Amalfi

WHEN you picture Dublin, pints of Guinness in the Temple Bar district tend to be the first thing that spring to mind.

But this city is hiding a stunning coastline, with charming seaside towns, craggy castles and beaches so beautiful they’ve earned the stretch the nickname of the Amalfi Coast of Ireland.

Flights cost as little as £21 each way and take just over an hour, so it’s a no-brainer for a budget break combining city and sea.

I ventured along the Dublin Coastal Trail, which stretches from Balbriggan to Killiney, where cliff walks overlook white sands and there are puffin-spotting opportunities aplenty.

It’s fully accessible by public transport, too. I picked up a Dublin Transport Freedom Ticket from £42, which offers 72 hours worth of travel on buses, trams and the Dart (the coastal train linking these spots).

The first stop on my adventure was Dun Laoghaire, a Victorian seaside town around 15 minutes from Dublin city centre by Dart.

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I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

My base was the Royal Marine Hotel, a majestic pink palace that once hosted Frank Sinatra.

A short walk brings you to the Forty Foot, a rocky bathing pool featured in James Joyce’s novel Ulysses and, more recently, on Apple TV’s Bad Sisters.

Locals brave the chilly water year-round, even on Christmas Day, so with the sun shining, I had no excuse.

Plus, visitors can soon warm up at the harbour’s new Helios floating sauna (£21.50pp) where a magnificent floor-to-ceiling window frames paddle-boarders and moored yachts.

Tick off a steak dinner from Casper & Giumbini’s and a delicious treat from Teddy’s ice cream parlour and you’ve done Dun Laoghaire right.

My next stop along the coast was Dalkey, Dublin’s answer to Beverly Hills.

With winding medieval streets and cliffside mansions, it’s an A-list enclave where you might glimpse residents Bono or Enya.

But I wasn’t here for celeb-spotting. It was the seal-spotting I cared about.

A kayak tour (£77) with local guide Jenny took us past seals posing on rocks in curved banana shapes — a sign they feel totally chillaxed, Jenny explained.

We then paddled past bioluminescent moon jellyfish weaving around bladderwrack seaweed, before looping back to Dun Laoghaire, ready for dinner.

This time I gave Hartley’s restaurant a go, where baked salmon followed by a peanut butter brownie rewarded my slightly aching limbs. And if peanut butter brownies sound up your street, you’ll love Blackrock, just over five minutes away by Dart.

This suburb is a bustling hub of artisan bakeries and home to a vintage weekend market you could easily lose hours in.

Armed with a flat white and an iced cinnamon roll from trendy cafe Hatch, I hit the market to sift through a bohemian treasure trove of retro records, vintage dresses and jingling chimes.

This gem of a spot could only be topped by Howth, which might just be my favourite Irish suburb.

Here I met Mark, a local whose Coastal Hike With Pints & Puppies tour (GetYourGuide, £40pp) ticked off a dream combination of activities.

We headed for the Howth Cliff Path on a two-hour loop which offers hands-down Dublin’s most spectacular coastal views.

As we passed turquoise waters shimmering beneath moss-topped cliffs, we came to a lighthouse on a strip of land jutting out over the sea, otherwise known as the Nose of Howth.

In the distance was the small island of Ireland’s Eye, where playful puffins nest.

At local pub The Bloody Stream, Mark’s spaniel puppies (who are likely closer to adulthood by now) mingle with the group.

Mark told me he’s the happiest man in the world to show off the beauty of his town for a living, and I believe him.

If you’re wanting to venture further than Dublin, you can hop on a day’s coach trip with Wild Rover Tours.

The Kilkenny, Wicklow & Glendalough Day Tour (£37) gives you a fast-pass to the neighbouring counties’ best scenery.

Our tour began in Kilkenny, a maze-like medieval city packed with witchy history.

Kilkenny saw Ireland’s first witch trial — that of Alice Kyteler in 1324 — and today you can dine in Kyteler’s Inn, her rumoured former home, marked by the swinging sign of a black cat.

From there we rolled into Glendalough, a glacial valley famous for its glittering twin lakes. After an easy circular loop, we rounded out the afternoon at Cullens Sheep Farm, where farmer Richie led an impressive sheepdog-herding demonstration.

The best part, however, was getting to snuggle up with an adorable fluffy lamb.

You don’t get that at Temple Bar.