Overview
Take a trip to Waterford on your Ireland Vacation
Located in the serene southeast corner of the Emerald Isle, Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland and the fifth largest (excluding Northern Ireland). Begin your exploration of Waterford at the House of Waterford Crystal, a renowned institution in the art of fine glassmaking. The factory tour unveils the mesmerizing craft behind the world-famous Waterford crystal, from the glass-blowing process to the dazzling array of crystal creations in the shop.
The 13th-century Reginald's Tower, a standing sentinel on the riverbanks, is an icon of Waterford's resilience. Built to thwart Viking invaders, this historic tower witnessed various incarnations as a prison, mint, and arsenal. Today, it houses the City Museum, where several historical and archaeological artifacts tell the tale of the city's Viking legacy.
You'll find Lismore Castle, an architectural jewel set against rolling wooded hills slightly beyond the city. Prince John constructed the castle in 1185, and it received visits from King Henry II. The Duke of Devonshire now claims ownership, allowing you to admire its Gothic grandeur from the outside. Curraghmore House & Gardens, a short outing from Waterford, invites you into over 2,500 acres of formal gardens and lush forests. Guided tours of the Georgian main house and the whimsical Shell House offer glimpses into centuries of aristocratic life, with an extra sprinkle of seashell magic.
At a Glance
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St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) is always a great time to experience Irish culture at its most festive. And for something unique, visit during Halloween, or as we call it, Oíche Shamhna. Halloween actually originated in Ireland as a pagan festival, and many towns still celebrate with local traditions and festivals
There are plenty of castle stays in Ireland, along with many unique and memorable accommodations. You can sleep under the stars in the Finn Lough Bubble Domes in County Fermanagh, stay in a converted lighthouse, or unwind at the Ice House Hotel & Spa in Ballina, County Mayo just to name a few
Two tips for first time visitors: The weather is famously unpredictable so always pack layers and a rain jacket, no matter the season, and Ireland runs on a relaxed pace, so don’t be surprised if things are a bit slower than you're used to especially in rural areas
If you're visiting Ireland between February and September, you must experience a local hurling or Gaelic football match. It's our national sports and a true reflection of Irish passion and pride!
Most Popular Time to Travel
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Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
WaterfordMostly Cloudy
17°C / 62°F
24mm / 0.9"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
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ExcellentBased on 5,159 ReviewsEverything was expertly planned, from the drivers to the hotels to the tours to the flights. We particularly enjoyed Hobart and the animal sanctuary, Adelaide and the trip to Kangaroo Island, Melbourne and the evening tour with dinner and drinks, and Sydney with the private boat cruise of the Harbour. We will definitely use Goway again.SARA WiebeThere were 4 travelers on this trip. All of us were in our late 70's. We started planning this trip 6 months prior to our travel date and had a lot of questions regarding this trip. Our Goway Travel Specialist, Karen Larrota, always answered our questions in a timely and complete manner. We traveled to Quito, Ecuador, the Galapagos, The Sacred Valley in Peru, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru. Not only were the destinations and accommodations excellent, but every tour guide and driver were beyond excellent. The entire trip went smoothly every step of the way, which was amazing given the fact that there were numerous flights and hotels included in our package. We found out that the tour company that Goway used, Condor Travel, checked on us with our guide to make sure we were doing OK which we thought was very nice but also amusing as we are fairly fit older adults. Would also like to mention that we did a cruise thru the Galapagos on the Galapagos Legend which was arranged thru Go Galapagos - Kleintouurs. This portion of our tour was also excellent as were the wildlife guides and staff. We continue to discuss how wonderful this trip was with our family and friends and how wonderful this experience was. Would definately use Goway for our travel needs in the future.DianneAfter spending some time with our agent, we felt that she understood exactly what we had in mind as far as the level of service, etc, we were hoping for. The trip exceeded our expectations. Lori kept us busy(not too busy!) and we had many, many very exciting experiences. Bruce BelshawAylin is an exceptionally proficient advisor. Coordinating my clients simultaneously often feels like herding cats, but she has remained patient and accommodating through every modification and delay. Goway continues to be my go-to for complex itineraries, and they never disappoint.Nick Cron, ACCMahalo Goway Travel for helping in planning our group Japan's trip. Lawrence was very helpful & patient with all the changes & additions we did. Also, mahalo to Natasa who helped planned my Australia trip past November. The planning from transportation to tours to hotels worked very smoothly. I'll continue to use Goway travel for all my International trips. I'll also will recommend to my friends & family to use Goway...MahaloTanya LaguatanMaria Spitman was wonderful to work with. She was very helpful in designing our trip to Japan and equally wonderful when we had to cancel it. I loved the service she gave us.Sandy WarrenMy daughter and I had a wonderful 2 weeks in New Zealand! The country is so beautiful and the people so friendly. Our destination specialist did a great job with planning and organizing the itinerary, choosing our hotels, and organizing transportation. The hotels were absolutely beautiful and we had great views. We felt right at home and found all of the staff to be friendly and accommodating. There were no issues with our itinerary and our excursions we were always on the list. Our transportation was always ready and waiting for us.
We want to thank Goway Travel for their hard work and patience with us in planning this trip. Any changes that needed to be made were communicated timely. We also want to thank you for the beautiful weather during the entire 2 weeks it was perfect every day 😀.
It was a memorable trip that we will never forget and we will think of Goway when we plan our next adventure. Because it was not just a vacation; it was an adventure!Connie WenhardtWe had a great travelling experience with GoWay !
Thank you all involved in organazing our trip!MaiaBrigitta Fuller is Amazing! She was my group coordinator. She understood the assignment and all the nuances I was trying to achieve. The itinerary she curated was fantastic. If you want someone who truly cares about her group and what they are trying to achieve. I will always reach out to Brigitta first for Europe groups. Kathryn WalkerMy clients had a wonderful time on their trip to Easter Island. They were very pleased with the Hare Nua Hotel Boutique and especially noted the warmth and hospitality of the hotel staff as well as their excellent breakfasts.
Jaime Vargas-Hendandez was an exceptionally gracious and knowledgeable agent, who went out of his way to ensure that my clients had the best possible experience. I will definitely contact him for future bookings and will recommend him to my colleagues.Alethea Kardas
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