First pick
St Stephen's Green
Park or garden
9.1 ha3.2 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.2 km of path
0.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: dronepicr · CC BY 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in St Stephen's Green · parks, paths & countryside
St Stephen's Green has more footpath per square kilometre than 9 in 10 Irish towns
69 km of footpaths run through the neighbourhood and the kilometre around it, 7.4 for every square kilometre. Wicklow Mountains National Park begins 11 km away. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 100% of residents.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
5.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
69 km
7.4 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
0.3%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA
The sea
11%
of the area within 5 km
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is St Stephen's Green?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
A neighbourhood of footpaths7.4 km of path per km², more than 94% of Irish towns. The typical town has 2.1.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Hills with a view4 mapped viewpoints, about 21× as many per resident as the typical Irish town.Countryside close byWicklow Mountains National Park starts 11 km south-west.
St Stephen's Green’s strongest suit is dense footpaths, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How St Stephen's Green compares with Irish towns
Each figure against Ireland’s 321 towns and city neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (city hubs left out): the marked bar is the town’s, the line the median. Ireland has no Outdoors Grade yet: the figures are described, each against other Irish towns, and none of them counts towards the overall grade.
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
83out of 100
Public green space5.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
61out of 100
Footpaths7.4 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
94out of 100
Protected for nature0.3%of the land within 5 km
33out of 100
Woodland0.9%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
15out of 100
The sea11%of the area within 5 km
76out of 100
Parks, paths and woods: OpenStreetMap; residents: CSO Census 2022 Small Areas; protected sites: NPWS; sea: CSO and ONS land outlines. A 0 means nothing is mapped.
Towns its size
St Stephen's Green has the 2nd most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (4,862 to 5,863 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Chapelizod (7.8 km per km²) to Clonakilty (0.3 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
St Stephen's Green7.4
Towns its size2.1
Co. Dublin towns5.4
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
St Stephen's Green5.3
Towns its size4.4
Co. Dublin towns7.6
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
St Stephen's Green100%
Towns its size83%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, St Stephen's Green stands out most for path per km²: only 1 of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapelizod Dublin | 7.8 | 11% | 0% | – |
| 2 | St Stephen's Green Dublin | 7.4 | 0.9% | 0.3% | 11% |
| 3 | Portobello Dublin | 7.2 | 1.2% | 0.1% | 8.8% |
| 4 | Gillabbey Cork | 7.1 | 2.6% | 0.5% | – |
| 5 | Ballyboden Dublin | 5.9 | 4.3% | 0.5% | – |
| 6 | Edmondstown Dublin | 5.1 | 7.5% | 4.5% | – |
| 7 | Ballinlough Cork | 4.9 | 3.2% | 3.8% | – |
| 8 | Rathgar Dublin | 4.8 | 3.5% | 0.1% | – |
| 9 | Knocknaheeny Cork | 4.7 | 2.4% | 0.2% | – |
| 10 | Knockrea Cork | 4.7 | 3.1% | 3.7% | – |
| 11 | Woodquay and Nuns Island Galway | 4.5 | 0.7% | 14% | 32% |
| 12 | Inchicore Dublin | 4.5 | 3.9% | 0% | – |
| 13 | Fair Hill Cork | 4 | 4.4% | 0.4% | – |
| 14 | Ayrfield Dublin | 3.8 | 1.8% | 5.3% | 19% |
| 15 | Garryowen Limerick | 3.4 | 0.5% | 9.6% | – |
| 16 | Salthill Galway | 3.3 | 1% | 15% | 46% |
| 17 | Harmonstown Dublin | 3.2 | 3.8% | 5.3% | 23% |
| 18 | Galvone Limerick | 2.9 | 0.7% | 8.3% | – |
| 19 | Sutton Dublin | 2.5 | 0.7% | 12% | 48% |
| 20 | Poleberry Waterford | 2.4 | 0.6% | 7.2% | – |
| 21 | Carrigtwohill Cork | 1.8 | 5.1% | 12% | – |
| 22 | Ballinfoile and Terryland Galway | 1.7 | 2.1% | 22% | 13% |
| 23 | Rathcoole Dublin | 1.6 | 2.4% | 0% | – |
| 24 | Blessington Wicklow | 1.4 | 10% | 1.9% | – |
| 25 | Glounthaune Cork | 1.2 | 8% | 6.1% | – |
| 26 | Inishkenny Cork | 1.1 | 4.2% | 0.2% | – |
| 27 | Ballybeg Waterford | 1 | 1.2% | 4.1% | – |
| 28 | Ardee Louth | 0.9 | 0.7% | 0.8% | – |
| 29 | Ferrybank Kilkenny | 0.8 | 4.1% | 6.6% | – |
| 30 | Monasterevin Kildare | 0.6 | 16% | 2% | – |
| 31 | Carrick-on-Suir Tipperary | 0.5 | 9.9% | 4% | – |
| 32 | Duleek Meath | 0.4 | 0.1% | 1.3% | – |
