How to Visit Newgrange, Ireland's Ancient Passage Tomb

Newgrange is an Irish prehistoric site that's truly fascinating. It's located between Dublin and Belfast and makes for an excellent day trip from either city.

This ancient monument is a must for history and archaeology buffs. As I walked around Newgrange and the Brú na Bóinne complex, I imagined stepping back into an ancient world.

But why was Newgrange created? What was it like thousands of years ago at the Newgrange passage tomb and temple? I'll show you how to visit Newgrange and take a guided tour for the full experience.

The Brú na Bóinne Complex consists of three prehistoric sites: Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. Bru na Boinne is Europe's largest concentrated collection of prehistoric megalithic art, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for this very reason.

Visit Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth

When you visit Brú na Bóinne, you can see up to three ancient sites: Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. Both Newgrange and Knowth require tickets and have tours while Dowth doesn't require a ticket or advance booking.

You will need a car to drive to the third monument, Dowth. However, there's no entry at either of the two passage chambers at Dowth and you can only view this site from its exterior.

When I visited, I took the second option, Newgrange Tour and Exhibition as the public isn't allowed inside the passages and chambers at Knowth. Nowadays, touring Knowth and Newgrange is offered as the standard visit.

Out of all the ancient sites, Newgrange is the star of the show. It's the most visited archaeological monument in Ireland. Its popularity has grown over recent years, which is why pre-booking your trip is now necessary.

Newgrange Tour and Exhibition: What to Expect

Start your trip to Newgrange at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. There's a fascinating exhibition inside the visitor centre that's included with your tour. Make sure you give yourself enough time to check out the exhibition before the tour.

Once it was time for our tour to begin, our group walked out to the parking lot to meet the tour bus. On our way, we admired the Irish countryside, shrouded in fog, complete with the faint silhouettes of cows in the distance.

Newgrange was constructed around 3200 BC, making it 500 years older than the Giza pyramids and 1000 years older than Stonehenge. Built by Stone Age farmers, it's quite possibly the most important monument in Ireland's Ancient East.

It's a massive mound on about an acre of land, measuring 13.5 metres high and 85 metres across. In the morning, you might visit Newgrange in foggy weather like we did.

This almost adds to the mystery of this ancient archaeological site. The fog gradually dissipated as the morning went on.

Newgrange's Passage Entrance

Our group assembled in front of the passage entrance as our tour guide described the history of Newgrange. In 1699, it was rediscovered after many centuries. And yet, the excavations didn't begin until the 1960s.

Newgrange was built out of 200,000 tons of stone. We have no idea how the largest stones were moved to the site back in the day. It's estimated that the construction of Newgrange took 30 years with 300 workers.

Without this tour, Newgrange would have simply looked like a pile of rocks. As our guide detailed the intriguing history and stories behind Newgrange, the monument truly came to life.

An Impressive Tomb and Temple

While we don't have an exact idea of how Newgrange was built, those who worked on the temple were highly skilled laborers. The top surface of the mound has grooves, and the workers filled any gaps with sea sand and soil.

Therefore, this ancient building is completely waterproof, and no water has leaked to this date. Furthermore, the passage is aligned with the sunlight, making it the world's oldest solar observatory.

During the Winter Solstice, the light perfectly flows into the front doorway of the tomb. The stream of light reaches the far back wall. This sophisticated design allows the inner chamber to illuminate for 17 minutes.

Every year, there is a lottery that selects random people to experience Newgrange on the Winter Solstice. Each year, tens of thousands of people enter the contest, yet only around 60 are selected to visit on the Winter Solstice.

Not only do you need to have the luck of being picked, but the weather must also be on your side. Here's hoping for sunny days on the Winter Solstice.

Entering the Passage Tomb

Our tour group was split into two smaller groups. One half entered the front passageway of Newgrange while the other half explored the site independently.

After a short while, the two groups switched places. Only a small group can enter the tomb at one particular time.

You are not allowed to take any photos inside the temple. Instead, enjoy this unique experience at Newgrange fully in the moment.

I only wish I could be one of the lucky ones to visit during the solstice, but being able to enter this Irish passage-grave is an amazing journey no matter when you visit.

After you enter the narrow passageway, you'll stand within a small, circular chamber with a very high ceiling. It's easy to determine that this important site was much more than a tomb. Newgrange was an important social, economic, and religious gathering place.

Ancient Art at Newgrange

There are numerous rocks at Newgrange that have intricate patterns carved into them. These examples of megalithic art include the famous triple spiral on the front entrance stone. The decorations on these stones and passage mounds are both ceremonial and scientific in nature.

During our free time, I wandered around the complete circumference of Newgrange Ireland. This is a great way to discover the ancient art around the site.

I noticed rocks carved with the triple spiral that's now the symbol for Ireland's ancient east. In addition to the art, there are 12 standing stones surrounding the mound of Newgrange.

These Great Circle Stones may have once contained up to 36 stones, though 12 is the number of stones discovered back in 1699. These stones had astronomical functions and were once used as an ancient calendar.

Newgrange graces the countryside north of the River Boyne in County Meath. As you walk around this ancient monument, you'll share the company of the resident sheep from neighboring farms.

It's a very peaceful destination and it's easy to become enraptured in the beauty of these surroundings. I tried to imagine its original residents from 5,000 years ago, walking these same fields.

Plan Your Visit to Newgrange

The tour of Newgrange lasts two hours, and the tour of Newgrange and Knowth lasts three hours. If you find yourself with only a limited amount of time, I highly recommend taking the Newgrange tour like I did.

It's possible to visit Newgrange seven days a week, all year long. Newgrange is open year round, while Knowth is open seasonally from February to November.

As I mentioned previously, be sure to get your tickets in advance. Tickets for Newgrange are available 30 days ahead of time. While the Newgrange tickets are more limited (as opposed to the Knowth and Newgrange tour), they tend to sell out quicker.

Getting to Newgrange

We drove to the Bru Na Boinne Visitor Centre from Dublin before continuing on to Belfast. This was part of our three week road trip of Ireland and Northern Ireland. I highly recommend renting a car in Ireland if you're able to drive.

Driving on the left takes a little bit of getting used to, but it's not too scary, I promise! Having a car allows you to have the freedom to drive wherever you'd like on your own schedule and terms. You can also reach places outside of the main cities that aren't always accessible by public transportation, like Newgrange.

I suggest using Discover Cars for your car hire. I love being able to compare car rental prices between different companies in order to get the best deal. Find the best car rental here.

If you don't have a car and you're looking to visit Newgrange from Dublin, don't fret. There's a great half day tour with transportation from Dublin that includes a tour of Newgrange and Bru Na Boinne. Book your tour here.

While not as famous as Stonehenge or the Giza pyramids, Newgrange is fascinating. I can't believe that I had never heard of this ancient monument before planning my trip to Ireland.

It's an extremely awe-inspiring prehistoric site that you must venture inside to see for yourself. A trip to Newgrange Ireland is not to be missed.