Dublin from the Water: A Cruise to Howth

Sea air, open horizons and a completely different view of the capital

If you’re visiting Dublin, there’s one experience that takes you away from the traffic, the pavements and the crowds almost instantly: leave the city by boat.

The Dublin City to Howth cruise departs from Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, beside the River Liffey, and sails out through Dublin Port before crossing the bay via Dún Laoghaire. The full trip takes about 2½ hours, finishing at Howth’s West Pier. From there, you can have lunch, explore the harbour and take the DART back into Dublin, making it an easy car-free day out. The St Bridget has upper and lower viewing decks, a heated indoor cabin and a snack and drinks bar, so you can stay outside for the views or retreat indoors if the weather turns.

But the reason to do this trip is not simply to get to Howth.

It's the feeling of being out on Dublin Bay.

As the boat leaves the city, Dublin begins to change. The buildings seem smaller, the skyline opens up and the noise of the streets is replaced by wind, salt air and the steady movement of the sea beneath you. Stand on the upper deck and suddenly the capital feels less like a city and more like what it has always been: a place shaped by the water.

The first great marker is the bright red Poolbeg Lighthouse, standing at the end of the Great South Wall. Seen from land it is a Dublin landmark; seen from the water, with the city behind it and the open bay ahead, it feels like a gateway to the sea.

From there, the boat carries you towards Dún Laoghaire, where long harbour walls reach out into the bay and yachts gather inside the sheltered water. It is one of Dublin’s great maritime towns, and from the boat you appreciate the scale of its harbour in a way you simply cannot from the promenade.

Nearby is Dalkey Island, small, rugged and steeped in history. From the water you can make out an old Martello tower and the ruins of St Begnet's church reminders that these shores have been watched, defended and inhabited for centuries.

Then comes the most dramatic stretch.

As you cross towards Howth Head, the coastline becomes wilder. Cliffs rise above the sea, seabirds move overhead and Ireland’s Eye appears offshore. This rocky island is home to an early Christian monastic site and large colonies of guillemots, razorbills, cormorants, terns, gannets and puffins.

Keep watching the water as well. Seals are a regular sight around Howth Harbour, and dolphins sometimes appear during Dublin Bay cruises.

And that is the real pleasure of the journey: the freedom of having open water around you, the wind on your face, the city fading into the distance and no need to hurry.

By the time Howth Harbour comes into view, you haven’t simply travelled across Dublin Bay.

You’ve seen Dublin from the side most visitors miss from the sea. https://dublinbaycruises.com