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Waterford Travel & Vacation Guide

County Waterford blends Viking history, coastal beauty, and mountain scenery. Waterford City is Ireland’s oldest city, while the Copper Coast offers UNESCO-recognized landscapes. The Waterford Greenway is a major draw for cyclists and walkers. With beaches, heritage, and food culture, Waterford is a dynamic southeast destination. 

Current Weather

52.21 °F - Clouds Min/Max: 52.16 °F / 54.61 °FFeels: 47.79 °F Humidity: 14%5 Day Forecast

Trips

Hotels

Activities

Transfers

Useful information

Population:

City: 53,504 Metropolitan population: 82,963

Currency:

Euro (EUR), 1 € = 100 cents

Emergency Info:

112 or 999

Opening Hours:

Business hours are generally from 9am to 5.30pm Monday through Friday. Most retail stores are open from 9am to 6pm Monday through Saturday, and 12pm to 6pm on Sundays and public holidays.

Do & See

"Goat's Beach, Ardmore"

Ardmore Cliff Walk

This 4km walk along stunning coastal scenery is suitable for hikers of all abilities. Pass fascinating historic relics such as the Early Christian St Declan's Well, Ardmore Round Tower, and a 12th Century Cathedral. Keep an eye out for wildlife - coastal birds are abundant here.

christ church cathedral waterford

Christ Church Cathedral

This cathedral was built in the 18th century by architect John Roberts, on a site that had been in use since the 11th century. It is known as the only neo-classical Georgian cathedral in Ireland.

old statue of girl reading a book

Edmund Rice Heritage Centre

Remarkable missionary Edmunc Rice devoted his life to the education and welfare of the poor in the time of the Penal Laws. Learn about his extraordinary life and legacy at this interactive museum and visitor centre.

young girl in museum

Garter Lane Arts Centre

Theatre, music, film, children's art, accompanied by themed fairs, workshops, and exhibits: this centre has a vibrant and exciting year-round programme for everyone.

waterford crystal

House of Waterford Crystal

Visit the world's largest collection of Waterford Crystal in the very city where this iconic Irish brand was born. Visitors may watch the skilled craftsmen at work, as well as browse a remarkable collection of all things crystal in the gift store.

"Ringfort"

Irish National Heritage Park

Explore the history of the various prehistoric farmers who settled in Ireland, from the Mesolithic period to the time of the Norman Invasion (1169). Reconstructed dwellings such as a mesolithic camp, a neolithic farmstead, a portal dolmen, a cyst grave, stone circle, medieval ringfort, monastic site, crannóg (ancient lake dwelling) and a Viking harbour are spread across 35 acres of parkland, estuary trails and wetland forest. The park also runs demonstrations on traditional rural life skills from blacksmithing to gold panning. This is a truly immersive experience exploring Ireland's roots and forgotten traditions.

glass blower craftsman

Kite Design Studios

Kite Design Studios houses a crafts and design collection featuring local artists, with brands that include Irish Handmade Glass, Sean Egan Art Glass, and Button & Co.

"Mahon Falls"

Mahon Falls Walk

Near Lemybrien, County Waterford, follow the Mahon Falls walking route and take in breathtaking views of the famous Comeragh Mountains. It is hard to believe such wild landscapes are found so close to a city - keep in mind, the steep, boggy hillsides are encrusted with craggy boulders, making the hike moderately difficult.

Dining

irish breakfast

An Seanachaí Pub & Kitchen (Dungarvan)

A thatched-roof pub in business still 1846, hosting various events and serving meals all day long, from Irish breakfast to pizza baked in a wood burning oven. Holiday homes are also available.

spanish restaurant wine and platter

Bodéga Restaurant

Bodega Restaurant, located in the heart of Waterford city, features vaguely Spanish décor and an interesting mix of local and Mediterranean flavours, from mushroom soup and Atlantic prawns to chargrilled beef fillet.

indian naan bread

Cafe Goa

One of Waterford's most popular Indian restaurants just a few kilometres south from the city centre, serving rich and varied dishes also available for takeaway. Early bird at 5pm every day.

cook in fine dining restaurant

Chez K at Fitzwilton

Chez K's is a renowned restaurant located within the Fitzwilton Hotel in Waterford City. The restaurant serves European-inspired cuisine prepared with local Irish produces.

