Things to do Rosslare
Things to do Rosslare
Rosslare sits at the south-eastern tip of Ireland, in County Wexford, known for being the sunniest county in the country, receiving more hours of sunshine per year than any other part of the island. It is a place of two distinct but complementary characters: Rosslare Strand, the long-established seaside resort with a 6.5km Blue Flag beach of white sand and shallow water, and Rosslare Europort, Ireland's second largest passenger ferry terminal and the country's primary gateway to continental Europe, with direct connections to Wales, France and Spain.
For visitors arriving from the UK on the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry or the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry, the port delivers you directly to the warmest and the most historically layered corner of Ireland.
Rosslare Europort is one of the best-connected ferry ports in the British Isles, with direct crossings to Wales, France and Spain provided by three operators: Stena Line, Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries.
For visitors from the UK, the two principal Welsh crossings are the shortest and most frequent routes to southern Ireland: the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry, operated by Stena Line with up to two daily sailings and a crossing time of approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, and the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry, operated by Irish Ferries with up to two daily sailings and a crossing time of approximately 4 hours. Both deliver you directly to the Rosslare Europort terminal, with its rail connection to Wexford and Dublin and bus services to the wider county. For those also planning to visit France, Rosslare's direct connections to Cherbourg and Roscoff make it uniquely positioned as a multi-country touring hub.
The combination of ferry and car is by far the most practical way to arrive in Rosslare. From the Rosslare Europort terminal, Wexford Town is 20 minutes north on the N25, Kilmore Quay is 25 minutes south-west, Hook Head lighthouse is 45 minutes south-west across the Hook Peninsula, and Waterford City is 1 hour north-west. Dublin is located approximately 2 hours north via the M11.
For those sailing from Wales, Fishguard is accessible from Cardiff in around 2 hours and from London Paddington in around 4 hours via the M4, while Pembroke is reached from Cardiff in 2 hours and 15 minutes. The ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare and the ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare both accommodate vehicles onboard, making it easier to explore County Wexford and the wider south-east of Ireland, as public transport connections between the rural attractions are limited.
Rosslare Europort has its own railway station called Rosslare Europort Station, which is only a 7-minute walk away from the ferry terminal along a specially marked path. Irish Rail operates services from the port through Wexford Town, Enniscorthy, Arklow, Wicklow, and Bray to Dublin Connolly. This makes Rosslare one of the most accessible ferry ports in Ireland for foot passengers. You can disembark the ferry and be in Dublin by train without needing a car at any stage. Bus Éireann operates services from the port to Wexford Town and Waterford, with onward connections to Cork, Limerick, and Galway.
Rosslare Europort is unique among Irish ports as it offers direct passenger ferry services to continental Europe without routing through the UK. Stena Line and Brittany Ferries provide ferries from Cherbourg in Normandy to Rosslare, with several weekly crossings that take approximately 17 to 18 hours, an overnight sailing that avoids the need to cross Britain entirely.
Brittany Ferries also operates a direct Rosslare to Bilbao ferry approximately twice per week, with a sailing time of around 26 to 28 hours, making it possible to arrive in the south of Ireland directly from northern Spain. The Rosslare to Cherbourg ferry is also a particularly popular choice for those touring Ireland after visiting Normandy, Brittany, or the Loire Valley in France.
Rosslare itself divides into two distinct areas: Rosslare Strand, the beach village 8km north of the port, and Rosslare Harbour, connected by a local bus service running roughly every 15 minutes. The wider county is best explored by car as the key attractions tend to be further apart.
A car gives you complete freedom around County Wexford's array of beaches, castles, and coastal scenery. From Rosslare, Hook Head is located 45km south-west via the Hook Peninsula, a scenic drive that passes through New Ross and the Barrow estuary valley. The John F. Kennedy Arboretum near New Ross (35km) and the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig (22km) are both easily reachable for a half-day trip. The entire county can be covered in a circular driving route of under 200km. Please note that road signs are in both English and Irish throughout County Wexford.
Rosslare Strand beach is one of the finest walking beaches in the south-east, stretching 6.5km, making it an ideal place for long coastal walks.The Harbour Trail from the ferry port offers two walking loops: the Village Loop (2.8km, 45 minutes) and the Cliff Walk (3.4km, 1 hour), both beginning at the viewing area above the busy Europort and giving excellent views across the Irish Sea towards Wales on a clear day.
