landmark
Dublin Zoo
Ireland's largest zoo in Phoenix Park, one of the oldest zoos in Europe, home to over 400 animals.
13 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeIrelandLeinster
Swords
Leinster, Ireland · Europe
About Swords
Swords works well as a base: 10 minutes from Malahide, 29km from Hill of Tara.
Swords is in Leinster, Ireland, with about 43,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Malahide, about 4 km away.
Where to Stay in Swords
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Swords.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Swords.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Swords?
Within an hour or so of Swords: Dublin Zoo (13 km), St Patrick's Cathedral (14 km), Howth Cliff Walk (14 km), Hill of Tara (29 km).
Are there any good drives near Swords?
The nearest famous roads are Sally Gap, Wicklow Gap and Dundrod Circuit.
Where is Swords?
Swords is in Leinster, Ireland, about 4 km from Malahide.
Road trip
Drive to Swords
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Swords. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 42,738
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Leinster
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 53.4597, -6.2181
Tags
Worth the detour from Swords
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cathedral
St Patrick's Cathedral
Ireland's largest cathedral and national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, once led by Jonathan Swift.
14 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Howth Cliff Walk
A looped cliff path around Howth Head with views to Ireland's Eye and the Wicklow mountains, easily reached from Dublin.
14 km · about 25 min drive
ancient ruins
Hill of Tara
The ceremonial seat of the High Kings of Ireland, a set of grassy earthworks with the Lia Fáil standing stone on top.
29 km · about 35 min drive
ancient ruins
Newgrange
A 5,200-year-old passage tomb in Ireland's Boyne Valley, older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids, famous for its winter solstice illumination of the inner chamber.
31 km · about 35 min drive
ancient ruins
Knowth
A great passage tomb in the Boyne Valley ringed by kerbstones carrying the largest collection of megalithic art in Europe.
32 km · about 35 min drive
waterfall
Powerscourt Waterfall
Ireland's highest waterfall at 121 metres, cascading down a rock face in the beautiful Powerscourt Estate in the Wicklow Mountains.
35 km · about 40 min drive
mountain pass
Sally Gap
A high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
36 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Swords
- Right hereHowth Cliff WalkA looped cliff path around Howth Head with views to Ireland's Eye and the Wicklow mountains, easily reached from Dublin.
- 36 kmSally GapA high crossroads pass over the Wicklow Mountains amid blanket bog, with the famous Military Road running through.
- 39 kmLough Tay (Guinness Lake)A dark lake with a pale sand beach at one end, viewed from the R759 above; used as the Viking village in the series Vikings.
- 48 kmWicklow GapHigh mountain pass on the R756 across the Wicklow Mountains between Hollywood and Glendalough, following the medieval pilgrims' route of St Kevin's Road through wild granite moorland.
- 51 kmThe Spinc, GlendaloughA boardwalk ridge walk high above the Upper Lake at Glendalough, climbing beside the Poulanass waterfall.
- 67 kmVale of AvocaA wooded river valley on the R752 in Wicklow at the meeting of the Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers.
Driving in Ireland
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€2.10/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Swords.
Plan a trip around Swords
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Swords.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.