Hawk Cliff & Vico Bathing Place

The Vico Bathing Place and neighbouring Hawk Cliff on Vico Road in Dalkey are Dublin's storied swimming spots with a long men-only history and a strong gay following that survives to this day. Locals call it "the Vico" or "the Ramps": concrete steps and ladders drop straight into deep, clean water with views across Killiney Bay, and hardy regulars swim year-round. Hawk Cliff has been a signposted, council-recognised naturist bathing area since 2018 — one of very few official ones in Ireland. This is a social swim scene rather than a cruising ground: come for the water, the banter and the scenery. The DART to Dalkey plus a 15-minute walk gets you there.