Ireland.com

County Waterford

Check out what's happening in Waterford City

Try kayaking on the Suir, visit craftsmen at Waterford Crystal and St Declan’s Round Tower – the door is 4 metres above sea level!

Part of the 'sunny south east', this county is best known for its iconic Waterford Crystal.

But it has a lot more to offer including the rural charm of inland towns and villages, a beautiful coastline where sailing and other watersports are pursued with passion and a city steeped in history.

The county is known locally as The Deise, after an ancient tribe that were driven south from the Hill of Tara. The ancient kingdom of the Deise has a rich history of megalithic sites and ogham stones, displaying the first forms of writing known.

Waterford city is the oldest city in Ireland and its modern streets easily co-exist with medieval city walls, cobbled streets and historic buildings including a tower which protected the people since the Vikings.

Coastal towns including Dunmore East Tramore and Passage East are all great bases to explore the county and to the west of the county close to the Comeragh Mountains lie the pretty towns of Lismore, Cappoquin and Ballymacarbery.

West of Waterford City, the Copper Coast Drive embraces panoramic seascapes, cliffs, bays and coves between Tramore and Dungarvan as well as many blue flag beaches; some magnificent castles and strands suitable for swimming and diving.

The South East Coastal Drive offers stunning views of rock formations, coves and imposing headlines.

There is also a Gaeltacht area in the Ring region which even boasts a vineyard.

On the food front, Waterford has a unique bread-making speciality. No visit to the county can be complete without tasting the delicious blaa – an extra-soft doughy bread roll that simply melts in the mouth.

The Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre is one of Ireland's top visitor sites and although the factory has spend years in financial doldrums its future was secured in 2009 with plans to extend the Visitor Centre.