An enormous reservoir serving much of Dublin city's water, the Blessington Lakes (aka Poulaphouca…read morereservoir) seem natural enough - but were, in fact, made by damming the Liffey in the '30s. The dam at Poulaphouca is still used to generate electricity. Why the lakes don't show up on Google Maps is uncertain. Since then the lakes have proved popular with day trippers from Dublin - fishing, hiking and nature-watching are all typical pasttimes. There's a leisure centre in the area, focal point for many of these activities. Don't trip over the fishing poles on the bus on the way down. Motor boating is banned on the lakes, but canoeing and sailing are popular. Pity about the swimming though - it's strictly prohibited due to dangerous underwater currents and obstructions, the legacy of the flooded valley. Get there via the 65 bus from Eden Quay, Dublin. A drink in one of Blessington's numerous pubs is often an adventure before setting home.

We were excited for this tour, and boy did it deliver. Amazing tour guide and driver (If you're…read moregoing hope you get Chris and Mick). Super funny guys while still teaching us about the history of Ireland. Great time over all

My husband and I had an absolute blast on the Viking Splash Tours! We got to see so many historical…read moresites around Dublin while having fun scaring the crowds with our Viking "war cries" and Viking hats. Our guide, Keith, was hilarious, energetic, and incredibly knowledgeable. He shared so much interesting history and information while keeping the entire tour entertaining from start to finish. The mix of sightseeing, humor, and the unique amphibious experience made this one of the highlights of our trip. If you're visiting Dublin and want a fun and memorable way to explore the city, I definitely recommend doing this tour!

The Ha'penny Bridge was constructed over the River Liffey which permits pedestrian traffic across…read more Standing on the bridge peering into the river it was breezy and a cool 60 degrees. The river runs through the center of Dublin extending from the north to the south. Residences and eateries are plentiful on both sides of the river. Basically, this was a hotspot for our guided tour itinerary, but the experience was not too entertaining - see it once and done.

Beautiful closer to the Dublin Bay but not so much as you get further inland. The River Liffey is…read morethe heart of Dublin, splitting it from north side to south side. There are a bunch of bridges, some are for cars, some for pedestrians only, some only for trains. Early in the morning when the river is still and reflective, there are some amazing photographs available. Ha'Penny Bridge, Custom House, the Cathedral and more. I was up by Heuston Station where there are e-bikes and shopping trolleys in the riverbed. They're covered up as the tide comes in. Check the tide charts before you schedule a kayak tour! [Review 1811 of 2024 - 72 in Republic of Ireland - 22833 overall]

Beautiful little fishing village located just a 30 minute train ride from Dublin!…read more We heard great things about Howth and honestly this made a great side trip on our first day in Dublin. Away from the city we were transported to a small village town with gorgeous scenery and people. We went for a ferry ride to see Irelands eye and the Howth cliffs and unfortunately it got too foggy during the tour. For an hour long it was mostly fog but we did see a seal just chilling in the water. It was sunny on the mainland so it was very unexpected that there would be not much visibility on the water. We wanted to see puffins but they are rare to see I think. The ferry ride was pricey so not sure I would recommend it especially since you're not guaranteed to see everything. I would suggest going up the Howth cliffs walk as it is a beautiful view from up top! The locals in the village are also super friendly and love a good chat. Such a great place to visit if you are travelling around Dublin!

Without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited…read more Howth is a quaint and beautiful fishing village only about 30 minutes away from Dublin if you take the Dart train from Connelly station. It was 6,50 euro round trip per person and trains pass by about every 20 minutes or so. I would definitely recommend visiting the Howth Market if you come on the weekend. It's like a little farmers market that sells loads of coffee, tea, baked good, prepared foods, souvenirs, etc. This market is located right across the street when you exit the Dart station, you can't miss it. Once you're done there if you continue walking towards the ocean there is a trail that leads you to Howth's head and while you're making your way over there you'll pass by many shops and restaurants. The trail is a steep climb, and if you're not in relatively good shape or have proper shoes on, I'd recommend just staying in town and maybe having a drink at one of the many pubs, but if you're able to make the climb, it's completely worth it. The views are absolutely breath taking, and along the way there are endless vines of wild black berries which you'll see various people (myself included) eating as a snack. I ended up climbing the top by myself while the rest of my party waited for me back down. Please be careful and don't be stupid and take selfies in dangerous areas, make sure to stay on the trail all the time. Enjoy the beauty and charm that Howth offers, I loved it more than Dublin itself.

