Quick answer: Bray is a Victorian seaside town in Co. Wicklow, about 50 minutes from Connolly on the DART. Walk the Promenade, climb Bray Head to the cross for the view, visit Marine Life Bray or Killruddery House, and eat on the seafront. The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is closed, so do the Bray Head Loop instead.
William Dargan built Bray up as a Victorian resort, and it earned the nickname “the Brighton of Ireland”. Bray Head rises at the south end of the seafront.
The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is closed
Many guidebooks and older blogs still tell you to walk the cliff path from Bray to Greystones. Please don’t. The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk has been officially closed since February 2021 because of landslides. Wicklow County Council has since issued a fresh warning after rockfall damaged the path. Inspections using rope access are under way, along with designs for an inland reroute, but there is no reopening date. You may still see people walking it. Don’t follow them: the council’s warning is about rocks falling on the path.
The council recommends the Bray Head Loop instead (details below). If you want to see Greystones too, take the DART one stop south. Updates are on bray.ie and Sport Ireland Trails.
Getting to Bray
Take the DART to Bray (Daly) station. It’s about 50 minutes from Connolly, and Bray is in Zone 1 of the Dublin City and Commuter fares. Check our live train times or the TFI Live app before you go.
By bus, the E1 runs 24 hours a day from Northwood through the city centre to Bray and Ballywaltrim, and route 145 runs from Heuston through the city centre to Bray. Bray.ie lists every route into town. For fares and Leap Cards, see our getting around Dublin guide.
The Promenade
Bray’s Promenade runs for about a mile, from the harbour near Martello Terrace to the foot of Bray Head. James Joyce lived on Martello Terrace as a child. The south end is where the Bray Head climb starts.
Bray Head and the Bray Head Loop
From the south end of the Promenade, climb Bray Head to the cross at the top, put up for the Holy Year in 1950. On a clear day you can see over Bray and Dublin Bay to the Sugar Loaf.
For a longer walk, the Bray Head Loop is 5.9 km, graded moderate and waymarked with red arrows. It starts from steps off the Vevay Road and Southern Cross Road roundabout. The loop crosses farmland, so keep dogs on a lead. Sport Ireland has the Bray Head Loop route.
Marine Life Bray
The aquarium on the seafront is now Marine Life Bray. If you remember Sea Life Bray, that closed in December 2023, and Marine Life Bray opened in its place. It’s a good stop on a wet day or with children. See marinelifebray.ie.
Killruddery House and Gardens
Killruddery has been home to the Brabazon family, the Earls of Meath, since the 17th century. Come for the formal gardens, the farm market and the café. The Grain Store and the Pizza Shed are both on the estate if you want lunch there.
Where to eat and drink in Bray
- The Harbour Bar. Lonely Planet has named it among the best-loved pubs in Ireland and the world, and it has live music and trad sessions.
- Platform Pizza Bar, 7 Strand Road. Pizza and cocktails on the seafront.
- Dockyard No.8, at the harbour. Brunch and dinner, and it welcomes dogs and families.
- Butler and Barry, a gastropub on the seafront with sea views. butlerandbarry.com
- Nine, Albert Walk, for brunch and coffee.
- Caffè Letterario GattaNera, an Italian café.
- The Grain Store and the Pizza Shed at Killruddery.
How to spend a half day or a full day
For a half day, take the DART out, walk the Promenade, climb Bray Head to the cross and come back down for a pint at the Harbour Bar.
For a full day, walk the whole Bray Head Loop in the morning. Spend the afternoon at Marine Life Bray or Killruddery, then have dinner on the seafront. To add Greystones, take the DART one stop south rather than the closed cliff path.
Two Dublin 360 options for a different kind of day: Bray Mission Impossible, a self-guided spy trail through the town, and the Wicklow Mountaineer Day Tour by Train, a guided day in the Wicklow Mountains. Browse more in our day tours from Dublin guide.
Bray day trip FAQs
Is the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk open?
No. The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk has been officially closed since February 2021 because of landslides, and Wicklow County Council has since warned walkers about fresh rockfall damage. There is no reopening date. The council recommends the Bray Head Loop instead.
What can I walk instead of the cliff walk?
The Bray Head Loop: a moderate 5.9 km route waymarked with red arrows, starting from steps off the Vevay Road and Southern Cross Road roundabout. Add the climb to the cross on Bray Head for the views.
How do I get to Bray from Dublin city centre?
Take the DART to Bray (Daly) station, about 50 minutes from Connolly. Bray is in Zone 1 of the Dublin City and Commuter fares. The E1 bus runs 24 hours from the city centre, and route 145 runs from Heuston through the city centre to Bray.
Is there still an aquarium in Bray?
Yes. Marine Life Bray is the aquarium on the seafront. It replaced the old Sea Life Bray, which closed in December 2023.
Can I get from Bray to Greystones without the cliff walk?
Yes. Greystones is the next stop south on the DART.
Can I bring my dog on the Bray Head Loop?
Yes, but the loop crosses farmland, so keep your dog on a lead.
Photos: David Kernan (CC BY 4.0), Indraneel1 (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Karie Kuiper (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
