DUBLIN Â | Â PORTRUSH Â | Â COUNTY DONEGAL Â | Â WESTPORT Â | Â COUNTY GALWAY Â | Â KILLARNEY Â
Ireland is a magical, yet small country with rich history and culture. Ireland is overflowing with lyrical legends, poetic panoramas and meandering mountains. See all of this and more during our Irish Explorer itinerary starting and ending in Dublin with overnight.
Highlights:
- Explore historic Belfast with an insightful city tour
- Marvel at the 17th-century walled city of Derry
- Ancient Gaelic culture of Donegal
- Legendary Twelve Bens, the famous jagged mountain range of Connemara
- Steep Cliffs of Moher and the stunning 700ft drop into the Atlantic Ocean
- Tour the Ring of Kerry, hailed globally for its incredible scenery and cultural heritage
- Kiss the famed Blarney Stone within the walls of the medieval Blarney Castle
- Explore Kilkenny Castle and its impressive craft centers
Tour Overview:
- Total of 10 nights accommodation
- 2 nights in Dublin at The Fleet Street Hotel 4-Star, Superior Room
- 1 night in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
- 1 night in County Donegal
- 2 nights in Westport, Connemara
- 1 night in County Galway
- 3 nights in Killarney
- Private transfers to/from airport and group meeting point
- 9 days Small-Group Escorted tour with driver-guide, maximum 16 passengers
- Irish Breakfast daily
- Hotel taxes and service charges
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International airfare not included. Minimum 2 passengers travelling together.
*Entrance fees not included; to be paid locally at the sites you wish to visit.Â
Inquire for pricing. Itineraries are subject to change. Some touring may be reversed on actual tour. Hotel names during escorted journey confirmed at time of booking. Blackout periods may apply.
For full terms and conditions, click here.
Tour Code: EU917B
Itinerary
Day 1
DUBLINÂ Â Arrival in Dublin. Private transfer to your hotel. The Fleet Street Hotel, Superior Room ****
Day 2
BreakfastDUBLIN - BELFASTÂ Â After an early breakfast, private transfer to your meeting point to join your small group escorted tour of Ireland. Travel north towards the border of Northern Ireland. From here it is a short journey into the city of Belfast famous for its industrial past and turbulent history. After a short tour of some of the key areas of the city you will arrive in the redeveloped Titanic Quarter, where you will have time for lunch and perhaps a visit to the award-winning new museum. Other options here include a visit to the SS Nomadic, the HMS Caroline, the fascinating Titanicâs Dock and Pump-house and the chance to take a black cab tour of the city. In the afternoon experience the contrasts between the busy city and beautiful scenery of the Antrim Coast and Glens. The tour follows part of this coast from Ballycastle along to the world famous Giantsâ Causeway â a stunning piece of coastal scenery. You will spend time exploring this area before arriving in the holiday town of Portrush for the night.
Day 3
BreakfastDERRY â COUNTY DONEGALÂ Â Â Your first today is the historic walled city of Derry. You will have free time to explore the old city or one of the many museums or galleries before crossing the border again back into the Republic of Ireland. Travel into one of the most remote and unspoiled parts of the country â County Donegal with its stunning scenery and strong Gaelic culture. The route passes Glenveagh National Park and Errigal Mountain, then follows the coast through traditional fishing villages. Along the way there will be plenty time for walks, photos and soaking up the local culture before arriving at your overnight stop in Donegal.
Day 4
BreakfastCOUNTY SLIGO â COUNTY MAYO â CONNEMARA Â Travelling south along the coast from Donegal will take you into County Sligo â and the grave of famous poet WB Yeats. On route look out for the dramatic mountain scenery of Ben Bulben â great for photographs! Near Sligo Town at Carrowmore, you will have the chance to visit the largest collection of megalithic tombs in Ireland â dating back over 6000 years. The route now turns westwards into County Mayo â an area hit hard by the great potato famine and from where many people emigrated to North America. The road takes you through large areas of farmland, bog and open moor with views to distant hills before coming back to the Atlantic Coast and Achill Island. Here you really are right on the edge of Europe and you will have time to savour the peace and quiet of this beautiful area. From here it is a short drive to Westport â your base for the next two nights.
Day 5
BreakfastCONNEMARAÂ Â Â Westport sits on the edge of Connemara and is the area you will explore today. The itinerary will depend on the weather and your guide will advise on the best visits for the day. Possibilities include the beautiful house and grounds at Kylemore Abbey, the Connemara National Park, Clifden (the first transatlantic flight landed here), the Sky Road and the Twelve Bens of Connemara. Along the way there will be many opportunities for photos of this dramatic landscape. Overnight again in Westport â why not sample some local seafood in one of the many excellent restaurants.
