St Kevin's monastic city and the round tower
1 hAll ages; grass and stone pathsDog-friendlyAll year
Ruins · 1 h · free · round tower, cathedral, St Kevin's Cross and the stone church known as St Kevin's Kitchen
From Dublin1 h 20 by bus · a little over 1 h by car
Bus11:00 from St Stephen's Green
RuinsFree
Star trailSpinc, 9.5 km
Best timeApr · May · Sep · Oct
Overall difficultyEasy to demanding
What to do
What to do in Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Walk to the Upper Lake along the Green Road
45 min · 3 kmAll ages; suitable for pushchairs on the trackDog-friendlyAll year
Circular walk · 3 km · 45 min · flat, with a boardwalk beside the Lower Lake · the national park's green trail
The Spinc and Glenealo Valley walk
3 h 15 · 9.5 kmFit adults and teenagers, with bootsDog-friendlyAll year in good weather; works on the zigzag section since July 2026
Circular walk · 9.5 km · 3 h 15 · demanding · steps above the Upper Lake, views of the valley and deer · white trail
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains
From April to June and in September and October. In summer and at weekends the car parks fill before 11:00. In winter the valley is quiet, but it gets dark around five and the Spinc can be icy.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Fly to Dublin and a good hour south
For Glendalough you fly to Dublin, with direct flights from many Spanish cities, and head south for a good hour. Without a car, the usual approach is to sleep in Dublin and come on the St Kevin's bus or a half-day tour; with a hire car collected at the airport, you can sleep in the valley and carry on to Kilkenny.
- Getting thereDublin Airport (DUB): coach to…
- Getting aroundHalf-day or full-day tours from…
- Where to sleepGlendalough Hotel, for the first…
- ServicesSt Kevin's bus from Dublin
Getting there
- Dublin Airport (DUB): coach to the centre in about 30 minutes
- St Kevin's bus from St Stephen's Green, at 11:00
- By car from the airport along the M50 and the N11
Getting around
- Half-day or full-day tours from central Dublin
- On foot inside the valley: everything is less than an hour's walk away
Where to sleep
- Glendalough Hotel, for the first night outside Dublin
- Glendalough International Hostel, budget, with a kitchen
Services
- St Kevin's bus from Dublin
- Glendalough car parks
St Kevin's bus or a tour from Dublin
Glendalough is easy to do without a car from Dublin. The St Kevin's bus leaves every day at 11:00 from St Stephen's Green and drops you at the visitor centre at 12:20, with four hours until the return at 16:30: enough for the monastic city, the Upper Lake and a short walk. If you would rather go and come back without a worry, the coach tours leave central Dublin in the morning.
70–130 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepGlendalough Hotel, at the monastery…
- Getting aroundSt Kevin's bus: return €23
- Where to eatCasey's Bar, next to the…
- ServicesSt Kevin's bus from Dublin
Where to sleep
- Glendalough Hotel, at the monastery gate
- Glendalough International Hostel, inside the valley, with a kitchen
Getting around
- St Kevin's bus: return €23
- Half day with Paddywagon Tours, from €33
- Full day including Kilkenny, with Wild Rover Tours, €43
Where to eat
- Casey's Bar, next to the ruins, kitchen open until 20:30
- Wicklow Heather, in Laragh, from breakfast
Services
- St Kevin's bus from Dublin
By car through the Wicklow Mountains
By car you can get there in a good hour from Dublin along the N11 and through Laragh, and you can return by the Wicklow Gap mountain road or carry on to Kilkenny. The only tricky part is parking at weekends: arrive before 10:00 or leave the car in Laragh, for free, and walk 3 km through the forest.
80–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepGlendalough Hotel, with parking next…
- Getting aroundDublin to Laragh by the…
- Where to eatWicklow Heather, in Laragh, 9:00…
- ServicesGlendalough car parks
Where to sleep
- Glendalough Hotel, with parking next to the monastery
- Glendalough International Hostel, inside the valley
Getting around
- Dublin to Laragh by the N11 and Roundwood, a little over an hour
- Wicklow Gap to the west, narrow road
- You drive on the left
Where to eat
- Wicklow Heather, in Laragh, 9:00 to 22:00 at weekends
- Casey's Bar, in the valley
Services
- Glendalough car parks
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Ruins, lakes and boardwalks for every pair of legs
Glendalough makes a good day out in the countryside with children: the ruins can be explored freely, the track to the Upper Lake is flat and there are short walks of half an hour to an hour. Leave the Spinc until they are older.
- What works bestMonastic city, with the round…
- Where to sleepGlendalough International Hostel, with family…
- Where to eatWicklow Heather, in Laragh, with…
- Worth knowingThere are no safe swimming…
What works best
- Monastic city, with the round tower and the graves
- Green Road to the Upper Lake, with the wooden boardwalk
- Miners' Road, flat, with goats along the way
- Poulanass Waterfall, half an hour with steps
- Visitor centre, if it rains
Where to sleep
- Glendalough International Hostel, with family rooms and a kitchen
- Glendalough Hotel, next to the ruins
Where to eat
- Wicklow Heather, in Laragh, with breakfasts
- A picnic beside the Upper Lake
Worth knowing
- There are no safe swimming areas in the lakes
- At weekends, arrive before 10:00 to park
- The bus back to Dublin leaves at 16:30
What to do as a family
A proper mountain walk an hour from Dublin
For teenagers, Glendalough is the excuse for a mountain walk with views: the Spinc circuit has steps, a boardwalk along the cliff edge and deer in the valley. And the story of a saint who retreated to a cave above the lake is more gripping than it sounds.
