Should You Visit Howth Ireland: An Easy Day Trip From Dublin

Howth Ireland is a small fishing village just outside Dublin city. It makes a great easy day trip from Dublin, and an even better alternative to visiting the Cliffs of Moher.

Come here on a nice day for a lunch on the harbour, and the cliff walk for breathtaking views!

Here’s everything you need to know about spending the day in Howth from Dublin.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Is Howth Worth Visiting From Dublin?

Howth may or may not be the perfect day trip from Dublin.

I wouldn’t come here if you haven’t done everything you wanted to in Dublin first.

But, Howth is a wonderful change of scenery, and change of pace from the city. This is a much smaller fishing village after all.

And if you are looking to get away, Howth one of the easiest places you can go. As I said, it also makes a great alternative to visiting the Cliffs of Moher.

But! A day trip to Howth Ireland should only really be done if the weather is nice…

A Day Trip To Howth Is All Outdoors

We visited Howth on our nicest days in Ireland, and it was good we did. A day in Howth is mainly spent outside with really only outdoor activities to enjoy.

For starters, you’ll want to walk around the village, harbour, and maybe even walk out to see the lighthouse.

The main thing to do is the Howth cliff walk, which can actually be dangerous if the weather isn’t perfect.

There are some indoor museums in case you do get stuck in the rain for a few hours. But I wouldn’t exactly run here for any of those museums.

How Long Do You Need In Howth?

Howth is a good half day trip from Dublin.

There aren’t too many things to do in the village itself. If you plan on doing the cliff walk, you’ll need at least 2 hours just for that.

We spent about 4 hours in Howth Ireland, arriving around 11:00 A.M. and leaving just before 3:00 P.M..

We also had a very slow start to our day in Howth, so you could probably be more efficient than we were!

How To Get From Dublin To Howth

Dublin is about 45 minutes away from Howth, but this will depend on traffic.

Dublin To Howth By Car

The drive is pretty easy from Dublin to Howth. There can be traffic though depending on when you leave.

We had a bit of traffic but it still wasn’t too bad, taking us slightly longer than 45 minutes.

If you’ve driven in Ireland at all, you’ll know that the roads aren’t the best either.

I’m happy to report that Howth is one of the easier places to drive in Ireland. You’re mainly driving through the city on regular sized roads (fitting two cars comfortably!).

Well, at least the route that we took anyway. So, you know that it is possible!

P.S. See more of what to expect when driving in Ireland in my post here (and why you might not want to!).

P.S. Parking In Howth Is Free!

Howth might just be the only place in Ireland with free parking!

If you park at the trail head, in the town, or at the harbour – there are several parking lots in Howth and they’re all free.

The only thing you have to watch out for now are the lots being full. We arrived around 11:00 A.M. the parking lot at the harbour was already full!

We did find a spot but you might have to drive around a bit. So, get here early if you don’t want any problems!

Dublin To Howth By Bus

If you don’t have a car in Dublin, it’s actually pretty easy to get to Howth by bus from Dublin city centre. There are a few buses that come to Howth depending on where you’re staying in Dublin.

And, taking the bus might even be faster than driving from Dublin to Howth! At some points along the route there are dedicated bus lanes that would skip the traffic if there was any.

Dublin To Howth Organized Tour

If you want a completely stress free day trip from Dublin, you can book an organized tour to Howth.

They have tours leaving from Dublin city centre and takes you to all the main points around Howth (like this tour on Viator).

Now you don’t have to think about how to get there, and what to do while you’re there!

The Howth Cliff Walk Guide – Main Thing To Do

The main thing to do in Howth is the cliff walk.

This takes you along the cliffs edge from the village all the way to the summit and back.

There are actually 4 Howth cliff walk routes: green, blue, red, and purple.

Each route has the same starting point and end point. They each follow the same path at the beginning and then split up.

So the difference between each route is the length and the route back.

You can spend anywhere from an hour and a half to four hours on the Howth Cliff Walk.

P.S. if you’re unsure which route to take on the Howth Walk, book a guided tour, like this one on Viator.

Howth Cliff Walk Green Route (Lower Cliff Loop)

The cliff walk green route is the shortest and the most popular route.

The route back begins by staying just above the cliff walk on the mountain before turning back into town.

It’s 6 km and the estimated time is between an hour and a half minutes and two hours.

Howth Cliff Walk Blue Route (The Tramline Loop)

The Howth cliff walk blue route is 7 km but actually takes the same amount of time as the green route (between an hour and a half and two hours).

This is the route back that we took because we were able to see a different part of town and have a bit of an easier walk back.

The Blue Route is actually known as the tramline route, as it takes you along the old tramline trail.

The best part about this route is that you pass by the Summit Inn just at the end of the street. It’s the perfect place to stop if you need to get off your feet for a bit before continuing.

Howth Cliff Walk Red Route (Black Linn Loop)

The cliff walk red route is 8 km and takes between 2 and 3 hours to complete.

At the summit, your walk back to town will walk by the golf course in Howth.

