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Best of Ireland
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Best of Ireland
Operated by: Trafalgar
10 Days from $2,574 per person
Locations Visited
Dublin, New Ross, Waterford, Killarney, Adare, Limerick, Galway, Westport, Knock, Sligo ...more Dublin, New Ross, Waterford, Killarney, Adare, Limerick, Galway, Westport, Knock, SligoBOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
✓ Lock in this trip with $250 deposit
✓ Refund Guarantee within 30 days of booking
✓ Flexible changes up to 60 days before your tour departs
✓ Lock in this trip with $250 deposit
✓ Refund Guarantee within 30 days of booking
✓ Flexible changes up to 60 days before your tour departs
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Day 1
Welcome to Ireland
Write your own lively tale of legends and iconic landscapes during this epic encounter with Ireland's treasures. We begin our journey in the whimsical capital of Dublin, joining a Local Specialist to see the sights. Irish history takes centre stage this evening as we visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, one of the few buildings of medieval Dublin still left standing, for a Welcome Reception with your fellow travellers and Travel Director. You’ll get a taste for the centuries of history you’re about to explore first-hand, learning how the very place you’re standing in has played an integral role in Ireland’s history for over eight centuries and how its most prominent office holder was none other than Jonathan Swift, the famous author.
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Day 2
Through the Scenic County Wicklow to Waterford
Journey through the scenic countryside of County Wicklow, 'The Garden of Ireland', and on to New Ross – the ancestral home town of John F. Kennedy. Dive Into Culture and gain insights into the plight of the starving Irish emigrants who boarded the Dunbrody Famine Ship to flee the potato famine. We continue to Waterford, where we'll stay overnight. This afternoon, we celebrate the centuries-old craft of flint glass creations, as we Dive Into Culture at the House of Waterford Crystal and witness talented master craftsmen at work.
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Day 3
Journey to Blarney and on to Killarney
Today, we travel through County Cork and pursue the 'gift of the gab' at Blarney Castle, where you'll have a chance to kiss the famous stone. Arrive in Killarney for a two-night stay.
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Day 4
A Day on the Ring of Kerry
Ireland's soul-stirring Ring of Kerry takes centre stage today as we embark on a scenic drive past its mountains, lakes and lush green countryside – unquestionably one of the most scenic routes in Ireland. We'll see Daniel O'Connell's Cahirciveen, the fishing village of Waterville, Moll's Gap and the Black Valley, whose remoteness saw it become the last area in Ireland to receive electricity.
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Day 5
Onwards to Lively Limerick
We continue through the windswept countryside, arriving in Adare, one of the prettiest villages in Ireland. On arrival in Limerick, where we’ll enjoy views of St. Mary's Cathedral, the Treaty Stone and the 13th-century King John's Castle during an orientation tour. Delve into an Ireland of old, as you discover the day-to-day life of the Irish during the 18th and 19th centuries on your included visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park this afternoon.
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Day 6
Admire the Cliffs of Moher and Onwards to Galway
The sheer Cliffs of Moher plunge dramatically into the Atlantic Ocean, providing endless ocean views and wonderful photographic opportunities during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at this UNESCO-listed highlight along the Wild Atlantic Way. You’ll be enchanted by its irresistible landscapes, but more so the interactive visitor centre which will bring the whole experience to life from the perspective of the resident wildlife that find sanctuary here. Later, we arrive in Galway with some time at leisure to see its beautiful stone Cathedral or stroll through Eyre Square.
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Day 7
A Day Exploring Stunning Connemara
Connemara's 'savage beauty' is yours to explore today as we tread in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde who described its 'wild and mountainous splendour' as magnificent. Admire the views on the scenic drive to Kylemore Abbey, now a Benedictine monastery, where we will embark on an included visit to the country's most romantic castle and walk through its exquisite Victorian Walled Garden.
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Day 8
A Pilgrimage to Knock and on to Sligo
Our journey takes us to Westport House where we'll Connect With Locals and indulge in a memorable Be My Guest experience with tales of the Pirate Queen, and enjoy Banoffee and Baileys flavours in the Drawing Room of this stately 18th-century home. Heading north, we stop in the pilgrimage town of Knock to view the Marian Shrine where villagers witnessed an apparition of Our Lady in 1879. We arrive in Sligo this evening, our home for the night.
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Day 9
Return to Lively Dublin
Our journey continues south to Dublin. Here we’ll enjoy some free time to take a walk down Grafton Street or stroll along the Liffey. This evening, we close the chapter on an epic journey through Ireland, joining our fellow travellers for a memorable Farewell Dinner.
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Day 10
Farewell Ireland
After a hearty Irish breakfast, we bid our Travel Director and fellow travellers a fond farewell as our Irish holiday comes to an end. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Price Includes
Dining Highlights
- 1 Be My Guest
- 1 Farewell Dinner
- 1 Welcome Reception
- 3 Dinners
- 9 Breakfasts
First class travel Highlights
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Optional Experiences and free time
Sightseeing Highlights
- Explore Dublin with a Local Specialist
- Discover Waterford, Killarney, Limerick and Galway
- Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross, the crystal showroom at Waterford, Blarney Castle to kiss the stone and gain the 'gift of the gab', Adare, Bunratty Folk Park, Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey
- View King John's Castle in Limerick and the Marian Shrine in Knock
- See St. Mary's Cathedral in Limerick and Galway Cathedral
- Scenic Drive of the Ring of Kerry
- Connect With Locals Enjoy a traditional Be My Guest High Tea hosted in the Drawing Room of a stately 18th-century home near the charming town of Westport.