Day 6
BreakfastCONG â GALWAY Â After a leisurely start you will leave Westport behind and travel inland through the heart of Connemara to the village of Cong on the shore of Lough Corrib â where the classic film The Quiet Man was made. There will be time for a visit to Cong Abbey or the Quiet Man Museum. From here you pass through the Maam Valley and then on to Galway City. You will be dropped off at your accommodation in Galway. The afternoon and evening are free to explore this lively university city.
Day 7
BreakfastBURREN â CLIFFS OF MOHER â COUNTY CLARE â SHANNON â COUNTY KERRY - KILLARNEY From Galway City it is only a short drive along the coast to the Burren â one of Irelandâs great natural treasures. This is a land of limestone pavements, barren hillsides, rare flora, early Christian settlements and ancient stone monuments. You will spend most of the morning exploring this unique area. You will stop in Kilfenora, the âtown of the crossesâ, for a visit to the old cathedral and then have lunch in one of the local villages. After lunch you will visit the stunning Cliffs of Moher, which drop almost 700 feet into the crashing Atlantic waves. Here you can walk the cliff top trails, watch the numerous seabirds or visit the award winning environmental exhibition. From here you travel south through County Clare passing the famous golf course and beach at Lahinch to catch the ferry across the Shannon estuary and into County Kerry to the beautiful lakeside town of Killarney â your base for the next 3 nights. The pubs here are great for food and most have live music in the evenings.
Day 8
BreakfastDINGLE PENINSULA The tour today will explore the wonderful Dingle Peninsula â one of the most scenic parts of Ireland and a heartland of Gaelic culture and tradition. The first stop of the day is the beach at Inch â a vast expanse of sand facing out into the Atlantic and very popular with surfers. From here, increasingly narrow roads lead onto the peninsula itself through the town of Dingle and out to Slea Head. This is an area of ancient forts and dwellings going back thousands of years, and you will visit some of the best examples along the way. The views here are impressive with the nearby Blasket Islands rising dramatically from the sea and the mountains of the Ring of Kerry to the south. Weather permitting you will be able to walk on the beaches or along the cliff tops to fully appreciate the fabulous scenery. This area is very important in Gaelic literature and you will learn more during the day. The circuit of Slea Head leads back to Dingle town with its brightly coloured buildings and busy harbour. You will spend the rest of the afternoon here before returning to Killarney. If the weather is good, take an evening walk in the Killarney National Park â just on the edge of town.
Day 9
BreakfastRING OF KERRY Today you will tour one of the worldâs classic routes, the Ring of Kerry, 100 miles packed full of interest. After departing Killarney on a clear day, there will be views to Irelandâs highest mountain, Carrauntoohil, after which we join the coast road through Glenbeigh and Kells to Cahersiveen. There will be plenty opportunities for photos stops along the way with great views across to the Dingle Peninsula. Possible stops include Daniel OâConnellâs birthplace and the Cahersiveen ring fort, before reaching the little fishing village of Portmagee. Here you can relax and sample local seafood for lunch or alternatively cross to the island of Valencia for a visit to the Skellig Experience where you can learn about the nearby rocky islands and the small community of monks who once lived there. In the afternoon, photo stop in Waterville - a favourite holiday place for Charlie Chaplin and then at the top of Coonmakista Pass for one of the best views in the country. From here, the road drops down to sea level for a visit to Derrynane House â family home of Daniel OâConnell. There are walks in the gardens and down to the beach as well as the house itself. The tour continues on around the Ring with stops at Mollâs Gap and the Ladies View. There will be time for a short walk to the Torc Waterfall before arriving back into Killarney.
Day 10
BreakfastCORK â BLARNEY CASTLE â KILKENNY â DUBLIN Today you head back east through the mountains of West Cork and along the Lee Valley to Blarney Castle. Here you will have time to visit the castle, explore the woodland walks and mystical Rock Close as well as visiting the village of Blarney itself â a good place for a bite of lunch and a bit of shopping. There may even be the chance to kiss the famous Blarney Stone although in peak season it can be very busy. In the afternoon the tour continues on to the heritage town of Cahir with its impressive castle on an island in the River Suir. The final stop of the tour is Kilkenny, a bustling city with a fine Castle, riverside walks, the National Craft Centre and plenty pubs for one last Guinness before hitting the road again for the last leg of a wonderful journey, arriving back into Dublin. Private transfer from meeting point to your hotel for overnight. The Fleet Street Hotel, Standard Room
Day 11
BreakfastDUBLIN â HOME After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board your homebound flight.
General Information & Maps
Not Included:
- Airport and departure taxes
- Gratuities to guides and drivers
- Items of a personal nature
- Travel insurance
- Reciprocity and/or local taxes if applicable
- Visas required for entry into the country as necessary. Please discuss this with your travel agent to determine your requirements prior to departure.
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