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Discover Howth Castle Estate and Coastal Fishing Village
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From €30 per person
Howth is one of those places that rewards a proper walk with someone who actually knows it. This 3-hour guided tour starts at Howth Harbour - colourful fishing boats, famous seafood shops, and the harbour seals that have made the pier their home. Your guide tells you about King George IV’s visit in 1821, including the footprints he left behind on the pier stone itself.
From there you’ll wander through the old village streets and into the grounds of Howth Castle Estate, where the St. Lawrence family lived for over 800 years. Hidden within the estate is Aideen’s Grave - an ancient tomb linked to Irish mythology and the legendary love story of Aideen and the warrior Oscar. It’s one of those spots that tends to stop people in their tracks, partly because of how old it is and partly because of how quietly it sits in the middle of a working estate.
The walk continues to the historic Martello Tower, built during the Napoleonic Wars to defend Dublin Bay. The views from here stretch across the sea to Ireland’s Eye, a small uninhabited island with wildlife, ancient ruins, and local stories worth knowing. The tour also passes Howth Abbey, first built in 1042 by King Sitric, a Viking king of Dublin.
You’ll finish at Howth Lighthouse, where your guide tells the story of the Howth Gun-Running of 1914 - when Irish Volunteers landed a shipment of rifles on this pier, a pivotal moment in Ireland’s fight for independence.
Meeting point: Howth Train Station, at the Bloody Stream Pub.
Public transport is available nearby - Howth is on the DART line from Dublin city centre. Service animals are welcome. Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries, pregnant travellers, or those with poor cardiovascular health. Maximum group size is 15. Conducted in English.
Getting to Howth from Dublin city centre is straightforward on the DART. Take it from Connolly, Pearse, or Tara Street station heading north to the end of the line - Howth is the terminus, so you can’t miss it. The journey takes around 30 to 40 minutes depending on where you board, and the views along the coastal section near Clontarf are worth looking up from your phone for.
Howth has some of the best seafood in the Dublin area, and you’re in the right place to take advantage of it. The fish shops around the harbour sell fresh crab, lobster, prawns, and smoked salmon. There are also a few good seafood restaurants within a short walk of the pier - Octopussy’s and Beshoff Bros are well-regarded locals’ choices.
The Howth Sunday Market runs at the harbour most weekends and is worth timing your visit around if you can. Local food producers, craft sellers, and a good atmosphere. It tends to draw people out from Dublin city, so it gets busy - arrive early if you want to browse properly.
Ireland’s Eye, the island you can see from the Martello Tower, was inhabited in early Christian times and has the ruins of a church dedicated to St. Nessan. Boat trips out to it run during the summer months from Howth Harbour if you want to get closer - it’s a short crossing and popular with birdwatchers and swimmers alike.
The cliff walk above Howth is one of the best walks within reach of Dublin, running along the headland with views down to the sea on both sides. It’s a separate experience from this tour, but worth noting if you’re planning a return visit or want to extend your day in Howth.