Walking around Dublin city centre, besides the occasional sea gull, it's easy to forget how near…read moreyou are to the sea. The sea safari pushes these boundaries and takes you out the Liffey and lets you view Dublin from a perspective that most people miss. The craggy rough coast along Dublin is breathtakingly gorgeous. The sea safari runs tours from Malahide, as well as from the Docklands and gives you different touring options. The cost of the tour (€35) is a bit pricier than your standard dublin bus tour, but it's also much more exhilirating and definitely much more unique. During my tour we got to go into a sea cave, that despite being to the sea many times, I had no idea existed. There's also the opportunity to view all the sea life that live in Dublin bay, like seals and porpoises. The ride is not for the faint of heart though as the wind blowing in off the sea can cause the water to be quiet choppy, but when operated right the rigid inflatable boat is quite smooth. You are also provided with all weather gear that protects you from the wet and cold, though I would suggest bundling up with as much layers as possible. If you've been to Dublin before and are looking for something a bit different, or you love the sea and a bit of adventure this tour is definitely for you!

This cool little shop is about a block down from the Leprechaun Museum, of which I wandered in…read morewhile waiting for that story telling tour to start. I came out with a nice little pocket knife, and a fun experience with a heavily accented fellow old guy running the place and maybe the grandson helping out? The "old guy" struck me as super knowledgeable and insightful in terms of his merchandise, his craft, and reading people. I should take up fishing just to learn more here.

Great little shop on the north side of the Quay near Capel Street. The interior is a little…read morecramped, but they have a lot of good equipment there. Pretty much everything you need to have a good time on a boat, coarse fishing, or sea fishing at the shore. They stock a full selection of multiplier reels, including the well known Japanese brands. They also stock spinning reels, rods and rod bags. They have fresh bait in the refrigerator and all kinds of lures for whatever your game. The proprietor is Mr. Prosser and you would be hard pressed to find a nicer gentleman.

If money was no object I would move here in a heartbeat. I love to fantasize about the what ifs as…read moreI amble down the road that opens into the bay with a beautiful view of Dalkey island. I like to go there to sit on the benches that they have set up on carefully laid cobbles. There is also a telescope to look out at the passing boats. To the left is a small pier where you can go fishing (license permitting). You can stroll down to the pier and look at the colourful boats and buy fresh lobster. I spent a good half hour last week just sitting there. Park your car in Dun Laoghaire and take the walk out there and fantasy like me about living there someday... To wake up everyday with a view like that must be a glorious thing... Oh well, mean while in the real world I have a gas bill which daydreaming won't pay!

I am so fortunate to live right beside coliemore harbour! It's a beautiful harbour throughout all…read morethe 4 seasons round. Especially in the summer it's just something else indeed! It's a popular place for fishermen who fish off the side wall of the harbour, it's also got a nice little bench area with a telescope that looks out on the sea and Dalkey island. Speaking of Dalkey island..there's a little ferry that drops you from the harbour out too the island for about 35€ and can hold about 8 ppl.. It leaves you out there for about 6 hours and you can go for a walk and have a picnic! Whatever you want really! Also a great spot for photographers, I myself am a huge fan of taking photos and love it! Such a scenic area to do so and if you are lucky, on a clear day you might see some dolphins! They've been regularly spotted from coliemore harbour!

