Saint Anne’s Park is often overlooked by tourists, who prefer Phoenix Park. Indeed, it's hard to compete with Europe’s largest enclosed park, where deer roam freely. Still, visiting Saint Anne’s Park was one of the surprises of Dublin.
Located in the suburbs, the park is the second largest in the city, and in the 19th century, it was owned by the Guinness family (yes, the beer one). Today, it’s filled with sports courts, playgrounds, and golf courses, but it also has open areas that make you forget the city outside – you can't even hear the cars on the street.
Anyone visiting the park should not miss its beautiful rose garden, which has existed since 1975. Other must-see spots are the Clock Tower, dating back to 1850, and the Peace Tree, a tree turned into an artwork.
A mystical spot in the park is the Fairy’s Doors Tree. Fairies are part of Irish folklore, and many children have little doors in their rooms, where, according to belief, their fairies live. That’s why in the middle of the park, there's a tree full of doors, each one with the name of one or more children.
Inside St. Anne’s Park, you'll also find the Red Stables Market, a Victorian-era market that opens every day. On Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there's a food cart fair outside
Filipe Mendonça
Filipe has a degree in Advertising, works as a software developer in Germany, and is the creator of O Guia Nativo. The idea for a website offering non-touristic tips came about in 2014 but only became a reality in 2019.
