Walk the cloisters where Cistercians lived
Wales's first Cistercian abbey, founded above the River Wye in 1131 — and the ruin that moved Wordsworth to verse.
See the Tintern Abbey day trip- 1131 Founded by Cistercian monks on the banks of the Wye
- Cistercian Wales's first Cistercian abbey, Britain's second
- 1798 The valley that inspired Wordsworth's most famous poem
- Roofless Open to the sky since the Dissolution of 1536
Tickets and tours for Tintern Abbey
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From Cardiff: Guided Tour of Welsh Valleys
A small-group day from Cardiff through the Wye Valley with a guide, stopping at Tintern Abbey, Chepstow Castle and Caerphilly Castle, with entry to all three.
From US$113Check availability ↗ From Cardiff: Wye Valley and Brecon Beacons Full-Day Trip
A full-day small-group trip from Cardiff to Roman Caerleon, the ruins of Tintern Abbey, the upper Wye gorge and the Black Mountains.
From US$134Check availability ↗From Cardiff: Caerleon, Tintern Abbey and Three Castles Tour
A day with a Wales Tourist Guide from Cardiff covering Roman Caerleon, Chepstow Castle, Tintern Abbey, Caerphilly Castle and Caldicot Castle.
From US$354Check availability ↗
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About Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey stands on the Welsh bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, close to the border with England. Founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, it was the first Cistercian abbey in Wales and only the second in Britain, after Waverley. What visitors see today is largely the great church rebuilt between about 1269 and 1301 — a building of soaring proportions whose surviving window tracery is widely regarded as one of the finest achievements of British Gothic architecture. The abbey was surrendered to the Crown in September 1536 during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries, and its roof and fittings were stripped soon after, leaving the shell that has stood open to the sky ever since.
That roofless emptiness is what turned Tintern from a stripped monastic ruin into one of the most celebrated images in British art and literature. William Wordsworth's 1798 poem, written after a walking tour of the Wye valley, fixed the abbey and its surrounding landscape in the English literary imagination, while J.M.W. Turner sketched and painted its stonework and shifting light in 1792 and again in 1798 — works now held by the Tate, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum. Together they helped make Tintern one of the founding sites of the Picturesque and Romantic movements, drawing visitors up the Wye by boat from the mid-eighteenth century onward in what became one of Britain's earliest organised tourist trails.
Today Tintern Abbey is cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service, as a Grade I listed scheduled monument — not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but one of the best-preserved great Cistercian church ruins anywhere in Britain. Cadw's five-year conservation programme on the church's weathered sandstone upper walls means most of the great church is closed and access there is limited, with scaffolding up over much of the structure; the cloister, monastic ranges and riverside grounds remain open.
Practical information
- Opening hours
- 1 March–30 June: 9:30am–5pm. 1 July–31 August: 9:30am–6pm. 1 September–31 October: 9:30am–5pm. 1 November–28 February: 10am–4pm. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Closed 24–26 December and 1 January.
- Address
- Tintern Abbey, Tintern, Monmouthshire, NP16 6SE, Wales, UK.
- Getting there
- Tintern village sits on the A466 in the Wye Valley, about 4 miles (6.5 km) from Chepstow, per Cadw, and within a scenic drive of Bristol and Cardiff. Bus route 69 (Chepstow–Monmouth) stops around 300 metres from the abbey. A pay-and-display car park with around 55 spaces, including 5 disabled spaces, sits beside the entrance.
- Accessibility
- Cadw rates the site as 'Accessible terrain (Level 1)' — mainly flat and laid to grass with some gravel paths, though there are a few small steps around the site and surfaces can become slippery and uneven in wet weather. Access to the church conservation area is currently limited, including for wheelchair users. Cadw publishes a detailed access guide for the site — contact Cadw ahead of your visit if you have specific access needs.
- Bag policy
- There is no dedicated left-luggage facility on site, so it's best to travel light — the abbey grounds are outdoors and uncovered, and there is nowhere secure to store large bags or luggage.
- Photography
- Personal, non-commercial photography is welcome throughout the abbey ruins and grounds. Most of the great church is closed for Cadw's conservation work on its upper walls and access there is limited, with scaffolding up over much of the structure, so plan photography around the cloister, monastic ranges and grounds.
