Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey
4.5
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Founded in 1131 by Cistercian monks, Tintern Abbey is a national icon — still standing in roofless splendour on the banks of the River Wye nearly 500 years since its tragic fall into ruin during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. In the 18th Century, Tintern Abbey experienced a second heyday – this time as a major tourist destination. Despite the shell of this grand structure being open to the skies, it remains the best-preserved medieval abbey in Wales. The displayed opening times are our general pattern. Please check the Cadw website for unexpected closures, opening times, events, and site facilities.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- Jon R9 contributionsA place of solaceWonderful ruined Abbey in a beautiful setting. Nice little gift shop and friendly staff. Great tea room next door. Some restoration work at the moment so church out of bounds but a 10% discount and still well worth a visitVisited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 21, 2023
- AnastasiaShrewsbury, United Kingdom33 contributionsA lovely afternoon outWe were lucky enough to have a beautiful November day to visit the spectacular remains of Tintern Abbey. Lovely staff in the shop and your parking fee is deducted from the entrance fee. Wander at your leisure around the grounds which has information about the individual parts/rooms in the Abbey. Gift shop has some really nice keepsakes/gifts. Lovely lady in the gift shop was helpful and friendly. A must visit if you are in the area.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 5, 2023
- Patrick OMount Holly, North Carolina1,143 contributionsIconic and Wonderful!We found this sort of by accident on a trip to Wales. I saw the sign and of course we had to go, I had no idea we were so close to such an iconic spot. Being an English minor I of course knew the William Wordsworth poem, but even if you are not familiar with it, this is a marvelous place to visit. The remains of the abbey are remarkably preserved considering it was dissolved so long ago. It is wonderful to imagine what it was like in its heyday. There is a entrance fee and a nice gift shop, The ruins are easily explored and make for some great photo opportunities. Walking around the grounds of such an iconic location sent shivers up my spine. When you are in Wales, this is a must stop!Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten December 29, 2023
- amanda5805Duncan, Canada7,373 contributionsTimeless TranquilityTintern Abbey is simply breathtaking. The moment I set foot in its ruins, I was transported back in time. Founded in 1131, the abbey has witnessed centuries of tumultuous history, from its establishment as a Cistercian monastery to its eventual dissolution during the reign of Henry VIII. The ancient walls and crumbling arches tell a story of devotion and resilience, filled with mystery and intrigue. Despite its age, the abbey's beauty is undeniable, especially against the backdrop of the River Wye. Walking through its grounds, I felt a sense of peace and tranquility wash over me. Tintern Abbey is a must-visit for anyone interested in history and a nature's beauty.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 18, 2024
- aberdeenjohnTring, United Kingdom514 contributionsStunningWonderful Abbey with a lot of the foundations remaining so you can see the extent of the whole Abbey complex. Very good descriptions at many points as you go round. At the moment part is closed as there are extensive repairs being done to de-laminating masonry - but you can still view from a distance. Good shop with a wide choice of local drinksVisited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 4, 2024
- blossom219Brecon Beacons National Park, United Kingdom490 contributionsVery pretty with nice walks.Lovely on a sunny day, there is the abbey to pay to walk around and then there is the water mill with a couple of shops and cafe’s and ice cream shop. There is some lovely walks along the river wye. The only issue is car parking as it is limited when it is very busy with visitor.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten May 12, 2024
- stinger177 contributionsDay visitNice place to visit , A few more picnic tables to choose from would be nice Especially on the grass areas The Walled Garden was okay and the honey was a bit expensive But sure look that Ireland for yeaVisited August 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 21, 2024
- Ian SRugby, United Kingdom858 contributionsWorth visitingAtmospheric and once vast Abbey currently undergoing some work to preserve it. Well worth stopping to visit. Car park is £5 and machine takes ages to work but you can have your money back if you spend in the shop or Anchor pub. The shop here is good so not difficult. Glad we stopped!Visited August 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 23, 2024
- Bob F5 contributionsLovely abbey for a sunny day.Lovely abbey to visit for a sunny day. It is all outside, so we'd recommend a nice day. The history is amazing. Gift shop very nicely done. Facilities were also clean and well done. Employees were extremely friendly and helpful.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,737 reviews
Excellent
1,090
Very good
510
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100
Poor
23
Terrible
14
ichaney08
Cornwall, UK38 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
We visited on our way home from a stay in Brecon. It was a really beautiful place! We had to prebook due to Covid restrictions although this is the same for the vast majority of attractions at the current time so wasn’t a problem for us. Conservation work is taking place on the cathedral so you can’t go inside but the entry price was discounted to account for this. The abbey remains were beautiful and the most extensive I have seen before with lots of interesting facts - really great visit!
