GlendaloughGlendalough fills a glacial valley, with a round tower, a gateway and two lakes above it.
Cill Mhantáin
Wicklow
Mountain, lake and monastery within an hour of Dublin.
- Leinster
- 20 places
- 6 events in the next 30 days
- 31 more listings
The list
Top 10 things to do in Wicklow
Wicklow could carry thirty of these and we cut it to twenty. Glendalough and Powerscourt are the anchors, and everything else in the mountains is free: the Sally Gap, Lough Tay from the road above it, and the climb up Bray Head. All of it is inside an hour of Dublin.
GlendaloughGlendalough fills a glacial valley, with a round tower, a gateway and two lakes above it.
Powerscourt House and GardensTerraced gardens stepping down from a Palladian house towards the Sugar Loaf, with a walled garden and a pet cemetery.
Powerscourt WaterfallIreland's highest waterfall drops 121 metres, in parkland a few kilometres from the main estate.
Wicklow Mountains National ParkNational park · LaraghOver 20,000 hectares of blanket bog, heath and upland woodland across the middle of the county.
Lough TayLake · RoundwoodThe lake is dark with a white sand beach at one end of it, seen from a pull in on the Sally Gap road.
Great Sugar LoafMountain · KilmacanogueThe quartzite cone stands over the N11. You can be up and down inside an hour from the car park.
Bray HeadWalk · BrayThe hill at the south end of the promenade, with a cross on top and a path up from the town. The cliff walk round to Greystones has been closed since 2021 after landslides and stays closed for years yet.
Mount Usher GardensGarden · AshfordTwenty acres along the Vartry river, planted informally in the wild garden style.
Sally GapViewpoint · RoundwoodA crossroads at five hundred metres on the old Military Road, with open bog in every direction from it.
Russborough HouseHouse and gardens · BlessingtonA long Palladian house above the Blessington lakes, holding the Beit art collection.
Show 10 more
Killruddery House and GardensHouse and gardens · BrayThe house sits under Bray Head with seventeenth century gardens, twin canals and a hedged bowling green.
Avondale House and Forest ParkHouse and gardens · RathdrumCharles Stewart Parnell's home, in five hundred acres of forest with a treetop walk and a slide in the grounds.
Wicklow GaolMuseum · Wicklow townThe eighteenth century county gaol on the hill above the town is open as a museum.
Brittas BayBeach · Co. WicklowFive kilometres of sand behind a dune system, and the main beach on the Wicklow coast.
GlenmalureWalk · RathdrumGlenmalure runs long and straight under Lugnaquilla, with a waterfall at the head of it.
Blessington LakesLake · BlessingtonThe reservoir west of the mountains has a shore walk and sailing on it, and a village underneath the water.
Meeting of the WatersRiver · AvocaWhere the Avonmore and the Avonbeg run into each other, which a Thomas Moore song made famous.- GreystonesTown · Co. WicklowThe seaside town has a harbour and two beaches. The cliff walk from Bray has been closed since 2021 after landslides.
Wicklow Head LighthouseLighthouse · Wicklow townThe octagonal tower of 1781 stands on the headland south of Wicklow town, with a cliff walk out to it.
Baltinglass AbbeyAbbey · BaltinglassThe Cistercian abbey ruin sits beside the church in Baltinglass, with the original nave arcade still up.
Where they are
Tap a pin to open the place.
14 of the 20 places are on the map. The rest are listed above.
in Wicklow today
What’s on in Wicklow
Coming up, soonest first.
Today, Saturday 7th November
Friday 13th November
Saturday 28th November
Friday 4th December
Friday 11th December
Tuesday 15th December
More to see in Wicklow
31 more places from Fáilte Ireland’s own listings, linked to their own sites where they have one.
Castles and houses3
- Dwyer McAllister CottageDonard
- Altidore CastleCo. Wicklow
- Black Castle WicklowCo. Wicklow
Beaches2
- Arklow South BeachArklow
- Bray South Promenade BeachBray
Ancient sites1
- Rathgall Stone FortCo. Wicklow
Gardens and parks9
- Sculpture In WoodlandAshford
- Wren’s Wood GardenAshford
- Beyond the Trees AvondaleRathdrum
- Parnell National Memorial ParkRathdrum
- Festina Lente GardensCo. Wicklow
- Hunting Brook GardenCo. Wicklow
- National Botanic Gardens - KilmacurraghCo. Wicklow
- Tearmann Community GardenCo. Wicklow
- The Dower House GardensCo. Wicklow
Museums10
- Arklow Maritime MuseumArklow
- Mermaid Arts CentreBray
- Agricultural Heritage Display CentreEnniskerry
- Powerscourt DistilleryEnniskerry
- Glendalough Visitor CentreGlendalough
- O Brother Brewing - Taproom, Tours & Craft Beer ExperiencesGreystones
- Wicklow Wolf Brewery & TaproomNewtown Mount Kennedy
- Wicklow BreweryRedcross
- Avoca Studio GalleryCo. Wicklow
- Kilmantin ArtsCo. Wicklow
Music in Wicklow
Trad sessions, venues and festivals.
