HOUSE - Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin.
Hidden in the corner of the Phoenix Park in Dublin sits the magnificent Farmleigh House, once home to the Guinness family and now state owned.
It is open to the public year round and is one of my favourite places to go with the family in Dublin. It is just a short distance from Meath too, so visitors to Ireland's Ancient East and Discover Boyne Valley food tours can easily access this stunning Irish stately home.
There are monthly craft and food fairs in the yard, a café by the lake, ducks, art gallery, theatre, guided tours of the house, wonderful gardens and Mr Darcy-worthy parklands. Entry is free to the house and gardens. The guided tour is on a first come first served basis so register on arrival to secure a spot.
We visited on a sunny day at the end of Autumn and it was pure magic. We ate sausage sandwiches from the food market and ambled around the gardens. The children climbed trees and fed the ducks. We left the house tour for another day as it was so spoiling to be outside running around!
Each season brings a host of new events so check their website to plan your visit. It is a lovely thing to do in the Meath / Dublin / Wicklow area, a family day out or for general Irish interest.
For events, visit their website here.