Waterford

Waterford is Ireland's oldest city, founded by Viking settlers in 914, and today a compact and friendly riverside city in the south-east of Ireland. It sits on the River Suir, close to where the Suir, Nore and Barrow flow into Waterford Harbour, and its long maritime and trading history still shapes its character.

The Viking Triangle is the historic heart, where narrow streets cluster around Reginald's Tower, the medieval city walls and the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. Waterford Treasures' Medieval Museum and Bishop's Palace tell the story of the city's Viking, Norman and Georgian past, while the House of Waterford Crystal continues the city's famous glassmaking tradition.

Beyond the old quarter, the quays and the waterfront are lively spots for walks, cafés and pubs, while Ballybricken has a traditional market-town feel. A short distance outside the centre, the Waterford Greenway follows a former railway line along the coast and countryside to Dungarvan, and Mount Congreve Gardens offers one of Ireland's great garden visits.

Waterford is a regional centre for business, education and the life-sciences and technology sectors, home to a campus of South East Technological University and the Port of Waterford at Belview. Its events calendar ranges from the Spraoi street arts festival and the Waterford Harvest Festival to the large Winterval Christmas festival, and the food scene leans on local seafood, farm produce and the protected Waterford Blaa bread.

For visitors, Waterford combines a walkable medieval centre with easy access to the Copper Coast, the Comeragh Mountains and Ireland's Ancient East. For business travellers, it offers conference venues, a working port and good road links to Dublin and Cork, making it a practical and distinctive base in the south-east.