Leinster is Ireland's eastern province, home to the capital Dublin and encompassing 12 counties stretching from the rolling Wicklow Mountains to the ancient passage tombs of the Boyne Valley. It blends vibrant urban culture with prehistoric monuments, medieval castles, and some of Ireland's most dramatic coastal and mountain scenery.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Glendalough & Sally Gap Day Trip
Glendalough is a monastic settlement founded by St Kevin in the 6th century, set between two lakes in a glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains. The site itself takes only an hour or two to walk, but most visitors combine it with a drive over the Sally Gap or Wicklow Gap, two of the highest mountain passes in Ireland, through open blanket bog and heather. It works as a car day trip more than a bus one, since the scenery on the road there is much of the point.
Highlights: Round Tower - an 11th/12th-century bell tower over 30 metres tall, one of the best-preserved in Ireland · Upper Lake and Lower Lake - the two lakes the monastic settlement sits between, with a lakeside path connecting them · St Kevin's Church - a small stone-roofed church, sometimes called 'St Kevin's Kitchen', near the graveyard · Spinc Trail - a boardwalk and cliff path above the Upper Lake with views back down over the valley · Sally Gap - a mountain crossroads through open bog at over 500m, on the route between Dublin and Glendalough
Newgrange & Boyne Valley
Newgrange is a Neolithic passage tomb, older than Stonehenge, famous for the narrow roof-box above its entrance that aligns with the rising sun at the winter solstice. You can only reach the tomb by guided tour booked through the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, which also covers the archaeology of the wider Boyne Valley, including the neighbouring site of Knowth. It's a half-day of guided access rather than a place you wander freely.
Highlights: Newgrange passage tomb - the 5,200-year-old mound with its carved kerbstones and internal chamber, reachable only by shuttle bus from the visitor centre · The entrance kerbstone - carved with triple-spiral and other megalithic art at the tomb's doorway · Knowth - a second passage tomb complex with more surviving megalithic art than any other site in Europe, included on the same or a separate visitor centre tour · Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre exhibition - covers how the tombs were built and the solstice alignment before you're bussed to the monuments themselves
Kilkenny City & Jerpoint Abbey
Kilkenny is a compact medieval city built around its castle and cathedral, with a walkable core known as the Medieval Mile linking the two. It's far enough from Dublin that this is a full-day rather than half-day trip. Jerpoint Abbey, a 12th-century Cistercian ruin a short drive south of the city, gives the trip a second, quieter stop with carved tomb effigies and cloister arcading that are unusually well preserved for a ruin.
Highlights: Kilkenny Castle - the Anglo-Norman castle overlooking the River Nore, remodelled by the Butler family, with formal gardens open to walk · Medieval Mile - the historic route between the castle and St Canice's Cathedral, lined with narrow lanes like the Butter Slip · St Canice's Cathedral - a 13th-century cathedral with a round tower beside it that predates the building · Jerpoint Abbey - a Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century, known for its carved cloister pillars and tomb effigies
Howth Head & Cliff Walk
Howth is a fishing village on a peninsula at the northern tip of Dublin Bay, reachable directly by DART, which makes it the easiest of these trips to do without a car. The main draw is the cliff path that loops around Howth Head above the sea, with the harbour and its seafood stalls as a natural start or end point. It suits a half-day, or a full day if you walk the whole loop and eat well afterwards.
Highlights: Howth Cliff Path Loop - a coastal walking trail around the headland with views out to Ireland's Eye and, on a clear day, across Dublin Bay · Baily Lighthouse - the working lighthouse at the southeastern point of the headland, seen from the cliff path (not open to enter) · Ireland's Eye - the uninhabited island just off Howth, visible from the harbour and cliff path, reachable by seasonal boat trips from the pier · Howth Harbour - the working fishing harbour lined with seafood stalls and restaurants
Hook Head Lighthouse & Dunbrody Ship
This pairs two very different sights on the Wexford coast: Hook Head, a working lighthouse claimed to be among the oldest operating lighthouses in the world, sitting at the tip of an exposed headland, and the Dunbrody Famine Ship, a full-scale reconstruction of a 19th-century emigrant ship berthed in New Ross. The two are separated by a drive of roughly half an hour, so this is a long day out from Dublin and works best by car.
Highlights: Hook Lighthouse - a medieval stone tower still in operation, open for guided tours up the tower itself · Hook Head headland - the exposed rocky point around the lighthouse, with coastal walking along the cliffs · Dunbrody Famine Ship - a reconstructed emigrant ship in New Ross, with costumed guides presenting the conditions of an 1840s Atlantic crossing · New Ross quayside - the town where the Dunbrody is berthed, on the River Barrow
Malahide Castle & Gardens
Malahide Castle is a castle and demesne just north of Dublin, held by the Talbot family for close to 800 years until the 20th century, set in parkland that's easy to combine with a walk through its walled gardens. Being on the DART line, it's one of the simplest half-day trips from the city and suits a relaxed pace rather than a packed itinerary.
Highlights: Malahide Castle - the Talbot family's former home, open for guided tours of the historic rooms · Malahide Castle Demesne - the surrounding parkland, free to walk, with mature woodland paths · The Walled Gardens - historic walled gardens within the demesne, with a wide range of plant species · Malahide village - the small coastal town beside the demesne, with a harbour and marina
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Items
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
Multi-day tours from Leinster
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from LeinsterWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early — most popular day-trip destinations get crowded by mid-morning.
Check return transport times before you leave — missing the last train or bus can be costly.
Carry water, snacks, and layers — weather and food options can be limited at smaller destinations.