The best traffic-free bike rides around Waterford City

Perched right beside the seafront, O'Shea's Hotel by the sea has been welcoming visitors since 1968 and remains one of the town’s classic seaside stays. Just steps from the long sandy beach and promenade, it’s an ideal base for coastal walks, surfing and exploring the Waterford coastline. Many rooms enjoy sea views, while the lively traditional bar often features music and a warm local atmosphere

19th-century railway viaduct with eight stone arches, high above the Mahon River. One of the most impressive points of the Waterford Greenway, with wide views and direct connection to the historic Workhouse complex and Coach House Coffee.

Café in the historic Workhouse of Kilmacthomas, right on the Waterford Greenway. Known for hand-roasted coffee, local dishes, and a warm atmosphere. An ideal break point with views of the viaduct and direct access to the Greenway. Coach House Coffee is located in the restored complex of the Kilmacthomas Famine Workhouse, built during the years of the Great Irish Famine (1845–1852). Workhouses were large institutions where the very poor were housed under strict, often humiliating conditions. They were intended as a last resort: those who entered lost freedom, privacy, and often family ties. The buildings consisted of dormitories, sick wards, work areas, and a "coach house" or outbuilding for transport and storage — precisely that part is today the café. The site is thus a tangible reminder of the 19th-century social crisis.

A 46 km long greenway, built on an old railway line from Waterford. Dotted with bridges and viaducts, it offers beautiful panoramas and crosses diverse landscapes. It runs through Mount Congreve Gardens and runs along the Copper Coast at Ballyvoyle Cove before reaching the charming harbor of Dungarvan. The walk is safe because there are no cars. The journey is easier in an east-west direction (allow 4 hours cycling. If you contact the tourist offices in Waterford or Dungarvan, you can consider renting bicycles (see especially at www.waterfordgreenwaybikehire.com), returning by taxi and stopping along the way.

Kilmeadan Station is a restored, small rural train station along the Waterford Greenway, once part of the Waterford–Mallow railway line. The station itself is compact, typical 19th‑century Irish railway heritage: low platforms, simple brick buildings, and a quiet location between river, fields, and woodland edges. Today it is mainly a resting point along the Greenway, with views of the old railway line and the Suir Valley. The station is also used by the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway, a tourist narrow gauge railway that brings a section of the old line back to life.

Expansive woodland and parkland with over 3,000 trees and shrubs, a historic walled garden and 16 km of walking trails. One of the “Great Gardens of the World”, quietly located along the River Suir and ideal for a botanical break just outside Waterford.

Wide river quay along the Suir, with hotels, bus station and long walking strips. A functional but atmospheric landmark that connects the historic centre with the waterfront and offers clear sightlines across the river.

You can also drive under the viaduct. From there you can see it much better…