14 Best Views in Dublin That You Can’t Miss
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On the eastern coast of Ireland, overlooking the Irish Sea, the bustling capital city of Dublin offers good craic (that’s fun for non-Irish speakers), historical interest, and some of the best beer in Europe, if not the world.
But Dublin is also a city with a gratifyingly wide array of beautiful, picturesque places, from moody seaside to quirky and colorful neighborhoods. While studying abroad in Dublin, I was able to uncover so many great spots like this.
You never know in Dublin when you’ll round a corner to find yourself facing a jaw-dropping viewpoint! From high to low, we’ve got the best views in Dublin absolutely covered for you.
Best Views in Dublin
Howth Cliff Walk
Just outside of Dublin, lining the edge of the teardrop-shaped spit of land that is Howth, are the Howth Cliffs. With majestic views of the Irish Sea and that good bracing seaside air, a walk along these cliffs is exactly what the doctor ordered.
There are several cliff walks to suit all levels of capability, and Howth itself is easily accessed via Dublin Area Rapid Transit (or, DART for short).
You can spend a lovely afternoon strolling the cliffs, dining al fresco on a picnic lunch, and enjoying some of the most incredible sea views in Ireland.
Killiney Hill
Head south past Dalkey, and you’ll find Killiney Hill, festooned with beautiful yellow gorse bushes and topped with an 18th-century obelisk. From the top of the hill, you can enjoy one of Dublin’s best views, an epic, sweeping overlook of the Dalkey coastline.
On your leisurely walk back down, any direction can take you to treasures like the Killiney Hill Tea Rooms, the Pyramid of Dalkey, or even the Vico Bathing Place.
Guinness Storehouse Gravity Bar
The Guinness Storehouse is, of course, a must-see destination for any Dublin visitor. This is where you can get a pint of the black stuff straight from the source and learn about the brewing process in its original home.
But did you know that the top of the storehouse–designed to abstractly resemble Guinness pint glasses–is where you can take in some of Dublin’s best views?
Head up 46 meters over the city to the Gravity Bar for breathtaking 360-degree views of the Dublin cityscape, and maybe even indulge in a pint with your face printed into the foam while you admire Dublin sprawling out at your feet.
Talbot Memorial Bridge
A sleek, low-profile span across the River Liffey that links Dublin’s Custom House to the City Quay, the Talbot Memorial Bridge is an interesting divide between Dublin’s old and new.
On one side, regard the neoclassical Custom House, Dublin’s most iconic landmark. Turn to the other side to take in the buildings of modern Dublin in all their glass and metal glory.
The Talbot Memorial Bridge is the best place to really see the evolution of the city, making it a fantastic Dublin viewpoint.
Howth Pier
While you’re in Howth for a cliff walk, don’t forget also to visit the Howth Pier.
This is where you can get a beautiful view of Howth Village that’s good enough to put on a postcard, and if you’re lucky, you’ll also get to see some of the seals that visit the area! It’s one of the Dublin area’s best views on a sunny day.
The Marker Rooftop Bar
The iconic checkerboard façade of The Marker Hotel, as it overlooks the Grand Canal, is itself a spectacular view to behold.
But be sure to go inside and head up to the Rooftop Bar for excellent craft cocktails and to experience a Dublin viewpoint that will leave you speechless. Especially beautiful on a clear summer day, this is one view in Dublin that you won’t soon forget.
Tip: the hotel specifically recommends a sunset-to-evening experience.
Dun Laoghaire Pier
The lovely coastal suburb of Dún Laoghaire, formerly Dunleary, then Kingstown, and now Dún Laoghaire since 1920, is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon.
There are pretty little parks and public gardens dotted here and there, and the Dún Laoghaire Pier is a wonderful locale for views of Dublin Bay.
Literature fans will want to wander down to nearby Sandycove and the Forty Foot bathing area; the Martello tower where James Joyce once stayed and wrote into the opening of his novel Ulysses is here, now the James Joyce Tower and Museum.
Great South Wall + Poolbeg Lighthouse
Once the world’s longest seawall, the Great South Wall overlooks Dublin Bay, where the mouth of the River Liffey gives way to Ireland’s largest seaport.
Walk the weathered stone pathway of the wall all the way out to the tip, where the lipstick-red Poolbeg Lighthouse stands steward over the boat traffic in and out of the bay.
There are several walks you can take to get to the Wall and down to the lighthouse, at the end of which you’ll be rewarded with expansive sea views and the chance to wave to ferry passengers as they pass close by.
Temple Bar
Dublin’s most iconic neighborhood is, of course, the lively Temple Bar area, where the city’s cultural heartbeats. Here, you’ll find colorful and picturesque shops, pubs, and little foodie haunts.
It’s also home to a number of important media institutions, such as the Irish Film Institute, the National Photographic Archive, and The Gaiety Theater, where Ireland’s beloved Riverdance troupe holds shows every summer.
Visit Dublin has a list of Temple Bar’s best activities and viewpoints here. The entire neighborhood is the colorful, bustling place to be, night and day.
Ticknock
Dublin, of course, isn’t only known for pubs and sea views. Those who love a good, challenging hike will enjoy a day out in Ticknock, where ten kilometers of trails offer prime opportunities for a good bracing walk.
The most popular, the Fairy Castle Loop, offers some of the most beautiful views of Dublin’s mountains and the city itself sprawled out at their feet.
Ha’penny Bridge
Once upon a time, the Liffey Bridge cost half a cent for pedestrians to cross. Don’t worry, though; it’s been over a century since anyone had to fumble in their pockets for a half-penny piece.
Still, the legacy persists, as the toll gave the bridge its unofficial name of Ha’penny Bridge.
Built in 1816, this pedestrian-only bridge is very popular, and it’s truly a sight to behold at night when an array of lights illuminates the structure against the dark waters of the Liffey.
If you’re looking for one of Dublin’s best views, you’ll certainly need to see Ha’penny Bridge.
St Stephen’s Green
University College Dublin once called St. Stephen’s Green home, and while the school has now moved, the Green remains as Dublin’s largest Georgian garden park.
Here, wanderers will enjoy winding paths, lovely greenery, and monuments to Irish icons such as the philanthropist Countess Constance Markiewicz, poet William Butler Yeats, and Lord Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, the man who created St. Stephen’s Green and gave it to the city for public use–pause at his statue to thank him for one of the most beautiful views in Ireland.
Trinity College Garden
The Botanical Gardens at Trinity College are a marvelous urban expanse of conservation and research, a perfect oasis of greenspace in the busy city.
The only dedicated university botanic garden in the country, it is home to a number of legendary plants–over 4,000 living specimens!–and, crucially, the Irish Threatened Plant Seedbank.
There is a wealth of knowledge to explore on these beautiful grounds and even a specially curated interactive Sensory Trail invites visitors to pause and more deeply experience certain portions of the gardens.
Montpelier Hill
For a truly rustic, gritty Dublin viewpoint, head up Montpelier Hill–perhaps better known by the rather unsettling moniker of the Hellfire Club, after the abandoned hunting lodge at the hill’s top.
Those with a bent for the supernatural might get a kick out of ascending the hill at night to (carefully!) explore the 300-year-old ruins and see if they can catch sight of any ghostly inhabitants.
But during the daytime, you’ll be treated to jaw-dropping views of Dublin city.
Final Thoughts: Dublin Viewpoints
Dublin is a city with a deep history and a rich culture, so it’s only natural that you’d be able to find a number of beautiful places to feast your eyes upon.
Keep our list handy next time you head for the Emerald Isle to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the best views in Dublin.
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