Such beautiful surroundings, the views alone are stunning. We heard a cuckoo three times, the first time I've heard one in 25 years. The Gothic Church, very sad story behind why it was built but what a fantastic legacy, Margaret Henry's life and memory will live on forever. The house itself is beautiful, but the walled gardens, wow. There is a shuttle bus running from the house to the gardens so we took it with the intention of walking back, but it's a decent enough spin to the gardens so we got the bus back too! The gardens are stunning. Make sure you bring your camera and good walking shoes. We visited the cafe, the food was lovely. Toilets everywhere, every toilet was clean and well stocked. The gift shop is lovely too and we bought a few souvenirs, very reasonably priced. Had a lovely day.

I visited Kylemore Abbey on the first day of opening for the new season in March 2022. Wow! What a place! The scenery is truly breathtaking and the grounds are extremely well kept. Learning about the house and its previous occupants is also very interesting, plus there is a free shuttle bus to the Victorian Walled Garden (a nice addition as just walking around the grounds/house can be taxing enough). You can easily spend a full day here if you include the gift shop and grabbing a bite to eat in the cafe before/after roaming the grounds. If you're in the area of this amazing place, be sure to stop by. You won't regret it!

Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden is one of the most famous attractions in Connemara, and it’s easy to see why when you see it in person. When you arrive at Kylemore, the first thing you’ll notice is Pollacapall Lough and Kylemore Abbey in the background. Photos you take will instantly look like a postcard with the Abbey and the mountains in the background, and the reflection of the Abbey on the Lough. It’s one of the most beautiful sites, worthy of admiration! When you visit the Castle, you can access the ground floor which is rich with information: furniture and decor of the day, Victorian fashion exhibited on mannequins, audio-visual displays which highlight stories and information of the Abbey and it’s residents, and text-based information displays. When you visit Kylemore, you can take a shuttle bus from the from the Abbey which runs every 15 minutes, or you can take a scenic 20 minute woodland walk to arrive at the gardens. Personally I enjoyed taking the walk through the woodlands and enjoying the view of the surrounding forests, mountains and the river. There are also information boards on display giving information of specific features of the walk. When you arrive at the Walled Gardens, there is a tea room available which serves welcome refreshments and homemade food. You can also admire the Connemara Ponies which graze the nearby field. At the Abbey there is also a Craft Shop, Pottery Studio and Restaurant that can be enjoyed. At the time of writing this, the entrance for an adult costs €15 and is well worth the cost for the experience of visiting Kylemore. In conclusion I’d say with surety that adding Kylemore Abbey to my Connemara itinerary was a valuable experience that I won’t forget in a rush.

Beauty and peace. This beautiful Abbey is located in a very remote and secluded area, surrounded by green hills. When you enter it, you feel like that you are far away from the dusty world and the ordinary life outside. It gives you a sense of purity and peace deep into your soul. The lake in front of the Abbey, was so smooth and shining, like a natural mirror and reflects the Abbey into it. The garden was not very big, but carefully designed like an oil painting, with multiple colors of flowers, brings you a sense of beauty and tranquility. It was such a beautiful and peaceful experience to visit!

The relatively “recent” history of this property is truly amazing. I loved hearing the stories from the guides as we walked through the house. The gardens are so beautiful. I could have easily spent the entire day on the property but an hour or two would do for those on a tight schedule. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is traveling nearby. Thank you to the caretakers for making this property available to the public.

Interesting tour and history. Beautiful location. Lovely walks and gardens are beautiful. Delighted to have visited here on such a fine day too! Certain Hollywood actor/ sexiest man was there with his family also which made our visit all the nicer! 😀

Absolutely amazing experience , really enjoyed the abbey , garden and surroundings. Amazing scenery. Can enjoy around 3 hours. Better to book ticket online. Shuttle bus service available from abbey to garden every 15-20 minutes, but prefer to walk around its gorgeous. There is amble parking space , restaurant and tidy toilets available…everything well maintained.

Interesting exhibit about the history of this castle. The site is huge, if you want to visit everything (or most of it) it's better to take the full day. The Victorian gardens is an opportunity for a lovely stroll, and you can continue on in the neighboring little woods. The church is worth checking out too. Little poneys and pigs. Entry full price is 16€ (July 2023 rate). The site makes for a nice day whether you visit as a family or you love history.

Beautiful built and grounds. Interesting history well presented in the displays upon entry and then brought to life during the included history talk. Ours was presented by a young man, Ethan. He was a delight to listen to a wealth of knowledge about Kylemore. It’s a bit of a drive but more then worth it as the scenery getting there and then on site are remarkable.

