Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden

Beautiful estate to see. The estate and gardens take time to explore, then you also can see a Gothic Church, Henry Mausoleum, Garden Tea House, , Lake, Waterfalls, Picnic Area, Giant Ironing Stone, etc. The restaurant onsite is excellent. Give yourself at least 4 hours at this site. The drive to the Abbey is beautiful and full of surprises.

What a great place to spend the day! The drive to the Abbey was beautiful in itself, but once you get there, the view is stunning. We went during the week, so although it was busy, it was manageable. The folks in the Abbey were very informative, and the rooms that you get to visit were well preserved. We strolled the trails along the lake, checked out the church and cemetery, and even found the mycelium of the original owner. There is a frequent shuttle bus to the walled gardens and animal area. It’s worth going to if you have the time. You can walk to it if you prefer. There was a concessions area at the garden area also. We even ate in the cafeteria, and the food was excellent. The restroom facilities were well maintained. We did not have any problem finding a parking spot.

A must stop!! The abbey is beautiful inside & out. Take the shuttle up to the gardens to see the white ponies and pigs as well as the gorgeous gardens. Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours here.

Visited just after new years and the place was really quiet, the grounds are dog friendly too, just can't bring them inside the castle and restaurants.

I had high expectations for this and they were exceeded! Stunning castle and view across the lake. It was very windy but that did not take away from the dreamlike feeling I had while visiting. I would love to come back and spend more time walking the trails.

The Kilmore Abbey is a gem that further imbellish the beauty of the landscape of that area. Standing peacefully on the side of the lake, the abbey has a unique aura. You can park you car and walk through the visitor centre (online booking recommended). There you get explained where to go to reach the attractions (not only the abbey/castle, but also a gothic church, mausoleum and one of the biggest walled garden in Ireland). Three times a day there is a guided tour included in the ticket. The guide was passipnate, knowledgeable and entertaining. She really gave emotional and historical context to the building. I really recommend to join a tour to get the full experience of the abbey and it's history. The walled garden is less than 15 minutes walking from the abbey and the walk there is very enjoyable. However, who needs it can wait for the shuttle bus that goes every 10 minutes that brings you to the gardens and the tea house. Last but not the least, if you get hungry you can have a warm meal in the restaurant. There is a varied choice, including glutenfree and diary free options. The prices are very good and the quality of the food is above average. On the side there is a shop where you can buy souvenirs while sustaining the local wool producers, as well as products made by the nuns of the abbey.

The Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Gardens offers a blend of history, natural beauty, and architectural splendor. From the meticulously restored abbey and its stunning neo-Gothic church to the serene lakeside trails and vibrant Victorian walled garden, there's something to enchant every visitor! With a variety of eateries and a large gift shop, you can easily spend a full day exploring this remarkable destination. Highly recommended!

The exterior is fantastic. Love the areas allowed to see. Wish there was access to more rooms. Gothic Chapel was under renovation so didn't get a chance to see it.

Stunning Kylemore Abbey!! Walking the gardens was so calming and heavenly! I imagined picking my own herbs for a grand dinner experience. Ahhhh I can dream... The castle was so lovely and I enjoyed walking through the worker buildings and imagining how people lived back in the day. This was such an enjoyable day!! Oh! I should mention if you don't want to walk from the castle to the gardens they do have a tram to drive you over. The shop and dining was great too!! The food was surprisingly good!! Love, love, love this place!

Just like a fairy tale, the quintessential view of the Abbey materializes when you least expect it. The overwhelming amount of "oooh's" and "awww's" from the people around you isn't surprising; the view simply takes your breath away. If I were asked to think of somewhere that epitomizes a fairy tale, it would be a toss-up between Kylemore Abbey and Neuschwanstein Castle - both are stunning in their own way. Absolutely plan a visit and tour - a walk around the property is what ethereal dreams are made of. Nature, Wildlife, flora, and fauna, you will get your fill...and still want more. Plenty of interest here especially if you make it a day trip for the history and nature lovers. The whole experience felt like we were stepping into a storybook. We'd visit again even if it were to simply roam the landscape.

Can I please just live in Kylemore Abbey? No? Darn. I'll take my visit as a consolation prize. Seriously, any visitor to Ireland should make this abbey and the surrounding grounds an absolute priority. It is beautiful, even from afar! Once you get closer, the beauty just gets even more astounding. It's built at the base of a mountain and has such a rich history behind it. The accompanying gardens are a must-visit of their own kind. I spent a long time meandering the beautiful plants and artistic touches there. There's even a cutesy little tea shop on the grounds in addition to the main restaurant and gift shop area. The actual abbey visit doesn't take too long, but definitely allot at least an hour for the full tour. I'd recommend booking with a tour group to avoid getting lost on the way to the abbey. It does seem to be in the middle of nowhere. No gas stations out here, folks!

