The Insider's Guide to Waterford: 55 things to see, do and experience — and the best places to stay

Add in Ireland’s oldest city and the county’s very own ceanntar gaeltacht and you’ve found yourself a true national microcosm.

The county is also enjoying a tourism wave in recent years. Long overlooked by travellers who were booting west to Cork or Kerry or east to Wexford, Waterford has emerged as one of the country’s top trending destinations. 

An excellent local food scene, fantastic hiking options, and of the country’s best known cycle routes have fast-tracked the tourism advances in a county which today offers a diverse and experience-rich getaway. 

From world class hikes to the best Eggs Blaanedict, here are our top recommendations for your next date with the Déise.

Waterford highlights

Perhaps the most successful of its kind in the nation, the Waterford Greenway is a 52km cycling and walking byway stretching all the way from Waterford City to Dungarvan and punctuated with myriad scenic pit stops and coffee stops en route. Hire bikes from The Greenway Man in Dungarvan and hit the Railway Cottage for lunch. In Waterford City itself, Ireland’s oldest city, you can expect history galore in a town founded by Norwegian Vikings back in 914 AD.

The virtual reality ‘King of the Vikings’ experience is a great place to start but add other attractions to your itinerary too from Reginald’s Tower to the Irish Wake Museum (waterfordtreasures.com). Long one of Ireland’s most renowned brands, Waterford Crystal also continues to woo great tourist interest in the city and the House of Waterford is where you can witness the wizardry of its creation before your eyes. In West Waterford, luxury crystal brand Criostal Na Rinne is also open for visits of their artisanal workshop. (€17.50/€9.50; waterfordvisitorcentre.com)

Home to 70 acres of gardens, wrapped by 16km of walking trails, Mount Congreve, just outside Waterford City, is a true horticultural haven in the county. Visitors can enjoy afternoon tea and other treats at Stables Café while the Secret Garden Shop by Foxford is a fine spot to purchase some Irish gifts (mountcongreve.com). Elsewhere, it’s not everywhere you can road-trip through a Unesco Global Geopark, but you can along Waterford’s Copper Coast. Named after the region’s fascinating mining heritage, the stunning 17km route between Kilfarrasy and Stradbally remains massively unheralded and is well worth detouring off the N25 (coppercoastgeopark.com).

Ready to get active? Set deep in the Comeragh Mountains and horseshoeing a corrie lake of the same name, the Coumshingaun trail is a world class trek on our doorstep. The three-hour route can be challenging and best suited for sure-footed hikers but the views are worth every rock scramble. Start early to avoid crowds and the midday sun. Tucked in a verdant valley dotted by grazing mountain sheep, Mahon Falls in the Comeragh Mountains is so scenic there’s almost a movie magic here. It’s a 30 minute return walk along a flat trail to the falls to a good family-friendly outing option too. Ardmore Cliff walk meanwhile is one of the most scenic trails in the country.

The 4km route not only takes in wonderful coastal seascapes but also sights just as St Declan’s Well, the Samson shipwreck and of course, one of Ireland’s finest round towers. Heading north and the jewel of the Blackwater, Lismore Castle is truly one of Ireland’s most stunning architectural treasures and its gorgeous gardens, which are open to the public, are a heavenly vantage point to experience it. Be sure to check out a lovely café and art gallery during your visit (€10/€6.50; lismorecastlegardens.com.).

Finally, when hunger strikes, be sure to pop a blaa on your bucket list! Waterford’s humble floury bread roll enjoys the same protected status as champagne or Gorgonzola these days and is a breakfast and lunch staple around the county.

Hidden gems

Waterford is blessed with dozens of gorgeous beaches from Tramore to Dungarvan but for a dreamy swim head to the horseshoe haven of Goat Island, tucked 5km west of Ardmore. Picture perfect Dunmore East meanwhile is a stunning spot to add to any Waterford visit and the mobile saunas of The Hot Spot crank up the beach experience all the more. You can dip and steam for just €10 plus they also operate at Kilmurrin, Guillamene and Clonea strands (@thehotspot.ie). Staying in the uisce, and is anyone for sea-trampolining? Ardmore Watersports have just launched for their fifth season and invite fun-seeking beach-trippers to take the plunge with activities from banana boat tours to kayaking excursions along the bay. They also have a kids camp running from July 1 (@ardmorewatersports).

Relaxation more your scene? Set in the former fish market at Helvic Pier in An Rinn, Sólás na Mara, is a soothing wellness centre which offers calming seaweed baths using kelp ethically harvested from the nearby waters. Sessions cost a great value €35 per hour, plus there’s a nice café on-site too (@solasnamara).

Best known as the site of the All Together Now festival, Curraghmore House & Gardens near Portlaw also makes for an excellent visit before or after the revellers arrive. Still the home today of the 9th Marquess of Waterford, the property is open for guided tours and features truly gorgeous tea rooms serving sweet and savoury treats (@curraghmore.estate). On the other end of the county, the Blackwater is one of Ireland’s most magical and unspoiled waterways and there’s no better way to experience its flow than with a kayaking tour with operators like MCG Kayaks. Keep an eye out for kingfishers around the river banks (@mcgkayaks).