| 33 | Ballybofey-Stranorlar Donegal | 0.4 | 7.7% | 2.3% | – |
| 34 | Carrickmacross Monaghan | 0.3 | 5.5% | 0% | – |
| 35 | Tipperary Tipperary | 0.3 | 0.7% | 0.8% | – |
| 36 | Mountmellick Laois | 0.3 | 0.5% | 3.4% | – |
| 37 | Tullow Carlow | 0.3 | 0.4% | 1.7% | – |
| 38 | Roscrea Tipperary | 0.3 | 3.4% | 7.9% | – |
| 39 | Oranmore Galway | 0.3 | 2% | 5.2% | 13% |
| 40 | Clonakilty Cork | 0.3 | 1.8% | 3.3% | 7.1% |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is St Stephen's Green’s neighbourhood.
Green: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces and woods, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · NPWS · Sport Ireland · CSO
Places to walk
Parks to walk in, in and around St Stephen's Green
The biggest is St Stephen's Green, 9.1 ha (22 acres).
All 13 named parks and woods by size: 23 ha (56 acres) and 9 km of path
Parks & gardens 23 ha
The two biggest, St Stephen's Green and Merrion Square Park, are 61% of the named green space and carry 5 km of path between them. 10 of the 13 are under 2 ha.
Merrion Square Park
Park or garden
4.8 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
Centralin the middle of St Stephen's Green
Directionsto a point inside
Iveagh Gardens
Park or garden · 80 m outside town
3.6 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
1.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Dartmouth Square
Park or garden · 220 m outside town
0.8 ha0.4 km of path
1.4 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Pearse Square
Park or garden · 120 m outside town
0.5 ha0.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of St Stephen's Green
Directionsto a point inside
Dubh Linn Garden
Park or garden · 390 m outside town
0.5 ha0.5 km of path
1.2 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
St. Stephens Green Arboretum
Park or garden
1.1 ha0.1 km of path
0.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Saint Kevin's Park
Park or garden · 270 m outside town
0.3 ha0.3 km of path
1.4 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 13 named parks and green spaces
St Stephen's GreenPark or garden · 9.1 ha · 3.2 km of path
DirectionsMerrion Square ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsIveagh GardensPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 2.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDartmouth SquarePark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPearse SquarePark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDubh Linn GardenPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSt. Stephens Green ArboretumPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSaint Kevin's ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsProvost's GardenPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWilton ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCentral SquarePark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNew SquarePark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsLibrary SquarePark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsNamed parks, gardens, commons and woods in the town or within 400 m of it, from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); pieces of one name that touch are one place. Sizes are the whole site; directions go to a point inside.
Close to home
Everyone in St Stephen's Green lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Each square is 1 in 100 residents: green lives within 400 m of a public park, garden or playing field (CSO Census 2022 Small Areas against OpenStreetMap).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
St Stephen's Green100%
Co. Dublin towns100%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA is the nearest protected area, 1.6 km away
Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Natural Heritage Areas designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, within 5 km of the town’s edge.
Inside St Stephen's Green0%
Within 5 km0.3%
Co. Dublin towns0.2%
Typical Irish town1.8%
4 protected sites lie within 5 km of St Stephen's Green. Ireland’s National Parks have a block of their own on this page; much of their land also lies inside these sites.
South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 22 km² · 1.6 km from the edge
NPWS pageSouth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 7.3 km² · 2.2 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth Bull Island SPASpecial Protection Area (birds) · 19 km² · 4.3 km from the edge
NPWS pageNorth Dublin Bay SACSpecial Area of Conservation · 15 km² · 4.4 km from the edge
NPWS pageProtected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service designated site boundaries (CC BY 4.0), 2026; land within 5 km from CSO Small Areas and, over the border, ONS. Overlapping sites are counted once.
