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Taste of Wicklow: Irish Food, History & Nature Private Day Tour
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From €335 per person
Wicklow is called the Garden of Ireland for good reason - it’s a county of mountain lakes, wild film locations, ancient monastic ruins and coastal villages. This private day tour explores all of it through the lens of food, weaving local producers, country pubs and village cafés into a full day out from Dublin or the Wicklow area.
You travel with a private driver-guide at a relaxed pace, and the itinerary is customisable based on your interests and what’s available in season. The food stops are part of the experience rather than an afterthought - you pay for what you eat along the way, which means you choose rather than being handed a fixed menu.
The tour is available in English and French.
Stop 1 - Lough Tay (approx. 1 hour) You start at Lough Tay, also known as the Guinness Lake - its dark peaty waters and white sand beach genuinely do look like a pint. Your guide will fill you in on the Guinness family estate, the well-known guests who’ve stayed here, and the filming that’s taken place in this valley, including scenes from Vikings and Irish Wish. There’s a short walk and panoramic views of the lake surrounded by heather-covered mountains.
Stop 2 - Wicklow Mountains / Braveheart and PS I Love You locations (approx. 1 hour) Continue through Wicklow Mountains National Park along routes featured in Braveheart, with a stop at the bridge where one of PS I Love You’s most recognisable scenes was shot. The landscape here is wild and dramatic - worth taking your time with.
Stop 3 - Roundwood village breakfast (approx. 1 hour) Roundwood is Ireland’s highest village, known for its honest, locally sourced food. You’ll stop here for breakfast - Irish scones, pastry or sourdough with cheese, paired with tea or coffee of your choice. Locals eat here too, which tells you something.
Stop 4 - Glendalough (approx. 2 hours) One of Ireland’s most significant early medieval sites - the monastic settlement at Glendalough, in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. Your guide covers the history as you explore the Round Tower, ancient churches and stone ruins at your own pace, with plenty of time for photos. If time and conditions allow, you can also take a short walk towards the Upper and Lower Lakes.
Stop 5 - Lunch at a Wicklow country pub (approx. 1 hour) A relaxed lunch in one of Wicklow’s character-filled country pubs. The menu typically covers traditional Irish options - Irish stew, seafood chowder, fish and chips, roast of the day and seasonal plates. Your guide will talk through the local history behind the dishes while you eat.
Stop 6 - Local tasting experience (approx. 1 hour) Choose from one of two options depending on your preference and seasonal availability:
Stop 7 - Greystones seafront (approx. 1 hour) The day wraps up in Greystones, a coastal village known for its sea cliffs and easy atmosphere. A stroll along the cliffs, a browse of local spots, and one last treat to finish - a dessert, scoop of Irish ice cream, or a classic Irish coffee.
Meeting point: For small group tours, meet at the Dublin Bikes stand beside St Stephen’s Green.
Roundwood is worth more than a breakfast stop. Ireland’s highest village at 238 metres sits on the R755 between Glendalough and the Dublin mountains, and it has two genuinely good places to eat: the Roundwood Inn, a 17th-century coaching inn known for Wicklow lamb and game in season, and The Coach House across the street, which has been in the Michelin Guide since 2024. Both need a booking at weekends. Your breakfast here gives you a taste of a village that most Glendalough visitors drive past.
Glendalough’s timing changes everything. The round tower car park fills by half ten on summer mornings. Since this is a private tour with a flexible start, your guide can time the Glendalough stop to catch the valley with fewer people. The walk between the Lower and Upper Lakes along the Green Road passes nine of the main monastic ruins and takes about an hour at a comfortable pace. If you have time and energy, the path to Poulanass Waterfall through the oak wood is a short detour off the Upper Lake car park.
At Greystones, the cliff walk north toward Bray Head is one of the best coastal walks on the east coast - seven kilometres following the old railway alignment around the headland. You won’t have time for the full route on a day tour, but even a short walk out along the North Beach and harbour gives you the sense of the place. The Beach House pub at the water’s edge has been there since 1850 and is the right spot to end the day.
The food stops are pay-as-you-go for a reason. Since you’re choosing and paying for your own food at each stop, ask your guide what’s genuinely good that day rather than ordering the first thing on the menu. In season, the produce in this part of Wicklow - lamb from the hills, seafood from the coast, game in autumn - is the reason the county has the food reputation it does. Spend the afternoon at Glendalough properly before the day ends.