The quay
Merchants Quay runs along the River Suir at the edge of Waterford’s old city, and it is where most visitors meet the place first: the Bus Éireann station is a five-minute walk away, and the city-centre car parks are right here. The handsome stone building that dominates the quay is an early-1800s granary, cast-iron pillars and all. For a decade or so from 1999 it held the Waterford Museum of Treasures, All-Ireland Museum of the Year in 1999–2000 and a European runner-up in 2002. If you have come for those treasures, though, look inland: the collection has since grown into a cluster of small museums a few minutes’ walk away in the Viking Triangle.
Where the treasures went
Waterford Treasures now runs several museums within a few paces of each other, telling the city’s 1,100-year story from its Viking founding in 914. The main ones are the Medieval Museum, the Bishop’s Palace, Reginald’s Tower, the Irish Silver Museum, the Irish Museum of Time and the Irish Wake Museum, plus the King of the Vikings virtual-reality experience. The showpieces live here now rather than on the quay: the rare 12th-century kite brooch, for instance, is in Reginald’s Tower, and the medieval city charters are in the Medieval Museum.
Opening hours vary from museum to museum, but most run roughly 9.15 or 9.30am to 6pm, with shorter hours on Sundays and bank holidays. Sound guides come in several languages. If you plan to visit more than one, ask about the combined Freedom Pass, and check waterfordtreasures.com for the current times before you set out.
Eating on the quay
The quay itself is a decent place to eat. The Granary Café serves the Waterford blaa, the soft white bread roll the city is quietly proud of, and L’Atmosphère is a long-running French bistro and wine bar a few doors along. There is a food market on the quay as well.
Parking
This is one of the main places to leave a car in central Waterford. The Port of Waterford runs two barrier-free pay-and-display car parks on Merchants Quay: a short-stay one opposite Dooley’s Hotel and Shaws, and a long-stay one opposite the Bridge Hotel, behind the bus station. Short stay is around €2.50 an hour; a full day in the long-stay is €5.20 Sunday to Thursday and €6.50 on Friday and Saturday. Blue-badge holders park free.
One current snag worth knowing: after a security breach in May 2026, app payments through parkpnp and the Wayleadr QR codes were suspended, so pay at the paystation by card, contactless or coin.
Nearby
A visit here folds naturally into the wider old city. The Viking Triangle is the obvious next step, a few minutes inland, clustering Reginald’s Tower, the Medieval Museum and the Bishop’s Palace Museum within a short walk. From the quay you can also follow the River Suir walkways east and west into the quieter edges of County Waterford.
Leave the car in the long-stay by the bus station, walk the few minutes into the Viking Triangle, and buy the Freedom Pass if you plan on more than one museum.