6 Historical Places in Wicklow to Visit

Co. Wicklow’s attractive landscapes of rolling hills, coastal plains and mountain peaks form the backdrop of some of Ireland’s best historical sites. Often located just an hour south of Dublin, Wicklow’s heritage sites are easily accessible and make for perfect day trips from the Irish capital. 

Wicklow’s picturesque, almost magical scenery is home to ancient churches, sprawling mansions and historical arboretum; clues of Wicklow’s rich and ancient history. From the Middle Ages all the way to the 18th century, monks and aristocrats alike were seduced by Wicklow’s beauty. This is their legacy, forming today the best historical places in Wicklow to visit. 

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This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link, I earn a little money at no extra cost to you.

Best Resources to Planning a Trip to County Wicklow

  • Getting Around | Some of the sites are accessible by public transport. Check out Transport for Ireland for the bus timetable and Irish Rail for the DART. However, the best way to visit county Wicklow is to rent a car. You can easily do so at Dublin airport.
  • Where to Stay | Check out Booking.com for the best deals.
  • Travel Insurance | Don’t forget to buy travel insurance before visiting Ireland. Heymondo has a nifty app to help you get the assistance you need while on the go.

Glendalough Monastic Settlement

At the heart of the Wicklow Mountains lies Glendalough, a picturesque monastic settlement dating from the early Middle Ages. The legend has it that St Kevin founded this holy place. From a noble and wealthy family, Kevin left it all behind him to live as a hermit in the remote and peaceful valley of Glendalough. Here he founded a monastery in the 6th century AD. The site grew as his holiness and miracles attracted numerous followers.

The remains of no fewer than five churches can be found today at the location of what used to be an influential centre of power. One was even a cathedral, and Glendalough had its own diocese before being united to Dublin in the 12th century.

Glendalough Monastic Settlement, Co, Wicklow

The settlement is dominated by an exceptionally well-preserved, typically Irish round tower reaching for the sky. Round towers first appeared at the time of Viking invasions, built as watchtowers and places of safety by monks. You’ll notice that the only door was placed unusually high above the ground. Once inside the tower with all their treasures, the monks would pull the ladder and pray for the best.

As you wander among the monastic ruins of grey stones, you have to imagine the monks’ individual huts that formed the monastic city surrounding the churches at its centre. Unlike later European confraternities, early Celtic Irish monasteries consisted of individual dwellings. They are now long gone, but the mystical aura of Glendalough remains.

Glendalough Round Tower and Cemetery

The visit wouldn’t be complete without a tour of the cemetery that lays at the bottom of the tower. Its origin goes back to the foundation of the monastery by St Kevin. While inscriptions on 11th century tombstones have been washed away by time, beautiful examples of 19th century Celtic revival crosses can be admired against the valley’s lush backdrop.

The site of the former monastic city couldn’t indeed be more scenic. It was built at the bottom of a remote and green valley containing two serene lakes. A fitting place for a life of religious contemplation. Boardwalks now lead visitors along the tranquil shore, while more arduous hiking trails lure walkers to the top of the valley with the promise of panoramic views. No wonder that Glendalough has become one of Wicklow’s most popular historical sites to see.

Glendalough Boardwalk, Wicklow, Ireland

Glendalough Monastic Settlement // Glendalough, Co. Wicklow // Free

Facilities: Visitor Centre where maps of the hiking trails can be purchased from the information desk. Car park (€4) and public toilets are also available.


How to get there: The best way to Glendalough is to drive and park at the Visitor Centre. Journey from Dublin is approximately 1 hour. From Dublin city centre, St Kevins Bus Service offers a daily service to Glendalough Visitor Centre. With only one bus per day, make sure to get on the evening bus back to Dublin.

Where to stay: Although limited, there are options to stay overnight in Glendalough. Check prices & availability in Glendalough. 