If you enjoy cycling, the Wexford Eurovelo 1 cycling route begins at Rosslare Europort and follows mainly quiet country roads and village lanes south-west to Ballyhack Ferry. Bicycle hire is available from Active Breaks, based at the main beach car park in Rosslare Strand.
For those travelling without a car, the Irish Rail service from Rosslare Europort Station to Wexford Town takes around 20 minutes and costs approximately €5 return. This is the most useful public transport link, giving direct access to the county town, its medieval streets, museums, and quayside.
Bus Éireann route 370 connects Rosslare Harbour and Rosslare Strand with Wexford Town. For Kilmore Quay, Hook Head, Johnstown Castle, and the more rural coastal attractions, a car or taxi is the only practical option. Taxis are readily available at the ferry terminal around sailing times.
County Wexford is officially the sunniest county in Ireland, recording an average of 1,600 hours of sunshine per year — more than any other Irish county and comparable to parts of south-west England. The climate is typically mild, though rainfall is possible in any month, but with a significantly drier and sunnier character than the west of Ireland. The tourist season peaks in July and August, whereas spring and early autumn give the best combination of settled weather, manageable crowds, and the full range of attractions open.
Temperatures range from 9–16°C through spring, and the County Wexford countryside is at its most vivid between April and May, when the hedgerows are in full blossom and the coastal paths are clear and uncrowded. The Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on the North Slob is at its most productive for birdwatching in spring, with migratory waders and wildfowl using the wetlands as a stopover. The beach at Rosslare Strand is at its most peaceful and the Harbour Trail walks are perfect with long views across to the Welsh coast.
Perfect for: the Harbour Trail and coastal walks, birdwatching at the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, Hook Head without summer crowds, and the best accommodation rates of the year.
Temperatures reach 19–23°C on the warmest summer days, and Rosslare Strand comes fully alive in July and August with Irish family holidaymakers making the most of the beach and the sunny Wexford weather. The Wexford Strawberry Festival gets underway in June and the Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival takes place in July. The opera programme at the National Opera House in Wexford Town runs through summer, while the county's outdoor attractions — Johnstown Castle, Hook Head, Curracloe beach — are all very popular at this time.
Perfect for: the Rosslare Strand beach, the Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival, sea swimming and water sports, and the long summer evenings along the Wexford coast.
September and October are the ideal months for a holiday to County Wexford as the summer crowds have departed, the accommodation prices lower significantly, and the Wexford Opera Festival in late October and early November is one of the most prestigious in Europe, drawing opera-goers from across Ireland and internationally to the National Opera House. October temperatures typically drop to 10–14°C, so we recommend bringing a warm coat, especially for coastal walks.
Perfect for: the Wexford Opera Festival (October/November), the arrival of the geese at the Wildfowl Reserve, Johnstown Castle in autumn foliage, and the quietest and most affordable visit to the county's hotels.
Winter temperatures range from 4–9°C, and the south-east retains its relative mildness compared to the rest of Ireland. The ferry port operates year-round, and the town of Wexford has a warm and authentic Christmas character with markets and events in December. The National Heritage Park, Johnstown Castle, and Wexford Town's museums are all open year-round with minimal queues.
Perfect for: storm watching on the Hook Head coast, Wexford Town in its most local and unselfconscious mood, winter birdwatching at the Wildfowl Reserve, and the lowest accommodation rates of the year.
Rosslare and County Wexford offer a variety of coastal scenery, prehistoric sites, wildlife, and excellent food that warrants staying for a minimum of two or three days. The county is compact enough to cover its highlights in a long weekend by car, while a week gives you enough time to take in the wider south-east, like Waterford, Kilkenny, and the Rock of Cashel.
Hook Head, at the southern tip of the Hook Peninsula in south-west Wexford, is home to the oldest working lighthouse in the world. The current tower was built by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, between 1172 and 1245, and its distinctive black-and-white banded walls have been guiding ships continuously for more than 800 years.
Guided tours of the lighthouse are available year-round and ascend the 115 steps to the lantern room, with views north across the estuary towards Waterford and south over the Atlantic. The surrounding headland is also excellent for birdwatching and the rock platforms at the base of the tower are habitat for grey seals. Entry to the lighthouse tour costs approximately €9 for adults, though the headland is free to roam. We suggest you give yourself at least 2 hours for the visit.
