During our trip to Ireland, we really enjoyed visiting Kilkenny Castle in the quaint city of Kilkenny. We were staying in Dublin and hired a guide to take us to a variety locations as we headed from Dublin to the coast. Seeing this wonderful castle was certainly the highlight of the tour, but just driving through the countryside made the trip worthwhile. Construction began on the castle in the twelfth century and it is truly a magnificent residence. You are able to take a self-guided tour of the interior and exterior of the castle and it is well worth taking a couple of hours to visit the beautiful castle and gardens.

It may have been a cloudy day during our visit to Kilkenny, but that didn’t distract from the beauty of the historic home. It was the home of the Butler family from 1391 to 1967 when it was granted to the people of Kilkenny. The rooms have been preserved to show the day-to-day living of the previous residents and provide a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy inhabitants. They are decorated so well that you could truly imagine that someone was still living in the castle.

The views from the castle’s rooms as well as the lawns are spectacular. The River Nore runs next to the castle and leads towards the heart of the city, where, in the distance, the cathedral towers dominate the skyline over the heart of Kilkenny. We visited many castles all throughout Europe and Kilkenny Castle is definitely one of the best preserved castles and was well worth taking the time to visit.