bru na boinne

We did the tour to Newgrange and Knowth (we booked in the morning for an afternoon tour). I was so glad that we visited both sites as they are so different and gave me more of an insight into the mysteries of these megalithic structures. The longer I was there, the more I realised how little we know about the people who built them. What do the symbols on the large stones that form the walls of the structures mean? Why were they so focused on the solstice? What happened to them?After you walk through the very informative visitors centre you jump on a bus which will take you to each place (each site is a short bus ride apart from each other). The main structure at Knowth is smaller than Newgrange, but it has many other little structures, and you can walk on top of it to get a great view of the valley. You can walk inside the Newgrange structure, and the guide does a great job of telling you about the internal room. They turn off the lights so that is pitch dark, and simulate what happens at the solstice when a ray of light finds its way into the cave. The tour was well organised, and left us with enough time to wander about the grounds to take photos and ponder it all. Would definitely do it again.

Unfortunately like another reviewer we got here too late to take last tour (plane to catch) but our fault for lack of research. Last time I was here was donkies years ago, and you could just park in a nearby field. Now much more organised, with an excellent visitor centre giving a full background on site. We were not charged, had a lovely cuppa in the cafe, and will definitely return.

This is a magnificent site and the tour guides do an AMAZING job of discussing the history and significance of this entire historical land. This is somewhere that everyone should see and experience when you're in Ireland because I guarantee you, you will love it.

Well organised system of being bussed to site from visitor centre. Unable to book tours in advance though so be prepared to wait on a busy day.Nice cafe and small shop to have a browse.Guided tour of site was very interesting and atmospheric. Windy but dry day when we started tour but raining hard when we emerged.Give around 2-3 hours in total if you get to go on a tour near to when you arrive.

The prehistoric site of Newgrange / Brú na Bóinne / Sí an Bhrú is one of the most fascinating, enigmatic, mysterious places you can visit in the entire northern hemisphere. The complex is more or less 5,000 years old, so it is much older than Stonehenge, but – exactly as what happens with the better known Stonehenge – the construcion had known various ages. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that the people who built this incredible circular mound made of both heavy and light stones were poor agriculturalists, with a very limited knowledge of astronomy. So, if a religious purpose was connected to the complex, as it seems, this shows the will of leaving a strong trace of the highest point their culture reached. Many people today, in the civilized world, do exactly the opposite – think about it! Spiral draws older the ones you find here have been recently discovered in Indonesia, but these ones are extremely more precious and mysterious.

We drove about an hour and a half to go see this place. We pulled up to the actual site and were greeted very rudely and told we had to drive about another 15 minutes to their museum and gift shop just to be brought back over to where we already were. We said okay even though that seems like just a ploy to make us see their gift shop, but were told we might not make the last tour. He wouldn't accept our money there so we tried to make it in time since he said he would call the museum and tell them we were coming. We were 5 minutes late but the bus was already gone. The lady definitely did NOT get a phone call to hold the bus for a couple minutes so we could make it. This was also an hour and a half before they actually close. Since the hours said open until 5:30, we didn't think arriving a little before 4 would mean we didn't get to do anything. The lady was not even the least bit apologetic and said to come back tomorrow. Our flight back home was the next day so we said that was impossible. She just shrugged and went back to ignoring us. On our way out, there were more people pulling up for the tour that were just as appalled as we were that they wouldn't let us go.

