Iona Abbey and Nunnery

Great experience visiting Iona Abbey, Nunnery and Museum today. We did not book tickets ahead of time but were able to enter with no wait. The visit had a guided tour which was very helpful, and also elaborate signposts to support your experience. The Abbey and Museum have many relics which are as old as 1400 years. If you are planning to visit, I would recommend reading up on the history of the place first. This would mean that you are able to take in more of the information as you proceed through the tour. There was a lovely flow of people but was not too busy. Thank you to Paul who was very welcoming as we purchased our ticket!

Great visit to this historic place. Lots to see and do. Unfortunately we only had 2 hours on our tour as we could easily have enjoyed a full day in this wonderful place. Will return as soon as we can for a longer visit. Highly recommended

Visiting Iona Abbey and Nunnery was an unforgettable experience, steeped in history and breathtaking beauty. The abbey, a site of Christian worship for over 1,450 years, exudes a deep sense of peace and spirituality. Walking through its ancient stone walls, one can't help but feel connected to the pilgrims who came before. The Abbey Museum was a highlight, showcasing Scotland's finest collection of medieval carved stones and crosses—each telling a story of devotion and craftsmanship. The Augustinian nunnery, though in ruins, remains one of the best-preserved examples in Scotland, offering a glimpse into the quiet lives once lived within its walls. The Street of the Dead, lined with high crosses, leads to St. Oran’s Chapel and the ancient graveyard, where legend says Scottish kings lie at rest. The atmosphere is serene, making it a perfect place for reflection. Beyond the historical significance, Iona itself is simply stunning. The island’s wild beauty, with its rolling green landscapes and views of the surrounding sea, adds to the magic of the visit. A trip to Iona Abbey and Nunnery is more than a historical tour—it’s a journey into Scotland’s spiritual heart. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a traveler seeking tranquility, or a lover of beautiful landscapes, this sacred site is well worth the visit.

A place of tranquility steeped in Celtic religious history with the St Columba connection. You can get away from all the hassle of the outside world and enjoy a relaxing stay with plenty of places to explore on foot.

Stunning. Weather hit and miss but reeks of history and religion. A wonderful place. Made very welcome, the argyle hotel is worth a visit also.

This was a highlight of our Scottish trip! The current building is a somewhat modern (100-yr old) reconstruction of ruins that have components dating back to the to the sixth century. There is an entrance fee for visitors, but you can get a good audio guide and spend as much time as you like exploring the grounds and buildings. We originally thought we would do one of the day trip bus tours from Oban, but instead stayed nearby to spend a full day on Iona and I'm glad we did. You need to slow down and soak in the history when you visit Iona.

Took a short ferry trip from Mull to Iona. A short walk from harbour we looked around the Nunnery ruins then went to Iona Abbey. The island is car free except for residents so was great to get some exercise. Beautiful small island with white sand beaches.

The medieval Abbey has been lovingly restored to reflect its crucial role in Scotlands history. From this Abbey monks fanned out all over Scotland and beyond evangelizing great swatches of Northern Europe. Un addition to its religious role as the foundation of Saint Columba, the Abbey had a significant role as the birthplace of the Book of Kells moved to Ireland to protect it from Viking raids but created on Iona. Iona was also the burial place for Scotland's kings for many centuries and the same burial ground is also the last resting place for z number of Irish and Norwegian monarchs as well. Before visiting the Abbey I world advise visiting the ruins of the convent which are on the way and which are clearly well tended by the local population. There is a small entrance fee to the Abbey which also allows you to make use of the multi-lingual audio guides. The Abbey Church is still impressive and worth lingering in as you visit. The reconstructed cloisters are magnificent and peaceful even with a fairly large number of visitors. Visiting the Abbey museum is a must not only for the additional information but also for the numerous artifacts on display. Even on a dull day a visit to Iona is one worth making and the site itself is the equal to any Castle mountain or loch in Scotland.

I thought I was reserving the most interesting building in the islands. Turns out I didn't even need to reserve them, plenty of available room here. I doubt they ever have enough tourism to sell out of tickets. I can't say the Abbey and museum were a waste of my time, since I had 2 hours to kill between ferries, but I don't think they're worth £10. Because this place is still active, they've rebuilt a lot of original material, which is quite sad. I photographed the original bits that were left, but the most interesting parts (the nunnery especially) are free! You only pay to enter the grounds of the church and see the small museum, and the whole thing is 90% stone crosses and grave markers. I have to think the fee is to raise money for the church, more than maintaining history. So if you find yourself in Iona, and you're not a devout Christian, I recommend checking out all the ruins around the Abbey, anything you can see without paying, and leaving it at that. If you do believe in the Church, this place probably has more spiritual significance for you, but unfortunately it lacks as a museum.

We spent a day in Iona visiting the abbey and nunnery. The weather cooperated and it was mostly cloudy with just spots of rain. It's a short walk to the nunnery and abbey from the dock where the ferry dropped us off. The nunnery is on the way to the abbey and is mostly in ruins. It's still worth a stop to understand the history, although you can't go inside. If you're lucky you might even see some hairy coos on the walk to the abbey. The abbey is having some work done so there was scaffolding on one side. But the architecture is still stunning. It's in a beautiful location. The interior is serene and tranquil. There's a separate building in the back that is the museum, which is also very informative. This was on our must-see list during our Scotland visit and it was wonderful to spend the hours here.

There is an admission fee (£7.50 per adult), but it is worth it given the effort it takes to get to Iona in the first place. The Isle of Iona is accessed by a large Caledonian ferry from Oban to Isle of Mull and then again from a small ferry that does not allow vehicles from the Western edge of Mull to the small Isle of Iona. Once on the island, there are minimal activities, but it is worth the day trip when combined with a visit to the Isle of Staffa. The major attraction on Iona is the Abbey, which lay partly in ruins. There are excellent, guided tours of the abbey by extremely knowledgeable staff. The full tour of the abbey takes around 30 minutes.

Wow! Absolutely fabulous. You receive a little hand held listening device and you go on your own audio tour. Being the dork that I am, I listened to everything. It took more than 2 hours. My mother has limited mobility. She thought she could walk from the ferry to the Abbey. Big mistake. Spend the money and take a taxi. The welcome center where you buy the tickets does not have any seating. It was pouring down rain too. They were so kind and permitted my mom onto the grounds and let her sit in the Abbey. She had a walker and it was bit of a squeeze to get her walker through the doors, but she did. She got to sit down, she was dry, and did not have a bad view either. There is a gift shop. Their prices are the best on the Island and even on Isle of Mull. I recommend this is the place to buy souvenirs. On the back of the Abbey is more stuff to visit. They even have Highland Cattle (the long haired cows) just chillin', so you can get some real close up pictures of them. From the ferry, go up the hill. On your right, stop off at the Nunnery Ruins. Nice photos shots. Continue to your right. You will see an old celtic cross, this was a pilgrimage stop. Another good photo spot. Unfortunately we came on a Sunday, so a museum was closed, but I would have visited. The Abbey gift shop called a taxi for us. He dropped us off at the restaurant and gift shop because we had 30 minutes until the next ferry. The reviews about the restaurant being crazy busy is true -- its a mad house. The gift shop was very nice, but so so expensive. We decided to eat once we got back to the Isle of Mull (the snack place at the ferry stop was not worth it -- so I advise bring snacks with you). We did this on our own. We did not do the "day trip" with an added boat trip to see wild life.

This island and Abbey is well worth the visit, even though it takes a while to get to the South-West point of Mull for the 10-15 min ferry over, no cars without permits. The building and history behind it is very interesting, its lovely. This is also very busy considering its whereabouts.