub – or if you’re feeling frisky, join the locals in a bracing dip in the Forty Foot, Sandycove’s famous bathing place.

Outdoor climbing

A 30-minute DART ride from the city centre will land you in Dalkey Quarry, which offers some sensational rock climbing. Offering a maze of narrow paths leading to a huge variety of routes (from beginner friendly to super advanced), even the most regular of visitors to this place never tire of it.

The quarry itself has been split into three areas, West Valley, East Valley and Upper Tier, each offering a huge variety of routes – slabs, cracks, chimneys and steep blocky overhangs. You name it, it’s probably there somewhere. The views over Dalkey town and across Dublin Bay to Howth also make climbing here all the sweeter.

Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre

Ten miles south of Dublin City, Dalkey is famed as a coastal village jam-packed with restaurants, culture and seaside walks. It’s got heritage too. Dalkey Island bears the picturesque ruins of St Beignet’s Church, and archaeologists have traced artefacts like arrowheads, axes and pottery back to the Stone Age (boat trips can be booked locally for the short crossing). In the village itself, Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre bundles a townhouse, 15th century castle, Early Christian church and heritage centre in one tidy campus. Guided tours include a live theatre performance with costumed actors bringing the past to life.

Dublin Kite Festival

A jam-packed day of exhilarating fun for all the family takes place in North Bull Island, Clontarf on Sunday 9th June 2019. The Dublin Kite Festival attracts attendees from around the country, brandishing an array of kites ready to take to the skies and beautify the Dublin skyline with a jumble of colour.

Whether attendees are brilliant kite fliers, or failing kite triers, there are plenty of kiting experts ready to lend a hand. The day also boasts lively music, exciting games, kite making workshops and a kite flying competition!

Cliff walks in Howth

Just a 28-minute DART ride from Dublin lies the fishing village of Howth – home to a castle, several sizzling seafood restaurants and a series of looped walks. The Cliff Path is a local favourite, taking walkers exhilaratingly close to the edge before reaching a summit that moved The New York Times to evoke H.G. Wells’s description of “one of the most beautiful views in the world.” From here, cast your eye over the entire sweep of the UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere. Afterwards, make your way back to the village for a seafood feast at one of the tasty restaurants lining the West Pier.

Climb Killiney Hill

Want a view to savour? Take a hike up Killiney Hill, one of the handsome humps bounding Dublin Bay to the south. It’s topped by an obelisk that looks like a white wizard’s hat and you’ll often see hang-gliders floating overhead. This is a terrific spot for a 360-degree take on Dublin – stretching from the Wicklow Mountains to the south via the city sprawl to Howth Peninsula further north.