14 Day The Best of Ireland Tour

Day 1: Arrive in Dublin – Airport Transfer

A private luxury airport transfer vehicle will be arranged to bring you to your hotel in Dublin City for some rest and relaxation after your flight. Ireland’s capital has a fascinating history stretching back over 1,000 years. It also has a buzzing night life combined with a vibrant live music scene. Dinner reservations will be arranged on request and a ‘KC’s Pubs of Dublin highlights tour and map’ will be waiting for you at your hotel.

Day 2: Experience Dublin City

You will have already beeen offered the choice of exploring Dublin City’s must see sites with or without your exclusive chauffeur/guide. If you wish to spend the day discovering Ireland’s capital independently, you will have ‘KC’s Things to See and Do in Dublin’ guide brochure to accompany you. Suggested highlights will include a visit to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, Historic Kilmainham Jail and the Guinness Storehouse.

Day 3: Dublin to Kinsale

Upon departing Dublin, you will get a chance to experience the magical landscape that is the Curragh of Kildare. There will be ample time for selfies with free ranging sheep and photos of fairy trees! Your guide might even give a rendition of the iconic folk song ‘The Curragh of Kildare’! Ancient history associates St. Bridget with the area and you will get to visit a very special holy well and peace garden dedicated to her memory. Next on today’s itinerary is the spectacular medieval citadel known as the Rock of Cashel with its commanding views of the Golden Vale Your destination is the pretty harbour town of Kinsale in County Cork, renowned as ‘The Gourmet Capital of Ireland’.

Day 4: Kinsale to Killarney

Today’s first site visit is the world famous Blarney Castle and an opportunity to kiss the ‘Stone of Eloquence’. Next door is the Blarney Woolen Mills where you can find quality Irish made goods and gifts of all types to take home. The afternoon must remain a mystery, only to say that we will visit a magical mountain valley and beautiful island church far way from the tourist throngs. A breathtaking drive over the Caha Mountains then awaits and on to your famous destination – Killarney Town.

Day 5: Highlights of Killarney

There are good reasons why Killarney is such a popular tourist destination. The town lies next to a stunning national park which boasts stunning mountain lakes and ancient oak woods, ringed by the dramatic McGillycuddy Reeks. Your guide will help animate your touring experience through stories, folklore and local historical insights. Being your private tour, there will options to drive the Ring of Kerry scenic route or take a magical boat trip and jaunting car through the heart of Killarney National Park. A guided walk around the Victorian splendour of Muckross House and Gardens is also highly recommended. Queen Victoria stayed here in 1861 and there are fascinating stories surrounding her famous visit to Killarney. After dinner and free time in Killarney, you will be escorted to one of the best cultural shows in Ireland – Celtic Steps – which features some of the best Irish dancers in the world.

Day 6: Dingle Peninsula to County Clare

From Killarney, we will make our way north along the Wild Atlantic Way to Dingle – Europe’s most westerly town. Dingle is home to Fungie the dolphin and if we don’t see him in the blubber, there is an endearing sculpture dedicated to this famous dolphin in the town centre! After a surprise local experience to visit a master craftsman, we will venture out upon the spectacular Slea Head ocean drive, with ample opportunities for photos along the way. An early evening ferry will then take you across the mighty River Shannon estuary to the traditional western county of Clare. Sunsets on Ireland’s Atlantic coastline can be sublime and keep a watch out for neon-like rainbows on showery evenings.

Day 7: Discover the Burren and Cliffs of Moher

County Clare is a truly enchanting county to explore. Both the Burren and Cliffs of Moher are now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Geopark. The ancient landscape of the rocky Burren is like nowhere else on earth and a mecca for botanists from around the world. The Cliffs of Moher rise 200 metres sheer up from the Atlantic Ocean far and offer commanding views of the Aran Islands on a fine day. You will also get a flavour of hill farming in the Burren by a local farmer with a sheepdog demonstration of herding sheep. Lisdoonvarna is always a fun stop – being the matchmaking capital of Europe! Your guide will tell you all about Willie Daly’s magic matchmaking powers and its once famous annual music festival! This evening’s destination is Galway City with Atlantic views overlooking Galway Bay.

Day 8: Galway Bay and City

Today’s touring will be conducted at a much more leisurely pace, matching Galway’s laid back vibe. A morning drive along Galway’s Salthill Promenade with scenic views of Galway Bay will bring us to our first stop. The unique community craft market called An Spiddal and nearby Standun’s iconic Irish store are great places to pick up unique gifts and quality wears. Nearby is a pretty shingle beach to observe locals fishing and simpply watch the world go by. You will then return into town for a visit to stunning Galway Cathedral. Yours truly will then take you on a fascinating one hour storytelling walk through Galway’s narrow, maritime streets where you will hear tales of piracy, the love story behind the Claddagh Ring and an enduring mystery surrounding Christopher Columbus’s visit to the medieval seaport. Galway City is Ireland’s Atlantic cultural capital. It is also a vibrant, romantic place, where buskers and street performers are made welcome, and in return, they compliment its bohemian atmosphere. You will have all the late afternoon and evening to soak up its unique vibe!