Wexford Town, located 20km north of Rosslare on the N25, is one of Ireland's oldest Norse foundations, established in the 9th century on the west bank of the Slaney estuary. The town's Norman heritage is visible in the bulk of Selskar Abbey and in the Westgate Heritage Tower, the only surviving gate of the medieval town walls. The National Opera House hosts the Wexford Festival Opera every October and November, a prestigious event specialising in rare and neglected operas that has been running since 1951.
Johnstown Castle, located 6km south-west of Wexford Town, is a 19th-century Gothic Revival castle set in grounds of approximately 500 acres and now managed by Teagasc. The castle grounds are among the finest in all of Ireland. The Irish Agricultural Museum in the castle's outbuildings holds an outstanding collection of antique farm machinery and a major permanent exhibition on the Great Famine that is one of the most thoughtful and moving Famine commemorations in the country. Entry to the grounds and museum costs approximately €9 for adults and €4 for children.
Rosslare Strand is the most spectacular beach in the south-east, protected by offshore sandbars that produce the shallow, warm water that has made it a family resort for over a century. Its Blue Flag rating and lifeguard patrols from June to August make it the most popular beach in the county.
But County Wexford offers a remarkable range of beaches within a short drive, including Curracloe Beach, located 13km north of Wexford Town, best known as the filming location for the D-Day landing sequences in Saving Private Ryan. Another great beach is St Helen's Bay, a sheltered horseshoe bay awarded the Green Coast Award for its pristine water quality and unspoiled setting, with views of Tuskar Lighthouse on the offshore rock.
Kilmore Quay, located 23km south-west of Rosslare, is one of the most picturesque fishing villages in Ireland. A working harbour lined with thatched cottages, lobster pots on the quayside, and fishing boats unloading catches of crab, lobster, and monkfish to the village's seafood restaurants. The annual Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival in July is the most popular food event in County Wexford.
From the harbour, summer boat trips run to the Saltee Islands — the Great and Little Saltee — which together form one of the most important seabird colonies in Europe. Between May and July, the islands support breeding puffins, gannets, razorbills, guillemots, and Manx shearwaters numbering in the tens of thousands. The boat takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the island. We highly recommend booking tickets in advance.
The Harbour Trail from Rosslare Europort is the most accessible walking route directly from the ferry terminal. The Village Loop (2.8km) and the Cliff Walk (3.4km) both commence at the viewing area above the port and give panoramic views across the Irish Sea. Alternatively, the South Wexford Coastal Walk follows the coast from Rosslare to Kilmore Quay and around the Hook Peninsula, and is widely regarded amongst hikers as one of the finest multi-day coastal walks in the south-east.
Horse riding along Rosslare Strand and the coastal dunes is available from Hazelwood Stables, approximately 10 minutes' drive from the port, with guided beach treks year-round for all experience levels. The International Adventure Centre, 5 minutes from Rosslare, offers kayaking, archery, raft-building, and rock climbing for families and groups. There is also the Rosslare Golf Club, which is the only links course in the county, located 10km from the ferry port.
The Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on the North Slob, a 200-hectare area of reclaimed farmland at the mouth of the Slaney estuary 5km north of Wexford Town, is a conservation site of international importance. The reserve is the winter home of approximately one third of the world's entire population of Greenland white-fronted geese. Anywhere between 8,000 to 12,000 birds arrive every October and stay until March, making this one of the most significant wildlife spectacles on the Irish east coast.
The visitor centre, observation tower, and network of hides are all free to explore. The Tacumshane Windmill, 10km south-west of Wexford Town, is the only intact windmill remaining in the Republic of Ireland, a 19th-century tower mill with all four sails intact, viewable from the road.
The Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig, only 5km north-west of Wexford Town, is one of the best open-air museums in Ireland. It follows a reconstructed journey through 9,000 years of Irish history, from a Mesolithic campsite through a Norman motte, all at full scale in a 35-acre natural landscape. Entry to the park costs approximately €14 for adults and €8 for children. We recommend that you allow half a day for this activity.
Our Lady's Island, a peninsula lake south-west of Rosslare, contains the ruins of an Augustinian priory and a Norman castle tower and is one of the most ancient sacred sites in the county. Tintern Abbey, on the west side of the Hook Peninsula, is a Cistercian monastery founded around 1200 by William Marshal that’s certainly worth visiting.
