Dublin Wild Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough Shore Excursion

About This Tour

If your ship is docking in Dublin and you want to make the most of your time ashore, this full-day excursion takes you straight into some of the finest scenery in Ireland. A licensed local guide meets you at the cruise terminal - Dublin Cruise Terminal or Dun Laoghaire - and you board an air-conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi for the journey (reception can be patchy around Glendalough, fair warning).

The route heads south along Dublin’s coast, past picturesque seaside towns, and up into the Wicklow Mountains before arriving at Glendalough. It’s one of the most beautiful valleys in the country, and the 6th-century monastic site there is genuinely worth the trip. You’ll get a guided tour of the ruins - the iconic round tower, the old churches and the graveyards - followed by free time to explore at your own pace, stroll along the Upper and Lower Lakes, or sit down at a local café. More adventurous types can hike up to the Upper Lake and return via a boardwalk through stunning nature.

Time allowing, the return journey passes through Dublin city, taking in some of the key sights along the way.

What’s Included

• Licensed English-speaking guide
• Transport by air-conditioned coach
• Pickup from Dublin cruise terminals (Dublin Cruise Terminal or Dun Laoghaire)
• Free Wi-Fi on board the coach

What’s Not Included

• Snacks
• Gratuities

Itinerary

1. Killiney Hill - A scenic hill in the seaside town of Killiney, south of Dublin, with panoramic views across Dublin Bay, the Irish Sea and the Wicklow Mountains. A historic obelisk stands at the summit, and the walking paths through Killiney Hill Park make for a lovely stretch of the legs. (40 min)
2. Avoca Kilmacanoge - A charming stop in County Wicklow, home to the famous Avoca Handweavers store. You’ll have 25 minutes to browse quality textiles, crafts and local goods, and to enjoy the peaceful countryside views. (25 min)
3. Wicklow Mountains National Park - Spanning over 20,000 hectares, the park takes in heathlands, peat bogs, lakes and woodland. This is where you really feel the scale of Wicklow’s wild landscape - the drive through it alone is worth the trip. Home to Glendalough and Lough Tay, often called the “Guinness Lake” for its distinctive appearance. (120 min)
4. Glendalough - One of Ireland’s most visited historical and natural sites. Your guide leads you through the ancient Glendalough Monastic Site, founded in the 6th century, with its round tower, churches and graveyards. After the guided section, you have free time to walk the shores of the Upper and Lower Lakes, explore independently or relax at a local café. Hikers can take the trail to the Upper Lake and return via the boardwalk. (120 min)
5. Sugarloaf Mountain - The distinctive conical peak in County Wicklow, standing at 500 metres (1,640 feet), with views across Dublin Bay, the Wicklow Mountains and the Irish Sea. (pass by)

Meeting point: Your guide will meet you at the disembarkation point of the cruise ship or tender, holding a sign reading “Your Shore Time”.

Good to Know

• Groups are capped at 50 travellers
• Travellers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; infants must sit on an adult’s lap
• Wi-Fi is free on the coach but reception can be patchy around Glendalough
• Tour available in English

Local Tips

Make the most of your Glendalough free time by walking between the lakes. The flat Green Road from the visitor centre runs alongside the Lower Lake, past the round tower and the main ruins, and out to the foot of the Upper Lake in about 25 minutes. The two lakes are a completely different experience - the Lower Lake takes the coach traffic, the Upper Lake takes the walk. With two hours at the site, you can do the ruins, walk to the Upper Lake, and still have time for a coffee in Laragh, the village 1.5km east.

The round tower doorway is three and a half metres off the ground. When the Vikings came up the valley looking for monastery silver, the monks pulled the ladder up. The tower is 30 metres of mica-slate and granite, with a conical roof rebuilt from original stones in 1876 after a lightning strike. Your guide will cover the history, but this is the detail worth remembering.

Killiney Hill is a genuinely good first stop on the southbound drive. The obelisk at the summit dates to 1742 and was built by a local landowner, John Mapas, as famine-relief employment for local families - the inscription at the base says as much. On a clear day from the top you can see the mountains of Wales to the east and the Wicklow Mountains to the south - the same mountains you’re heading into. The hill park is free and open, with paths that are walkable in any footwear.

The Avoca Kilmacanogue stop is the Avoca Handweavers shop on the N11 in Kilmacanogue - well worth the browse. The shop is the retail end of Avoca village, where Ireland’s oldest working woollen mill has been on the same site since 1723. The throws and tweeds sold here are made from those looms. If you want to see the original mill running and the Vale of Avoca, the village is 20 minutes south of Glendalough on the R752 - an easy add-on to a return trip another day.

Nearby on IrelandMe

• Glendalough - a 6th-century monastic city at the bottom of two glacial lakes; the round tower, seven churches, and a graveyard still in use; the actual village (Laragh) is 1.5km east with pubs and food
• Killiney - a coastal hill south of Dublin with a 1742 famine-relief obelisk, panoramic views of Killiney Bay and the Wicklow Mountains, and the Vico Road running along the clifftop to Dalkey
• Avoca - the Vale of Avoca village where the Kilmacanogue shop’s throws are actually woven; the original mill has been running since 1723, with the looms still going and a café on site