Gayle and I were impressed and humbled by our recent tour of the Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship. This…read morewasn't one of the "Coffin Ships" filled with "Great Hunger" emigrants that traversed the Atlantic to North America in search of a better existence. They say that no passenger died on these Jeanie Johnston voyages to Quebec, which is quite a feat for the time. The setting was a sea worthy replica boat that is moored on the River Liffey and right next to the EPIC Emigration Museum (which was our next stop and where the nearest bathrooms were located). We took the first tour of the day and thought that our guide was top notch, engaging, and insightful. The tour is limited to on deck and the living sections below (with realistic recreations), but that was enough to get the messages across. It was interesting to learn who tried to alleviate the consequences of the Irish Famine. That included the Ottoman Sultan, the Choctaw Nation, and the Quakers. The Quakers ran soup kitchens and didn't require the Irish to "Take the Soup". This is a derogatory term from the Great Famine that implies converting from Catholicism to Protestantism for food.

Easy to get to. No parking, like most of Dublin. No bathrooms available…read more This was an incredible tour! Amazing customer service. We came during their lunch break and they opened up the little ticket purchase area anyways for us even though they were done with lunch for a while. It's about 15€ a person, about 13€ for students and have senior discounts (65+). We had Caitriona as our guide and she as lovely. We all thought how great of an experience it was to go to. Its history is wild and the ship replica is pretty incredible. To hear about 257 people normally were on this ship is amazing. Not only did we get history they have follow ups with passengers and crew from the ship where family members have come back to tell Them about. Really amazing history! And what a great man, Nicholas Donovan that had no fatalities on that ship crossing due to his amazing and humane approach! Very cool and very much worth a stop! Make sure you get Caitriona as your guide!

Dublin Tourism is located in the former Saint Andrews Church. It is a great place to start when you…read morearrive in Dublin for assistance in everything that you may like to do in the city. They have tons of pamphlets on activities, tours, events and places to eat. If needed they will give one on one attention to assist you in booking tickets for transportation, theater and hotel stays. Maps and books are available for sale and you can also exchange money here. I was told that they can assist in four languages. (English, Italian, Spanish and French) For me the building housing the tourism office was the real star. It is stunningly beautiful and sits in the center of town. The church was built somewhere around 1862 and served that purpose until 1993. The Church of Ireland sold St. Andrew's in 1994. It has three levels and is over 19,000 sq ft. The first floor is massive at almost 9,000 sq ft.

I can't believe this is my 40th review of Ireland and my last... at least until my next visit to…read morethe Emerald Island. So let me go back to the beginning of this journey. My trip to Dublin was planned like the true procrastinator that I am. I was just finishing one job and due to start a new one in a week's time. I just knew flying to Dublin would be a relatively easy break, but I had next to no clue what to do when I got there other than the tips I got from a random sampling of YouTube traveler advice videos. In my typically aimless fashion, I ended up at the Dublin Tourist Centre, housed in historic St. Andrew's Church, on Suffolk Street. Inside are a series of tour company desks and kiosks set up much like the car rental counter at an airport. They all provide competitively priced tours going to the same places throughout the island. It was here that I impulsively decided to make a booking the next day to Northern Ireland, in particular, to see the Giant's Causeway. After booking with one company, I noticed that the pick-up time was too early for me to get from my suburban hotel to the meeting spot outside the building. I noticed their competitor picked up their passengers an hour earlier. You would have guessed all hell done broke loose since the agents didn't know how to process a cancellation on their PCs. They tried to convince me that I couldn't cancel, but the ugly American came out of me and they relented. Regardless I am grateful this office exists because I wouldn't have experienced many of the 39 other things I already reviewed.

Groupon voucher first time activity, it was a lot of fun :) the guys operating extreme time off are…read morecool, very nice and they look after you. You can kayak in your own pace, beautiful experience even in city centre. Quite nice if you have 2 hours to spare and want to be a bit active. Only downside for me would be that some parts of the river were quite dirty, of course nothing really the company can prevent, but they could make sure it's looked after.

I went here on a Grupon a couple of weeks ago. The day was very rainy, very windy and very cold…read more(for me), but there they were, waiting for us with all the waterproof gear. Nice, friendly staff. I have to admit, I was in a iffy mood because I didn't know I would be wearing a full wetsuit. Previous kayaking trips, I was provided with over the clothes protection, but here I had to change clothes. That is really the only thing I would have wanted to know before hand in order to bring a towel and a bag for my clohtes. However, once I got past that, I had a very nice time.