Day Trip: Castle and Coast

The seaside town of Malahide makes for a lovely trip into the countryside from Dublin. Its 12^th century castle is one of the oldest continuously inhabited castles in the country. The seat of the Talbot family for more than 800 years, Malahide Castle is surrounded by lovely gardens with ancient trees as well as one of the top botanical gardens in the country, thanks to the botanical passions of one of the Talbots. Tours of the gardens are self-guided but the castle must be visited on a scheduled tour; the docents share details of the colorful family history in a forty-minute visit. The visitor center includes a large Avoca Café and Boutique featuring Irish products, and is the perfect spot for a light lunch. After a visit, you can walk into the village and take the coastal walk to the beach before catching the train back to Dublin or further down the coast to Howth, a fishing village.