Waterford City (1 hour west): Ireland's oldest city, founded by the Vikings in 914 AD, with the Viking Triangle heritage quarter containing Reginald's Tower, the Medieval Museum, and the Bishop's Palace. Waterford Crystal's factory visitor centre on the Mall showcases the traditional craft of crystal cutting. Waterford can be reached by train from Rosslare via Wexford in just 1 hour and 20 minutes or by car in approximately 1 hour.
Kilkenny City (1 hour 30 minutes north-west): The best-preserved medieval city in Ireland, with Kilkenny Castle, the Dominican Black Abbey, St Canice's Cathedral with its climbable 9th-century round tower, and a walled city centre. Kilkenny can be reached by bus from Wexford Town in 1 hour and 15 minutes or by car from Rosslare in approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The Rock of Cashel (2 hours north-west): A cluster of medieval buildings that rise dramatically from a limestone outcrop on the Tipperary plain. The seat of the Kings of Munster from the 4th century and the site of St Patrick's conversion of King Aengus around 450 AD. Access to the rock costs approximately €8 for adults.
Rosslare and County Wexford are outstanding for families. The Blue Flag beach at Rosslare Strand has shallow water perfect for young children, with lifeguards present from June to August. The International Adventure Centre runs family activity days throughout the year in kayaking, archery, and raft-building from €15 to €30 per person. The Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig is specifically designed for children and families, with hands-on experiences in each reconstructed historical period.
The Saltee Islands boat trip and puffin colony is one of the most memorable wildlife experiences for children anywhere in Ireland — the puffins approach to within arm's length and are entirely tame. Last but not least, Johnstown Castle's lake and grounds provide an excellent afternoon for younger children, with ducks, peacocks, and woodland paths to explore.
Rosslare Strand beach and the entire County Wexford coastline are free to access. The Harbour Trail walks and the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve are both free year-round, including the hides and visitor centre. Our Lady's Island and the Tacumshane Windmill are also free to visit. For food, the seafood available directly at Kilmore Quay from the fishing boats and local restaurants are fresh and much cheaper than those found in Dublin or Cork. Expect to pay around €12 to €16 for a crab claw platter or chowder in a Kilmore Quay pub.
Tintern Abbey, hidden away in a wooded valley on the west side of the Hook Peninsula, is a Cistercian monastery founded around 1200 by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, taking his inspiration from the abbey of the same name in Wales. The roofless nave and tower are still standing in a romantic wooded setting above tidal Bannow Bay, almost entirely unknown to visitors from outside the county.
Forth Mountain, a 30-minute drive from Rosslare, offers the best panoramic views in the county. On a clear day, you can expect to see the Welsh coast, the Wicklow Mountains, the Blackstairs range, and the Waterford coast from its summit.
County Wexford has an outstanding food identity built on its position as Ireland's sunniest and most agriculturally productive south-eastern county. Wexford strawberries are considered the finest in Ireland and can be purchased in every farm shop, market, and café in the county during the season.
The county's seafood is equally celebrated: Kilmore Quay lobster and brown crab, landed fresh from the working harbour, the Wexford mussels farmed in the clean tidal waters of the south-east coast are sweet and plump; and the Hook Head sea bass and monkfish taken from the rocky waters around the peninsula appear on menus throughout the county.
For more traditional Irish cooking, the full Irish breakfast at a Rosslare or Wexford guesthouse and the seafood chowder served in the pubs of Kilmore Quay and Wexford Town are among the best examples of these dishes in Ireland. The town of New Ross, 35km north-west of Rosslare, hosts a weekly farmers' market with an exceptional range of local produce including Wexford honey, artisan cheeses, and smoked fish from the Barrow estuary.
Rosslare has accommodation across both the Strand and Harbour villages, with the largest hotel in the area being the Kelly's Resort Hotel and Spa on Rosslare Strand. This family resort hotel has a range of facilities including an indoor pool, spa, and direct beach access that has been run by the Kelly family since 1895 and is considered one of the finest resort hotels in Ireland.
Further options include guesthouses, B&Bs, and self-catering properties in Rosslare Strand village, predominantly serving the summer beach holiday market. For those wanting a wider range of restaurants and cultural activity, Wexford Town (20 minutes north) offers good-quality hotels in the town centre with easy day-trip access to the ferry port, Hook Head, and the county's beaches.
