The gardens at Blarney Castle are spectacular and you could easily spend the whole day just exploring the arboretum, fern garden, poison garden, water garden and walking around the lake, without even going in the castle. The castle itself is largely a ruin, and you only get a taste of a few of the remaining rooms as you climb the steep narrow winding stairs to the top to kiss the stone, which is the whole point of coming, of course. You can also stand above the "murder hole" on the way down and imagine dropping burning tar on unwanted visitors below! Note that this is not for anyone with mobility problems, or for anyone who doesn't like heights, as the top is open and exposed, so visiting on a rainy day wouldn't be ideal either. Also, the boards advising "30 minutes to the stone from here" etc are very optimistic - double the time shown to get a more realistic idea of how long it will take. Finally, be warned that young/small children will get very bored, as there is nothing to see or do during the long slow climb, and they will be unlikely to be able to reach out to kiss the Blarney stone. That said, for fit and healthy grown-ups this is a great day out, and one of the must-do experiences in County Cork, and you do get to tell everyone that you kissed the Blarney Stone.

We didn't know what to expect when we got to Blarney Castle, but we were excited nonetheless. I was hoping that we didn't have to wait in line too long to get to the top. We've heard stories and watched videos of endless lines that people have turned away at the sight of it. But, when we got to Blarney Castle it wasn't crowded at all. It was earlier in the day and we narrowly missed the tour bus that just pulled up. We got to the end of the line which was about 30 feet from the Castle entrance. It wasn't bad since I've seen videos of the lines literally wrapped around the corners, outside of the castle, with sign postings of how long the wait was" from this point." As you walk in the castle, you get to feel what it was like back in the day inside an actual castle that's not turned into a hotel. Some areas of the line can get tight so be aware of that. As you go up the stairs, you see different rooms and corridors that you can walk into. (There are videos of it on YT from other travelers). As you get close to the top, the spaces and the stairs get tighter, might get claustrophobic for some. Just take deep breaths and realize you will be moving sooner than later. As you get to the top of the castle, you can look out over the horizon and see the grounds. You can really feel how massive the area is, just don't look down. When you get close to the blarney stone, organize yourself and decide who will take a photo of you and vice versa. The guides move you rather quickly so be prepared. One person in line ahead of us took her time and she was greeted with harsh words and they told her to wait. They let a few others kiss the stone before letting her kiss the stone. Remember, they want the line to keep moving so BE READY. Again, organize withing your group who will take the pictures of you kissing the stone etc...they also take pictures of you for a price. But, do it yourself and be quick about it. After the castle, we toured the grounds, its massive like I said. Take your time walking the grounds and you won't be disappointed. There's a cafe nearby where you can grab a bite to eat and buy souvenirs. There's also a souvenir shop in the castle while you're waiting in line but you feel rushed because the line is moving. Overall, it was a fantastic place and will do it again.

There is a reason this is so touristy...it is really great fun. The grounds are beautiful and castle is a legit 1400s building and of course throw a good legend on top and it has everything you want for a good day out. If you can time your visit for the earlier or later in the day as tour buses arrive mid-day. There are markers for the wait to see and kiss the Blarney Stone so you know what to expect. The castle is impressive and there are two people who help you kiss the stone. You have to lay on your back and kind of kiss it upside down. Pretty fun and funny if you ask me! There is also the Blarney House on the grounds which is Gothic fun. There is of course a good gift shop and just outside is a wool outlet. You can eat at the statehouse cafe or wonder a short distance to the quaint town to get some authentic Irish food. Great outing!

I visited Blarney Castle on a Friday morning as I assumed it wouldn't be too busy to go and visit (I was wrong), firstly visiting the castle ground & gardens was lovely, the scenery was beautiful from atop the castle, the gardens & wildlife were beautiful, the lake at the far end of the ground was picturesque as it was a 10-15 minutes walk from the castle to the lake (25-30 all around walk), the cafes & gift shops were busy but again spacious Now comes the minor defaults, onsite was Blarney house where from the outside was really nice & would've like to have looked around the inside, however after already paying 22 Euros to visit the ground & castle I didn't want to pay an extra 10 Euros to look around the house as it should be open to visit if paying to look at everything onsite, & lastly if you want to go to the top of the castle & kiss the stone then be prepared to stand in line for 1-1 & 1/2 hours for a 5 minute view and kiss it, I personally didn't kiss the stone for my own reasons I would recommend visiting the castle but just be prepared for a long wait & also be willing to do a lot of walking cause there is a lot to see

I can't say that the castle is that impressive; there are much more attractive ones around Ireland, some more complete. Blarney though is the famous one. I do feel that the kissing of the stone is just a story perpetuated to bring in tourists. At around midday there was a queue so it took about an hour to reach the top. The stairs get very steep, narrow and shallow so wear good shoes. There's nice views at the top but had I known then what I know now I wouldn't have bothered with the castle. Bear in mind you have to lie of your back and kiss the stone from beneath; not a task for everyone! However, the grounds and gardens are a different story. It's well worth allowing time to explore these. There are various themed gardens within the grounds and of course it depends on the time of year how spectacular these are but there should be something for everyone.

Lovely place to visit, we were lucky we had a dry, mild day. It’s mostly outdoors around the gardens. We trekked up to kiss the Blarney Stone and were met with some friendly men who ‘manned’ it. The entry fee is very reasonable and if you want in the summer with a picnic you could definitely spend most of the day there.

We decided to visit this on a visit to Co. Cork. I wasn't really interested in the castle, or the fiction around the Blarney Stone. We've got enough old ruined castles across the UK, what's one more. However, although it was the beginning of November, the beautiful and really well presented gardens had a lot to offer, and I would like to come back during the spring/early summer to see them in full leaf! The castle is touristy 'shtick', the gardens beautiful, even in very late autumn.

Blarney Castle & Gardens are located in the surroundings of Crock, the second largest city in Ireland. In this place, there are Middle-Ages and very well preserved ruins, where you can visit the main tower and go up, and walk around the big gardens. It is a wonderful place, where you can see a poisonous plant garden or a miraculous stone on the top of the main tower. Also, from here you can see great views of the other tower and the gardens. Really pretty! Also, if you walk and relax in the gardens, you can see lakes and, if you come here in autumn, you will see a lot of different colours: green, red, brown and yellow.

I know Blarney Castle is best known for the castle and famous Blarney Stone, but we eschewed the LONG line for the castle and stone and instead enjoyed a leisurely walk on the extensive, beautiful grounds. They offer a huge expanse of areas to walk and enjoy the beauty of nature, while also featuring several dining options along the way. If you want to get away from the crowds and experience genuine Irish landscapes, the Blarney Gardens are your answer!

The grounds of Blarney Castle alone are gorgeous. So many different plants, trees, and flowers, all perfectly maintained. The poison garden was a fascinating bit as well. The castle itself was brilliant. It's in decent condition for such an old castle, and there were many little panels explaining what each room was for. The stairs were narrow and winding, just as they were back then, and while that's not great for those who are claustrophobic it certainly kept it authentic. Up top, alongside some breathtaking views, was the Blarney Stone. There was a sizable line, even early in the morning, but the attendants were fastidious in keeping it sanitised between each person who kissed it. Does it give you the gift of the gab? No idea. I didn't kiss it; I'm a fighter, not a talker, so naturally I gave it a slap instead. I am yet to find out what effect that will have on my fighting skills. Will update once I know.