Grilled Salmon with garlic and herb by lemon

Crew's Restaurant and Accommodation (Dungarvan)

A seafood family-run restaurant housed in a 16th-century building, with a true affinity for the ocean, and an emphasis on quality local produce and traditional fares.

italian ham prosciutto plate

Emiliano's

Traditional Italian flavours, well-stocked plates, and warm hospitality have made Emiliano's the favourite Italian eatery in town. Seafood pasta, crispy pizza, and the rich gelato desserts are always in demand.

Close up of braised beef short rib on dinner table. Selective focus.

Momo Restaurant

One of the city's top restaurants features an extensive local and international menu, which can be tried through a popular sharing board. Seafood, salads, Thai curry, falafel, and ribs are just a few of the top picks.

fine lamb dinner

Munster Room Restaurant at Waterford Castle

Taste traditional Irish flavours at a fine dinner served in the idyllic ambience of Waterford Castle, located on a 310-acre island east of the city. The restaurant was acclaimed in the 2018 Michelin Guide, and serves a wide variety of fish, lamb, and vegetable dishes, as well as fruit and sheep yoghurt-based delights.

Cafes

Pastry shop in Ireland

Barron's Bakery & Coffee House

Opened in 1887, Barron’s Bakery in Cappoquin is one of the oldest bakeries in Ireland, baking famous crusty bread in a traditional Scotch brick oven. This pretty café and bread counter is packed to the brim with loaves, cakes, tarts, gateaux, and all sorts of good tasty treats.

fresh salad with goat cheese tomato

Café Lucia

Café Lucia serves fresh food with a twist: salads are spiced up with warm goat cheese and pear; further specials include Lebanese meatballs and butterfly buns. Two colourful locations in town.

coffee in morning sun in art café

Coastguard Cultural Centre (Tramore)

A friendly café serving breakfast and light lunch in a community-run art gallery, showcasing the works of local artists and holding various cultural events, located in a beautiful castle building with a green park.

hot chocolate cream closeup

Gallweys Chocolate Cafe

One of the Viking Triangle's favourite cafés is rumoured to serve the best hot chocolate in town, and also makes great homemade soups and sandwiches.

portuguese custard tart

Larder

Larder is a must for coffee enthusiasts, serving Waterford's very own coffee brand, Mean Bean, not to mention the freshly baked scones and many other pastries that will surely round off your visit.

sweet potato soup

No. 9 Café

A popular brunch spot that serves excellent eggs benedict for breakfast, has interesting lunch offers, and hosts various events occasionally. It is also the place to try the famous Waterford blaa.

chocolate roulade with fruits

The Granary Café

A multi-award winning café based on simple principles: local tastes, fresh ingredients, and a friendly atmosphere. Breakfast, daily menu with soups, quichés, burgers, to be complemented with a fine dessert.

Bars & Nightlife

beer in irish bar dark interior

Geoff's Cafe Bar

A popular pub with with interesting options for food and music alike: have some shoestring fries or a calamari meal, and enjoy the electronic or rock music events.

beer in beer garden

Jack Meade's Bar

Situated in a farmland surrounded by historical buildings, a stone's throw from the famous Woodstown beach four miles from Waterford, Jack Meade's beer garden is a popular venue with anyone looking for a getaway from the busy city life. They serve great ribs with colcannon, a potato-based Irish dish.

irish harp music event

Katty Barry's

A genuine Irish bar known citywide for its music events, not only held on weekends. Hop in to grab a beer and sing along!

musician playing the guitar

kazbar

Kazbar is Waterford’s number one venue for nightlife. A lively bar situated in the heart of John Street Village, it is renowned for providing top class entertainment and excellent food in a spacious three-floor venue.

drinking whiskey in pub

Quealy's Café Bar (in Dungarvan)

Just off the main square in Dungarvan town, Quealy's Café is well known in the region for being the prime watering hole of horse racing fans for over 175 year now. It has a nice selection of whiskeys and cocktails, served in a truly traditional setting.

pork with fries in restaurant

The Gingerman Pub

A standout black building in the heart of the centre serving lunch, great steak sandwiches, and most importantly, Guinness pints throughout the whole day.

happy group enjoying music in pub

The Local (Dungarvan)

The Local is a friendly sportsmen's bar serving daily soup and lunch specials, salads, and sandwiches. The place is owned by Helena and Donnchadh Gough, who is a well-known musician playing in the traditional group "Danú", founded in the city of Waterford.

mushroom pie chowder

The Munster Bar

A Victorian pub right in the Viking Triangle, this is one of Waterford's oldest pubs and is noted by many for the best pub grub in town. Expect fish and chips, seafood chowder, bacon ribs, and Guinness pie, to pick a few.

