Cliffs, Pints, and Seagulls: What to Do in Howth Head for 1 Week Without Going Insane

Seven Days of Sanity: What To Do In Howth Head For 1 Week Without Repeating Yourself

The beauty of Howth isn’t just in its dramatic cliffs and seascapes—it’s in the way the peninsula reveals itself slowly, like a shy friend who gets more interesting the longer you know them. Here’s how to structure a week in Howth without falling into the tourist trap of doing the same hike three times while wondering where all your vacation days went.

Day 1: Cliff Path Orientation (Without Falling Off)

The famous Howth Cliff Path Loop is Howth’s greatest hit, and for good reason. This 6-mile trail takes about 3 hours and offers more drama than a season of reality television. There are four route options, conveniently designed to match fitness levels ranging from “I hike regularly” to “I consider the mall a workout.” The full loop takes you past Balscadden Bay, where the sea crashes dramatically against the rocks below, and around to Bailey Lighthouse, which has been preventing shipwrecks since 1814.

The coastline here rivals Big Sur but with more sheep and fewer Instagram influencers trying to do yoga poses on cliff edges. Speaking of edges—a word of caution: this is not the place for flip-flops, despite what optimistic American tourists might think. The path has claimed countless overpriced sneakers, and the cliffs don’t come with safety rails or warning signs because Ireland assumes you possess basic self-preservation instincts.

For photography enthusiasts, the “Nose of Howth” lookout and Lion’s Head rock formation offer postcard-perfect views that somehow look better in person than on any filter-heavy social media post. Morning light between 9-11 am creates a golden glow that makes even amateur photographers look like professionals. After your trek, The Summit Inn offers well-earned Guinness at $6.50 and hearty Irish stew for $16—both served with complimentary views that would cost you an extra $20 in most tourist destinations.

Day 2: Harbor Immersion and Seafood Overindulgence

Rise with the fishermen (or at least pretend to) and head to Howth Harbor between 6-8 am to watch the day’s catch being unloaded. The sea bass have barely had time to accept their fate as they’re transferred from boats to market. The harbor, constructed in 1807, comes alive with a salty authenticity that no manufactured tourist experience can replicate.

Take a morning stroll along the East Pier, where you can pretend to be sophisticated by admiring the yachts while secretly calculating how many years of saving it would take to afford even the dinghy. By lunchtime, you’ll have earned the right to indulge in Howth’s greatest treasure: seafood that never needs the descriptor “fresh” because it hasn’t been out of the water long enough to be anything else.

For lunch, Howth presents a price-point spectrum from “budget-friendly” to “maybe we should check our credit card limit.” Beshoff Bros offers classic fish and chips for $12 that puts most American seafood shacks to shame. On the higher end, Aqua restaurant’s seafood platter ($45) features ingredients so fresh they practically introduce themselves to you by name and birthplace. The Dublin Bay prawns don’t just taste good—they taste like they were swimming that morning, which they probably were.

As evening falls, traditional pubs like The Abbey Tavern host live music sessions starting at 9 pm. There’s no cover charge, but basic economics suggests buying at least one drink, you cheapskate. The music is authentic, not the “Danny Boy” performances staged for tourist coaches in downtown Dublin.

Day 3: Ireland’s Eye Expedition (Weather Gods Permitting)

Just offshore from Howth lies Ireland’s Eye, a small uninhabited island that looks like it was designed by a committee of seabirds who prioritized dramatic aesthetics over human convenience. Ferries depart hourly from 10 am to 5 pm (weather permitting, a phrase that carries more weight in Ireland than most places) for $15 round-trip. The journey takes 15 minutes, during which you’ll either be charmed by playful seals or questioning your decision-making abilities, depending on the Atlantic’s mood that day.

Once on the island, prepare to be judged by approximately 20,000 seabirds who will comment on your fashion choices with persistent cawing. The island offers several hiking routes, including a path to the ruins of an 8th-century church that somehow remains more intact than most relationships. The Martello Tower stands as testament to a time when England was so paranoid about Napoleon that they built defensive towers around the entire Irish coastline.

A critical warning: Ireland’s Eye has no facilities. None. No bathrooms, no coffee stands, no gift shops selling miniature leprechauns. Pack everything you need, including water, snacks, and emergency supplies for when you inevitably step into one of the island’s notorious boggy patches where your shoes go to die. The photography opportunities, however, make the primitive conditions worthwhile—views back to the mainland capture Howth in all its peninsular glory.

If the weather decides not to cooperate (a frequent occurrence with the statistical probability of approximately 65%), implement Plan B: Howth Castle and Gardens. The castle grounds offer shelter from the elements and centuries of history to explore while you wait for Ireland to stop being so aggressively Irish with its weather patterns.

Day 4: Village Exploration and Hidden Gems

By day four of what to do in Howth Head for 1 week, you should be sufficiently acclimated to the peninsula’s rhythms to explore its less obvious attractions. Weekend mornings bring markets (Saturday/Sunday 9am-3pm) where vendors sell everything from artisanal cheese to handcrafted jewelry. Local food specialties worth sampling include brown bread made with Guinness (because Ireland finds ways to incorporate Guinness into everything) and smoked salmon that makes grocery store versions taste like plastic.

Howth village reveals itself through hidden pathways, including the lesser-known Cliff Gardens path that locals use to avoid tourists during high season. For a delightfully quirky diversion, visit Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio ($5 admission), where technology goes to retire with dignity. The museum’s curator delivers information with such enthusiasm that you’ll temporarily convince yourself you’ve always been interested in early 20th-century radio transmission.