Looking for the perfect souvenir? Isabelle’s Gifts is a popular gift store in the heart of Dungarvan. When not going viral on Instagram they are busy selling a huge selection of Irish design products including pieces from Ardmore jewellery (@Isabelsplacedungarvan). Finally, for a craic-loaded music session, pull up a stool at The Marine Bar, in An Rinn which offers a real test of the west in West Waterford. Resident musicians Christy and the Blackwater band perform regularly.

Great places to eat

One of the true pioneers of Waterford’s burgeoning food movement, Paul and Máire Flynn’s Tannery Restaurant continues to lead the local fine-dining scene. Three course dinner menus are available for €68 (@thetanneryrestaurant). With its “seasonal food, fast” philosophy, AndChips has established itself as one of the hottest food tickets in Dungarvan since it opened just five years ago. Expect fresh off-the-trawler fish and chips along with the likes of Korean wings, buttermilk chicken burgers, house wines and milkshakes (@andchips_). Locals are still loyal to Roma Grill and Genoa’s, so be sure to check them out too. Seafood lovers will find plenty of excellent spots to anchor down for a great meal in Dungarvan, not least The Moorings , an always buzzing restaurant located along the dock, which on a belter of a summer’s day has just the whiff of the Med. Try their crab claws!

For a delicious dining experience in Waterford City, makes ressies for Momo, a contemporary restaurant by Harry O’Neill and Kamila Bystrzonowska which features imaginative dishes like smoked tofu bacon arancini and lamb koftas with feta and beetroot gnocchi (@momowaterford). Down the coast and for a taste of the Middle-East in the Southeast, head to Mezze in Tramore. The popular café and deli features a host of delicious items from tasty breakfast shakshuka to pitta sharing boards and seriously tempting options for a beach side picnic (@mezze.ie). For brunch in Tramore, take a seat at bustling Vee café which draws a loyal following with its delicious dishes like Spanish breakfast hash, stacked Canadian pancakes and Eggs Blaanedict (get it?) (@theveecafe).

You’ll find some great stop off spots during your Waterford road-trip too. For a convenient break along the N25, The Garden Kitchen Café located at Clarenbridge Garden Centre beyond Youghal Bridge offers items from tasty toasties to delicious Sunday roasts (@thegardenkitchencafe). Billed as a seasonal café and larder, Eamo & Ro’s meanwhile is a gorgeous stop-off in Kilmacthomas, particularly for those cycling along the greenway (@eamo_and_ro). On tour in Waterford? Keep tabs on the mouth-watering Little Catch Seafood Bar which pops up in locations across the count with its delicious lobster rolls and bao buns.

You’re never too far from an excellent coffee fix in Waterford either. For the perfect pre or post hike fuel, head to Crough Coffee (crough_coffee) in Mahon Bridge. They serve up delicious 3fe coffee and sourdough toasties as well as home-baked treats and ice-cream for that sugar rush. Ceard faoi cúpan to go? Rud Deas (@ruddeas_heilbhic) is a friendly coffee hut in An Rinn which offers freshly brewed Boardwalk Coffee and a variety of Sóláistí Cois Mara (tasty seaside treats) with a friendly side of Gaeilge. Our reader recommendations for Dún Bakery in Dungarvan were in no short supply for this article. The artisan outfit run by Caitríona Keating and Fergal Walsh offers a sublime selection of breads and pastries (@dunbakery) while if you’re looking for a pastry fix in Tramore, make tracks for the delicious Seagull Bakery (@seagullbakerytramore).

Where to stay

For lovers of luxury and excellent design, Gray House, is a seriously slick cabin escape nestled in the scenic ‘burbs of Dungarvan. Expect funky 1970s touches as well as influence of wabi-sabi, the Japanese ethos of finding the perfect in the imperfect. From €240; via booking.com.

The Irish Landmark Trust offers excellent value listed property stays across the island and Salterbridge Gatelodge near Cappoquin is one of its finest. The period property which buttressed the private estate sleeps two and is also dog friendly. From €203; Irishlandmark.com.

Perhaps the county’s most prolific resort, four-star Faithlegg is a popular all-season base from the very solid FBD chain, offering guests a golf course and spa as well as highly-rated dining from the kitchen of Jenny Flynn. From €200; faithlegg.com

A gorgeous bolthole in Mount Congreve Gardens, their gorgeously refurbished gate lodge offers the freedom of self-catering in a period drama setting while having access to the estate’s café and complimentary access to the gardens. Keep an eye out for their soon-to-launch forest hotel too. From €240. mountcongreve.com.

The Cliff House is the county’s most premium five-star property, famed for its excellent dining, luxurious spa and stunning Celtic Sea views, best enjoyed at sunrise. From €399; cliffhousehotel.ie.

• Keep tabs on social media accounts for businesses’ updated opening hours. For more on the region, see visitwaterford.com