Written October 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jaspa2018
London, UK12 contributions
Sep 2020
The main part is closed to visitors so save your money and take photos from the nearby road. It cost us £5 to enter the abbey but, to be honest, we had a better view of it when we walked around the outside before entering. Confusingly, the Wales tourism website doesn’t make it clear that you can’t go into the main part of the ruins, which is the part that is most photographed because it’s the most beautiful . They should really explain that currently the main part of the abbey can’t be visited due to restoration work rather than just saying that the “church” is currently closed. However it’s a lovely spot near to the river Wye and definitely worth a visit.
Written September 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KM W
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • Couples
Our weekend away (19/20 June 2021) was to conclude with a first ever trip to Tintern Abbey, having driven past it, on and off, for years. We'd paid the £3 parking fee, with the receipt to be deducted from the entrance fee (seems it's now £5.50 pp). At the Abbey entrance (and shop) was told, at 12:50, they were closing for lunch and were asked if we'd booked? Please come back at 2pm and see if there's room for you (?) Honestly, I understand there may be covid-19 restrictions, but I never felt more unwelcome in many a year. When we'd looked around the grounds, from the road, there was hardly anyone there......and why can't they split their lunch breaks? We spent our time, walking over the River Wye bridge and a track beyond, then back to the car and home. Happy Fathers' Day!
Written June 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Millie024
Llantwit Major, UK482 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
On a pleasantly cool June morning we arrived at Tintern Abbey, last visited over fifty years ago. Entry is through the well stocked and interesting shop. Far better than most such shops, particularly for not smelling like an elderly lady’s boudoir. The abbey is in the care of Cadw and various conservation work is taking place, well explained. If you have paid for parking, the £5 cost is subtracted from your entry charge, or from your bill, should you chose to go to the Abbey Hotel. In its Cistercian days, the abbey must have been a busy hive of activity, both spiritual and secular. I was pleased to find that the Friends of Tintern Abbey have given a beautiful statue of Our Lady and the Christ Child, an acknowledgment that all Cistercian houses were dedicated to St Mary. The ruins are beautiful, but what an outrageous piece of state vandalism the Dissolution was. We then had a short walk by the river, passing the delightful Quay Cottage chickens, and smiling at the notice saying the house was protected by well trained hens!
Written June 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KingOfTheNorth99
Windsor, UK657 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Huge imposing ruin sitting in a pleasant river valley. Worth a visit if passing by.
It was still closed for lockdown but that did not stop them charging us for all day parking (£3) and car park was packed (a couple pubs / cafes around).
Nice area for a walk but they should offer a cheaper parking rate for 1 or 2 hours.
Not sure I would drive a long way to see it.
It was still closed for lockdown but that did not stop them charging us for all day parking (£3) and car park was packed (a couple pubs / cafes around).
Nice area for a walk but they should offer a cheaper parking rate for 1 or 2 hours.
Not sure I would drive a long way to see it.
Written August 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
johngiles100
London, UK15 contributions
Jun 2021
Sadly the main, atmospheric part of the Abbey has been closed due to health and safety concerns. This makes the price of admission not really worth paying as you can get as close from outside the fences as you can from inside the few areas that you are allowed to walk around. If tracing the course of the Abbey drains is your thing that is still possible. The view from a distance is stunning. The ruins themselves are closed for lunch. Which is probably the best time to go.