National Parks
Wicklow Mountains National Park is 11 km away
Ireland’s National Parks within 100 km, and the nearest always, by direction and distance from the town’s edge; circle size shows each park’s area.
National ParkThe 5 km around the town
National Park
Wicklow Mountains National Park
11 km south-west223 km²
National Park boundaries: National Parks and Wildlife Service, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0, © Government of Ireland), 2022. Distances from the town’s outline (CSO Small Areas).
Footpaths and woods
Footpaths and woods in and around St Stephen's Green
Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, and mapped woods and forest, in the town and 1 km around it, each beside the county’s and Ireland’s typical town of 2,500+.
Footpaths
69 km
over 9.3 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
0.9%
about 0.1 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
4
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
St Stephen's GreenCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths7.4
04.59 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
St Stephen's GreenCo. Dublin townsTypical Irish town
Woodland0.9%
0%50%100%
St Stephen's Green has more footpath per km² than 94% of Irish towns and less woodland than 85% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
4 waymarked trails start near St Stephen's Green
69 km of footpaths are mapped in St Stephen's Green and the kilometre around it, 7.4 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Long-distance wayGreenway
National Famine Way168.6 km
Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail121.4 km
Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock8.9 km
Royal Canal Way146.3 km
One cycling or paddling trail also starts within 5 km.
3 more waymarked walks on OpenStreetMap
NationalOther waymarked
European long distance path E8 - part Ireland5.1 km
The Royal Canal Way3.1 km
Icon Walk0.3 km
Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0), registered trails within 5 km; footpaths: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). More waymarked walks: OpenStreetMap route relations (ODbL) within 2 km, those already on the register left out. Coillte’s own forest trails and recreation sites aren’t included: Coillte’s terms limit its data to research or private study. Its trails on the National Trails Register are listed.
History
2 historic parks, gardens and demesnes on the record in St Stephen's Green
Parks, gardens, walled gardens and demesne walls in the town on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, each with its record.
ParkSaint Stephen's Greenfrom 1660National rating (NIAH)
ParkPark, Merrion Square, Dublin 2from 1790Regional rating (NIAH)
The oldest dated is Saint Stephen's Green, from 1660. One is rated National, the National Inventory’s second-highest rating.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (CC BY 4.0).
When to get out
The best walking months in St Stephen's Green: May to September
Met Éireann’s 1991–2020 averages for the town’s 1 km square and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 15 to 30 °C and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.8 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 61 | 51 | 52 | 50 | 54 | 62 | 58 | 66 | 61 | 75 | 83 | 70 |
April is the driest month (50 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.5 hours of daylight in December, and 83 mm of rain falls in November, the wettest month. The climate in St Stephen's Green →
The coast
St Stephen's Green is near the sea
11% of the area within 5 km of St Stephen's Green is sea. One bathing water is within 5 km.
Sandymount StrandSufficient (2025) · 3.1 km from town
beaches.ieIt isn’t rated excellent this season.
Bathing water classes: EPA, latest season (CC BY 4.0). Sea: the area outside CSO and ONS land outlines. Check today’s water quality on beaches.ie
Things to do
4 viewpoints and 1 waterfall
Mapped on OpenStreetMap in the town and 2 km around it; each count per resident beside Irish towns’ typical town of 2,500+. Beaches are on the coast’s list, from the EPA.
