Kilkenny is Ireland's medieval capital in the most literal sense — a compact, walkable city whose bones are almost entirely medieval, and whose streets, laneways, and buildings have been preserved with a care that is rare in Ireland. The city grew up around a crossing of the River Nore in the 6th century, when St Canice established a monastery here, and by the 12th century it had become one of the most important towns in Ireland — the seat of the Hiberno-Norman Butler dynasty and, for a period in the 14th century, effectively the capital of the island. That history is visible at every turn.

Kilkenny Castle, which dominates the city from its position above the River Nore, is one of the finest medieval castles in Ireland. Built by the Butler family in the 12th century and continuously occupied until 1935, it was sold to the people of Kilkenny for the symbolic sum of fifty pounds in 1967 and is now managed by the Office of Public Works. The restored Long Gallery, with its hammer-beam roof and Pre-Raphaelite ceiling paintings, is one of the most spectacular interiors in Ireland. The castle grounds include a formal rose garden, a woodland walk, and the Butler Gallery, one of the leading contemporary art galleries in the south-east. As an OPW-managed site, Kilkenny Castle is also included in the Free Wednesday scheme — read our guide to OPW Free Wednesdays for full details on how to visit for free.

The Medieval Mile is the name given to the stretch of Kilkenny's historic core between the castle and St Canice's Cathedral — a kilometre of medieval streets, laneways, and monuments that is one of the most concentrated collections of medieval architecture in Ireland. The route passes Rothe House, a merchant's townhouse from 1594 that is one of the finest examples of its kind in the country; the Black Abbey, a Dominican friary founded in 1225; the Tholsel, the city's 18th-century town hall built on medieval foundations; and dozens of other historic buildings, many of which now house restaurants, craft shops, and galleries.

St Canice's Cathedral, at the northern end of the Medieval Mile, is the second longest medieval cathedral in Ireland and one of the finest. Built in the 13th century on the site of St Canice's 6th-century monastery, it contains an exceptional collection of medieval tomb sculptures — the effigies of the Butler earls and their wives, carved in black Kilkenny marble, are among the finest medieval sculptures in Ireland. The round tower beside the cathedral, one of the best-preserved in the country, can be climbed for panoramic views over the city and the surrounding countryside.

Kilkenny has a remarkable craft and food culture for a city of its size. The Kilkenny Design Centre, established in the 1960s to promote Irish craft and design, occupies the castle stables and remains one of the best places in Ireland to buy quality Irish-made goods. The city has a thriving independent food scene — the Kilkenny Farmers' Market on Thursday mornings at the Parade is one of the best in the south-east, and the concentration of good restaurants and craft pubs along Parliament Street and the High Street is exceptional. Smithwick's, Ireland's oldest ale, has been brewed in Kilkenny since 1710 and the brewery experience on Parliament Street is a popular attraction.