North Coast Tour to Malahide & Howth

Located in Marino county Dublin the name for this small house is derived from the Italian word casa as opposed to a modern day gambling facility. After a tour of Italy and Greece James Caulfield, the first Earl of Charlemont was taken back by all things Italian and asked Scottish architect William Chambers to design this stunning piece of neo classical architecture for him on their grounds of his Marino estate. Starting in late 1750 and completed around 1775 this 16 room house is all that remains of what was once the Marino demesne

Malahide Castle is a medieval castle which dates back to the 12th century and lies just 14km north of the city centre. Work on the estate began in 1185 when the land around Malahide was granted to Richard Talbot; a Norman Knight. The demesne was owned by the Talbot family who lived in the castle until 1976 when the last of the family died. The Castle still remains intact to this day with a stunning 260 acres (1.1 km2) of remaining estate parkland also to be seen.

Malahide Marina is a fully serviced marina, staffed 24 hours a day with facilities and amenities to cater for all needs available. Malahide is an ideal location for a short or long-term stopover, afloat or ashore. Malahide Village has everything for the travelling visitor, with a wide variety of restaurants, a historic castle, a park and botanical gardens. Once a quiet seaside village, Malahide is now a thriving business and shopping district but still promises to be a peaceful and tranquil day out at the same time.

Portmarnock is one of Dublin’s most beautiful seaside villages and lies on the county's North Coast. The town's name derives from the Irish word port which means, you guessed it, port and Saint Marnoch or Mernoc. Portmarnock has two golf courses, the Portmarnock Golf Club a championship course, where the Irish open used to be held and the more recent Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links, which was designed by German golfer and former European Ryder cup captain Bernhard Langer. Also like many of Dublin's coastal towns, it is home to a Napoleonic Martello tower.

One of Dublin’s most elegant seaside towns Howth is the perfect place to spend a few hours on a warm and sunny Dublin day. This small but functional fishing port and harbour is the perfect setting to sample some of Ireland’s best seafood. Howth head offers breath-taking views of Dublin Bay and the Wicklow Mountains around a rocky terrain on the edge of the cliff with the Irish Sea below. In the bay is Ireland’s eye a small uninhabited island which is now a bird sanctuary where puffins can be found nesting, only a short trip from Howth by boat.

Retaining its natural charm and beauty, Clontarf has some of the most outstanding sights in Dublin. Clontarf is situated beside St. Anne's Park and its internationally famous Rose Garden. The park is a fantastic amenity but also an area of outstanding natural beauty. The town is most famous for the battle of Clontarf in 1014 when The High King of Ireland Brian Boru defeated the Vikings. Clontarf is also the home of one of the world's most unique flora and fauna, located at the Bull Island Nature Reserve connected to Clontarf by a wooden bridge.

Take in the scenery on the majestic bull island, fairly recent and built up by a man made sea wall the island is only 200 years old. The island is connected to the mainland by a wooden road bridge. The island is now a nature reserve and bird sanctuary. Birds on the island include pale-bellied Brent geese, Eurasian curlews and Eurasian oystercatchers. As well as its function as a nature reserve the island also fulfils recreational duties including its two golf clubs, Saint Anne’s and Royal Dublin Golf Club as well as its very popular beach Dollymount Strand.