You can also book a day trip from Dublin to visit Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains hassle-free. Check out these top-rated recommendations and make sure to book ahead as they are likely to sell out:

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Powerscourt Estate and Gardens

No doubt one of the best historical places to visit in Wicklow, Powerscourt’s sprawling gardens are the most spectacular you will find in county Wicklow. Dominated by an 18th century mansion built for Richard Wingfield, the first Viscount Powerscourt, the impressive gardens are certainly in keeping with the great sixty-eight room house.

The classic Palladian north front will not betray the gardens’ exuberance at first however. It is only once you have passed through the house and emerged on its south side that the show can finally start. 

Powerscourt Estate, Co. Wicklow

Visitors are immediately taken by the panoramic view opening up in front of them, the Sugar Loaf Mountain dominating the landscape in the distance. From the back of the house, grand Italianate terraces lead the way down to the romantic Triton Lake where, among gentle reeds and water lilies, a fountain sprays water high above the pond.

Powerscourt Gardens, Co. Wicklow

Near the Triton Lake lies a 100-year-old Japanese garden created in 1908 by the 8th Viscount and Viscountess Powerscourt. A winding path leads visitors through exotic plants and shrubs, Japanese bridges built above a trickling stream. A Pagoda brings the final touch to this amazing world of tranquillity.

Walking around this refined and manicured decor, it is hard to believe that Medieval Wicklow was the scene of continuous fights between Irish clans and the English invaders. In the late 14th century, the O’Toole clan captured the royal castle at Powerscourt and spiked 60 English heads on the gates. The O’Tooles were finally dispossessed of their lands in the early 17th century. They were given to the Wingfield family, loyal servants of the Crown.

The Walled Garden is another highlight of this now glorious estate that can’t be missed. Hidden behind remarkable wrought iron gates, a well-kept garden showcases pastel and colour rich flowers and shrubs. Here you will find “Julia’s Memorial”, a Roman inspired memorial built in honour of the 7th Viscountess by her son and surrounded by vivid flower beds.

Powerscourt Walled Garden

Finally, do not miss the great view over the gardens and the house from the Pepperpot Tower. Based on the design of an actual pepperpot owned by the 8th Viscount, the tower stands among a large variety of trees and is surrounded by cannons dating back to the time of the Spanish Armada.

Powescourt Estate & Gardens // Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow // Book your ticket here.

Facilities: Free car park, a café and toilets are available on site. 


How to get there: Powerscourt Estate is located 1-hour drive from Dublin. It is also a great place to visit near Dublin without a car;
it is accessible by public transport with bus 44 from Dublin city centre to Enniskerry village (roughly 1 hour). Powerscourt is a short walk from Enniskerry.

Where to stay: At the centre of charming Enniskerry stands the Powerscourt Arms and Country House, a country hotel with its own restaurant. For a more luxurious experience, book at the Powerscourt Hotel & Spa, right next door from Powerscourt Estate. Check prices and availability in Enniskerry.

Killruddery House and Gardens

Located on the outskirts of Bray, one of the most charming coastal towns near Dublin, Killruddery House is Wicklow’s hidden gem. The elegant 17th century house, rebuilt in Tudor Revival style during the 1820s, is an architectural jewel standing at the heart of magnificent gardens.

Killruddery House, Co. Wicklow

Descendant of a Belgian mercenary who helped William the Conqueror invade England in the 11th century, Lord Brabazon was a powerful ally of the King of England. Sent to Ireland as Tax Collector, he was given the land of Killruddery by Henry VIII as the king disbanded the monastery which owned it.

Killruddery House, Co. Wicklow

A large house was built on the land in the 17th century by the Lord Brabazon of the time, also known as the Earl of Meath. Remarkably, the house is still today the property of the same family. Lord John Brabazon, 15th Earl of Meath, lives within these historic walls with his wife and children.

Orangery, Killruddery House, Co. Wicklow

The family house is open to visitors for a guided tour of the ground floor. Telling the unique Brabazon family’s story, the guide ushers the curious through the deep-green paper cladded old library and the drawing room with its exquisite gilded mirror from a Welsh castle. The tour stops in the dining room, watched over by a gallery of family portraits under an elegant plastered ceiling. The tour ends under the ostentatious glass dome of the Orangery, built in 1852 after the fashion of the Crystal Palace in London.

