This full day tour from Dublin combines the rolling hills of Wicklow with two of Ireland’s most worthwhile stops: the ancient monastic valley of Glendalough and the medieval streets of Kilkenny City.
At both places you’ll have an optional 30-minute guided walking tour included at no extra charge, followed by free time to explore at your own pace - 60 minutes in Glendalough and 90 minutes in Kilkenny. The 90-minute Kilkenny slot comes from 27 years of guest feedback, and it’s the right call.
The 9:00 start and 19:30 return lets you skip the worst of Dublin’s rush hour in both directions, and you’ll be back in the city at a comfortable time for dinner.
What’s Included
Air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi on board
USB ports at every seat
Live commentary on board
Optional guided walking tour at Glendalough (30 min, free)
Optional guided walking tour at Kilkenny (30 min, free)
Pick-up and drop-off in Dublin (refer to your voucher for details)
All taxes, fees and handling charges
What’s Not Included
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Itinerary
Depart Dublin and travel south through County Wicklow - often called the Garden of Ireland. The route passes through leafy south Dublin suburbs, then opens into picturesque villages, farms, and the rugged Wicklow Mountains. (Pass by)
Glendalough (approx. 9:30 arrival) - your guide leads an optional 30-minute walking tour through the Monastic City, founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and one of Ireland’s most important early Christian sites. Highlights include the stone round tower, Celtic crosses, St. Kevin’s Church, Cathedral ruins, and the valley’s Viking connections - the History Channel series featuring Ragnar Lothbrok filmed here because of them. (30 min)
Free time at Glendalough to explore the valley. You can walk the shores of the Upper and Lower Lakes, find the Glendalough Waterfall in the wooded valley, spot swans, ducks, and deer, or take one of the hiking trails for panoramic mountain views. (60 min)
Drive over the Wicklow Gap with panoramic views across the landscape. You’ll pass traditional Irish bogs and Turlogh Waterfall, one of Ireland’s most dramatic falls, near Ireland’s highest reservoir. (Pass by)
Kilkenny City (approx. 14:00) - drop-off at St. Canice’s Cathedral, then an optional 30-minute guided walking tour through the medieval streets covering St. Canice’s Cathedral, the Medieval Mile, Kilkenny Castle, Smithwick’s Brewery, and more. Kilkenny was founded by the Normans in the 1100s and became a stronghold of Hiberno-Norman power - the city still carries that history in its stone. (30 min)
Free time in Kilkenny to explore the city. Worth considering: Kilkenny Castle Park (free, with formal gardens and a lake), Kyteler’s Inn (a 14th-century pub with a famous witchcraft connection), The Hole in the Wall (trading since 1560), Cleere’s, or Langtons for food. (90 min)
Leisurely drive back to Dublin through County Kildare, arriving at approximately 18:00. (Pass by)
Meeting point: Bus Stop 1171, Lower Gardiner Street (at street number 42, beside Trinity Church).
Good to Know
Group size: up to 58 travellers
Infant seats are available
Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller
Public transport options are available nearby
Suitable for all fitness levels
Bookings via Viator automatically assign the pickup point and collection time from your booking confirmation
Available in English
Local Tips
At Glendalough - make the most of your 60 minutes. The guided tour covers the round tower and cathedral, but your free time is when the valley opens up. The flat Green Road from the visitor centre out to the Upper Lake takes about 25 minutes at an easy pace and passes nine of the major monastic ruins along the way. It’s buggy-friendly and doesn’t require any real effort, but it completely changes how you understand the site. If you have any energy left, the Poulanass Waterfall trail from the Upper Lake car park is only 1.5 km return and gives you a 30-metre cascade through mossy oak woodland. That’s roughly 40 minutes if you move steadily.
Timing matters at Glendalough. The round tower car park fills up fast in summer, but because this tour arrives early, you’ll be ahead of the coach crowds. If you want one photo without strangers in it, the round tower is best in the first ten minutes after your arrival - before the other early buses. Stick the camera away and just walk after that.
Kilkenny’s 90 minutes is tight but workable. The Medieval Mile discovery trail runs from Kilkenny Castle to St Canice’s Cathedral, taking in Rothe House, the Medieval Mile Museum and Butler House. You won’t do it all in 90 minutes, so pick your end of the trail - the castle end gives you the castle parkland and the Butter Slip alleyways; the cathedral end gives you the round tower view and the Black Abbey. For food in the time available, Paris Texas on High Street or Foodworks on Parliament Street are both quick and genuinely good. Langton’s on John Street is bigger and handles the lunchtime rush without fuss.
What to skip at Kilkenny if you’re short on time. The Smithwick’s Experience is a tour that takes about an hour, which is your whole free time slot. Skip it today and come back if you want the full city experience. The castle interior is beautiful but the queue can eat 20 minutes. The castle parkland is free and gives you the same limestone and river views without the wait - the Nore river walk behind the castle is 2 km and takes under an hour.
Nearby on IrelandMe
Glendalough - a 6th-century monastic city in a glacial valley with two lakes: the round tower, Celtic crosses and seven churches on a site St Kevin built by hand, still working as a place of atmosphere at dawn and dusk
Kilkenny - Ireland’s smallest city and finest medieval street: a Norman castle at one end, a 13th-century cathedral with a climbable round tower at the other, and a kilometre and a half of fossil-flecked limestone lanes in between
