"Glendalough Monastic Site is one of the most important ancient monastic sites in Ireland—and these days, it's also one of the country's top tourist spots. Set in the Glendalough Valley in Country Wicklow, adjacent to the sprawling Wicklow Mountains National Park, this Monastic City’s roots go back to the 6th-century St. Kevin, who laid its foundations; it survived attacks by the Vikings and other tumult to become one of the region’s top centers of learning and ecclesiastics, before ultimately being destroyed by the Normans in the 13th century. Things are a little less hectic today—you can take a guided tour through the Visitor Center, where you'll be loaded up on exhibits and audio-visual presentations, and can then meander independently around the grounds. Highlights include the pitched-roof church known as St. Kevin’s Kitchen; the Romanesque-style Priest’s House (don’t miss the even-older carving above the door); the massive granite cross thought to be from the 6th or 7th century; and the Cathedral, the largest church on the site. The top stop, though, is the 98.4-foot Round Tower, which stands tall along the river." - Sandra Ramani
