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Major city · Ireland

Blessington

One night is enough: base here only with a car, for Russborough House and the lakes; otherwise day-trip from Dublin in 90 min on bus 65.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
Apr–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, gardens closed)
Airport
DUB
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.

Blessington is a small west Wicklow town of about 5,600 people on the N81, between the Wicklow mountains and the Kildare border. The draw is Russborough House and its art collection, the Poulaphouca reservoir shoreline, and two garden stops on the N81. Without a car you are limited to the village, the greenway and what bus 65 reaches.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Blessington, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course€14–20 (≈ US$17–25)
  • BeerPint of stout€5–6.50 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi Sallins & Naas to Blessingtonabout €30 (≈ US$35)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person€35 (≈ US$45)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room€150 (≈ US$180)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room€250 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €60 (≈ US$70) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €200 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Russborough HousePoulaphouca (Blessington) LakeBlessington GreenwayJune Blake's Garden and Hunting Brook Gardens
Airports
DUB Dublin Airport (No direct bus to Blessington; bus 65 leaves from Dublin city, so add a city transfer first. About 1 h 30 min by car via the M50 and N81.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Blessington: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

14 rd

Feb

8°C

2°C

11 rd

Mar

10°C

3°C

12 rd

Apr

12°C

4°C

11 rd

May

15°C

7°C

11 rd

Jun

18°C

10°C

10 rd

Jul

20°C

12°C

11 rd

Aug

19°C

12°C

12 rd

Sep

17°C

10°C

11 rd

Oct

14°C

7°C

13 rd

Nov

10°C

4°C

13 rd

Dec

8°C

2°C

14 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The village is walkable. Bus 65 runs from Dublin Poolbeg Street via Templeogue and Tallaght, about 90 min, and some services continue past the Russborough House entrance to Ballymore. Local Link 183 links Sallins & Naas to Blessington and continues over the mountains to Glendalough and Wicklow. For Punchestown, the mountain valleys or the gardens you need a car or a taxi.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Glendaloughgo

Door to door: About 1 h by car, longer by bus

Local Link 183 from Blessington, or drive over the Wicklow Gap via the R756

Monastic complex and lakes; go early in summer.

Punchestown Racecourse

go

Door to door: About 15 min

Drive 8 km northwest towards Naas

Race days only; check the fixture list and book ahead.

Sally Gap and Lough Tay

go

Door to door: About 30 min to the gap

R759 from the N81 about 5 km north of town

Mountain road; the gap sits at 503 m and the weather changes fast.

Dublingo

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Bus 65 from Blessington to Poolbeg Street

Runs every couple of hours; check the last bus back.

Naasgo

Door to door: About 30 min by car

Drive via the N81 and N7, or Local Link 183 to Sallins & Naas

Nearest railway station is Sallins & Naas, about 15 km away.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Blessington village (Main Street)

Walkable to pubs, shops and the greenway start; the practical choice without a car.

Lakeside and Ballymore Eustace

B&Bs and the golf hotel around the reservoir; you need a car or taxi for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€60–90 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
€90–150 (≈ US$110–180) excl. bed
High
€150 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or hotel double room1 × 1 night × €150€150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €110€220
Bus 65 Dublin to Blessington, one way2 × €4€8
Russborough House adult ticket2 × €15€29
Taxi Sallins & Naas to Blessington1 × €30€30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€47
Trip total≈ €257 per person per day, bed included€514≈ US$600

2026 estimate in euro; car hire and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course€14–20 (≈ US$17–25)
Pint of stout€5–6.50 (≈ US$6–8)
Russborough House adult ticket€14.50 (≈ US$17)
Russborough House parking€4 (≈ US$5)
Hunting Brook Gardens adult ticket€8 (≈ US$10)
Taxi Sallins & Naas to Blessingtonabout €30 (≈ US$35)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A low-crime rural town; the real risks are narrow roads, fast N81 traffic and mountain weather that turns without warning. 112 or 999 reaches all services.
  • Bus 65 is the only city link and runs every couple of hours: check the last return before you commit to a day-trip.
  • Bus Éireann 132 stops at Blessington but cannot be used between Dublin city centre and Blessington.
  • The Glen of Imaal hills are an army live-firing range with limited public access: check firing notices before walking.
  • St Kevin's Way has no accommodation along the route: stage it by car or walk it in one long day.
  • Rural roads are narrow with no hard shoulder; drive on the left and expect walkers and cyclists on the N81.

Emergency numbers

Police, ambulance, fire, coast guard, mountain rescue
112
Alternative emergency number
999

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BlessingtonBlessington

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoilTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All emergency services112
  • Alternative emergency number999

Embassy

No embassies in Blessington; most are in Dublin. US travellers: the US Embassy is in Dublin (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus 65 Dublin Poolbeg Street to Blessington: about 90 min, every couple of hours
  • Local Link 183 Blessington to Glendalough: 4–5 services a day
  • Taxi Sallins & Naas to Blessington: about €30 (≈ US$35)

Say or show

  • Dia duit — Hello (jeea gwit)
  • Go raibh maith agat — Thank you (guh rev mah agut)
  • Le do thoil — Please (leh duh hull)
  • Cá bhfuil an leithreas? — Where is the toilet? (kaw will un leh-rass)
  • Cé mhéad é? — How much is it? (kay vade ay)
  • Sláinte — Cheers (slawn-cha)

English is spoken everywhere; Irish phrases are optional.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Blessington. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, gardens closed) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Ireland

Sources