Things To Do in Howth Dublin

Things To Do in Howth Dublin

The beautiful area of Howth is located outside Dublin. The town is around 35 minutes from Dublin city centre, the journey in kilometres is 17.2 kilometres. You can get to Howth from Dublin city centre a number of ways, the DART is one option. Howth has a DART station or you can take the 31 A bus from the Talbot Street area.

Another pretty cool way to get to Howth from the south part of Dublin is to take a Dublin Bay cruise, these cruises leave from the area of Dun Laoghaire. The cruises are very scenic and good fun! The cruises highlight the beauty that is Dublin’s Bay area!

Howth is a really nice village in the outer suburb section of the capital city of Ireland. Howth is the large part of the Peninsula of Howth Head which is part of Dublin Bay.  This cool little town is surrounded by water and has loads to see and plenty of things to keep you busy.

The area has some old historic sites and Howth is mentioned in Irish mythology. Howth is a fishing village and the area has plenty of nice restaurants and cafés serving delicious fresh seafood. The town used to be a trading port dating back to the 14th century. The area is now a busy suburb of the capital city with many people having homes there. Residential development has boomed in the area in the 19th century. The area has many activities to enjoy, including golf, boating and fishing. There are many nice walking trails and coastal paths to check out too.

The town is a hotspot for fishing, the area has loads of cod and ray fish in the waters, it’s an Anglers paradise really. Many people flock to Howth to go fishing and many fishing trawlers come in and out of the harbour on a regular basis.

Check out Hidden Howth Tour

The Hidden Howth tour experience offers a few options, you can take walking tours or seafood tours and craft beer trails. Then there’s the ancient village adventure that takes you back in time and goes through the history of this amazing area and shows you some of the old historic buildings like the ruin of Saint Mary’s abbey that goes back to 1042.  The Hidden Howth Adventure tours last for three and half hours and it’s a great tour with loads of information.

The craft beer and seafood trail are really cool, you get to try some craft beers and there is a two-course lunch included. The tour is fully guided by Mark Mc Hale who has a passion for offering hands-on fully guided tours with historic info and a bit of Irish craic along the way! You have to check it out while in Howth.

Check out Howth Castle

The wonderful Howth castle is an amazing building. The castle has a long history with the St Lawrence family. The castle dates back to the year 1177. It’s one of Ireland’s longest inhabited homes.

The castle is set on a large land bank that included some of the Peninsula of Howth Head which is a beautiful scenic area. The Castle and the estate include some of the amazing cliff walking routes, there is golf and pitch and putt to check out too! There are tours available of the castle and grounds for groups that can be booked via the castle’s website. The tour is a great way to learn the long history of this amazing Irish castle that is in such a special location!

Check out Howth Pier

Walking around Howth is a pleasure, it’s a beautiful little village that has some amazing views of the surrounding areas. The pier has loads of boats parked up, it’s a picturesque pier.

On a sunny day, it’s a lovely spot to go for a stroll and maybe take a few photos of the pier and the cool+ lighthouse in the distance. The views are very dramatic of the local cliffs and the pier. The boats give the area a lovely feel, there is something lovely about being close to the water and hearing it! The pier is the perfect place to enjoy a bag of chips from the local chippers or maybe a nice Irish cream.

Hike up the amazing Howth Cliff Walk

This hiking route covers seven kilometres, it will take around two hours or so. The hike climbs an ascent of 194 metres. It’s a loop-shaped hiking trial and has some really beautiful parts to see.  This hiking trail is as good as it gets in the area. It’s a spectacular way to see the area, you will see plenty of different bird breeds. The route is very popular with bird watchers. Make sure to bring some wet gear or an umbrella and warm clothes if doing this trail in the winter months.

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Go Swimming at the lovely Balscadden Bay Beach

If you fancy a swim, Balscadden Bay Beach is a fine beach to go swimming. This beach has some amazing views of the local area, and the beach is the perfect spot to relax and take in this beautiful part of Ireland. There are a few different types of seaweed in the water. The beach is the perfect place to go seal watching, seals regularly come into the area. The water can be cold at certain times of the year, but it’s definitely worth the first few minutes of shock when you first jump into the water. The area is so scenic it’s unreal and you will enjoy the dip. The rocky outpost is a very popular area for brave divers in the summer months, you should give it a try!

Do a bit of Shopping

The village has many nice craft shops and retail shops. The village has a really cool market called “Howth Market”. The market has loads of cool little stalls selling everything from homemade cakes to confectionery and handmade gifts. The market is the perfect place to stroll around enjoying all the artisan foods that Ireland is known for. The market has a retro feel and it’s full of colour and lively locals. Howth has some fancy boutiques to explore if you’re looking for the latest styles!

Try some Fresh Seafood

The area is full of nice seafood dishes, with lots of various fresh seafood on offer. Howth is blessed with fresh seafood on a daily basis, this makes the village one of the best places in Dublin for fish and chips.  The village has loads of good eating houses serving all kinds of tasty seafood dishes, including seafood chowder and some very tasty fresh prawn dishes.

One really good eating house is Crabby Jo’s, this top-notch eating house has a huge amount of seafood dishes on offer. Everything from Dublin Bay prawns, oak-smoked salmon and crabs cakes are all on offer. The fish chips are served with tartar sauce and mint-infused pea puree, you have to try them!

Do the Howth Peninsula Hiking Tour

This cool hiking tour is a great way to burn a few calories. The tour is fully guided and covers some unreal scenic areas. The hiking tour has some really good reviews online. You will see some of Ireland’s famous coastal landscapes that everyone just loves. The hiking tour covers woodlands areas, off the beaten paths and some super cool sea caves. It’s a cracker of a hiking tour. You will hear lots of local stories and tales of times gone by on this hiking tour!

Take a boat trip out to Irelands Eye

Taking a boat trip is a great way to see Howth. this is the perfect opportunity to take some nice photos or maybe a video to remember the trip. You can jump on a boat from the pier and head out to Irelands Eye. The boat trip takes around fifteen minutes. Irelands Eye is a small island that is off the coast of County Dublin. The island is not inhabited, the island is situated north of Howth. A good few operators run boat trips to the island. You can explore the island and see the Martello tower that is on the island. The tower dates back to the eighth century. Ireland’s Eye is also home to an old monastery. Saint Nessans monastery goes back to the 6^th century. Tis another beautiful historic site in the area to explore!

Check out my article on the 5 top tourist attractions in Dublin here!

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Thanks

John Conway

All Things Ireland