Bray

Bray! Ugh, beautiful Bray! If you’re visiting Dublin, a train trip to Bray is such a great way to see the vaguely green Irish sea. Here’s a list of five reasons to visit this gorgeous coastal town at some point during your trip to Ireland. 

1. Getting there is cheap and the trip is short.

My roommate and I each paid 6.75 euros for a round trip train ticket from Connolly Station in Dublin to Bray. (That’s about $7.39 for all my American friends.) It’s even cheaper if you’re just buying a one way ticket, which only costs 5 euros. 

If you’ve already purchased a leap card and choose to pay with it at the station, it’s even less!

Bray is perfect for a quick day or even half a day trip because it only takes about 20 minutes to get there by train from Dublin. The DART train is very clean and safe, not to mention the views of the ocean on the way to your destination are nothing short of breathtaking. 

2. The town of Bray is so cute!

Ah, yes. I finally used the word cute. Right up next to the ocean surrounded by inexplicably gorgeous scenery, the coastal town is sure to make you want to immediately drop everything and look for a home to buy. (Or maybe that’s just me.)

3. You get to see the beautiful Irish ocean.

I cannot – and I mean cannot –  express how magnificent the sea is there. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the ocean stretch out so far in every direction. The Irish sea has a bit of a green tint to it and doesn’t smell even remotely fishy or salty, which I’ll admit I was a little bummed out by. 

If you don’t like the smell of the ocean, though, this is definitely the beach for you. 

4. You get to hike on the cliffs along the coast.

I took this trip through a club from my school and when I tell you that you have to do the Cliff Walk if you go to Bray, I mean it. I’ve taken lots of hikes in my day but until this one, I hadn’t ever had the opportunity to stare out at the ocean while hiking. Much less to feel the cool breeze of the ocean on my face. 

The hike wasn’t as much of a hike as it was a walk. So no matter your age or level of activity, the Cliff Walk is definitely manageable! It was a tad uphill at first but after you get passed the first bit, it flattens out. It’s perfect for a brisk walk and is also dog friendly, which is always a plus.

There are lots of places to step off the trail for a break or snack or even to just take a moment to fully appreciate the views in front of you. Here’s one of my favorite pictures from the trip: 

On the day we went (Jan. 26), it was beautiful out! I wore thiccer leggings (yes, with two c’s), a long sleeve, a sweatshirt, a stocking cap and a scarf, which was more than enough to keep me warm, especially while hiking. If you go around the same time of year and the sky is clear, I’d say the same should be good for you, but of course, it’s never a bad idea to take rain gear just in case. I didn’t (sorry dad), but at least I’ll admit I probably should have.

5. You can walk all the way to Greystones.

Rather than walking for a bit and turning back around, the group I was with walked all the way to Greystones, the next town over. The walk from Bray to Greystones took us roughly two hours during which we definitely stopped more than once to soak in the view and take plenty of pictures. (which I highly encourage.)

Greystones, I’ll admit, was not the most very friendly-looking place when we first approached but as we got into the heart of it, the town flourished with shops, eateries, bars and cafes. It was also very cute, and I’m very glad we went. 

My roommate and I decided to have tea at an equally cute cafe called Café Grey before heading back to Dublin. Brownie points to anyone who can spot the dog in this picture:

Heading home was just as easy as getting there. There is a station in Greystones where you can purchase a one-way ticket back to Dublin or wherever you came from or want to go. When you’re heading to Bray, don’t make the mistake of purchasing a round-trip ticket (like my roommate and I did) if you’re planning on walking to Greystones and leaving from there. It will cost you a few unnecessary dollars. 

Lastly, here’s a map to show you where Bray and Greystones are located in relation to Dublin as well as the location of the Cliff Walk and Café Grey:

Bray was a dream, and I hope you all get the chance to go if you haven’t already. And if not, I hope you all enjoyed reading about a beautiful little town next to the beautiful Irish sea in the meantime. 🙂