We visited Glendalough this summer as part of a tour group. There were not many tour buses that came through other than ours, so there was not much of a crowd. The settlement buildings and cemetery were interesting and the surrounding grounds allowed us to walk over to the nearby lake in a peaceful setting. We enjoyed our time in Glendalough and would recommend the visit.

There are several walks or hikes around the 2 lakes & the Monastic city is completely free of charge to wander around. If you’re lucky & can make it there in good weather without too many crowds then you realise how special this place is! So serene & mystical. There are proper hikers but also families with 3 generations & buggies so walks for everyone to enjoy. We did the loop of the 2 lakes to the Miners Village stopping along the way to admire the views & take photos followed by a cuppa at the The Glendalough Hotel & it took 2.5 hours.

The place in itself is Magic. The ruins are well kept so that visitors can understand what happened throughout the centuries to this magical place. There’s no need for a guide as the place has a self guided tour that can be bought for 5 eur and it is worth every cent. The day of our visit was not one of the best as the Irish weather did not disappoint and it was pouring rain, but it didn’t stop us from spending the required time to learn and breath the history of this place. Ireland simply does not disappoint, I say. When countries and kingdoms were fighting all over Europe, Ireland was already an inspiration for some people, including St Kevin!

Atmospheric and peaceful are the two words I'd use to sum up this special place. So much history lies in these remains! The views were absolutely spectacular across the mountains, and we were told the stories of St Kevin and his life establishing the site by our fabulous step-on coach guide. There were a few other coach loads like us, and families too out and enjoying the dry spell in Ireland right now. You'll need steady legs if you want to explore the site or get up to the church remains or the Round Tower, as there's a small slope up into the graveyard and some very uneven ground (some of the rocks are grave markers, from families who couldn't afford headstones). Thankfully our visit had dry weather which helped but I imagine it could get quite treacherous in the rain! There's still a lot of beautiful sights if you stay on the 'lower floor' though, including a Crafts shop, a few places to grab a bite to eat or a hot drink, and some wide walking paths with great views of the mountains. There's also a 'Heaven or Hell' test you can carry out - just see if you can wrap your arms fully around the Cross from behind (no surprises where I'm going...) If you're staying near the area, it's worth a visit. If I were travelling alone on this occasion I'd have assumed it'd be difficult to get to, but I've since found that there are shuttle buses which you can catch from Dublin city centre (or you could take a combo of train and taxi) which certainly helps with tourist accessibility. The official Glendalough site is very useful too. I'd love to return one day to walk one of the trails, I imagine it'd be a lovely experience. Would recommend.

This historic site is well preserved and lovingly cared for by the competent and friendly OPW staff. You will be charged to park regardless of your plans. You can look at the monastic site, hike and enjoy a meal or treats at the hotel on the premises. We spent a lovely morning there.

Free with the exception of parking. Great for people of all ages. The Monastic Heritage Center has a small museum and short (15-min) video on the monastic order in Ireland. In addition to the monastic settlement there is plenty of open spaces for family fun and picnics. There are two large lakes and many miles of walking trails in the Wicklow Mountains. There are souvenir vendors, food trucks, a hotel, etc. there for your needs. We spent 6-hrs there. The drive from Hollywood is a little tense but well worth the effort.

Our tour visited the ruins of this monastic settlement, some of which dates to the 12 Century. It is about an hours drive from Dublin in County Wicklow. Apparently the original settlement was established in the 6th Century although nothing remains from this period. There are nice paths through the area with much of the focus on the bell/watch tower - quite impressive. There is a peaceful quality to the place because of the beautiful valley setting and two lakes. We liked the visitor center which provided good background and had extensive models of what the settlement looked like. The day we toured there were several food trucks offering coffee, ice cream and light snacks. We felt it was worth a half day excursion from Dublin.

Beautiful monastic 17th century city and lakes, woodlands ,waterfall . It really has everything, a little piece of heaven in Wicklow. No matter the season this is really worth the journey. So many beautiful walks for every level of walker.

This is a wonderful little getaway. The paths can get crowded with tourist groups or school trips, but there is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy if you're patient. The two lakes provide beautiful views along the walking path and there is a quiet beauty to the monastic site itself. I loved our visit and would highly recommend to others looking to escape the cities for a few hours.

A perfect day outing. Nestled in a beautiful valley with two lakes is the enchanting ruins of a monastery that operated from 900 to 1200 ad. The peace and spirituality of this place is still deeply felt. The lovely hiking trails around the lakes are easy to navigate and great for families and children. There are a number of snack stands, food trucks and a restaurant on the grounds. My one disappointment was the visitor center. I went in and it was roped off and a man asked me how he could help. I did not feel particularly welcomed. I expected exhibits of the history and significance of the monastery. There was a self guided audio tour but I was hoping for more information. It is easy to picture life in the monastery and easy to see why they would pick this lovely setting for their spiritual community. Highly recommend!