Written June 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mrs D
Wilsden, UK420 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
The abbey is stunning. We really enjoyed exploring around, there is a lot of good information about each ‘room’ and their past function. There is also a lot of information on how it has been restored in the past.
They are doing a lot of restoration work on it so access is limited but they have reflected this in the price and reduced it. Also you can redeem your £3 car parking off the admission price.
We took advantage of the picnic tables in the grounds for our lunch spot. There is nothing better than enjoying the sunshine in such majestic setting.
They are doing a lot of restoration work on it so access is limited but they have reflected this in the price and reduced it. Also you can redeem your £3 car parking off the admission price.
We took advantage of the picnic tables in the grounds for our lunch spot. There is nothing better than enjoying the sunshine in such majestic setting.
Written April 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy B
Lincoln, UK11 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Visiting Monmouth, Wales and saw this was one of the top places in Tintern. Considering we were just walking through the entrance to buy tickets to see the Abbey, we didn’t have masks (our fault) but customer service seriously needs to be improved here. No welcome, no offering of where to buy them, or whether we could purchase masks from there. Walked straight out and explored the abbey from outside which was just as nice. When you’re paying over £10 for admission, you expect a kind enough service. Not a nice experience for a first trip on our holiday…
Written September 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan B
Blackpool, UK83 contributions
May 2023
Have been wanting to visit Tintern Abbey for quite some time. Managed to visit at long last, but was actually rather disappointed. An audio set would have added to the experience. It takes less than an hour to look round the ruins and yet the car park charge is £5 no matter how long you stay! Someone said on here that you get the cost refunded off your entrance fee but, if you are a member, you don't pay to get in anyway. This means that you have to buy something from the shop that you don't really want in order to get your money back, even though you have already paid your membership. I have never come across this before at any National Trust, English Heritage, Historic Scotland or Cadw property! I was also expecting a tearoom!
Written May 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
huw j
Pontypridd, UK807 contributions
Jun 2022
Fun few hours nearby as there was fete going on, some interesting people running interesting stalls though many were looking for donations. The ruins are, if ruins can be, beautiful & tell a story just by looking at them of days gone by. Great in fine weather but probably not so in the bad weather. A nice hour at the old abbey.
Written June 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
In response to WGray_13, wish I could comment under your comment in support. Staff were rude to us as well, one lady in particular, the lady on reception? As soon as were entered I smiled because we couldn't find the entrance, she was more concerned about raking in the cash than how my confused 4ft young Thai girlfriend was excited to see the sites of Wales.
The older gentlemen working there seemed rather decent though.
Written February 13, 2018
how long should I allow to visit?
Written August 26, 2017
Even though it was raining when we visited we still stayed a couple of hours. The time soon flies with so much detail to take in and, due to the weather, we did not get to explore around the grounds or Tintern Village..........which looked nice.
Written August 26, 2017
ou manger pas trop cher prés de l'abbaye?
Written July 23, 2017
Hay un restaurante muy bonito enfrente, con parking, mesas al exterior y grandes jardines. El precio es razonable, no es caro.
Su nombre es The Anchor Inn, también puede verlo en TripAdvisor.
Written July 23, 2017
where to drive just to see the tintern abbey & see it from outside? Thanks!
Written January 8, 2017
A Tripadvisor member
Sedona, Arizona
As the previous traveler wrote it is visible from A466. You can see quite a bit from its car park if you don't have time to go inside although it would be a shame to miss its grandeur.
Written January 9, 2017
How to get there from Chepstow train station? Is there a bus? If so, how much is a single/return fare?
Written August 5, 2016
Not sure about a train from Chepstow to Tintern Abbey but there is a regular bus service, the No 69, from Chepstow Bus Station. You need to check the times online but in rough order, peak week days, evey 35 mins and then every hour. Weekends every two hours. There is a bus stop right outside Tintern Abbey both ways. Price wise, work on five pound return. Hope this helps 😊
Written August 6, 2016
Are dogs allowed
Written February 26, 2016
Dogs on leads are permitted at Tintern Abbey as are assistance dogs.
Written February 26, 2016
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