Plan your visit
Practical guides written by our travel team
Best Time to Visit Tintern Abbey
Which season, which hour, and why an early morning changes everything — a timing guide to Wales's greatest Cistercian ruin.
How to Get to Tintern Abbey
Driving up the A466 from the M48, the route 69 bus from Chepstow, rail via Chepstow station, and the five-mile Greenway on foot — every way to reach Tintern Abbey.
Visiting Tintern Abbey with Kids
Flat grass, a roofless ruin to roam and a river on the doorstep — plus the small steps, the safety notes and the missing café that families should know about first.
Frequently asked
Do I need to visit at a specific time?
No fixed time slot — your ticket is date-specific rather than timed, so it's valid any time during opening hours on the day you choose. Just arrive within opening hours on your selected date.
Is Tintern Abbey roofless? Will I be outdoors the whole visit?
Yes — the abbey has been open to the sky since its roof was stripped after the 1536 Dissolution. The entire visit is outdoors within the ruined walls, so dress for the weather and bring a coat or umbrella if rain is forecast.
What happens if it rains?
The abbey stays open in all but the most severe weather, since it's a roofless ruin with no indoor galleries to shelter in. Bring suitable clothing — a wet-weather visit still shows the tracery and stonework beautifully, and many visitors find the atmosphere even more striking in rain or mist.
Is there scaffolding on the abbey at the moment?
Yes. Cadw began a five-year conservation programme in 2023 to repair the weathered sandstone on the church's upper walls. Most of the great church is closed to visitors while it continues, with scaffolding over much of the structure. The cloister, monastic ranges and riverside grounds remain open.
How do I get to Tintern Abbey from Chepstow, Bristol or Cardiff?
Chepstow is the closest town, about 4 miles away on the A466, with bus route 69 (Chepstow–Monmouth) stopping around 300 metres from the abbey. Cadw signposts drivers from Cardiff via the M4 (junction 23) and M48 (junction 2) to the A466, and from London and the east via the M4 (junction 21) and the M48. We don't publish drive times — check a live routing service before you set out.
How long does a visit take?
Most visitors spend one to two hours across the cloister, the monastic ranges and the riverside grounds. With most of the great church closed for conservation, a focused visit can take less. There's no fixed schedule, so you set the pace.
Is Tintern Abbey good for children?
Yes. The scale of the ruined church, the open grassy ruins to explore and the riverside setting tend to appeal to children, and the site's mainly flat terrain makes it easy to navigate as a family, though there are a few small steps dotted around. It can be windy and exposed, so dress accordingly.
Who qualifies for the junior or student price?
The junior rate covers ages 5 to 17; students with valid ID also qualify. Bring ID or proof of status to the gate.
Who qualifies for the senior price?
Visitors aged 65 and over qualify for the senior rate — bring valid ID to the gate.
Is Tintern Abbey accessible for visitors with limited mobility?
Cadw rates the site as 'Accessible terrain (Level 1)' and it is mainly flat, though there are a few small steps around the site and grass and stone surfaces can be slippery when wet. Cadw publishes a detailed access guide for the site — contact the site ahead of your visit if you have specific access needs.
Can I take photos inside the abbey?
Yes, personal photography is welcome throughout the ruins and grounds — the empty window tracery against the sky is the shot most visitors come for — though most of the great church is closed for conservation, so it is currently photographed from outside the closed area.
Is Tintern Abbey open on public holidays?
The abbey is closed on 24–26 December and 1 January, and runs shorter hours in winter (10am–4pm, 1 November–28 February). We'll flag it if a closure affects the date you've chosen.
Why did Wordsworth and Turner make Tintern Abbey famous?
William Wordsworth's 1798 poem, written after a walking tour of the Wye valley near the abbey, and J.M.W. Turner's watercolour studies of its stonework from 1792 and 1798 helped establish Tintern as one of the founding sites of the Romantic and Picturesque movements, building on the Wye Tour boat trips that had been running since about 1750.
How does booking work on this site?
This site is an independent visitor guide to Tintern Abbey. When you choose a ticket or tour, you book it directly with GetYourGuide, which takes the payment, issues the ticket and handles any changes or cancellations. We may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.