4Viewpoints20.6× the typical Irish town, per resident1Waterfalls1Nature reserves92Playgrounds13.3× the typical Irish town, per resident1Dog parks1Slipways
Per resident, viewpoints stand out most: St Stephen's Green has 20.6× as many as the typical Irish town.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Plus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
The Grove0.1 ha · 0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 92
The Giant's Gardenin town
DirectionsRanelagh Gardens Playground0.7 km from town
DirectionsSean O'Casey Playground0.7 km from town
DirectionsHill Street Playground0.7 km from town
DirectionsWeaver's Park playground1.2 km from town
DirectionsThe Spotty Playground1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 86 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Dog walking area of Belgrave Square1.2 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 1
Plus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
6 gardens and nature sites to visit near St Stephen's Green
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Merrion SquareGarden · In St Stephen's Green
Its pageSaint Stephen's GreenGarden · In St Stephen's Green
Its pageIveagh GardensGarden · 0.2 km from town
Its pageNational Botanic GardensGarden · 2.9 km from town
Its pageWar Memorial GardensGarden · 3.8 km from town
Its pageSaint Anne's ParkGarden · 5.0 km from town
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to St Stephen's Green
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
Grand Canal DockO'Connell StreetBallsbridgeTemple BarEast WallSummerhillSt Stephen's Green
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
| Town | Near a park | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Paths (km/km²) | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Stephen's Green | 100% | 5.3 | 7.4 | 0.3% |
| Grand Canal Dock 0.6 km | 100% | 2.5 | 6.6 | 1.4% |
| O'Connell Street 1.2 km | 100% | 1.6 | 8.1 | 0.1% |
| Ballsbridge 1.2 km | 100% | 3.0 | 6.3 | 1.2% |
| Temple Bar 1.2 km | 100% | 3.1 | 7.9 | 0.1% |
| East Wall 1.3 km | 96% | 2.6 | 4.1 | 3.5% |
| Summerhill 1.4 km | 100% | 0.7 | 6.0 | 0.2% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than St Stephen's Green.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Green space nearby. The share of residents (CSO Small Areas, by where people live) within 400 m of a park, garden, common or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap. Mapping is uneven: a town whose parks nobody has mapped looks greyer than it is.
- Protected areas. Land in a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area or Natural Heritage Area within 5 km, overlaps counted once. Protected for nature doesn’t always mean open to walkers.
- Footpaths and hiking routes. Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it, from OpenStreetMap. Trails are the registered ones within 5 km; a trail often follows mapped paths, so the two aren’t added.
- Woodland. Woods and forest as OpenStreetMap maps them, private and Coillte forests included: mapped cover, not access.
- No grade yet. Ireland’s grades don’t include the outdoors yet: these figures describe the town and stand beside the median Irish town.
Questions about the outdoors in St Stephen's Green
What is the biggest park in St Stephen's Green?
St Stephen's Green, 9.1 ha (22 acres). Merrion Square Park (4.8 ha) is second. 20 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near St Stephen's Green?
4 protected sites lie within 5 km, though together they cover under 1% of the land. The nearest is South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary SPA, 1.6 km from the edge of town.
What are the best walks near St Stephen's Green?
4 waymarked trails start within 5 km, including the National Famine Way, Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail and Royal Canal Greenway - Drumcondra - Ashtown - Castleknock.
Where can you swim near St Stephen's Green?
The nearest bathing water is Sandymount Strand, 3.1 km from town: Sufficient (2025). Check beaches.ie before swimming: a notice can close a beach for the day.
How many people in St Stephen's Green live near a park?
100% of residents live within 400 m, about a 5-minute walk, of a park or playing field; in the typical Irish town it is 92%.
When is the best time of year for walking in St Stephen's Green?
On the town’s 1991–2020 averages and its daylight: May to September, when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light for the place.
Is St Stephen's Green near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Wicklow Mountains National Park, 11 km south-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 223 km².
What is there to do outdoors around St Stephen's Green?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 4 viewpoints, 1 waterfall and 1 nature reserve; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Which parks in St Stephen's Green are historic?
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 2 historic parks, gardens and demesnes in the town, among them Park, Merrion Square, Dublin 2 and Saint Stephen's Green.
Sources
Where St Stephen's Green’s outdoors figures come from
- Parks, woods and paths. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): parks, woods and footpaths, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Protected sites. National Parks and Wildlife Service: designated sites (SAC, SPA, NHA), 2026
- Trails. Sport Ireland: National Trails Register, 2026
- Residents. CSO: Census 2022 Small Areas (residents)
- National Parks. National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Park boundaries, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0), 2022
- Things to do. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): viewpoints, hills, waterfalls, nature reserves, picnic sites, playgrounds, campsites and waymarked walks, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Historic parks and gardens. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (CC BY 4.0)
- Bathing water. EPA: bathing water quality, 2025 season
- Weather. Met Éireann: 1991–2020 averages (Copyright Met Éireann)
Protected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service (CC BY 4.0). Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0). Bathing water: EPA (CC BY 4.0). Parks, woods and paths: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Not on this page yet: Coillte’s forest trails (its terms) and bike routes.
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).