Day 9: Experience Wild Connemara

No photos or travel shows can come close to actually getting out of a car and experiencing Connemara’s rugged beauty for yourself. It is a wild, unpopulated landscape of sweeping moorland plains, deep bogs, lakes and mountains. The people of Connemara are still steeped in traditional music, boat racing, singing and the Irish language. It was also once the homeland of a famous pirate queen, Grace O’Malley, which you will hear more about through legends and song! Our main visitor attraction today is the stunningly beautiful Kylemore Abbey, where you will hear a truly compelling story behind its visionary builder. Kylemore contains wonderful Victorian gardens and a Downtown Abbey style house to visit. From Kylemore Abbey, you will enjoy a scenic late afternoon drive back through Connemara’s landscapes to Galway City.

Day 10: Galway to Donegal

We will visit enchanting Cong Village this morning, which served as beautiful backdrops for the Oscar winning movie ‘The Quiet Man’ and helped put Ireland on the map as a tourist destination. There will be time to take a gentle stroll through the ruins of an ancient monastery and watch salmon jumping next to the picturesque ‘Monk’s Fishing House’. The mythical monolithic shaped mountains of County Sligo were inspiration for one of Ireland’s greatest poets W.B. Yeats, and in more recent times – the popular racey TV series ‘Normal People’. Your guide will recite one of Yeat’s most magical poems by the shore of Glencar Lake and share with you an epic folk tale neath the monolithic mountain of Ben Bulben. Our final stop on today’s tour will be for a panoramic ocean view looking out on Tullaghan Strand and Donegal Bay, a mecca for big wave surfers from around the world.

Day 11: Slieve League Peninsula and Highlands of Donegal

I will be in my native county on this day, proudly showcasing the best of Donegal to you! After a surprise local experience tour, you will travel out along the spectacular coast road to marvel at Slieve League, some of the highest sea-cliffs in Europe. Our first stop will be, Killybegs, to soak up the sights an sounds of this busy Atlantic deep-sea fishing port. Will wil then travel out to Gleancolmcille for more breathtaking scenery. Our return route via Glengesh and Ardara has its own wild beauty to marvel at, set amidst some of the most beautiful, unspoilt glens in the Donegal Highlands. Back in Donegal Town, there will be a chance to do some gift shopping or visit nearby Donegal Castle. The Reel Inn is your guide’s local and a chance to experience an authentic traditional music, singing and fun recitations night!

Day 12: Derry City and The Giants Causeway

This morning, we travel from Donegal across the border into Northern Ireland. Derry City/Londonderry is one of the most historic cities on the island of Ireland as its 17th century walls remain intact. You will join a fascinating one hour guided/walking tour along Derry’s walls, which explains the cultural tensions and historic divides firsthand. Due to the peace process, Derry is now a changed place for the better and was recently the UK city of culture. It is also the location for the hugely popular British sitcom ‘Derry Girls’. After lunch we will make our way along the rugged northern coastline of Northern Ireland to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site known as The Giant’s Causeway -famous for its unusual hexagonal rock formations. You will also hear the ancient legend which gives the popular tourist attraction its name. If you still have energy for some adrenaline fuelled fun, there will also be time to visit Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, stretching across the north Atlantic’s crashing waves below.

Day 13: Discover Belfast City – Titanic Experience

Belfast has emerged from its dark years of sectarian conflicts to become a vibrant, modern city – brimming with history and culture. The magnificent architecture of it’s historic city centre is a reminder that Belfast was a global industrial power house with strong Scottish influences. After breakfast, you will visit the world class Titanic Experience. Opened in 2012 at a cost of £95 Million, the interactive multi-storey museum is built on the same shipyard that the ill-fated HMS Titanic was launced back in 1912. You will then be taken on a private guided tour to see Belfast’s famous political murals and peace wall with ample opportunities for photographs. You will also hear stories of some of Belfast’s most famous colourful characters and discover that numerous former U.S. Presidents such as Andrew Jackson had strong family connections to the region. It will then be time to enjoy some of Belfast’s top class restaurants and historic pubs with recommendations from your personal guide based on your tastes and preferences.

Day 14: Belfast to the Boyne Valley – Trim Castle Hotel

You will travel back across the border this morning to explore the ancient Boyne Valley in the heart of Ireland’s ‘Ancient East. There will be options to visit the 5,500 year old passage graves at Newgrange or experience a private viewing of a court tomb and ancient celestial observatory as your guide shares insights into society and cultural beliefs back then. No trip to the Boyne Valley would be complete without a visit to the ancient monastic city of Monasterboice with its well preserved Round Tower and fascinating Celtic Crosses – symbols of Ireland unique Celtic Christian heritage. Nearby is the Hill of Tara – once the spiritual, temporal and cultural capital of Ireland with breathtaking views over the plains of County Meath on a fine day. Trim Castle is one of the largest and best preserved Anglo-Norman castles in all of Ireland overlooking the Boyne Valley. It served as a backdrop for the 1995 classic movie ‘Braveheart’ starring Mel Gibson, and a guided tour is highly recommended. The heritage town of Trim offers relaxed surroundings to enjoy the final night of your tour and take stock of all your photos, experiences and special memories.

Day 15: Airport Transfer

Trim in County Meath is just a 40 minute drive from Dublin Airport. Your dedicated chauffeur/guide will ensure that you enjoy a smooth direct transfer with ample time for pre check-in before your flight departs.