Wicklow
Enter into the glorious garden of Ireland
Activities
Wicklow boasts an exciting array of golf courses plus some of the best riding schools in Ireland
Golf
The spectacular Wicklow terrain boasts a wide range of excellent golf clubs, each with their own unique character. Try peaceful Rathsallagh with 350 acres of parkland and an 18-hole championships course; Druid’s Glen, a classic parkland course known as the “Augusta of Europe”; and Roundwood Golf Course with its unsurpassable beauty.
Horse riding
Wicklow is packed with horse riding centres and schools that will take you on a gentle trek or an invigorating gallop through the stunning local landscape.
Horse-Drawn Caravanning
Take to the road in Wicklow and see Ireland at your own pace with a truly unique and memorable holiday.
See more highlightsMountain Walks
Walk the famous Wicklow Way and be amazed at the stunning surrounding scenery. If you’re feeling enthusiastic you can do the whole 132km, or else dip in and out of stretches for a shorter walk.
Children
Experience wildlife up close with an open farm and sea life centre
Glenroe Open Farm, Kilcoole
Get up close to a wide selection of farm animals and fowl with horses, deer, goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, donkeys, ducks, geese, doves, peacocks and hens.
The National Sea life Centre, Bray
Explore the magical world of the ocean without getting your toes wet. This excellent centre has over a hundred different marine species, including the fearsome red-bellied piranha and leopard sharks.
Culture & Festivals
From the birthplace of an Irish political leader to the hideout of a rebel
Avondale House & Forest Park
Avondale House was the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891), one of the greatest political leaders in Irish history. It’s a beautiful Georgian house set in over 500 acres of magnificent forest park.
Dwyer McAllister Cottage, Knockancarrigan
Nestling in the shade of Kaedeen Mountain in County Wicklow, Dwyer McAllister Cottage was the spot where the famed rebel Michael Dwyer fought the British before escaping over the snow-covered mountains.
Eating, Drinking & Luxury
Wicklow has luxurious accommodation down to a tee
Rathsallagh House Golf & Country Club, Dunlavin
Rathsallagh is a large country house, converted from Queen Anne Stables in 1798, with its own championship golf course. It’s set in a peaceful oasis of 530 acres of rolling parkland with thousands of mature trees, lakes and streams.
Tinakilly House
Delightfully romantic and secluded, Tinakilly House is a secret hideaway only 29 miles south of Dublin. A four-star country house hotel and restaurant, it’s internationally renowned for excellent fresh food in elegant Victorian surroundings.
Shopping
Head for the hills for the best shopping in Wicklow
Avoca Handweavers Woollen Mills, Avoca
A treasure chest of everything you could possibly want, with witty and pretty children’s clothes, excellent food goods from the renowned Avoca Café, elegant knitwear and original crafts.
Harvest Loom, Roundwood
Enjoy a beautiful selection of gifts and toys with sweaters, jackets, jewellery and tableware.
Sightseeing
Elegant and historic, Wicklow’s mansions and country houses are pure joy, plus it’s home to Ireland’s most successful movie companies
Ardmore Studios
Since the studios first opened in 1958, Ardmore has been home to a veritable who’s who of big name stars, including Fred Astaire, Sean Connery, Mel Gibson, Meryl Streep and Matthew McConnaughy to name just a few.
Glendalough Visitor Centre
Glendalough has a mystical beauty that seduces everyone who visits. The valley is misty and verdant, the lakes are glassy and pristine, and the Visitor Centre contains an exhibition about the story of St Kevin and his sixth-century monastic settlement.
Killruddery House And Gardens
Killruddery is the most successful, and most beautiful Elizabethan Revival mansion in Ireland. The gardens are the oldest in the country, and are amongst the most important in these islands.
See more highlightsPowerscourt House & Gardens
Located in a stunning natural setting at Enniskerry, this is a magnificent period home dating from mid-18th century, overlooking wonderful terraced gardens and an ornamental lake.
Sally Gap, County Wicklow
Sally Gap is one of the two east-to-west passes across the Wicklow Mountains and offers both drivers and walkers truly spectacular views across mountains and glens.
Wicklow Mountains National Park, Kilafin, Laragh
Sweeping and spectacular, the National Park covers a total area of around 20,000 hectares and is filled with dipping valleys, verdant scenery, pretty lakes and misty forest.