Howth Cliff Walk Purple Route (Bog of Frogs Loop)

And finally, the purple route, which is called the Bog of Frogs Loops. It’s the most difficult of the Howth Cliff Walk routes.

It’s 10 km and is takes between two and a half to three and a half hours to complete.

The purple route doesn’t actually go up to the Summit parking lot. Instead it continues along the Howth cliffs for a bit longer before turning back through the town.

P.S. The Howth Cliffs Are Terrifying!

The Howth cliff walk is scary on a good day when the weather is perfect.

We did not know what we were getting ourselves in to and probably should have turned back.

The walk started off fairly normal, with a beautiful lookout! Then it becomes a steep cliff edge very quickly.

You should really only do the cliff walk when the weather is perfect. It’s obvious to not do the cliff walk if the visibility is bad (like it’s raining or it’s foggy).

But you should also avoid doing it even on a sunny if it’s too windy. There’s nothing between you and the cliff edge, so if the wind is strong you can slip right off! Plus, it’s not a very wide path and you’re walking on uneven terrain.

But even if it rained the day before you want to do the walk, the path can still be muddy and slippery. So you’ll want to keep an eye on the weather.

Alternative Route (What We Wished We Had Done!)

There is a way to see the best views on the Howth Cliff walk and avoid any risk of death.

On your way to Howth from Dublin, stop at the Summit parking lot.

From here, you can walk down on a safe path as far as you want. You’ll see the best view of the Baily Lighthouse from here.

There’s also a free public bathroom in the parking lot and you can see a view of the Dublin harbour.

Once you’ve taking in the views, get back in the car and drive to Howth harbour.

From the harbour, you can do the beginning of the cliff walk which is the safest.

Eventually, you’ll reach a car park, here there are bathrooms again and a cafe!

The beginning of the walk after the parking lot is pretty safe as well. Go as far as you feel comfortable and then turn back! The view of Howth Harbour are great this way!

P.S. It’s Howth Is An Easy Alternative To The Cliffs Of Moher From Dublin

If you are interested in a cliff walk, but the Cliffs of Moher are a bit too far away for a day trip from Dublin, the Howth Cilffs are the perfect alternative.

The Cliffs of Moher are a 3 hour drive minimum from Dublin – that’s a LONG day trip!

So, Howth being only 45 minutes is a no brainer!

Honestly, they’re just as jaw dropping, and equally as terrifying.

I can say from experience that the Cliffs of Moher are not worth the hassle to get to from Dublin.

Other Things To Do In Howth

There are other things to do in Howth that you might also be interested in.

Enjoy Some Fresh Fish On The Harbour

You’ll definitely want to enjoy some fresh fish from the harbour for lunch. There are tons of restaurants line up for you to choose from.

Especially if it’s a nice day, sit out on the patio to soak up the sun and have views of the harbour front!

Visit Howth Castle

Howth Castle has been owned by the same family for centuries. You can host private events here, sign up for a cooking class, or just go on a tour of the grounds.

You have to email them for more information if you’re interested in visiting.

This would also be a good option in case of rain in Howth!

Boat Tour Around The Cliffs

If you’re on the edge about doing the Howth Cliff Walk, a boat tour might be more for you, like this one on Viator.

Instead of walking on the edge of the cliffs, you can see them tower above you from the water below!

There are a few boat tours that leave from Howth harbour or even Dublin Bay.

If It’s Raining – Go To A Museum

If you’re stuck in the rain in Howth, there are actually two museums you can go to.

The Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum Of Vintage Radio is actually in the Martello Tower in Howth.

It has a wonderful collection of everything in tele communications. See more information here.

Or perhaps you’re more interested in old methods of transportation at the National Transport Museum. They have vintage buses, trains and more from the 1800 to 1900s!

Tour Old St. Mary’s Abbey Ruins

There are old Abbey ruins above the town in Howth, I love the contrast between the ruins and colourful homes below it.

Of course, this is still an outdoor activity as there is no longer a roof on the abbey.

It is free to wander through and you can get a neat view of the Howth harbour from there.

Need A Place To Stay In Dublin?

I’ve stayed in Dublin twice, at very different places, and would honestly recommend both depending on your budget and type stay!

For a budget friendly option, stay at a hostel, I really enjoyed staying at The Abbey Court Hostel (see it on Booking.com). We couldn’t beat the location, on the River Liffey, included breakfast, and loved the interior design with all the graffiti! See updated rates and availability here.

When I came back to Dublin with my partner, we stayed at the Zanzibar Locke Hotel (see it on Booking.com). This was perfect for the stay we needed, with more apartment vibes equipped with a washing machine and kitchenette. See updated rates and availability here.

Click here for more hotel options in Dublin, Ireland

My Ireland Day Trip Must Haves

Read More Related Posts

• The Cliffs Of Moher: Average Cliffs Or Worth The Hassle?
• What To Expect Driving In Ireland (& Why You Might Not Want To!)
• 10 Easy Day Trips From Dublin To Explore The Best Of Ireland

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Last update on 2024-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API