Things To Do In Kilkenny Ireland – A day out in Kilkenny city, exploring the castles, medieval mile and the traditional food options.

Things To Do In Kilkenny

Now that we are living in Ireland, we are making it our mission to explore every inch of this beautiful, historic country – one town at a time. One of our first adventures was to Kilkenny.

Today I’m going to share things to do in Kilkenny – from a local’s perspective. This information and page will grow with each visit, so make sure you save, bookmark and pin it so that when you’re in Ireland and ready to explore Kilkenny, you’ll have all the information you need for an unforgettable experience.

Getting To Kilkenny

First you need to actually get to Kilkenny. If you’re driving, you’ll find plenty of paid parking options around. I find that checking the Parkopedia website helps give an idea of where to park and for how much.

If you don’t have access to a car, then you can still easily get to Kilkenny by train or bus. Kilkenny Tourism has handy information about ways to access the city from around the country.

Kilkenny Walking Tour

Kilkenny is a lovely city to walk around and it’s really easy too. To familiarise yourself with the city, start with walking around to get a sense of the different areas.

There’s the high street, pictured above, with shops and the Medieval Museum, and plenty of cafes and restaurants to sit and people watch.

If you’re after the quintessential pub packed Kilkenny cobblestone laneway, then head to St Kiernan’s Street. The street is lined with pub after pub. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to meals (and drink), so it pays to have a good walk up and down the street to get a feel for the area and decide where you’re drawn to.

You’ll find that the high street and St Kiernan’s Street are connected by a number of steep stairways. Take a careful walk up and down each one to discover more Kilkenny hidden gems.

The Kilkenny Castle and surrounding park are worth a day just to explore the grandeur and splendour of the area.

It’s also worth exploring the Canal Walk for unique views of Kilkenny Castle from below and of the river which winds through the city.

Traditional Food in Kilkenny

For traditional food in a unique setting, you can’t go past Kyteler’s Inn. You’ll feel instantly transported to the middle ages as you squeeze through the narrow entrance and are thrown into one of the oldest pubs in Ireland.

The history of the Inn, which dates back to 1263, is fascinating. Have a read here!

We enjoyed lunch and found it to be family friendly and fascinating to walk around and explore. The food itself was just what we needed after a day of walking around Kilkenny – hearty, generous portions and, as an added bonus, budget friendly too. (Here’s my full Kilkenny restaurants guide.)

Kilkenny Castle

The main drawcard of Kilkenny is the towering Castle which can be seen from most spots in the city. The castle is worth a tour, which we hope to take part in on our next visit.

This time though, we walked around and within the Castle walls and admired the gardens too. On our next visit, we plan to explore Kilkenny Castle first to learn about what lies within the Castle itself.

Kilkenny Impressions

Kilkenny left a lasting impression on me, I left immediately planning my next trip. It’s the kind of place that you’re immediately addicted to and that you know you will visit again and again to soak up the vibrant atmosphere, colourful buildings and hidden secrets the city holds.

Here’s the video where you can tour around Kilkenny with me. Hit play below or click here to watch the video on YouTube.