Visitors always want a castle. Dublin has quite a few, and none of them are the kind with a drawbridge and a princess.
What it does have is an odd and wonderful mix: medieval tower houses, Georgian mansions, a president’s house, and a “castle” in the city centre that’s mostly offices. Here’s the honest list.
In the city
Dublin Castle
The seat of British rule for 700 years, now the State Apartments, a Viking excavation and the Chapel Royal. Closed to the public until January 2027 for Ireland’s EU Presidency; before the closure, self-guided tickets were from €8 and guided from €12. Full guide: Dublin Castle.
Áras an Uachtaráin (Phoenix Park)
The President’s house, started in 1751 as a modest home for the park ranger and grown into an elegant mansion. Free guided tours on Saturdays, usually at 10:00, 11:15, 12:30, 13:45 and 15:00. Tickets are issued on the day, first come first served, at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. You can’t book ahead, and tours are cancelled when state business requires.
Ashtown Castle (Phoenix Park)
A small medieval tower house beside the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre, possibly dating from the 1400s. It was hidden for centuries inside a later house. Free tours are organised from the visitor centre.
Rathfarnham Castle
Built in 1583 for Archbishop Adam Loftus, one of Ireland’s first fortified houses, with Georgian interiors by Sir William Chambers and James “Athenian” Stuart. An OPW site in the south suburbs; check times on Heritage Ireland.
Drimnagh Castle
A Norman castle in the western suburbs, said to be the last in Ireland still surrounded by a flooded moat, with a restored formal garden. It’s on the grounds of a school, so check tour times before you go.
Casino Marino: closed until 2027
Not a casino and not a castle, but an 18th-century garden temple with 16 rooms hidden in what looks from the outside like one. It’s currently closed, with the OPW saying “closed until 2027”.
North County Dublin
Malahide Castle and Gardens
The one most visitors mean when they say “a castle near Dublin”. Home to the Talbot family for nearly 800 years, with a guided tour through the rooms, 260 acres of parkland, a walled botanic garden, a butterfly house and a fairy trail for children.
- Castle tour: €17.50 adult, €10 child, €12.50 senior/student, €50 family (2+3). Includes the gardens, butterfly house and fairy trail.
- Open daily 9:30am–5:30pm. Closed 24–26 December.
- Getting there: DART or train to Malahide, then a short walk. About 25 minutes from the city centre, 10 minutes from the airport. Free parking on site.
Allow at least two hours. The Casino Model Railway Museum is directly opposite the pedestrian entrance, and there’s a combo ticket.
Plan a visit on the Malahide Castle website
Swords Castle
A medieval archbishop’s castle in the centre of Swords, restored by the county council. Usually free to walk round. It’s handy if you’re near the airport with a few hours to spare.
Ardgillan Castle
An 18th-century country house on a hill above the sea between Skerries and Balbriggan, with a big public park, a rose garden and views of the Mourne Mountains on a clear day. The park is free; the house has tours.
Newbridge House and Farm
A Georgian mansion in Donabate with a traditional working farm attached, so the children get animals while you get plasterwork. Train to Donabate.
Howth Castle
Home to the St Lawrence family for centuries, but privately owned. See our Howth day trip guide for what you can see.
South County Dublin and Wicklow
Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
A medieval fortified townhouse in Dalkey village with a “living history” tour, where actors play the people who lived and worked in medieval Dalkey. It’s a good one for families. Combine it with the walk up Killiney Hill. More in day trips from Dublin.
Marlay House
An 18th-century house inside Marlay Park, one of the best parks in south Dublin, with a walled garden. The park is free; it’s also where the Wicklow Way starts.
Powerscourt House and Gardens
Just over the border in County Wicklow, near Enniskerry: a Palladian mansion with 47 acres of formal gardens, a Japanese garden, and Powerscourt Waterfall, the highest in Ireland, a few kilometres away.
- Gardens: €10.50 adult, €9.50 senior, €9 student, €5 child (under 16), €25 family. Open from 9:30am.
- Waterfall: €8 adult or €19.50 family, paid on arrival only.
Which one should I choose?
- Only time for one, no car: Malahide Castle. DART there, castle tour, lunch in the village.
- Free: Áras an Uachtaráin on a Saturday, plus Ashtown Castle.
- Gardens: Powerscourt, especially in late spring.
- With children: Malahide (fairy trail) or Newbridge (farm).
Prices checked on the official Malahide Castle, Powerscourt and Heritage Ireland websites, November 2026.
More in our guide to things to do in Dublin.