- What works bestSpinc walk, 9.5 km and…
- Where to sleepGlendalough International Hostel, with dorms…
- Where to eatCasey's Bar after the walk
- Worth knowingWorks on the zigzag section…
What works best
- Spinc walk, 9.5 km and a good three hours
- Monastic city and its round tower
- Wicklow Gap pass, if you are driving
- Day trip including Kilkenny, to see two places
Where to sleep
- Glendalough International Hostel, with dorms and a walkers' atmosphere
- Glendalough Hotel
Where to eat
- Casey's Bar after the walk
- A sandwich at the top of the Spinc
Worth knowing
- Works on the zigzag section of the Spinc since July 2026
- Boots and a waterproof: the terrain is rocky and the weather changes
- Dogs must always be on a lead in the park
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a carif you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
The Glendalough Hotel
Why we like it: Hotel at the entrance to the monastic city, with rooms overlooking the valley, Casey's bar and the Barn Café. For waking up beside the ruins.
Glendalough International Hostel (An Óige)
Why we like it: An Óige hostel in the valley, a walk from the lakes and the ruins, with en-suite dorms, private and family rooms and a kitchen.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Casey's Bar & Bistro, at the Glendalough Hotel
What to order: the dish of the day from the daily menu after your walk around the lakes.
Kitchen open until 20:30 every day
Wicklow Heather
What to order: the slow-roasted Wicklow lamb.
Open every day from 9:00 or 9:30; bookings by email
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
53.19° N · 6.17° W
Powerscourt and Enniskerry
By planeBy carCar-free
53.35° N · 6.26° W
Dublin
By planeCar-free
53.45° N · 6.15° W
Malahide
By planeCar-free
52.65° N · 7.24° W
Kilkenny
By planeCar-free
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Arrive before 10:00
You park without queues and have the Green Road almost empty.
- 2Bring boots and a waterproof
Even for the easy walk: the path gets waterlogged.
- 3Do not swim in the lakes
The park warns that there are no safe swimming areas or lifeguards.
- 4Dogs always on a lead
The national park allows them, but on a lead at all times.
Glendalough, "the valley of the two lakes", is a glacial valley in the heart of Wicklow Mountains National Park, south of Dublin. In the 6th century St Kevin founded a monastery here that became one of the great ones of Ireland; today its round tower, its ruined cathedral and a cemetery of Celtic crosses remain beside the lower lake. Higher up, among oaks and heather-covered slopes, the upper lake is the starting point for the park's trails.
How do you get there from Dublin?
- By bus. St Kevin's Bus leaves every day at 11:00 from St Stephen's Green North and reaches the visitor centre at 12:20; it returns at 16:30. Return ticket €23, paid on the bus. You have four hours: monastic city, upper lake and a short walk.
- On a tour. Paddywagon Tours runs a half-day tour from the centre of Dublin (adult €33), and Wild Rover Tours a full day that adds Kilkenny (€43).
- By car. A little over an hour along the N11 and Roundwood to Laragh. You drive on the left.
Where do you park?
It is the valley's weak point at weekends. There are three car parks: the free one at Laragh, 3 km along the forest path from the upper lake; the visitor centre one, paid, a 20-minute walk from the lake; and the upper lake one, paid, which fills before 11:00 and causes queues on the road. If you arrive late, stay in Laragh and walk.
Which trail should you choose?
All start from the park information office, next to the upper lake, and are waymarked by colour:
- With children or short of time: the Green Road, 3 km on the flat, and the Poulanass waterfall, half an hour.
- A long walk without climbing: the Miners' Road, 5 km return along the lake shore.
- The mountain route: the Spinc and Glenealo Valley, 9.5 km and a good three hours, with a boardwalk above the lake. Check the notices first: since July 2026 there have been works on the zigzag section.
Start or finish at the monastic city, free and always open, and if it rains step into the visitor centre.
How long do you need?
One day is enough for all the essentials. If you sleep in the valley, you have the ruins and the lake to yourself at dawn and can continue the next day over the Wicklow Gap towards Kilkenny, an hour and a half away.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Dublin to Glendalough without a car?
On the St Kevin's bus, which leaves St Stephen's Green at 11:00 every day and returns at 16:30, or on an organised half-day or full-day tour.
How much does it cost to enter?
The monastic city and the trails are free. The visitor centre costs €5 per adult and €13 per family.
Where do I park?
Free at Laragh, a 3 km walk from the upper lake, or paid at the visitor centre and at the upper lake.
Which trail should I do if I only have an afternoon?
The Green Road to the upper lake and the Poulanass waterfall: an hour and a quarter for both.
Can I go with a dog?
Yes, on a lead at all times inside the national park.