Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8
Side Trips from Dublin
F
anning out a little over 19km (12 miles) in each direction,
Dublin's southern and northern suburbs offer a variety of interest-
ing sights and experiences. All are easy to reach by public trans-
portation or rental car.
Further out is County Wicklow. This area is within easy distance
from Dublin city, has less rain, less bog, and more history than any
other region of comparable concentration on the island. County
Wicklow presents a panorama of gardens, lakes, mountains, and
seascapes.
1 Dublin's Southern Suburbs
Stretching southward along Dublin Bay from Ballsbridge is the har-
bor town of Dun Laoghaire, followed by Dublin's poshest suburbs,
the seaside towns of
Dalkey
and
Killiney
—nicknamed “Bel
Eire” for their beauty and density of celebrity residents. All three
towns offer lovely seaside views and walks. Dun Laoghaire has a
long promenade and a bucolic park, Killiney has a stunning, cliff-
backed expanse of beach. The prettiest is Dalkey, a heritage town
with a lovely medieval streetscape and something for just about
everyone.
Thanks to DART service, these towns are easily accessible from
downtown Dublin. They offer a good selection of restaurants and
fine places to stay. A hillside overlooking Dublin Bay outside the vil-
lage of Killiney is the setting for the Dublin area's only authentic
deluxe castle hotel, Fitzpatrick Castle (p. 146).
If you're traveling to Ireland by ferry from Holyhead, Wales, your
first glimpse of Ireland will be the port of Dun Laoghaire. Many
people decide to base themselves here and commute into downtown
Dublin each day. As a base, it is less expensive than Dalkey, but less
attractive, too.
ATTRACTIONS
Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
Housed in a 16th-cen-
tury tower house, the center and its fascinating exhibitions unfold
