Malahide, Dublin – An Essential Travel Guide for 2025

Malahide is a buzzy village in north County Dublin, just 15km from Dublin City. The town is most famous for its castle, which hosts some of the biggest acts in the music industry each year. Look beyond the castle however and you’ll find a colourful village, a beautiful marina and an outstanding beach. Most social media posts revolve around the castle, but is there more to the village itself than meets the eye?

Read on to find out!

Public Transport: Malahide Train Station connects the town to Dublin City via the DART in around 25 minutes. Trains depart from Connolly Station every 20 minutes and tickets cost as little as €3.

Alternatively, several Dublin Bus services connect the town to the city for less than €5, including routes H2, 32X, 42 and 142.

Townyard is an elegant bistro in the heart of the town specializing in steaks and locally sourced seafood. As this is Dublin the prices are predictably expensive, but you do get to eat in a beautiful setting. Although the menu is very limited, the few choices on offer are always delicious. Townyard’s handy location also means that you can go for a stroll to walk of the substantial feed and tasty cocktails you have just consumed!

If Italian is more your thing then Al Fresco is the place to visit. The simple setting may not be as lavish as Townyard but the Italian cuisine here is relatively cheap and very tasty! The €18.50 spaghetti carbonara left us longing for more and we will definitely be returning to Al Fresco soon.

Hot Beverages: This small village boasts a surprisingly vast collection of charming cafés. If you are hoping to grab a seat then check out the local gem Café Provence. You may have to wait a while to get seated but the brews and bites are worth the delay. Alternatively, weather permitting, grab a coffee-to-go at A Dó. You won’t find indoor seating at A Dó as it is only a hatch, but the brews are divine. They also sell splendid pastries and fantastic black pudding sausage rolls.

Alcohol: For a tasty pint in a traditional Irish pub visit Gibney’s on New Street, in the heart of the town. Admittedly, prices are steep (a pint of Guinness costs over €7), but we think the authentic atmosphere makes it just about worth it. They have an extensive food menu, be it snacks or dinner you are looking for, and a lively beer garden for sunny days. With a huge drinks menu, friendly staff and live sports shown, it’s a great spot to unwind. They also host live entertainment many nights a week and a fun pub quiz every Tuesday.

The quaint marina is a lovely place for a stroll to admire the beautiful boats moored here. It’s a great spot to do some bird watching with herons frequently sighted feeding in the shallow waters. This modern marina is centrally located within the town and is next to a buzzy little park, where you can relax on a bench while enjoying some grub from a nearby food truck.

A short walk east of the town, past the Grand Hotel, brings you to the 2km long Malahide Beach. This sandy stretch is a gorgeous setting for a sunset picnic and affords views of Lambay Island, Donabate Beach and some incredible birdlife. The beach has a large car park with ice-cream vans and free public toilets and is a stopping point for Toots the Road Train.

There are lifeguards present in the summer but the beach constantly flies a red flag, meaning it’s not advisable to swim here due to dangerous tides and marine traffic. It is still a stunning place to spend a romantic evening however and those keen for a swim can always make the 4km long Coastal Walk to the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock instead.

Many of Dublin’s seaside towns offer ideal spots for kids to enjoy the water on hot summer days while their parents relax on the beach. However, this town has a distinct vibe as its beach isn’t suitable for swimming, setting it apart from other coastal spots.

Despite its size the village rarely feels overcrowded. Couples can easily find secluded spots along the beach to unwind and enjoy breathtaking views. When they’re ready for a livelier atmosphere they can head to the recently pedestrianized New Street for ice-cream at Gino’s or some pints at one of the local pubs.

A picturesque village with a relaxed atmosphere, it is definitely more tailored for couples than young children seeking playful activities.

Check out our Travel Guide to Dún Laoghaire

Check out our Travel Guide to Skerries

For over 800 years the castle and gardens have stood less than a 20-minute walk from the town. Set across 260 acres, its Walled Botanical Gardens and Ireland’s sole Butterfly House are almost as stunning as the building itself. In the West Lawn children are kept busy on the Fairy Trail while adults admire rare trees including the Lebanese cedar and the Chinese ginkgo.

The castle was once the ancestral home to many generations of the Talbot family. You can explore a selection of its elegant rooms and haunted corridors via a 45-minute guided tour of the building. The castle tour and gardens ticket costs €17 for an adult, with access to the fairy trail and gardens alone costing €10. There are reduced prices for children and tickets can be bought on arrival so there is no need to prebook.

You can purchase tickets that combine this attraction with the Casino Model Railway Museum for €14.50 through the link below.

Castle and Model Railway Museum Combined Tickets

The thatched Casino Cottage near the train station houses the uber popular Casino Model Railway Museum. For just €9 you can take a self-guided tour of local hero Cyril Fry’s hand crafted models. The museum is open from 9:30am to 6pm from Tuesday to Sunday throughout the summer and from 1pm on Mondays.

Although a fun experience itself, we recommend pairing it with the castle via the special ticket below to make the most of your visit.

Castle and Casino Model Railway Museum Combined Tickets

Hop aboard Toots the Road Train at the train station for a fun and informative experience. Complete with live commentary about the area, Toots takes you along a scenic route through the marina and onwards to the beach car park, before terminating at the castle grounds.

The road train sets off every 30 minutes, running from 9:30am to 4pm on weekdays and until 6pm on weekends. With your €6 ticket, or €4 for children, you can hop off and on again at the beach, which gives you plenty of time to explore. This is a fantastic way to spend 30 minutes if you have young children with you.

The 4km long Malahide to Portmarnock Coastal Walk takes 30 minutes from the Grand Hotel to the beautiful Velvet Strand beach in Portmarnock. This walk is extremely popular, in no small part due to the fact that the Velvet Strand is suitable for swimming whereas Malahide Beach is not. The walk follows along a footpath, meaning it is accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs alike.

Alternatively, you could just embark on one of the many spectacular walks around the Castle and Gardens, although you must pay the €10 entrance fee to enjoy them.