You can book your accommodation in Rosslare via our accommodation page or directly with properties for the best rates.
[Image: The ornamental lake and Gothic Revival towers of Johnstown Castle in County Wexford, with the castle reflected in the still water surrounded by mature woodland and formal gardens]
Rosslare's greatest practical advantage for UK visitors is the directness and convenience of its ferry connections from south Wales. The Fishguard to Rosslare ferry and the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry are both short enough to do as a daytime crossing, arriving in the south-east of Ireland with a full afternoon ahead. We strongly recommend bringing your car on the ferry as most of the county's highlights are spread apart across a large area.
Duration: 2–3 days
Day 1: Arrive on the morning ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare or the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry and drive directly south-west to Hook Head. Take the guided lighthouse tour and walk the headland. Have lunch at a Hook Peninsula pub. Drive back east to Kilmore Quay for the afternoon, where you can walk the harbour and book dinner at a seafood restaurant for the evening. Stay overnight in Kilmore Quay or Rosslare Strand.
Day 2: Spend the morning at Rosslare Strand, where you can walk the full length of the beach at low tide. Drive north to Johnstown Castle, located 20 minutes from Rosslare, and check out the gardens, the lake walk, and the Irish Agricultural Museum Famine exhibition. Afternoon in Wexford Town — Main Street, Selskar Abbey ruins, and the quayside. Dinner in Wexford Town before returning to the port. Return to Wales on the evening Rosslare to Fishguard ferry or Rosslare to Pembroke ferry.
Day 3 (optional): Drive 35km north to Curracloe beach for the morning. Return south via the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on the North Slob for the afternoon. Return to the Rosslare port for the evening sailing.
Why we love it: The daytime Fishguard to Rosslare ferry or Pembroke to Rosslare ferry, both crossings under 4 hours, puts you in the heart of County Wexford with no overnight ferry time lost. Additionally, the county's layout means you can cover Hook Head, Kilmore Quay, Rosslare Strand, and Wexford Town in a single weekend without ever driving more than 45 minutes between stops.
Duration: 5 days
Day 1: Arrive via the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry or Pembroke to Rosslare ferry. Spend the afternoon at Hook Head, doing the lighthouse tour and headland walk. Stay overnight near Kilmore Quay.
Day 2: Spend the morning in Kilmore Quay. Do the harbour walk and (in season May to August) the Saltee Islands boat trip and puffin colony. Afternoon at the Irish National Heritage Park, Ferrycarrig. Evening in Wexford Town. Stay overnight in Wexford.
Day 3: Visit the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve in the morning. Drive to Curracloe beach for lunch and a long beach walk. Visit Johnstown Castle in the afternoon. Stay overnight near Rosslare or in Wexford.
Day 4: Take a day trip to Waterford City, and explore the Viking Triangle, Reginald's Tower, and the Medieval Museum. Return to Wexford for the evening.
Day 5: Drive 1 hour and 30 minutes north-west to Kilkenny City for the morning, exploring Kilkenny Castle, St Canice's Cathedral, and the medieval streets. Return to Rosslare Europort for the evening Rosslare to Fishguard ferry or Rosslare to Pembroke ferry.
Why we love it: This itinerary uses Rosslare and County Wexford as the base for a circuit of Ireland's Ancient East, with Wexford, Kilkenny, Hook Head, and the finest seabird colony in Ireland, all within easy driving distance of Rosslare ferry port. Arriving and departing from the same port keeps the logistics simple and the driving distances short.
Yes, Rosslare Europort is one of most connected ferry ports in Ireland, with year-round crossings from Wales, France, and Spain. The Fishguard to Rosslare ferry, operated by Stena Line, runs approximately twice a day with a sailing time of around 3 hours and 30 minutes. The Pembroke to Rosslare ferry, operated by Irish Ferries, also runs approximately twice a day with a crossing time of around 4 hours. Both carry vehicles and foot passengers.
From France, the Rosslare to Cherbourg ferry is operated by both Stena Line and Brittany Ferries, with an overnight crossing departing several times a week that takes approximately 17 to 18 hours.
A car is strongly recommended for making the most of Rosslare and County Wexford. While Wexford Town is accessible by train in 20 minutes from Rosslare Europort Station, the county's most popular attractions are all significantly more accessible by car. The ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare and the ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare both accommodate vehicles.
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