Walking the Medieval Mile

The whole of medieval Kilkenny sits along a single stretch of street, roughly a mile from the castle at one end to St Canice's Cathedral at the other. Locals just call it the Medieval Mile, and walking it is the best way to see the city, because the old core has barely shifted in shape since the Normans laid it out. You can march it in twenty minutes or stretch it across a half-day with stops in the museums, the brewery and the galleries. It runs slightly uphill towards the cathedral, which is the right way round, and it is flat enough for most people. Wear flat shoes for the older lanes.

Start at Kilkenny Castle

Begin at the castle gate on The Parade. Kilkenny Castle has held the bend of the Nore since the 12th century and was the seat of the Butler family for the best part of six hundred years. The self-guided tour of the restored State Rooms costs around €8, with the Long Gallery and its painted timber roof the part most people remember. If you would rather save the time and money for later, the 50 acres of parkland behind the castle are free and open, and a lap of them is a fine way to start the day.

Castle Yard and the craft quarter

Cross The Parade to the crescent of former castle stables that face the castle. This is Castle Yard, home to the Kilkenny Design Centre and, beside it, the National Craft Gallery, both free to enter. The building housed the Kilkenny Design Workshops from 1965, the project that shaped a generation of Irish design, so it is a fitting place for the craft to still be on show. Have a look, then head up into the town.

The Tholsel and High Street

Walk up High Street to the Tholsel, the arcaded building with the clock tower that has served as the city's toll house and town hall since the 18th century. It still sits in the middle of the street with traffic passing under its arches. From here the street narrows into the heart of the old city.

The Medieval Mile Museum and the Bull Ring

Just off High Street on St Mary's Lane is the Medieval Mile Museum, set inside the former St Mary's Church. This is the place to make sense of everything else on the walk. Its standout is the 3 Lives exhibition, built around human remains excavated on the site in 2016, which puts real people back into the medieval story. Entry is around €8 for the self-guided audio tour, and the museum is also the departure point for the guided Medieval Mile trail if you would rather be led. Nearby is the Bull Ring, the old market space whose name remembers the grim spectacle that once happened here.

Parliament Street: Rothe House and the brewery

Carry on into Parliament Street, the spine of the merchant city. Rothe House at number 16 is a rare survivor, a Tudor-era merchant's townhouse of three houses and courtyards built between the 1590s and 1610s, with a restored garden running back to the old city wall. A little further up, the Smithwick's Experience tells the story of the ale that has been brewed on the medieval St Francis Abbey site since 1710. The guided hour costs around €20 and ends, as it should, with a pint poured for you.

A detour to the Black Abbey

Turn off onto Abbey Street for the Black Abbey, a Dominican priory founded in 1225 and still an active church. Locals named it for the black cappa the Dominicans wear. The Gothic architecture and the stained glass, including the big rose window, are the draw, and because it is a working church and free to enter it has a quiet that the ticketed sights lack. Access is limited around Mass times, so check before you go in.

Finish at St Canice's Cathedral and Round Tower

The mile ends at St Canice's Cathedral, the 13th-century Gothic church that gives the city its name. Beside it stands a round tower from the mid-9th century, older than the cathedral by some four hundred years and one of only just two round towers in Ireland you can still climb. It is 121 steps up a series of ladders to a view over the rooftops and the Nore valley, and the tower-inclusive ticket runs to around €7. There is a minimum height of about 4.5ft to climb, and tower access depends on the weather and the season, so confirm on the day.

Doing it well

The mile is short, so the skill is in the pacing rather than the distance. Book the castle and Smithwick's online ahead in summer, when both fill. Pick a couple of the paid sights and lean on the free anchors, the Black Abbey, the craft galleries and the parkland, to fill the rest. Take lunch on High Street or Parliament Street rather than rushing to the end, and leave the round tower climb for last so the view is your reward. Hours and prices drift with the season, so treat the figures here as a guide and check ahead.