Visit the harbour town Dun Laoghaire

What is it? A harbour town [pronounced "Done-Leery" or if you want to impress the locals and pronounce it in Irish, it's "Dune Leer-ah"] with nice restaurants, cafes, pubs and shops, a nice park, and a c. 1.5km pier that extends out into Dublin Bay | Where is it? It's around 11km south of Dublin City |  How to get there? From the apartment, it's a 15 minute walk to Tara Street Train Station. Buy a ticket for DUN LAOGHAIRE from the ticket vending machine outside (€2.60) and take the escalator for the 'Southbound Platform'. There are 10 stops between Tara Street and Dun Laoghaire along the DART line, with the journey taking around 23 minutes. The station in Dun Laoghaire is in the very centre of the town and close to the coast walks and pier.

Dun Laoghaire was a popular seaside resort in Victorian times, attracting visitors from the city and further afield. It's now an elegant, contemporary harbour town but it has retained its 19th Century feel, particularly around the seafront and while walking the pier.

Walk: You can't visit Dun Laoghaire without walking the East Pier: It's the highlight of the town! It's only a 5-minute walk from Dun Laoghaire train station to the start of the East Pier, which in total is then a 2.6 kilometre walk to the end and back. In all, it will take around 30 minutes without pausing - but you absolutely should pause as the pier offers spectacular views of the Dublin coastline and out into the Irish Sea. Along the way, you'll pass the Victorian shelter and bandstand, while at very end of the pier you'll come to a lighthouse and small naval fort dating back to 1847. You'll also encounter a Teddys ice cream kiosk, which is now a cherished Dun Laoghaire institution! Alternatively - or in addition - walk along the seafront as far as Sandycove, a 2km walk that will take around 25 minutes. This is one of the nicest walks in Dublin. Sandycove Beach or the nearby Forty Foot are great places for sea swimming.

Park: One of the jewels of Dun Laoghaire is the People's Park, a Victorian garden-park dating back to the 1890s. It's on the edge of the town, just a 9-minute walk from the train station.  You'll find ornate flowerbeds, fountains, Victorian benches, a tearoom and coffee shop, and a great playground too. On Sundays, the market hosts a Market with artisan food and craft stalls.

Cafes: The best cafe in Dun Laoghaire for coffee is Shoe Lane on Marine Road, but if you want something a little sweeter, try Fred's Chocolate Cafe on 96 George's Street Lower, Dun Laoghaire.

Lunch or Dinner: There are tons of great restaurants in Dun Laoghaire. For a quick, casual meal, try the Gourmet Food Parlour on Crofton Road. You'll get a terrific (and healthy) breakfast or lunch at Bibi's Cafe on Windsor Terrace, while the Oliveto restaurant in the Haddington Hotel is one of the best Italian restaurants in  South Dublin. If you're looking for something a little special, check out Hartley's, an elegant restaurant right next to the train station.

Pubs: An almost-perfect local pub is McKenna's on the corner of Wellington Street and George's Place just off the main street of Dun Laoghaire. If you want something a little fancier, try the Parlour Bar in the Haddington House Hotel, which is an especially nice place for a drink on a sunny day as it has one of the best beer gardens in Dublin.