FROM first look the delights of Kilkenny city and its surrounding areas are pretty evident.
The area is one of Ireland’s historical highlights and, understandably, a prized location on the nation’s Ancient East map.
With its castle, two cathedrals and multitude of ancient buildings, this is clearly a city of note – it was, of course, once the medieval capital of Ireland.
But it is not until you get right on the ground and into the thick of Kilkenny that you can genuinely appreciate its magnetism, as you find the hidden gems that make it a truly enticing city offering something for visitors of all ages.
There is plenty to explore in historic KilkennyWe recently spent a short break in the city, with our three young children in tow, and found ourselves with barely enough time to scratch the surface of the exciting offerings to be enjoyed throughout its medieval streets.
Luckily, we were well-positioned while staying at the stylish Hotel Kilkenny, which is just a short walk from the city centre.
The hotel, with its luxurious décor and cosy yet elegant furnishings, proved the perfect base for a whistlestop tour of Kilkenny city.
Hotel Kilkenny offers the perfect base from which to explore the city and its surrounding areasWith a bustling, state-of-the-art gym as well as a large indoor pool, steam room and sauna we managed to start each morning by partaking in a range of leisure activities that suited all ages in our party and set us up well for a day of sight-seeing.
But first we fuelled up on a hearty Irish breakfast, cooked to order, at the hotel’s Taste restaurant – from where there are equally delicious dinners on offer too - before heading out to explore.
Now when I say there is a lot to explore in Kilkenny, I mean there is a lot to explore.
Fortunately, despite Kilkenny winning city status in 1609, in terms of its size it's really more like a large town.
Which means that you can get to the many highlights it has to offer on foot, ensuring the best possible use of our time.
Luxury awaits at the elegant Hotel Kilkenny (Pic: Colin Shanahan)And in a city which manages to boast a castle, two cathedrals - St Canice’s Church of Ireland Cathedral and St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral - various churches and a brewery within its boundaries – there were plenty of places that we wanted to visit while there.
Luckily for us, Kilkenny is a focus point of Ireland’s Ancient East initiative, devised by the national tourism board Fáilte Ireland.
That drive has been promoting the highlights of medieval Ireland, largely found along the country’s eastern coast, to tourists and natives who have yet to experience it.
Kilkenny Castle overlooks the cityAs a result Kilkenny’s ancient history highlights have been packaged up in the Ireland’s Medieval Mile discovery trail – which takes you from Kilkenny Castle across town to St Canice’s Cathedral, and includes 21 other points of interest to stop at along the way.
Although the highlight for us, and our children, was definitely the castle – I mean, who doesn’t love a real-life castle?
This impressive building sits at the top of the city, along the banks of the River Nore, and looms large on the hustle and bustle of what is in fact quite a cosmopolitan space below.
It offers stunning gardens to roam outside and plenty of history inside, as this 12th century Anglo-Norman structure has had a number of owners in its time and has been consistently reinvented over the centuries.
It was eventually handed over to the people of Ireland for a token payment of £50 in 1967 and has been lovingly restored to its former glory since then, ready for tourists and Kilkenny natives to finally explore.
But there is as much to savour in the grounds outside this historic building, which has a vast open space and an enticing playground, flanked by an open-air coffee shop, so plenty to keep us all entertained for the duration of our time there.
From there the tour winds its way through the town, with a stop every few minutes or so offering more of Kilkenny’s heritage.
Saint Canice's Cathedral is a highlight of the Medieval Mile trailAmong my highlights were the Rothe House and Garden, which was built in 1594 by local merchant and former Kilkenny City mayor John Rothe as a home for himself, his wife and their 11 children.
This antiquated townhouse is something of a hidden gem – nestled within the city lanes, where it consists of three houses and a 17th century urban garden which was built on its roof.
To step from Kilkenny’s modern streets into this ancient abode is truly like stepping back in time.
As with the castle, simply being in this house transports you to a time and place you could never have imagined, but there is enough information and original artefacts on display here to allow you a sense of what it might have been like for those who once called it home.
Elsewhere another small but impactful element of the mile, is the unassuming, but full of character, Butter Slip.
This is simply a small passageway linking Kilkenny’s High Street to the parallel St Kieran’s Street, but with its high arch and stone steps it is a beautiful example of the architectural delights of medieval Ireland.
The short walk through this slip evokes notions of what went on here in its past – as this is a passageway, built in 1616, which was once the street market location for butter vendors, who were drawn to the spot due to its naturally cool temperatures.
St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral is also located within the cityFor me, it epitomises the charming juxtaposition of Kilkenny – a city full of modern eloquence, with a glossy exterior, but founded on a culture, history and purpose that refuses to be forgotten.
For my children it was an exciting portal into a world gone by, with a catchy name, that keeps being mentioned even now, while we are back at home in London.
Another highlight of our trip was found just outside of the city centre when we took a trip to the Castlecomer Discovery Park.
Located roughly a 25-minute drive from the city, this was an absolute gem of a find, and well worth the trip.
Traditionally, Castlecomer was a mining town.
Mining began there in the 17th century with the extraction of iron ore and continued until the closure of its coal mines in 1969.
Set in the former grounds of the Wandesforde Estate, which was once owned by the Wandesforde family, who originally came from Richmond in Yorkshire, the park comprises 80 acres of stunning natural woodland and lakes.
The quaint Castlecomer used to be a mining townIt opened to the public in 2007, having begun as a community project to rejuvenate the town which had somewhat fallen into disrepair with the closure of its mining industry.
Today it boasts a fascinating Coal Mining Exhibition, visitor centre and design craft studios which are located in what would have been the former stable yard of the Wandesworth Eatate..
Its outdoor space is stunning and offers plenty of room to roam – as well as an adventure playground for younger explorers, a tree top trail for older climbers and a bouncy net which would be fun for anyone who is able to get on it.
Our day at Castlecomer proved the perfect end to a brief Kilkenny holiday which offered everything we could have hoped for and more.
Historic fun, outdoor activities and plenty of memories to take home with us...
Hotel Kilkenny offers the perfect base for exploring Kilkenny, with an on-site gym, pool, steam room and sauna. For booking and further information click here.
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