A Day in Bray from Dublin by DART

Bray is the easy seaside day out from Dublin, and the DART makes it almost foolproof. Ride the southbound line to Bray Daly, the end of the line, and you cannot overshoot your stop. From Connolly the journey runs roughly 45 to 49 minutes, with trains about every ten minutes at peak. Buy a Leap Card before you go; it is cheaper than singles and works on the DART, the buses, and the Luas.

Step off the train and the seafront is a few minutes' walk away. Start on the promenade, the 1.5km Victorian stretch with its bandstand and grand terraces, and walk it from the harbour end down towards Bray Head. The harbour, with its resident swans, is the quieter end; the prom is the busy heart of the town.

For the legs, take the Bray Head Loop up to the cross. Allow a couple of hours and pick a clear day for the views. (The old Cliff Walk to Greystones is closed, so this is the headland route.) Back at sea level, Bray has become a proper food town: Platform Pizza Bar on Strand Road for something quick and lively, Campo de' Fiori for Italian, or a pint at the much-loved Harbour Bar before the DART home. If you have children with you, the National Sea Life Centre on the seafront covers a wet hour easily.