Quick answer: the best beaches in Dublin for a swim are Seapoint and Killiney on the south side, both on the DART, and the long sandy strands at Portmarnock (the Velvet Strand) and Donabate (Balcarrick) on the north side. Dollymount on Bull Island is the big city beach. Skip swimming at Malahide, which has a permanent red flag, and check beaches.ie on the day before you get in anywhere.
County Dublin has sandy strands, coves, harbour beaches and one very stony one, and plenty of them are a train ride from town. We’ve grouped our 14 favourites by area, with what each is like, how to get there and what to know about swimming. At the end are three beaches just over the border in Wicklow.
Before you swim at any Dublin beach
- Check the water quality on the day. Results for every bathing beach are on beaches.ie, the EPA’s national site, and on the noticeboards at the beach. Temporary Do Not Swim notices go up at several Dublin beaches most summers.
- Wait 48 hours after heavy rain. Dublin City Council and beaches.ie both advise against swimming for 48 hours after heavy rain, when run-off can affect the water.
- Lifeguards are summer only. The bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September. Lifeguard cover depends on the beach and the council; Water Safety Ireland keeps the official list.
- Respect the flags. A red flag means no swimming. At Malahide it never comes down.
Jump to
- North County Dublin beaches
- Howth and Sutton
- Dublin city beaches
- South Dublin beaches
- Just over the border: Bray, Greystones and Brittas Bay
- FAQs
North County Dublin beaches
Fingal’s beaches run from Portmarnock up to Balbriggan. The commuter train stops at Donabate, Rush & Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan.
1. Velvet Strand, Portmarnock
Coast Road, Portmarnock
A long, soft sand beach backed by dunes, parts of them fenced off to protect them. It’s the classic north Dublin family beach, with several access points and lifeguard stations along it in summer. Restore Wellness and Mercury Sauna are both here if you want a sauna after your swim.
- Swimming: has held a Blue Flag in recent years; lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: the H2 bus; Portmarnock station is about a 50-minute walk
- Nearby: Malahide is about two miles up the coast
Fingal County Council: Velvet Strand
2. Balcarrick Beach, Donabate
Donabate
3.4km of sand with dunes and rock pools. It has held both a Blue Flag and a Green Coast Award in recent years, which Fingal says makes it the only beach in Dublin with both. The Donabate to Portrane coastal walk passes here, with the route on boards at the car park.
- Swimming: lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: a 20-minute walk from Donabate village and train station
- Facilities: car park, toilets, lifeguard station
- Nearby: The Sauna Donabate at the Shoreline Hotel
Fingal County Council: Balcarrick Beach
3. Tower Bay and The Brook, Portrane
Portrane, on the Donabate peninsula
Two spots on Fingal’s beach list. Tower Bay is a small cove under the Martello tower, with The Sea Sauna beside its car park. The Brook is a reserved bathing area, and it rated Excellent in recent council water samples.
- Swimming: The Brook has lifeguards when the council has the resources; Tower Bay has no lifeguard listed, so take extra care there
- Getting there: the nearest train station is Donabate; plan the rest on the TFI Journey Planner
Fingal County Council: beaches
4. Malahide Beach (for walking, not swimming)
Malahide
A 2km beach beside the estuary and marina, and a lovely walk from the village. Don’t swim here. Malahide has a permanent red flag because of the estuary currents and boat traffic, and it isn’t a designated bathing water. For a swim, walk or drive about two miles south to the Velvet Strand.
- Getting there: Malahide station is a 10-minute walk; the H2 bus also serves Malahide
- Facilities: car parking and toilets
- Nearby: Malahide village and Malahide Castle
Fingal County Council: Malahide Beach
5. Skerries South Strand
Skerries
2km of sand with an esplanade and a coastal walkway along the back. Nearby is Red Island, with its Martello tower, the Springers and Captains bathing spots and the Wood Fired Sauna. Skerries North Beach and the harbour are close by too.
- Swimming: lifeguards in summer; rated Excellent in recent council samples
- Getting there: Skerries station is about a 20-minute walk
- Facilities: parking along the strand; seasonal toilets near the harbour
Fingal County Council: Skerries South Strand
6. Loughshinny
Between Skerries and Rush
A sheltered, cove-like beach beside a small working fishing harbour, with a picnic area. It’s on the coastal walk to Skerries.