For afternoon refinement, book tea at the House Restaurant in Howth Castle ($25 per person). Make reservations in advance and note that while the dress code isn’t formal, showing up in hiking boots caked with cliff-path mud might raise aristocratic eyebrows. The experience comes with enough finger sandwiches and pastries to replace an actual meal, served in surroundings that make you sit up straighter without being told to.

As evening approaches, time your sunset walk according to season—summer sunsets occur fashionably late between 9-10pm, while winter sunsets arrive early around 4-5pm, as if the sun has more important appointments elsewhere.

Day 5: Dublin Day Trip (Without Losing Your Soul to Temple Bar)

After four days of coastal charm, a day trip to Dublin provides urban contrast without requiring another hotel booking. The DART train runs every 15 minutes ($7 round-trip) and delivers you to the city center in 30 minutes. Avoid rush hour (7-9am southbound) unless you enjoy intimate proximity with Dublin’s commuter population.

Instead of following the lemming trail to Temple Bar’s overpriced pints, opt for the Literary Pub Crawl ($30) that combines Irish literature, history, and strategic alcohol consumption into one educational package. Your temporary escape from Howth allows you to appreciate Dublin without committing to its urban intensity.

Alternatively, split the difference with a visit to Malahide Castle, just 15 minutes by DART in the opposite direction from Dublin. This medieval fortress ($14 entrance fee) sits on 260 acres of gardens and houses more ghosts than a Halloween store in October. The guided tour explains why so many Irish castles come with tragic backstories involving at least one beheading.

Return to Howth by evening for dinner at King Sitric, where $40-70 per person buys you seafood prepared with the kind of attention usually reserved for neurosurgery. Make reservations at least two days in advance and request a sea-view table unless you enjoy watching other diners enjoy sea views.

Day 6: Choose Your Adventure (Active or Sloth-Like)

By day six of what to do in Howth Head for 1 week, you might be craving either more physical activity or a complete absence of it. For the energetic, Howth offers water adventures including kayaking tours ($60 for 2 hours) and stand-up paddleboarding lessons ($45). Braver souls might attempt swimming at Balscadden Bay Beach, where the water temperature constantly reminds you you’re not in Florida. Even summer sees the Irish Sea hovering between 55-60F, a temperature range that technically qualifies as “liquid” rather than “frozen” but not by much.

Bike rentals ($20/day) provide another active option, with routes around the peninsula that range from “pleasant coastal pedaling” to “questioning your fitness level and life choices.” The 10-mile loop around the peninsula includes hills that appear moderate on maps but transform into mountains when experienced through burning thigh muscles.

For those embracing vacation lethargy, local hotels offer spa services, or you might prefer the “sitting on a bench watching waves crash while contemplating life choices” option (free, widely available, weather permitting). This mindful activity pairs nicely with takeaway coffee and allows for judgment-free people-watching.

The evening presents an opportunity for a Howth Sunset Cruise ($35, 2 hours), offering unique perspectives of the peninsula you can’t get from land. These tours include potential dolphin sightings, though Irish dolphins maintain the national reputation for being fashionably late and slightly mysterious about their appearances.

Day 7: Culinary Farewell Tour

Your final day deserves a proper gastronomic send-off circuit. Begin with coffee comparison shopping between village cafés: The Dog House Blues Tea Room excels in atmosphere and locally-baked scones, while Il Panorama offers superior views with slightly inferior pastries. This creates the perfect coffee dilemma—better taste or better scenery—that encapsulates first-world vacation problems.

Structure your farewell day around a gourmet tour, sampling Howth’s essential flavors: fresh oysters at Wrights of Howth ($12 for a half-dozen), artisanal ice cream at Howth Market (regardless of outside temperature), and perhaps one final seafood feast at whichever restaurant has impressed you most during your stay.

Souvenir hunting becomes strategic on the final day. Harbor shops offer touristy trinkets ($5-15) for office colleagues who expect something but don’t merit significant investment. For more meaningful mementos, the House of Ireland boutique sells authentic Irish wool products ($30-150) that will outlast the memory of how much you paid for them.

End your week with a farewell drink at The Bloody Stream pub, conveniently located near the DART station for easy departure the next morning. Their live traditional music (Thursdays and Sundays from 8pm) provides the soundtrack to your mental slideshow of cliff walks, seafood feasts, and that one seagull who made prolonged eye contact while stealing your chips with surgical precision.

Where to Lay Your Weary Tourist Head

Howth’s accommodation options reflect its split personality. Budget travelers find solace in local BandBs ($80-120/night) where breakfast typically includes enough protein and carbohydrates to fuel a cliff walk followed by a nap. Marine Hotel offers midrange comfort ($150-220/night) with sea views that justify the extra expenditure and convenient proximity to the harbor.

Luxury seekers gravitate to King Sitric Guesthouse ($250-350/night), where rooms above the restaurant offer harbor views and the faint sounds of satisfied diners below. Airbnb options ($100-300/night) in Howth village provide kitchen facilities for those who optimistically believe they’ll cook while on vacation despite all historical evidence to the contrary.

Transportation logistics around Howth require minimal planning. From Dublin Airport, options include direct taxi ($40, 30 minutes) or the more adventurous bus+DART combo ($8, 75-90 minutes). Once settled in Howth, the peninsula’s compact nature makes walking the primary transportation mode, with local bus routes covering longer distances for the footsore. Those who drive face parking realities that require either early arrival or the patience of a saint, particularly at the harbor lot ($2/hour, limited to 3 hours).