Outside, more is to be discovered. While the Victorian walled gardens operate as an organic farm with pigs, ducks and chicken that will charm any children, the house is surrounded by historic gardens straight out of the best fairy tales. 

Killruddery has kept its formal 17th century gardens designed by a disciple of renowned Versailles landscape designer André Le Nôtre. Twin Long Ponds reflecting the sky, tall edges in “Goose’s Foot” pattern leading to solitary statues, and a richly coloured, symmetrical Parterre are just some of the features that are waiting to be explored in this historical gem.

Killruddery House & Gardens // Southern Cross, Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Facilities: Free car park, a café and toilets are available on site.


How to get there: Killruddery House is 45 minutes by car from Dublin. It is also accessible by public transport, although the journey to the estate is not straightforward: make your way to Bray on the DART then get the bus 184 or 84 from Bray station to Lord Meath’s Gate. 


Where to stay: If you are planning to stay in the area, know that there aren’t many hotels close-by. The Royal Hotel in Bray, a three-star hotel with a swimming pool just 5 minutes from the seafront could be your best options. Check prices & availability in Bray.

Kilmacurragh Arboretum

Rare trees from the four corners of the world are to be found behind the gates of Kilmacurragh, south of Wicklow Town. The 17th century arboretum is home to wonderful and peculiar trees of all shapes and sizes, gathered in one place by generations of the Acton family, plant hunters and botanical pioneers. Some specimens are even classified today as endangered.

Kilmacurragh Arboretum, Co. Wicklow

The property was originally given to Thomas Acton, who came to Ireland as part of Oliver Cromwell’s army. Magnificent gardens complimenting a sumptuous house were then built on the ground of the ancient Saint Mochorog’s abbey, whose monastery had been dissolved by Henry VIII.

The arboretum flourished in the 19th century thanks to the work of siblings Thomas and Janet Acton, who travelled the world to study and collect plants. The acidic soil and mild climate in Kilmacurragh created the perfect environment for their tree collection to thrive. Sadly, the property suffered the death of the Actons’s heirs during WWI and was abandoned in the 1920’s. Kilmacurragh House lies now in ruins, fenced off to keep visitors away. 

Fortunately, the Acton’s legacy is today in good hands. The property is now under the care of Glasnevin Botanic Gardens and its treasures are rediscovered. Visitors can wander the arboretum’s winding paths under the shade of formidable trees unseen under our hemisphere. Or they can walk under the broad and mystical canopy of native yew trees placed alongside the former road taken by pilgrims en route to Glendalough.

A tranquil pond surrounded by beds of vivid flowers, exuberant Robinsonian-style wild gardens of exotic plants and even a rare giant sequoia are waiting to be discovered in this secret Wicklow garden. Kilmacurragh also has the largest collection of Himalayan rhododendrons in Europe. In April, they carpet the ground with a thin layer of pink petals worthy of the best fairy tales, turning this lesser known arboretum in one of the best historical places to visit in Wicklow.

Kilmacurragh Arboretum // Kilmacurragh, Co. Wicklow // Free

Facilities: Free car park, a café and toilets are available on site.


How to get there: Kilmacurragh Arboretum is located 1-hour drive from Dublin and cannot be accessed by public transport.


Where to stay: You will find a few hotels in nearby Wicklow Town. Check prices & availability in Wicklow.

Mount Usher Gardens

North of Wicklow Town lie Mount Usher Gardens, one of the best examples of Robinson-style gardens in Ireland. Created on the site of a former mill in the 1860s, Mount Usher owes its existence to Edward Walpole, a Dublin businessman, and his family after him.

Mount Usher Gardens, Co. Wicklow

For 115 years, principles of Ireland’s most famous gardener, William Robinson, influenced the layout of this magnificent garden. You’ll find no symmetrically organised and geometrically shaped flower beds in Mount Usher. Instead, trees, shrubs and flowers grow harmoniously, complementing each other and the landscape. Nature is not to be conquered in Mount Usher, but merely imitated.