- Swimming: lifeguards at weekends in June and daily in July and August; rated Excellent in recent council samples
- Getting there: a bus stop on the Skerries to Rush road, then a 20-minute walk (check the TFI Journey Planner)
- Facilities: public car park; seasonal toilets
Fingal County Council: Loughshinny
7. Rush South Beach
Rush
2.4km of beach backed by dunes. Rush North Beach, home of the Wood Fired Sauna’s Rush site, is nearby.
- Swimming: lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: a 10-minute walk from the bus stop, or about 45 minutes on foot from Rush & Lusk station; plan it on the TFI Journey Planner
- Facilities: car park, toilets, lifeguard station
Fingal County Council: Rush South Beach
8. Balbriggan Front Strand
Beside Main Street, Balbriggan
A town beach right behind the 11-arch railway viaduct, next to a working harbour. It’s the easiest beach in north county to reach by train.
- Swimming: an identified bathing water with lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: Balbriggan station is a 5-minute walk
- Facilities: pay-and-display parking, toilets
Fingal County Council: Balbriggan beach
Howth and Sutton
9. Burrow Beach, Sutton
Sutton, on the neck of Howth Head
1.2km of sand and dunes on the strip of land that joins Howth Head to the mainland. You look straight out at Ireland’s Eye, a nature conservation site with gannets and guillemots. You can get the {a(‘/guide/tour/ferry-from-howth-to-ireland-s-eye-island/’,’ferry to Ireland’s Eye’)} from Howth harbour.
- Swimming: lifeguards in summer; rated Excellent in recent council samples
- Getting there: Sutton DART, or the H3 bus
Fingal County Council: Burrow Beach
10. Claremont Beach, Howth
Beside Howth Harbour
A small cove close to the harbour, close to the pubs and restaurants on the harbour front. Claremont has had Do Not Swim notices after poor water samples, so check {BEACHES} before you go in. Balscadden Bay and Wonky Sauna are on the other side of the harbour.
- Swimming: lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: about a 10-minute walk from Howth DART, or the H3 or 6 bus
Fingal County Council: Claremont Beach
Dublin city beaches
11. Dollymount Strand, North Bull Island
Clontarf, Dublin 3
The city’s big beach runs the length of North Bull Island, from the Bull Wall to the northern tip. The island is a bird sanctuary, so keep dogs on a lead. Dollymount is a designated bathing water and has been rated Good in recent years, and Dublin City Council runs electronic signs on the strand that tell you when it isn’t safe to swim.
- Swimming: lifeguards at Dollymount and the Bull Wall in summer
- Getting there: buses run along the Clontarf Road, then walk across the bridge or the causeway onto the island; check the TFI Journey Planner
- Nearby: Fad Saoil sauna at Clontarf rugby club
Dublin City Council: bathing water
Sandymount Strand: walk it, don’t swim
Sandymount’s huge flat strand is one of the best walks in the city, especially at low tide. We don’t recommend it for a swim. Dublin City Council has rated its water quality Poor or Sufficient in recent years, and swimming was prohibited there for a time. If you’re set on it, check beaches.ie first.
South Dublin beaches
All three are a short walk from a DART station.
12. Seapoint, Monkstown
Seapoint Avenue, Monkstown
A gently sloping sand beach with rocks, inside a protected nature area. There are no dogs in the bathing area at any time of year, and no diving off the rocks. There’s a Martello tower here, and Dún Laoghaire harbour and Helios Floating Sauna are a short way south.
- Swimming: has held a Blue Flag in recent years; lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: Seapoint DART is about 400m away
- Facilities: council toilets (seasonal hours), a small car park, bike stands
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Seapoint
13. Sandycove Beach
Sandycove
A small, shallow beach around a little harbour. Round the corner is the Forty Foot bathing place and the Martello tower where James Joyce stayed. Saunos and Sandycove Sauna by the Sea are both close by.