The food options were rather limited and on the expensive side, with a ham and cheese sandwich setting you back €10. Nevertheless, the place itself was absolutely stunning. It's easily one of the most beautiful spots in Ireland, exuding serenity, cleanliness, and a profound sense of peace. To gain access to the abbey, church, and gardens, you'll need to purchase tickets at €16 each. Upon arrival, you'll find a restaurant near the entrance, alongside a ticket counter and a gift shop. Another restaurant can be found within the garden area. Exploring the abbey, church, and the intriguing ironing stone on foot is a great way to take in the sights. If you'd rather not walk, there's a shuttle service available for the gardens. Our visit, which included a lunch break took approximately 3.5 to 4 hours. Throughout the grounds, you'll discover picnic benches for relaxation and multiple restroom facilities, some equipped with baby-changing stations. The property boasts ample parking space for both cars and coaches, and the best part is, it's free of charge.

Fabulous from start to finish. Started with a lovely lunch of soup and a chicken Tikka wrap, yummy. Then we walked to the main Abbey, toured in there and so well presented. Then down to the church, moratorium and wishing stone. Back to the bus stop to catch the free shuttle to the beautiful walled garden. Free parking too.

Beautiful grounds, unfortunately we went on a rainy day so outside was not as fun. Informational tour inside the Abby was great. Also the gift shop had amazing chocolate made by the nuns themselves. Lots of parking. We went End of September, still a crowd but nothing like it would be in summer.

Loving the Victorian interior so much! Surprisingly not as big as it looks from the outside, but beautiful all the same. The detail placement of each stuff and ornament makes you feel nostalgic and wonder how the life of the Henry families back then was. I especially love the dining room. Both Kylemore Abbey & the Victorian Walled Garden are truly a feast for the eyes, not to mention the surrounding lake and woods. I would say spare 3-4 hours here to fully explore the whole place.

Kylemore Abbey is absolutely stunning. Nestled in rolling hills and a calm lake, the building and grounds are just magical. The Abbey has many rooms that are accessible with tons of artifacts throughout. We walked the grounds and saw the Neo-Gothic church, which was small, but very nice. There is a shuttle from near the gift shop that runs up to the walled garden. The gardens are beautiful - very well maintained and just impeccable throughout. The horses and pigs were a nice addition to see also. We grabbed a bite to eat at the restaurant, everything was pretty good. I'd highly recommend stopping here on your journey.

A lovely place to visit. One ticket gives entry to the walled garden abbey and all the grounds. As a bonus it is dog friendly with some good trails. Can get very busy but we still found plenty of peace and tranquility on the walks

The Abbey is really beautiful and really well maintained. As most of the area was closed, we couldn’t get to close but the parts we could see were really beautiful! It looks like something out of a Disney movie. The drive to the Abbey if your coming from Galway is really stunning. We stopped a few times so we could appreciate the breathtaking scenery. Worth a visit. Make sure you give yourself a bit of extra time so you can enjoy the drive.

Kylemore Abbey is an amazing estate! Even though it was raining, we had a wonderful experience walking around the property for almost 3 hours. It was very peaceful and not too busy. We definitely enjoyed our visit!

This should be on top of your list. Amazing view of the castle right in front of the lake. The mountains and valley just adds up to the magnificence. The relaxing Lake walk to the Gothic church, sooth your nerves and allows you to soak in the sight.

Absolutely beautiful property and landscape. The manor house, chapel and gardens were all beautiful and worth a visit. Made for a lovely morning. The gardens were some of the most beautiful that we have visited, and a very interesting assortment of ornamental and edible plants. The restaurant is also very good and a great way to top off a visit.

Visited just the abbey and loved it. There is a cafe and gift shop near the entrance and washrooms too. We visited during early fall but i guess it must be beautiful all year around. They had some Lillie's in the pond but there were no flowers but I bet it would be great when they bloom.

Wonderful day at the Abbey. It is a lovely, calm and relaxing place where you can have a walk. The gardens are amazing. The price worth every cent because it's well organized and every member of the staff is lovely. We made a history tour with a polite and kind girl that expose everything with passion. Absolutely to visit!!!

Recommend to visit this place. It's not a shot drive but there's so much to see on the way that you'll enjoy expending more than 4 hours there. The castle is one of the few ones I've seen that are meant to be a lady castle. The gardens are beautiful .. even just the walk from point a to point d. The only thing I'll have to give a heads up it's about the castle guide tour. They take you into a room and have seat for more than an hour to tell you about the story of the owners and how it became an Abby but sadly it's to long of a talk and honestly you can read and see everything they tell you as you walk around the castle.