Shopping

Knitwear on hangers

BÉBHÍNN

Bébhínn McGrath designs knitwear since 2017, and her finely curated products and souvenirs are a true delight to browse in her tiny store in the heart of Waterford.

Couple shopping in mall

City Square Shopping Centre

Waterford's largest shopping mall with over forty stores including a Dunnes, plus services and various promotions and events regularly published on their website.

young girl shopping in souvenir shop

Finders Keepers

With its large selection of handcrafted Irish and European products, this independent gift shop is Waterford's real treasure box.

vegetables in irish market

Food and Craft Market

From cheddar to local jewellery, the city's major weekend market is the place to shop for fresh produce and Irish crafts.

irish crystal glasses

Heritage Irish Crystal

Inspired by the traditions of past centuries, Heritage Irish Crystal sells products authentically mouth-blown and hand-cut in Waterford, a city steeped in the history of crystal manufacture since the 18th century. Shop online or in the store north of the city for home accessories, stemware, and gifts for various occasions.

beautiful woman in irish knitwear

Hibernian Gifts

An Irish gift store in an elegant multi-storey building selling jewellery of both Celtic and contemporary design, knitwear, and crystal products, Hibernian Gifts also ships worldwide tax-free. The on-site tearoom offers snacks and refreshments in the summer season.

glass blower craftsman

Kite Design Studios

Kite Design Studios houses a crafts and design collection featuring local artists, with brands that include Irish Handmade Glass, Sean Egan Art Glass, and Button & Co.

Tourist Information

Best Time to Visit

Best Time to Visit

Like the rest of Ireland, the region of Waterford is characterised by a mild climate, with rather stable temperatures throughout the year. The warmest months are between June and August, with the temperature peaking at around 66.9°F (19.4°C) in July. Considerable rainfall is always to be expected, but the driest month of the year is September. There are several festivals in and around Waterford all year long. The first major event of the year is the Viking Festival in March, followed by several summer programmes including the Festival of Travel Writing (Immrama), and the Harvest Festival in September. Winter festivals include the Waterford Film Festival around November and the Christmas Festival.

Passport / Visa

Passport / Visa

Ireland’s passport and visa requirements vary for different nationalities: if you are a UK citizen, you can simply use official photo identification, whereas if you are an EU citizen, you'll need a national identity card. Visitors from EU countries (including Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein), USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, don’t need a visa to visit the Republic or Northern Ireland. South African visitors can visit the Republic of Ireland visa-free, but they need a UK visa in order to enter Northern Ireland. If you're not sure whether or not to apply for a visa, we recommend that you contact the embassy or consulate in your country.

Waterford Airport (WAT)

Waterford Airport (WAT)

Waterford Airport, the one where the first international Ryanair flight took off, is located ca. 10 km from the city centre, and can be reached by car, train, or bus in 15-20 minutes. As of late 2018, however, no commercial airline operates routes here, so reaching Waterford is only possible by other means of transport.

Public transport

Public transport

The local service provider is Local Link Waterford, which provides scheduled and semi-flexible passenger transportation, but the region is also served by national companies such as Bus Éireann and Irish Rail.

Taxi

Taxi

Taxis and hackney cabs are available in Waterford. Taxis can be hailed down in the street, but hackney cabs must be booked from offices. Rapid www.rapidcabs.com info@rapidcabs.com +353 51 85 8585 Premier Taxis http://premiertaxis.ie +353 51 373 373 Waterford Taxis www.waterfordtaxis.ie +353 51 33 1033

Electricity

Electricity

The standard voltage in Ireland is 230 V/50 Hz. Socket type: G.

Pharmacy

Pharmacy

Gallagher's Pharmacy is located in the city centre, open from 8.30am until 10pm from Monday to Saturday, and until 7pm on Sundays. Mulligans also has several branches in Waterford, including a Drive-Thru Pharmacy on Dunmore Road, +353 51 843 700.

Post

Post

Postal services are provided by An Post. Most post offices are open from 9.30 to 5.30pm on weekdays, and until 1pm on Saturdays. Waterford City Post Office: Custom House Quay +353 51 317 312

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