Dublin Bay
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.
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
The James Joyce Tower, in Sandycove, was one of a series of Martello towers built to withstand an invasion by Napoleon and now holds a museum devoted to the life and works of James Joyce, who made the tower the setting for the first chapter of his masterpiece, Ulysses. Beautifully located 13km south of Dublin on the coast road, this tower is the perfect setting for a museum dedicated to Joyce, a writer of international renown who remains, world-wide, the writer most associated with Dublin. Joyce’s brief stay here inspired the opening of his great novel Ulysses. The gun platform with its panoramic view and the living room inside the tower are much as he described them in his book. The museum’s collection includes letters, photographs, first and rare editions and personal possessions of Joyce, as well as items associated with the Dublin of Ulysses.
Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre
Dalkey Castle is situated in the picturesque, coastal, heritage town of Dalkey, half an hour south of Dublin. The visitor experience is enhanced by costumed actors who bring the history to colourful life. Try your strength on the Archer’s longbow and sit in the Barber Surgeon’s cart to hear his special offers. The Cook will tempt you with hedgehog pie! Dalkey Castle (1390) and has all the features of the larger Irish castles. Climb to battlements for panoramic views of sea and mountains.
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.”