Ireland

Welcome to Dublin! Once you arrive in this great city, our driver will greet you at the airport and transfer you to our hotel in the city center. Your tour leader will meet you at the hotel and welcome you to beautiful Ireland. Take time to settle in before our afternoon walk through the city’s historic streets and vibrant neighborhoods. In the evening, we'll gather for a welcome dinner to kick off the journey together!

In the morning, we'll depart Dublin in our luxury air-conditioned vehicle and start traveling west toward the city of Galway! Passing through the counties of Kildare, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath, our first stop will be Clonmacnoise. This medieval monastery on the banks of the River Shannon was founded by St. Ciaran in the 6th century and lays at a crossroads of medieval Ireland linking all parts of the island. Sacked time and again by the Vikings, it nevertheless flourished for over 600 years.

We'll then continue our drive to Galway, a vibrant bustling harbor town with medieval origins and with a long tradition of the Irish language, music, song, and dance.

Tonight you will stay at Park House Hotel. This grand Victorian style hotel is located in the heart of Galway City, a two minute walk from famous Eyre Square.

Get ready to tour the wilds of Connemara, a vast expanse of mountains, bogs, heathlands, and lakes dotted with small fishing villages west of Galway City. Our first activity will be a unique sheepdog demonstration in Glengowla Mines, where you'll visit with a local family that owns the farm.

From here, the drive will take you via the villages of Oughterard, Maam Cross, and Recess before travelling up the spectacular Inagh Valley. With the 12 Bens of Connemara on your left and the Maumturks Mountains on your right, this region is simply gorgeous. You'll soon reach the village of Leenane on the shores of Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord.

We'll then visit Kylemore Abbey, a historic monastery nestled at the base of Duchruach Mountain, on the northern shore of Lough Pollacappul, in the heart of the Connemara Mountains. It is regarded as one of Ireland's most romantic buildings.

Travel on via Letterfrack to Connemara National Park where you will have the opportunity for spectacular views of Connemara's hills, bays and inlets.

We'll then continue to Clifden, the largest town in the region, nestled between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Clifden was founded in 1812 by the High Sheriff of Galway to create a pocket of respectability within the lawlessness of Connemara.

After our visit, we'll make the drive back to Galway and our beautiful hotel.

This morning, after breakfast, you will experience one of the great coastal scenic routes of the world as we head down the Atlantic west coast of Clare to the world famous Killarney Town, on the edge of Killarney National Park.

Traveling down the Atlantic seaboard, our journey will take you via Galway Bay, Dunguaire Castle at Kinvarra and Ballyvaughan.

We'll visit Hazel Mountain Chocolate Factory, a quaint and delicious attraction that has been creating waves in the Irish and international chocolate scene ever since it first opened its doors in 2014.

See The Burren (Gaelic for rocky land), an apt name for this vast limestone plateau. In the 1640s, Cromwell's surveyor described it as "a savage land, yielding neither water enough to drown a man, nor tree to hang him, nor soil enough to bury".

We'll then visit the spectacular Cliffs of Moher. Braced against the ocean, on the coast of County Clare, you will stand on the dramatic 702ft (214m) high and 9 miles (14km) long cliffs. This signature point along the Wild Atlantic Way invites you to gaze out on the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.

Afterwards, we'll continue down the Atlantic coast via the coastal towns and villages of Ennistymon and Lahinch before turning east to Limerick. Here we'll visit the beautiful, thatched village of Adare, considered by many as Ireland's prettiest village and home to the 2027 Ryder Cup.

Once we cross the Limerick/Kerry border, you'll arrive in the "Kingdom of Kerry" and we'll soon reach Killarney.

Tonight you will overnight at the Killarney Plaza Hotel. This four star hotel sits in the centre of Killarney Town, overlooking the majestic Killarney National Park.

Today we shall tour the Ring Of Kerry! Officially known as the Iveragh Peninsula, it is a captivating journey of spectacular mountain and coastal scenery dotted with colourful small towns and villages. You will travel via Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Coomakesta Pass with its magnificent views over Derrynane.

We'll visit Atlantic Irish Seaweed, where a local guide will take you on a stroll centered around the exploration of edible seaweed from the wild Atlantic Ocean.

From here, we'll head for a traditional Irish pub lunch at the Blind Piper Pub. Located in the village of Caherdaniel, locals and visitors alike have been drinking and eating here since 1865. Who is the Blind Piper? The Blind Piper is Mici Cumba O'Sullivan, who was born nearby in 1835 and became one of Ireland's most famous pipers.

Our next piece of the journey will take us via the hamlet of Castlecove, the colourful village of Sneem and onwards via Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Killarney National Park and along the Lakes of Killarney to Killarney Town.

Tonight you will overnight at the Killarney Plaza Hotel.

In the morning, we shall depart for Cork, known as the Rebel County. We begin by heading west to the “county bounds” through the wild Derrynasaggart Mountains. These mountains are sometimes referred to as the Cork/Kerry Mountains and were made famous in the ballad “Whiskey in the Jar”.

Then, we'll go to the Blarney Castle, built in 1446 by Dermot McCarthy. You will have the chance to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone. You will also have an opportunity to shop at Blarney Woollen Mills, boasting a huge selection of Irish arts, crafts and produce.

We'll continue on via the valley of the River Lee to the town of Kinsale. Here, we'll visit Kinsale Ceramics. Tucked away just outside historic Kinsale and housed in the charming old stables of Ballinacurra House, Kinsale Ceramics is where we'll enjoy a unique hands on adventure in crafts and pottery painting.

You'll then have a free evening in Kinsale, the Gourmet Capital of Ireland. Originally a medieval fishing port, historic Kinsale is one of the most picturesque towns on the southwest coast of Ireland.

Tonight you will overnight at Actons Hotel. Located in picturesque Kinsale, this four star boutique hotel is an ideal place to call home for the night.

After breakfast, you will journey north back to Dublin. En route, we'll cross the River Blackwater and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Golden Vale, the name given to some of Ireland's finest rolling pastureland.

We'll stop for a visit at The Rock of Cashel. Rising dramatically from the grassy plains of county Tipperary, this was the seat of kings and medieval bishops for 900 years and flourished until the early 17th century.

Our next stop will be at Irish National Stud. This is a state run bloodstock farm, which was founded in 1900 by an eccentric Anglo-Irish man by the name of Colonel William Walker. On finishing the special tour of the stud farm, we'll take a walk through the Japanese Gardens on site, laid out in 1906 to represent the "Life of Man".

We'll then finish our drive back to Dublin and The Alex Hotel, located in the middle of Dublin.

Today you will have a full free day in Ireland's capital city, also known as "Fair City". Dublin City is a treasure trove of historic buildings and famous landmarks, including the Ha'Penny Bridge, the General Post office, Guinness brewery, Trinity College and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Your tour leader will be on hand to help you plan your day in this wonderful city!

In the evening, we'll all gather again for our farewell dinner, celebrating our unforgettable Irish experience one last time!

You will be transferred to the airport, either by private vehicle or airport shuttle bus depending on the time of your departing flight.