Festivals
- West Wicklow Festival 202613th to 15th November · Co. Wicklow
- Bluegrass BBQ Donard 20274th to 6th June 2027 · Co. Wicklow
Where to hear it
Sessions come and go: check with the pub before you travel.
- Horan's Bar & RestaurantPub with trad sessions · Baltinglass
- Jake's Bar at Lynhams HotelPub with trad sessions · Laragh
- Mickey Finn's PubPub with trad sessions · Redcross
- Courthouse Arts CentreTheatre and arts centre · Tinahely
- Mermaid Arts CentreTheatre and arts centre · Bray
Where to stay in Wicklow
22 places on Fáilte Ireland’s register of approved accommodation: the four and five star hotels and guest houses, plus hostels and campsites.
- Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa5-star hotel · Enniskerry
- Arklow Bay Hotel4-star hotel · Arklow
- Powerscourt Springs4-star hotel · Enniskerry
- Summerhill House Hotel4-star hotel · Enniskerry
- BrookLodge & Macreddin Village4-star hotel · Macreddin Village
- Tinakilly Country House and Restaurant4-star hotel · Rathnew
- Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort4-star hotel · Tulfarris
- Glenview Hotel4-star hotel · Wicklow
- Rathsallagh House4-star guest house · Dunlavin
- Ballyknocken House4-star guest house · Glenealy
- Mount Usher View4-star B&B · Ashford
- Kyle Farmhouse4-star B&B · Ballinglen
- Bramble Rock4-star B&B · Glendalough
- Ballinclea House4-star B&B · Kilbride
- Loughdan House4-star B&B · Lough Dan
- Birchdale House Bed & Breakfast4-star B&B · Rathdrum
- Lettermore4-star B&B · Rathdrum
- Knockree Youth HostelHostel · Enniskerry
- Glendalough International Youth HostelHostel · Glendalough
- Roundwood Caravan and Camping Park4-star camping park · Roundwood
- Hidden Valley Holiday Park4-star camping park · Rathdrum
- River Valley Caravan Park4-star camping park · Redcross
Where to eat and drink in Wicklow
32 restaurants, pubs and cafés listed with Fáilte Ireland. A list of who registered, not a ranking, linked to their own sites where they have one.
- Fitzpatrick's Bar & LoungePub · WicklowFacebook page
- Phelan Licensed GrocerPub
- The Bridge TavernPub · Wicklow
- The Coffee ShopCafé · Wicklow
- Christy's Lounge and BarPub · ArklowFacebook page
- The Old ShipPub · Arklow
- Victorian Tea TimesRestaurant · Arklow
- Aughrim Country FairRestaurant · AughrimFacebook page
- The Strawberry Tree Restaurant at BrooklodgeRestaurant · Aughrim
- Germaine's of BaltinglassPub · BaltinglassFacebook page
- Horan's Bar & RestaurantRestaurant · Baltinglass
- Grangecon Café and FoodstoreCafé · Blessington
- The Artisans of RussboroughCafé · Blessington
- West Wicklow HousePub · Blessington
- Conservatory Bar at The Glenview HotelPub · Delgany
- The Horse and Hound DelganyRestaurant · Delgany
- The Wicklow ArmsRestaurant · Delgany
- Woodlands Restaurant at the Glenview HotelRestaurant · Delgany
- Alecrim KitchenRestaurant · Donard Demesne East
- The Dining Room at Rathsallagh Country HouseRestaurant · Dunlavin
- Moore's of GrangeconRestaurant · Grangecon
- The Happy PearCafé · Greystones
- The Hungry MonkRestaurant · Greystones
- Jake's Bar at Lynhams HotelPub · Laragh
- The Wicklow Heather RestaurantRestaurant · Laragh
- The Castle InnRestaurant · NewcastleFacebook page
- Hugo's Restaurant at Druids Glen HotelRestaurant · Newtown Mount Kennedy
- Jacobs WellRestaurant · Rathdrum
- Mickey Finn's PubPub · Redcross
- Trails Café at BallinastoeCafé · Roundwood
- O'Connor's Bar & Lounge, TinahelyRestaurant · Tinahely
- Brunel Restaurant at Tinakilly Country HouseRestaurant · Rathnew
Getting to Wicklow
- By air
- Dublin Airport
- By rail
- Stations at Bray, Greystones, Wicklow, Rathdrum and Arklow, on the Dublin to Rosslare line; the DART runs as far as Greystones.
- By road
- The M11, N81 and M50.
Questions
What are the best things to do in Wicklow?
Our top three are Glendalough, Powerscourt House and Gardens and Powerscourt Waterfall. The full list of twenty is at the top of this page, and every place on it has a page of its own.
What can you do in Wicklow for free?
Walks, beaches and open ground cost nothing to visit. On our list that includes Great Sugar Loaf, Bray Head, Brittas Bay and Glenmalure. Check parking and access with the place before you go.
What is on in Wicklow?
There are 9 events listed in Wicklow over the months ahead. See them all.
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