Blessington Street Basin (Dublin's Secret Garden)

Blessington Basin is a real secret garden, only a 15-minute walk from Upper O'Connell St. Go past Parnell Square on Frederick St which becomes Blessington St, where charming Georgian doors and features remain. Cross over Dorset St & Berkeley St to the end. Through the iron gates you’ll be greeted by sweet-scented flowers, mature trees & serene swans on the water. Relax on a bench or stroll along the walkway. The Basin Keeper's cottage, built in 1811, is picture-perfect.

Refurbished in 1994, the park is surrounded by high stone walls and lined with plants and seating. At the far end you will find a children's playground, exercise stations, fanciful bronze sculptures, a mixed-use games area and even beehives.

Blessington Street Basin is one of the most unusual parks in the city, as 80 percent of the area of the park is water. It was formerly a city reservoir that supplied homes until 1885, then Powers & Jamesons distilleries until the 1970s. An artificial island has been developed in the centre to create a refuge for the ducks and swans that regard the basin as home.