Abbey of Kells is the town's main reason to stop. Monks from Iona founded the monastery in the early 9th century, and the Book of Kells was kept here for centuries before being moved to Dublin for safekeeping.
The manuscript is gone, but the site still has weight. The round tower rises from the churchyard, and the high crosses carry carved biblical scenes, with the Cross of Patrick and Columba the best preserved. It is a place of remnants rather than spectacle, and that is part of its appeal.