What an amazing place to visit, the walled gardens are so well tended and looking immaculate. The Abbey is unique and steeped in history as is the Gothic church . I'd recommend visiting and eating here. Thank you

Hugely attractive venue on the Mid West coast of the Irish Republic. Set amidst spectacular mountains this lovely place has been set out in a lakeside area of a valley bottom. Now convent but originally the country seat of aristocracy. Whilst the convent area is quite set aside and private, the majority of the area is on a free to roam basis, with even a free bus service within the grounds. Away from the house through beautiful woodlands are the walled gardens. A huge area with sculptured lawns and tidy flower beds, vegetable plots and the remaining two of the original more than twenty huge heated glass houses. There is a workers bothy , (cottage) to view and the visitor can also browse through the splendid garden manager's house. Nearby this part of the estate is a modern building offering refreshments, close to where the estate bus returns to the main Abbey area. The Abbey is well worth a look through, as various video screens describe life gone by. The splendor of the rooms along with lakeside views make this a worthwhile visit to the Abbey. Further along from the Abbey is a very well kept church, again with historical artifacts. Back from the church passing the Abbey along the lakeside pathway, we come to the car park and entrance area. Here the visitor will find a lovely modern cafe/restaurant along with a gift shop where quality items of clothing can be viewed along with a huge range of good Irish produce. This area is free to visit and there is sufficient free parking. To visit the grounds and Abbey beyond there is a charge, but in these modern times, I think it was great value!

Had a thoroughly enjoyable trying at Kylemore Abbey. Loved hearing the history talk that covered the 3 groups that have called Kylemore Castle home. The grounds are beautiful and the walled garden was spectacular. Had lunch at Kylemore kitchen which was delicious, the "legendary" apple pie with warm custard was indeed the stuff legends are made of.

Talk about wow!!! Amazing views just driving in and then you arrive and you get even more amazing views. It was quiet and peaceful to all the grounds enjoys all the views and information. Touring the abbey itself learning the stories and history about the abbey. I highly recommend this well kept beautiful castle. So glad we made the decision to come.

Looking for a great day out? Kylemore Abbey has lots to offer! Beautiful Abbey to explore, with history talks available. Then a short walk through the gardens will take you to the church which is stunning! Stop over for a great lunch in the restaurant before heading to the victorian walled gardens. A bus is available but if you can, take the scenic river walk - definitely worth it! Bathrooms available in multiple spots and wheelchair accessible.

Fantastic place to visit for a few hours. A beautiful place with lots of nature to walk around and see in this picturesque Irish valley. The gardens were nice and lots of huge old trees along the trails that my father particularly appreciated. Overall a highlight of our tour of Ireland 🇮🇪

We visited on a magnificent day. But even on a dull day outside, Kylemore Abbey would shine. Very interesting as well as beautiful to the eye. The continued use of the new extension (very sensitively added) to the Abbey as a school illustrates it’s not just a museum. The formal gardens are worth a review of their own.

Lots of things to see and beautiful scenery overall. Lots of different plants and trees from around the world. We ended up spending about 3 hours here. They have a shuttle to move around the place but walking is doable and lovely. Highly recommend this!

Oh yeah, this castle, the garden, and the walk along the river, was an all day adventure. Take some good waking shoes, a good lunch, plenty of water, a good camera, and a mask. This was one of the more elaborate castles, it is very well kept and maintained. The hostess are very kind and helpful, again this is a self-guided tour. However, there are some hostess that can answer most questions.

First time there and was not disappointed. Great scenery, wonderful walks and spectacular gardens. Abbey is worth a visit. The usual craft and food facilities at the location. Regular Shuttle Bus between Gardens & Abbey. Not to be missed

There are so much to say about this place. I felt like i was there in another life, maybe as a Henry member or a nun. The place gives you goosebumps! It is majestic! Peaceful! Take a raincoat in case it rains as long as you are there. And if it rains while you take a walk... Oh god.... Just enjoy and live the whole experience! This place lives in my heart! 💙

Spent 3 hours here. A good walk on the trail from the visitors centre to the amazingly well tended walled garden, then a shuttle back. The Abbey and Gothic church are beautifully situated, open to viewing downstairs.

The gardens were absolutely amazing and beautiful and some of the most beautiful plants I have ever seen. It's well taken care of! The Kyle Moore Abby Castle was beautiful but you only get to tour a very limited part of it. The walk along on the trail with the creek and the waterfalls were beautiful!