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Dublin: Sunset Cruise in Howth
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From €26 per person
Howth is already worth the trip out from Dublin, but seeing it from the water as the sun drops behind the hills is something else. This one-hour cruise departs from the West Pier in Howth and heads out into Dublin Bay, giving you views of the harbour, the dramatic Howth Cliffs, and Ireland’s Eye that you simply can’t get standing on shore.
Your expert captains keep up a running commentary throughout the trip - pointing out the seabirds, talking you through the local wildlife, and sharing the history of Ireland’s Eye, the small uninhabited island just off the coast. There’s plenty of time to take photos as the light changes across the water, and the pace is relaxed enough that you can just sit back and enjoy it.
It works well for couples, families, or anyone who wants to see this stretch of the Irish coast from a completely different angle. It’s a good hour.
The cruise departs from the West Pier in Howth. Getting there from Dublin city centre is easy on the DART - Howth is the end of the line, around 30 minutes from Connolly Station. Bring a warm layer even in summer, as it gets noticeably cooler out on the open water. Departure times vary by season to align with sunset, so check your booking confirmation for the exact time.
Howth on a clear evening is one of those Dublin-area experiences that locals talk about but visitors often miss. Most people who day-trip to Howth walk the cliff path and eat fish and chips on the pier - both worthwhile - but the view from the water looking back at the cliffs and the harbour puts everything into a completely different perspective.
Ireland’s Eye has a proper history attached to it. The island is uninhabited now, but it has ruins of an early Christian oratory and was the site of a famous 19th-century murder trial that gripped the country at the time. Your captain will fill you in on the details as you get closer - it’s more interesting than it looks from the pier.
The DART to Howth is a lovely journey in itself. The train hugs the coast for much of the route from Dublin, passing Sandymount, Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey, and Killiney before turning north to Howth. If you’ve never done the coastal DART journey, it’s worth sitting on the sea side of the train.
Layering up is genuinely important. People always underestimate how much cooler it gets once you’re out on open water, even on a warm day. A light jacket or fleece packed in your bag will make the whole hour much more enjoyable. Nobody enjoys shivering through what should be a scenic hour on Dublin Bay.
If you’re in Howth anyway, give yourself extra time. The village has a good fish market, excellent seafood restaurants on the harbour, and the cliff path if you want a walk. It’s the kind of place where a one-hour cruise can easily become a full afternoon if you let it.