Thievery is the only fair summation. We arrived at the centre at 10am and were told that we'd have to wait until 3pm for a tour. Even then, we'd have loved to have made the walk through the gorgeous countryside to get there, but they sick you on a bus with the other cash cows (I can't remember the price exactly, but I remember not being impressed). We told them where they could stick their bus tour! Ah not really, we just left and found Newgrange ourselves in the car. You couldn't go up to it and peer in like the paying tourists, but we didn't mind. It was a wonder to behold, and we privately enjoyed the scenery of the beautiful Boyne Valley (in my car :p). Then we went to Knowth and Dowth, which you could find on Google maps if you looked. They're two more passage tombs in the area. I found them infinitely more fascinating than Newgrange - they're basically untouched so you can really enjoy the sense of how old they are. Window boxes and astronomy are interesting but ultimately just moneymaking gimmicks to the WH crooks. In short, don't support the dastardly crooks who stole Newgrange by paying to see this attraction; don't allow them to herd you around and feed you rubbish. Do your own thing and most of all, take in all the incredible landscape around you. Marvel at it. It's unreal!

This is one of the best tourist sites in Ireland. The tour guide had a wealth of knowledge and was unfazed by all the queries. It is good to know that even in 3200 BC there were people with knowledge of astronomy & civil engineering to undertake what would have been a mammoth project (without the use of cement, concrete etc) at that time.I would also like to add that with an OPW card (http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Info/HeritageCards/) entrance to this site and all other OPW sites are free for a year.

I had no idea there was a monolithic site that was older than Stonehenge...but you bet I was put in my place! Such an interesting place, the tour guide was short sharp and shiny, but very informative! If you're claustraphobic I don't recommend trying to squeeze through the small passage to the middle, but if you're not - do it! It was really cool to stand where someone stood thousands of years ago!The visitors centre was brilliant too, great food - get the pie if you're staying for a meal!

Fascinating ancient monument that pre-dates both Stonehenge and the Pyramids. You are transported by bus to the mound and then take a guided tour which was very informative. If you are rather large you have to squeeze down the passage; not for those with claustrophobia! We enjoyed lunch in the cafe and there is a reasonable shop for momentoes.

This site is huge and an interesting visit (as long as you are not scared of the dark!)The visitor centre is a long distance away which is odd as you go to the centre, buy your tickets then get bussed to the site. The guide was knowledgeable and the day was good.

After arriving to Dublin, we immediately drove here and visited Newgrange. Excellent! We discovered this was a very good way to acclimate to driving in Ireland. It was a rural community that was beautiful, safe, and charming! The center was interesting with a delicious cafeteria, homemade foods! Newgrange is not to be missed!

Just like the National Trust at the Giants Causeway, the heritage police have this place sewn up so tight you can't even get near it. You can't go to the monument or even within a mile of it without a tour guide and you can't get a tour without waiting in the visitors centre for hours. I wouldn't mind if you could book in advance online but they don't even offer that choice. It's easier to get near stonehenge than this place, these people have stolen our history and are holding it to ransom. I realise that the fabric of the monument has to be protected but this goes way, way over the top.The visitors centre itself is of small interest, but at least they have several telescopes to let you see the distant Newgrange. Of course there's a charge just to get in. I won't be back.

I was spending a couple of weeks in Europe on business and when a friend shared that Ireland was high on her foreign travel list I made plans to spend a weekend exploring the Emerald Isle. While Saturday was consumed with sites in Dublin, we opted to take a road trip and the first stop was Newgrange. This is a site not to be missed if you really want to get into the history of Ireland and its people. While there is conjecture regarding the meaning of place, you will be awed by the scale and engineering abilities of a community 5000 years in the past.This is a site for adults or teenagers...not the place for young children who easily get bored. Also, if you use a GPS to find Newgrange you will have wasted a good 45 minutes since everything starts at the visitor center. Go early in the day to ensure that you get a chance to see this.

I promised myself when I came to Ireland, I was coming here, no matter what. And it did not disappoint. The chamber inside is much smaller than I expected. I loved the history and the tour our guide gave us. We only had a group of six, so we had ample time to simply absorb the sacredness of the space. 5,000 years this passage tomb has stood. Awe-inspiring. The views from the hill were beautiful also, you could feel the importance of this place without even trying. So fascinating this feat of engineering. I would definitely recommend anyone to come experience this. I put my name in for the Winter Solstice Lottery!