Kilkenny Wicklow Mountains & Glendalough 1 Day Tour

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• published: 30 Jun 2016
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Discover the magic of the medieval Kilkenny, the historic Dunmore Caves, the beauty of Glendalough & the stunning Wicklow Mountain on our day tour. Travel with us to the Medieval Capital of Ireland - THE MEDIEVAL CITY OF KILKENNY. Explore the famous 12th century Kilkenny Castle majestically located on the banks of the River Nore. Kilkenny is the craft capital of Ireland, visit the famous Kilkenny Art & Design Centre and appreciate the tradition of arts and crafts in Ireland. In the courtyard you can see these crafts people at work. Goldsmiths, Sculptors, Painters and many more, these crafts men and women are some of the most recognised artists in Ireland. Stroll around its narrow cobbled streets, why not visit Ireland’s oldest brewery Saint Frances Brewery founded in the 14th century. Rothe House a magnificent example of a wealthy silk merchants house built in 1594. The house contains multiple medieval exhibits with so many priceless Viking artefacts. The medieval gardens are kept to period growing examples of plants and vegetables of the era such as Gortahok cabbage and blood of the Boyne apples. Take lunch in any of the many bistro’s and artisan cafes. While in Kilkenny City you have the option of combining into your visit a trip to the historical Dunmore Caves. It is a place where myth & history blend. Dunmore is the site of the worst Viking massacre in Irish history (928AD). Explore the cave and its exhibits which are packed with many treasures and archaeological finds. The guides make it a magical experience particularly when on some occasions there is a live tin whistle rendition in the bowels of the cave. The visit to the caves is entirely your choice on the day, the price of which is included in the ticket. After lunch we travel through the county of Carlow into the Wild and Rugged Wicklow Mountains. The landscape will change from lush green rich pasture with gentle valleys to the dramatic, the breath taking ancient glacial valleys of the Wicklow Gap. Feast your eyes on the spectacular countryside and its scenic treasures, mountains, native plants and wildlife (A photographer’s dream). The Wicklow Gap and its scenery is the most varied on the island of Ireland. The journey through the mountains brings you through the countryside where famous movies such as Brave Heart, and PS I Love You were filmed. Enjoy a 15 minute stop for a stroll and photographic opportunities on top of the Wicklow Mountains overlooking the glens and valleys of County Wicklow. Continuing over the Mountains we arrive at the world famous heritage site of Glendalough (Glen of two lakes). This Monastic site dates from 600 AD. It was the centre of learning and from where Christianity was re-introduced to northern and central Europe after what is known as the dark ages. Have you heard of “Ireland, land of Saints and Scholars”? Well Glendalough is why. Saint Kevin founded his monastery in this valley and today much of the ancient architecture remain such as St Kevin’s Kitchen, Church and Round Tower. The tower was constructed as shelter for the Monks and their Latin Biblical manuscripts from the barbarous marauding Vikings. The glen of the two lakes in the Irish language is Glendalough. The lower lake takes under an hour to walk and the upper just over an hour. Departing Glendalough we journey through the highest village in Ireland known as Roundwood, see the Sugarloaf Mountains which prior to the ice age were higher than the Alps, the Powerscourt Estate and the Glen of Imaal just before reaching Kilnacanogue. Sit back and be entertained by our tour guide with some story-telling and traditional Irish music. We arrive back in Dublin city at approximately 6pm. Now it’s time to enjoy what Dublin city has to offer! For more information visit http://wildrovertours.com/