As I mentioned in one of the previous articles, one of the greatest things about Dublin, the Irish capital is how close it is to the beautiful coastal areas where the mountains and rugged cliffs meet the sea. Within only around 30 minutes by train from Dublin you can reach either the northern or southern parts of the coast. Especially beautiful in the summer, it has this sub-tropical touch provided by a wide variety of Mediterranean and exotic for this latitude plants, like Cedar trees or even palm trees. So don't miss it when you are in Dublin, you will be nicely surprised!

Aerial view of Bray - taken while landing in Dublin

How to get to Bray

It couldn't be easier, from Dublin Connolly Dart Station in the city center, take a train towards Bray or Greystones. The return ticket costs only around 5 EUR (7 USD) and the journey lasts around 45 minutes. From Dublin, try to get a seat on the left side of the train. It will let you admire breathtaking views of the rocky shore, blue sea and some beaches in between the cliffs. You might also spot some people jumping off the cliffs and swimming in the sea.

Bray - Greystones Trail

In the previous post, I wrote about Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey and Killiney which are located in the middle of the way between Dublin and Bray/Greystones. This time I got off at Bray train station in the center of the town, literally a few steps from the seafront. From there, you will already be amazed by the beautiful scenery with the Bray Head mountain in the background. Follow the beach to the foot of the mountain and then you will have two options: first - climb the mountain to get to the cross on top (very easy, it shouldn't take longer than 40 minutes). It will give you unforgettable views over the town and the bay and on the other side, breathtaking, bare Wicklow Mountains.

Second option is to go around the mountain and follow the scenic coastal trail above the railway connecting Bray with Greystones. It might take a few hours to get to Greystones and from there you can take the Dart train back to Dublin, however it is possible to do the two options in one day. I hope the photos I took last summer will encourage you to explore the Dublin county region a little bit more and admire the unique nature that surrounds it.