- Dive into Culture Learn how crystal is crafted at the House of Waterford Crystal during a workshop tour.
- Dive into Culture Explore the tragic history of Ireland's famine emigration at the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience, a replica of one of the original ships used in the 1800s.
- MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Help preserve the Cliffs of Moher for generations to come and learn about its extraordinary geology, history and the species that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies.
Dates & Prices
Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing a twin room. To request a personalized travel quote, click "Request Quote" and a Travel Specialist will send your custom quote including airfare if requested.
Online Booking Process
Financing from $/month
Optional Add-Ons
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Waterford
Available on Day 2
Irish Folk Fun
Join a magical entertainment experience, where you'll get the chance to see Irish hospitality in the best folk tradition. Enjoy a drink while locals sing and play music for you.
Adult Price: € 29
Explore Waterford's History
Join us in Waterford, where the history dates back as far as the Vikings. Your Local Specialist will bring the historic area to life through stories and anecdotes; one guest even described the trip as the "best history lesson ever."
Adult Price: € 17
Killarney
Available on Day 3
Celtic Steps
Enjoy a spectacular evening of Irish music, song and dance performed by champion dancers and musicians and showcasing the music of Kerry and beyond.
Adult Price: € 36
Gaelic Roots
A tour de force of traditional Irish song, music and dance, Gaelic Roots showcases Ireland at its best. Using traditional instruments, Irish dance and time-honored folk songs, this energetic show will have you tapping your feet and singing along in no time.
Adult Price: € 34
Experience a Jaunting Cart Ride
Enjoy a traditional pony and trap ride through the beautiful Bourn-Vincent National Park. During your journey, your Local Specialist will share fascinating anecdotes about the area and Ireland.
Adult Price: € 22
Limerick
Available on Day 4
Irish Ceilidh Evening
Come along and experience the craic at a special ceilidh evening. Enjoy a drink and some local specialties, watch some traditional Irish dancing and sing along to some familiar Irish melodies.
Adult Price: € 64
Killarney
Available on Day 4
Irish Ceilidh Evening
The Irish Ceilidh epitomizes how music and dance were enjoyed in rural Ireland, especially on festive occasions. The craic - welcoming, jolly, fun and informal - is accompanied by plenty of food and drink. There's no more enjoyable way to understand Irish culture.
Adult Price: € 67
Kerry Farm Experience
Step back into the past, on a traditional Kerry Farm of the 1930s. We'll meet a local farmer who will show us around the farmyard and tell of times gone by. Enjoy mountain views of the Ring of Kerry as he demonstrates his skills at herding sheep with border collies.
Adult Price: € 22
Visit Muckross House and its Gardens
Come with us to Muckross House and its beautiful gardens. With a backdrop of oak-clad mountains, enjoy taking in the towering azaleas and rhododendrons, alongside the shores of the lake. The 19th-century house contains some wonderful examples of furniture and paintings, including a portrait of King James VI, for whom Shakespeare wrote Macbeth.
Adult Price: € 21
Limerick
Available on Day 4
Medieval Castle Banquet
Enjoy a banquet and medieval entertainment in the great hall of the castle. The court jester will make an appearance, as will the castle’s musicians and the ladies and gentlemen of the medieval court – giving you an evening you won’t forget.
Adult Price: € 77
Galway
Available on Day 6
Galway Castle Banquet
Join us on a drive to Galway Castle where you'll begin your evening of medieval entertainment. This will be accompanied by a delicious dinner where wine will flow, and you’ll be treated to songs and the marvelous Irish art of story-telling.
Adult Price: € 72
City of Tribes Walk and Dinner
Join us in the center of Galway for a stroll with our Local Specialist who will enthrall us with stories of this bustling medieval port, as we meander through the streets while taking in the main historical sights. Later we'll enjoy a meal, with a choice of classic dishes and an included drink.
Adult Price: € 49
Trad on the Prom
The best in Irish dancing from the most-awarded performers in Ireland. Combined with some of Ireland's best musical talent, this show is truly "can’t miss."
Adult Price: € 37
Sligo
Available on Day 8
Scenic Drive And Dinner
This evening you’ll discover the beauty of the land, as we take a scenic drive off the beaten track. Later, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant with a choice of drink included.
Adult Price: € 52
Available on Day 9
Luxurious River Shannon Cruise
The longest river in the British Isles, the River Shannon is immortalized in songs and legends. Come with us for a cruise on this majestic river, through the beautiful rolling countryside of counties Leitrim and Roscommon. You’ll also enjoy refreshments on the luxurious Moon River Pleasure Cruiser.
Adult Price: € 33
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