A romantic Victorian castle turned Benedictine monastery, Kylemore sits beneath the Connemara mountains, its neo-Gothic church and six-acre walled garden wrapped in 1,000 acres of woodland and lakeshore.
A self-guided tour of the castle's ground floor mixes restored period rooms with the 'From Generation to Generation' experience - talking portraits, archive artefacts and audio-visual shows spanning the Henry family, the Duke and Duchess of Manchester and the Benedictine nuns. Guides give free history talks through the day, and the upper floor remains the nuns' private home.
Six acres divided by a mountain stream, with a formal flower garden, glasshouses, a herbaceous border and a heritage vegetable garden using only pre-1901 plant varieties. The Head Gardener's House and workers' Bothy are open, with multimedia displays and twelve self-guiding panels. Reach it on foot through the woods or by the complimentary shuttle from behind the Visitor Centre.
Five minutes' walk from the Abbey along the lake, this sandstone 'cathedral in miniature' was built by Mitchell Henry in memory of his wife Margaret, with marble pillars from each of Ireland's four marble regions. It hosts recitals and choral performances; Mitchell and Margaret rest in the nearby Mausoleum.
Trails across the estate include the 1km Dawros River Walk with three viewpoints, the 200m Horsechestnut Loop, the 1km Flora, Fauna and Folklore Trail, the self-guided Tree Trail, and the recently uncovered Sruffaunduff Waterfall. All walks are included in the ticket; good footwear is recommended.
The Kylemore Kitchen is a self-service café serving hot buffets, Irish stew, salads and award-winning scones and breads, with vegetarian, vegan and coeliac options. The Garden Tea House by the walled garden does takeaway treats with views over the Connemara Pony Paddock, and two food trucks - The Explorer and The Forager - offer coffee, sandwiches and homemade ice cream.
The Craft & Design gift shop stocks Kylemore jams, pottery, soaps and chocolates handmade by the Benedictine nuns in the on-site Chocolate Kitchen. The shop sits outside the paid area, so you can browse without an entrance ticket.
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