The garden is now the property of Mrs Madelaine Jay who chose to have it maintained organically, and leased to Avoca Handweavers. With around 5,000 species of plants and trees, the garden’s eight hectares are a playground for botanic enthusiasts. If, like me, you can’t tell a birch from a cedar, do not worry. A map of Mount Usher will guide you through the narrow garden paths, indicating the name of each tree as you stroll along under their canopy.

As the garden follows the River Vartry, visitors are inevitably drawn to the path running alongside the water. Crossing from one bank of the river to the other is made possible by suspension bridges. Do not panic though, these are sturdy enough and will not swing as you walk across the river. Au contraire, they make for a great spot for an interrupted view over the river and the lush vegetation striving in this formidable historic garden. If you are planning to stay several days on the east coast, Mount Usher Gardens is a destination I’d recommend adding to a road trip through the east of Ireland.

Mount Usher Gardens // Ashford, Co. Wicklow.

Facilities: Free car park, a café, craft shops and toilets are available on site.


How to get there: Mount Usher Gardens is located 1-hour drive from Dublin and cannot be accessed by public transport.


Where to stay: You will find a few hotels and b&bs around Ashford, near Wicklow Town. Check prices & availability in Ashford.

Russborough House

Found near the historical town of Blessington, Russborough House is one of Ireland’s finest examples of 18th century Palladian manor houses inspired by classical Roman architecture. The house’s cubic shape and perfectly symmetrical dimensions with colonnades extending like a bird’s wings on each side of the main building are a real treat for the eye. 

Russborough House, Co. Wicklow

The house, set against the magnificent backdrop of the Wicklow Mountains, was built by Joseph Leeson. In 1741, at the death of his father, a wealthy Dublin brewer and property speculator, Joseph remained the sole heir of a massive fortune. He hired renowned architect Richard Cassels to design his new country house. Meanwhile, he travelled to Italy to acquire an impressive collection of artworks to furnish it.

Dining Room, Russborough House, Co. Wicklow

Made 1st Earl of Milltown in 1763, Leeson then had a house to reflect his new social standing. The lavish Baroque and Rococo interiors contrast with the neat, classical facade. Throughout the house, intricate decorative plasterwork, sleek marble chimneys, exquisite pieces of period furniture and fine paintings are on show under ceilings of impressive heights.

Bedroom, Russborough House

As visitors walk through the seven rooms that constitute the house’s main floor, they uncover the life of the rich and famous of Irish society. From the Dining Room to the Saloon, Russborough House radiates the wealth and confidence of members of the Irish upper class. We catch a glimpse of past private recitals played on antique pianos as we passed through the Music Room. The Library’s dark wooden shelves filled with books evoke the image of quiet winter evenings reading on the old, tired sofa by the fireplace. 

Music Room, Russborough House, Co. Wicklow

The house remained in the Milltown family until 1931. Bought by Captain Denis Daly, it was then sold in 1952 to British millionaires and art collectors Sir Alfred Beit and his wife. The Beits established the Alfred Beit Foundation in 1976 to preserve and open the house to the public.

Russborough House // Blessington, Co. Wicklow // Book your guided tour here.

Facilities: Car park (€3), a café, a shop and toilets are available on site.


How to get there: Russborough House is located 1-hour drive from Dublin and cannot be accessed by public transport.


Where to stay: You can treat yourself and stay at the luxurious Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort by the Blessington Lakes. For cheaper options, head to Naas, the next town 20 minutes away from Blessington. Check prices & availability in Naas.

From medieval churches to 18th century mansions, picturesque county Wicklow has a lot of historical sites to explore. Often located just under an hour from Dublin, they are easy to get to and make for great day trips outside the capital. Or embark on a 3-day Wicklow road trip to visit them all with this epic itinerary through the “garden of Ireland”.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link, I earn a little money at no extra cost to you.


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