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The real Kilkenny lives beyond the tourist trail. In the neighborhoods where locals actually spend their time, you'll find places like Smithwick's Experience and Medieval slips that make a city worth knowing. Even around well-known spots like Rothe House, one street over the crowds disappear entirely.
A medieval Irish city of limestone laneways, a Norman castle, and a concentration of craft and design studios.
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free self-guided off-the-beaten-path walking tour route in Kilkenny. The audio walking tour can include stops such as Rothe House — a unique Tudor merchant's house from 1594 with three courtyards and a garden, plus hidden gems like Smithwick's Experience — the story of brewing in Kilkenny on the site of a 13th-century Franciscan abbey and Medieval slips — narrow limestone laneways connecting the main streets, some barely wide enough for one person.
Use this page as a starting point for a Kilkenny walking tour, a free self-guided route, or the Roamee app for Kilkenny. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
Most visitors come to Kilkenny for the well-known history and architecture attractions, but the most memorable moments happen off the main path. Side streets one block from Rothe House, residential quarters, quiet courtyards — these are the parts of Kilkenny that feel genuine. Places like Smithwick's Experience and Medieval slips are the kind of spots locals would actually recommend.
Walk the Medieval Mile from the castle to the cathedral — about 20 minutes through the heart of the old town, passing medieval churches and slips.
April through October. The Kilkenny Arts Festival in August is one of Ireland's premier cultural events.
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