Visit Waterford has unveiled a lineup of new experiences for visitors in 2026 that combined heritage with contemporary offerings.
The House of Waterford introduced a VIP glass-cutting experience where guests watched artisans and tried the skill themselves. The Lismore Heritage Centre launched a Friends-themed escape room titled “The One Where You’re Trapped” in February.
New tours included the Curraghmore historic landscape experience and guided visits to Blackwater Distillery for spirit production insights and tastings.
Additional attractions featured Tasteful Food Tours, the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival from 26 May to 1 June, eco-tours at Copper Coast Nature Reserve, and a 40-year milestone celebration at Joan Clancy’s art gallery.
- The Lismore Heritage Centre: Launches a unique, immersive Friends-themed escape room titled “The One Where You’re Trapped,” allowing visitors to step into a locked Central Perk café setting with playful puzzles and 60 minutes to escape.
- Curraghamore Tour Experience: A new guided tour celebrating the rich heritage and historic landscape of Curraghmore House and Gardens, offering deeper insights into 800 years of Irish history.
- Tasteful Food Tours with Sinead Reil: A guided, immersive walking tour of Waterford City, blending tastings of local flavours (including the famous blaa) with stories of the city’s heritage as Ireland’s oldest port and former wine capital.
- History Day at Dromana House in Cappoquin on Sunday, March 1st at 2:30 pm: A special event featuring talks on “Prophecy & Politics: O’Connell’s Ireland,” exploring Daniel O’Connell’s campaigns through contemporary caricatures, followed by light afternoon tea and cake.
- Blackwater Valley Opera Festival returns from May 26th to June 1st: Ireland’s summer opera festival returns with a week of exceptional opera performances, concerts, recitals, gourmet picnics, and fine dining across venues in the Blackwater Valley.
- House of Waterford’s VIP glass-cutting experience: A new premium offering where visitors observe master artisans at work and try their hand at the intricate skill of glass cutting on Waterford crystal.
- “The Art of Dining – Life in the Big House” at Mount Congreve Gardens: A scripted, character-led experience inside Mount Congreve House, guided by a senior estate steward, examining the structured social rituals and grandeur of dining in historic big houses.
- Revitalised Copper Coast Nature Reserve: Now enhanced with guided eco-tours that highlight the region’s stunning wildlife, geology, and natural beauty along this dramatic coastline.
- History and hospitality intertwine at Everett’s, located in the historic John Collyn House on High Street: A restaurant set within the atmospheric remains of a 15th-century house, combining exceptional modern Irish cooking with the historic surroundings for a unique dining experience.
- Joan Clancy, a celebrated figure in Waterford’s vibrant art scene, marks 40 remarkable years with her eponymous art gallery: A milestone celebration of four decades showcasing bold, vibrant works from Ireland’s talented artists in this welcoming gallery near Dungarvan.
- Comeragh Pods and The Copper Coast Hostel: New and enhanced sustainable accommodation options, including luxury glamping pods nestled in the Comeragh Mountains and eco-conscious hostel stays along the Copper Coast, offering comfortable, nature-focused bases for exploring the region.
