Viking Waterford and medieval Kilkenny, two of Ireland’s oldest cities in one private day.
Start Point
Your Hotel Or
Address In Cork
Duration
9 Hours
Difficulty
Easy
Waterford and Kilkenny are two of Ireland’s oldest cities, and between them they tell a big part of the country’s story, from the Vikings to the Normans. On this private day tour from Cork, we start on the quays of Viking Waterford and watch the famous crystal being made, then spend the afternoon in medieval Kilkenny, around its castle on the river. The driving between the two is taken care of, so all you have to do is enjoy them.
We begin on the quay at Reginald’s Tower. Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city, and this is the country’s oldest civic building, named for a Viking ruler, so it’s the perfect place to start.
Behind the tower is the Viking Triangle, the old heart of the city and easy to explore on foot. The Medieval Museum, Christ Church Cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace sit close together here, and the Bishop’s Palace holds the oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal, which makes a nice lead-in to the next stop.
At the House of Waterford Crystal, a guided factory tour takes you onto the floor where master craftspeople blow, cut and engrave the crystal by hand. Watching a piece take shape a few feet in front of you is genuinely impressive.
Then it’s under an hour north to Kilkenny. Kilkenny Castle sits beside the River Nore, the riverside stronghold of the Butler family for centuries, with restored state rooms inside and wide parkland to walk in afterwards.
From the castle, the Medieval Mile runs through the old city to St Canice’s Cathedral, past Rothe House, the Black Abbey and the narrow Butter Slip laneway, with pieces of the old city walls along the way. At the far end, St Canice’s round tower is one of the few in Ireland you can still climb, and the view from the top looks out over the rooftops of the medieval city.
We pick you up from your hotel or address in Cork and drop you back at the end of the day. Like all our day tours from Cork, it’s just your group, so you decide the balance, whether that means more time in the crystal workshop or an afternoon wandering Kilkenny’s compact laneways and independent shops. It can also be arranged from the cruise terminal at Cobh when your ship is in for a long day.
We’re a family business, led by a certified, badged tour guide, guiding visitors around Ireland since 2006 and rated 5.0 from reviews on TripAdvisor. You’ll travel in a Mercedes from our own fleet, sized to your group.
The House of Waterford Crystal, in the centre of Waterford city, runs guided tours that take you through the working factory rather than just a museum. You see each stage of the process up close: glass being blown into shape, pieces being marked and hand-cut on the cutting wheels, and fine engraving done by skilled craftspeople. The guides explain how a piece moves from molten glass to a finished trophy or vase, and there is usually a chance to see some of the remarkable commissioned pieces made for sporting events and special occasions. The tour ends in the retail showroom, which holds a very large collection of Waterford Crystal, so it is a good place to choose a gift or a keepsake. Tickets are paid separately on the day, and tour times are set by the House of Waterford Crystal, so if it is a priority for your group, mention it when you enquire and we will plan the day around it.
Several of the main attractions charge their own admission, which is paid on the day and is not included in the tour, in line with our inclusions. In Waterford, the Medieval Museum and the Bishop’s Palace are ticketed, and combined tickets are available and worth booking ahead in peak season. The House of Waterford Crystal factory tour is also ticketed. In Kilkenny, Kilkenny Castle charges admission for the state rooms, while the parkland around it is free to walk. Climbing St Canice’s round tower is ticketed separately from the cathedral. Much of the day, though, costs nothing: walking the Viking Triangle, exploring the Medieval Mile, the Butter Slip and the old city walls, and browsing Kilkenny’s lanes and shops. Tell us which sites matter most to you when you enquire, and your driver-guide will plan the timings so you are not rushing between ticketed visits, and has time to point out the free sights along the way.
Yes. St Canice’s round tower, beside the cathedral at the top of Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile, is one of the few medieval round towers in Ireland that visitors can still climb. The way up is steep, by a series of internal ladders, so it suits people who are comfortable with heights and a bit of a scramble. The reward at the top is a view right across Kilkenny, over the cathedral roof and the medieval streets to the castle beside the Nore. Access can depend on the weather and on the opening arrangements on the day, and there is a separate charge for the climb. If anyone in your group would rather keep their feet on the ground, the cathedral itself is well worth visiting, and the grounds around it are peaceful. Let us know when you enquire if the climb is on your list, and your driver-guide will plan the day so you reach St Canice’s with time to spare.
Yes, if your ship has a long day in port. Any of our day tours from Cork can be arranged as a private shore excursion from Cobh, with pickup at the port and the day planned around your ship. Waterford and Kilkenny are two separate cities, so the full tour is a longer day, and whether both fit comfortably depends on how long you have in port. When you enquire, send us your ship’s name, arrival time and all-aboard time, and we will tell you honestly what is realistic. If time is short, we can focus the day on Waterford, which is the nearer of the two, and give you a proper visit to the Viking Triangle and the House of Waterford Crystal rather than rushing both cities. Because the tour is private, the vehicle waits for you, and your driver-guide keeps track of the clock so you can relax and enjoy the day, knowing you will be back at the ship in good time.
A badged national guide and a family with more than sixty years of showing people around Ireland.
Book this day tour below, or tell us your dates and we will plan the day with you. We also build longer private tours of Ireland around the places you most want to see.