One of my favorite sights I saw while driving along the Connemara Loop in Galway, Ireland was the Kylemore Abbey. The story of Kylemore Abbey is a bit of a tragic love story. In 1852 English financier and politician, Mitchell Henry and his bride, Margaret were honeymooning in Connemara. Margaret fell in love with the beauty of Connemara so Mitchell purchased the land surrounding the Abbey and had Kylemore Castle built in 1867. The fairy-tale castle was 40,000 square feet and had over 70 rooms, including 33 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 sitting rooms, a ballroom, billiard room, library, study, school room, smoking room, gun room and various offices and residences for the butler, cook, housekeeper and other servants. For nearly a decade Mitchell, Margaret, and their nine children lived at Kylemore Castle, but in 1875 tragedy struck. Margaret contracted a fever during a visit to Egypt and died. Heartbroken, Mitchell returned to Kylemore and had a beautiful memorial church built about a mile away from the Castle on the shore of the lake. Margaret's body was laid to rest here and eventually Mitchell joined her in 1910. In 1920 Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased Kylemore Castle after their abbey in Belgium was destroyed during WWI. The nuns transformed Kylemore Castle into an Abbey and established an international boarding school and a day school for the local girls. The renowned boarding school was open from 1923 until 2010. Kylemore Abbey, the Gothic Church, the Victorian gardens, and the nature trails are open to visitors daily from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm. Tickets are €13 and discounted tickets are available if you book in advance online. A tour group was leaving as we were standing in line to purchase our tickets. Their tour included a lunch package in Mitchell's Cafe, but they ran out of time so they gave us their lunch vouchers. They didn't miss out, the food was mediocre. The only thing I enjoyed was the soup. The prices are cheap and the portions are huge at Mitchell's Cafe, but I would suggest packing a picnic basket instead if the weather is nice.

A Majestic Tourist Attraction in Ireland's West Coast, in Connemara. Kylemore Abbey was built in the 1867 originally by a man for his wife and in the 1920's years used as a boarding school by the Benedictine Nun's who bought it. It is now a tourist destination and well worth the visit. If you are in this area of the country, do not miss it. Admission is 13 Euro which allows a self guided tour of the house, Gothic Chapel and beautiful landscaped gardens. Allow your self about two hours minimum. So much to see, along with coffee shops and gift shops, plus photo opportunities of the spectacular Twelve Pins Mountains and lakes surrounding this castle. Wear walking shoes, layers, and a rainproof jacket. It can be very cold windy and wet even in mid July, August. But as I said do not miss this. It truly is a beautiful serene area of Ireland.

Breathtaking views that are a must see if in the Galway area. We used The Galway Tour Company and were completely impressed with the guides and their knowledge of everything Ireland. If you use this tour company, you get 2 hours to spend at Kylemore Abbey & Gardens before heading back to the bus. The buildings are so impressive and not something you see everyday, especially where I'm from. Go Go Go if you get a chance.

A little pricey but a beautiful place. No middies out in the afternoon. The Abbey was a pleasant peak into the past and much enjoyed. We skipped the gardens and popped in for ice cream and creapes instead.

This place is gorgeous and the history is even better. The abbey is just beautiful. We didn't get to see any nuns but the grounds are certainly kept up well. The gothic church built as a tribute to the wife of the former owner is incredibly built and such a cute fun size church. The gardens weren't quite in bloom but wow do they do a great job keeping it sharp and clean. We ate lunch at the restaurant just outside the gates. Not the most exciting lunch I've eaten. Only had wine available, but we didn't come here to eat. The abbey is a must visit if in Galway.

Every time I'm around Galway, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey are must-visit places for me. Breathtaking, wonderful views - a stroll there is always a pure pleasure. I also like food you can get there: as for Ireland, it has quite decent prices and it simply tastes nice. Can't wait to come back!:-)

I lived in Galway for a summer and during my last weekend I finally had the time to visit Kylemore, and as soon as I got off the bus and looked across the majestic lake to lay my eyes on the Abbey, I had an overwhelming feeling that I was at the heart of Ireland. With no other buildings in sight, you feel like you've come upon a secret. The abbey itself is grand, yet understated. The real gem is the small cathedral just down the path past the Abbey. It has 5 different Irish marbles and is just breathtaking. Also, the cafe isn't glamorous but the food it tasty. Also, they had delicious and moist gluten-free cookies!! Everytime I go back, I make sure this is one of my first stops!

Absolutely stunning property located within the Twelve Pins region of Connemara. The gardens are well manicured as is the entire site. The drive out there is as beautiful as I've seen. I encourage everyone to visit!

I have one word for you MIDGE. These little fruit fly looking buggers bite! They nearly ruined my visit to Kylemore, but what could beat the beauty of a castle by the lake...not much. This gorgeous abbey by the lake used to be a castle, those the grandeur of it all. The interior of the abbey is pretty and full of history, however The exterior is the real star. The black and white stones are nothing I've seen before. There are Victorian gardens on the grounds as well, adding to the castle feel of the place. However, after years of disrepair the garden had seen better days. Hopefully, it soon returns to its former glory. The gardens may not be a gem yet, but the tea house next to it is. The scones were melt in your mouth and the housemate jams delicious. The best thing is the jam is self serve, meaning you can go back for more! There was definitely a very high jam to scone ratio that day. You should go for the jam alone, just make sure to have some industrial strength bus spray.

My husband and I currently live in Dublin, but we wanted to get out of the city for the weekend so went to Galway. I had read about Kylemore Abbey, and we thought that since we were only about 45 minutes to an hour away from there, we would take a little side trip. We were very impressed with the beauty and serenity of the Abbey as well it's majestic setting! I couldn't believe the view from the front of the abbey across the lake...wow! Sparkling, clear water surrounded by mountains, flowers, lush green grass and blue skies! Magnificent day! We visited the Abbey, and although the areas where you could visit were interesting, I thought it somewhat boring and a little confusing. We were able to view a film presentation in one room, unfortunately, it was so noisy because of all the visitors in the lobby area as well as someone cleaning the adjacent bathroom, that we got up and left. We strolled the outside, following the path to the mausoleum and small cathedral before heading back down to the little cafe and gift shop. We enjoyed a lovely lunch along with delicious apple pie and a pot of tea before heading back home. The cafe served everything from sandwiches and quiches, to hot dishes and desserts and the food was excellent! So glad we got to visit Kylemore Abbey while we were in Connemara!