- Swimming: a designated bathing area; lifeguards daily in June, July and August when resources allow
- Getting there: Sandycove & Glasthule DART is about 1km away
- Facilities: toilets 200m away and a superloo 100m away
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Sandycove
14. Killiney Beach
Station Road, Killiney
The view from Killiney takes in Bray Head, Dalkey Island and Sorrento Terrace. The beach is pebbles and stones, not sand, so the council advises sturdy shoes or swim shoes. The Hot Box has a sauna at the northern end.
- Swimming: has held a Blue Flag in recent years; lifeguards in summer
- Getting there: Killiney DART is right beside the beach
- Facilities: paid car park, toilets, beach wheelchairs for hire, bike stands
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: Killiney
Just over the border: Bray, Greystones and Brittas Bay
- Bray South Promenade: an identified bathing water with two lifeguard stations in summer, beside Bray DART. Walk the Bray to Greystones cliff path, then warm up at Helios Rooftop Sauna or Seawater Saunas on Strand Road. Wicklow County Council: beaches
- Greystones South Beach: just under 1km of pebble and sand right beside the DART, with toilets, a playground and a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk. It has held a Blue Flag in recent years and has lifeguards in summer. The Barrel Sauna and Fad Saoil both have saunas in Greystones. Discover Ireland: Greystones South Beach
- Brittas Bay: about 5km of sand and dunes, a protected conservation area, with lifeguards, toilets and parking. Brittas Bay North and South have both held Blue Flags in recent years. There’s no train, so treat it as a day trip by car. Visit Wicklow: sea swimming
Getting there
The DART is the easy way to the coast. Going south it stops at Seapoint, Sandycove & Glasthule, Killiney, Bray and Greystones; going north it runs to Malahide and, on the Howth branch, to Sutton and Howth. Commuter trains carry on north to Donabate, Rush & Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan. Buses changed under BusConnects, so older guides may list routes that no longer run: the H2 serves Malahide and Portmarnock, and the H3 and 6 go to Sutton and Howth. For everything else, use the TFI Journey Planner.
Check our live DART and Luas times before you set off, and read our guide to getting around Dublin or our guide to Dublin’s rail network. Several of these beaches are on our best coastal walks in County Dublin. You can also see the coast from the water on a Dublin Bay cruise from Dún Laoghaire to Howth, or find somewhere to stay in Dublin near the sea.
Beaches in Dublin: FAQs
What is the best beach in Dublin?
For a long sandy beach, the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock and Balcarrick in Donabate are our picks, and both have held a Blue Flag in recent years. For a swim close to town, Seapoint is 400m from its DART station. Killiney has the best views, though it’s pebbles, not sand.
Which Dublin beaches can you reach by DART?
Seapoint, Sandycove, Killiney, Burrow Beach in Sutton and Claremont in Howth are all near DART stations. Malahide beach is ten minutes from Malahide station, and Bray and Greystones in Wicklow are on the DART line too. Commuter trains serve Donabate, Skerries and Balbriggan.
Which Dublin beaches have a Blue Flag?
Seapoint, Killiney, the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock and Balcarrick in Donabate have held Blue Flags in recent years, and Balcarrick has also held a Green Coast Award. Over the border, Greystones South Beach and Brittas Bay North and South have too. Flags are awarded one season at a time, so check before you go.
Can you swim at Malahide beach?
No. Malahide beach has a permanent red flag because of the currents in the estuary and boat traffic, and it isn’t a designated bathing water. Walk it instead, or swim at the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock, about two miles along the coast.
Is it safe to swim at Sandymount Strand?
We’d treat Sandymount as a walking strand. Its water quality has been rated Poor or Sufficient in recent years, and swimming was prohibited there for a time. If you do go in, check beaches.ie first.
How do I check water quality at Dublin beaches?
Look up the beach on beaches.ie, the EPA’s national bathing water site, or read the noticeboard at the beach. Avoid swimming for 48 hours after heavy rain, and watch for temporary Do Not Swim notices, which happen at several Dublin beaches most summers.
When are there lifeguards on Dublin beaches?
Only in summer. The bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September, and most councils put lifeguards on from June to the end of August, sometimes into the first weekends of September. Cover varies by beach and council, so check the Water Safety Ireland lifeguard list.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0), Mhdelaney (CC BY-SA 4.0), Crys83 (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Steven Lek (CC BY-SA 4.0).
