Glendalough Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Glendalough. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Kilkenny, Wicklow, and Glendalough Sheepdog Trials From Dublin

• Dublin to Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny Full-Day Guided Tour

• The Original Award-Winning Wild Wicklow Tour Including Glendalough

• Dublin: Glendalough, Wicklow, Kilkenny, and Sheepdog Demonstration

• Dublin to Powerscourt, Wicklow, and Glendalough Small-Group Tours

Visiting the valley of Glendalough, including its lakes and hiking trails, is free. However, there is a fee to enter the monastic site and visitor center: It costs €5 per adult, €4 per group or senior, €3 per child/student, or €13 per family. If you don’t want to rent a car or figure out public transportation, you can visit Glendalough on a guided tour. Full-day tours from Dublin that include round-trip transportation start around US$50 per person.

Yes, Glendalough is worth visiting, whether you appreciate nature, history, or both. The glacier-carved valley and surrounding Wicklow Mountains make for a beautiful backdrop you may recognize from films like Braveheart and P.S. I Love You. There's also an interpretive center where you can learn about the Glendalough monastic city, founded in the 6th century. At the time, it was one of Europe's most revered sites.

Per one customer who booked The Original Award-Winning Wild Wicklow Tour Including Glendalough, "This was an incredible adventure and Ashley was amazing! I was thrilled to see the amazing sites, and it pulled everything together to hear so much history and tidbits from such a great guy who is filled with so much information!"

Glendalough was a monastic complex founded by St. Kevin in the sixth century, which is located between two lakes in Wicklow County, Ireland. Today you can see ruins of the monastic city, including the Round Tower and the remains of a cathedral. This site was a place of pilgrimage and is still a popular attraction for those visiting the Irish countryside.

You can travel to Glendalough from Dublin by car—it’s around a 1.5-hour drive. Alternatively, full-day tours are available from Dublin that handle all transport, and typically visit other local attractions, too. There’s also a bus from Dublin that runs twice a day.

The opening hours for Glendalough differ slightly depending on when you visit Ireland. For example, the monastery ruins are always open, no matter the season, but the visitor center closes an hour earlier during winter.

No, there isn’t an entrance fee to visit Glendalough, but some car parks charge a flat rate fee for parking. The Glendalough website lists the local car parks and their costs, plus suggests where you can park for free locally.

Guided tours of Glendalough are available, many of which start from Dublin and also visit the Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny in one day. You can also book half-day and shore excursions.

Some popular hiking trails in Glendalough include the Green Road Walk, the Wicklow Way, and the Spinc Trail. The Green Road Walk is the shortest and considered the easiest route, so may be the best option for anyone seeking a gentler walk or those travelling with children.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Glendalough. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in and around Dublin:

• Cliffs of Moher

• Trinity College Dublin

• Guiness Storehouse

• Dublin Castle

• The Book of Kells

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in and around Dublin.