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Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny

4.5
#1 of 67 in Things to do in Kilkenny
Castle Historic Site Must See
Preserving more than eight centuries of history within its walls, Kilkenny Castle rises over the Nore River and marks an intersection of several major medieval routes. Although the castle underwent a series of modifications over the ages, it contains three of its original four stone towers, built in 1192 by a Norman invader known to history as "Strongbow." Once a symbol of Norman occupation and a key part of the region's defenses, the castle now attracts thousands of visitors with its extensive gardens and basement art gallery. Also in the basement, the castle kitchen houses a popular tearoom, complete with a Victorian cooking range and rows of pots and plates. Arrange to visit Kilkenny Castle and other attractions in Kilkenny using our Kilkenny travel itinerary planner.
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Kilkenny Castle Tours
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Kilkenny Castle Reviews
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4,536 reviews
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4.5
TripAdvisor
  • August 17, 2017
    What a beautiful place! Room after room of history. Nicely surprised that there was no admission fee because it was the last Wed. of the month. I could've spend a couple of days just roaming and enjoy...  more »
  • August 17, 2017
    We enjoyed spending an hour at the castle during a windy and rainy day. The amount of work done during the restoration is quite amazing. We found the before during and after photos on display on the u...  more »
  • August 17, 2017
    You can visit the Castle, adjacent spaces and gardens enjoy the quality and diversity of this site. Well worth the effort of the journey
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  • July 2, 2017
    Visited because we had gotten one of the Heritage passes that lets us in for free. Nice little video before you enter the castle/residence and beautiful gardens. The guides inside the castle were great, telling us stories about the small boards on stands near the fireplace keeping the heart off of ladies faces so the for wouldn't melt their make-up and that's where the phrase "not losing face" comes from along with a bunch of other neat facts. The photos and description of the restoration work they did was also very interesting. Totally worth a visit!
  • May 19, 2017
    Visited with a large group of tourists. Guide was magnificent. She had a ridiculous amount of knowledge about the Family , the locality and Castle. The Castle itself while small in comparison to other castles is very well furnished and restored. Highly recommend visiting the Tea rooms at the end of the tour to recharge the batteries.
  • July 2, 2017
    Wonderful well maintained castle. Tour guides and audio guides available. Beautiful gardens in front and behind the castle.
  • May 1, 2017
    We did not tour the castle but instead had lunch at the Kilkenny Castle Tea Room, in the original Castle kitchen. Great sandwiches and baked potatoes but oh my the cakes. So many delicious cakes to choose from. Well worth a visit.
  • June 27, 2017
    This was a great experience- the tour was well put together and the Castle itself well maintained! The rooms were interesting and it was like a march through time from beginning to end!
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Best things to do in Kilkenny

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Where to stay in Kilkenny

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For a historical Irish experience, stay in Kilkenny County's namesake city, a medieval destination with no shortage of lodging options. If you are interested in exploring the central sights of this city, stay at one of the many hotels, hostels, or bed and breakfasts near its center. For something more affordable, head to the outskirts and look into guesthouse options. You can also choose a nearby spa if you want to splurge on a relaxing getaway.
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15 days in Vienna & Ireland BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES July, teens, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, historic sites, museums, shopping, wildlife, popular & hidden gems PREFERENCES: July, teens, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, historic sites, museums, shopping, wildlife ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular & hidden gems PACE: Medium 16 days in Ireland SEE PLAN April, culture, outdoors, historic sites, museums, popular PREFERENCES: April, culture, outdoors, historic sites, museums ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 15 days in Ireland SEE PLAN October, popular PREFERENCES: October ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 22 days in Ireland SEE PLAN October, popular PREFERENCES: October ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 15 days in Ireland SEE PLAN October, popular PREFERENCES: October ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 9 days in Ireland BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES October, popular PREFERENCES: October ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 22 days in Ireland BY A USER FROM NEW ZEALAND June, culture, popular PREFERENCES: June, culture ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 10 days in Ireland BY A USER FROM CANADA July, teens, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, historic sites, popular PREFERENCES: July, teens, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, historic sites ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 8 days in Ireland BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES May, popular PREFERENCES: May ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 3 days in Kilkenny BY A USER FROM IRELAND December, popular PREFERENCES: December ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 10 days in Ireland BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES October, culture, outdoors, historic sites, museums, popular PREFERENCES: October, culture, outdoors, historic sites, museums ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium 9 days in Ireland BY A USER FROM UNITED KINGDOM December, popular PREFERENCES: December ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular PACE: Medium
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