Deluxe Emerald Ireland North and South - 13 Days
Visit Enchanting Ireland on a 12 day trip of North and South, exploring two similar but different cultures on one island.
After a couple of days in Ireland's modern capital Dublin we head north to Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland, up the Glens of Antrim, round the Giant's Causeway - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - down to Galway via Connemara, along the Wild Atlantic Way through Kerry and Cork then over to Dublin to enjoy the splendours of Celtic Ireland with an infusion of Anglo-Irish, Norman and Viking history. Ireland is a place known for its warm welcome, excellent food and drink, some of the best restaurants in Europe, clearly some of the best beverages, Irish dancing, pubs, traditional music, it's own Gaelic language (Celtic identity), tradition, family and sport.
What is it that draws people to Ireland? It's the patchwork of beautiful mountain ranges, soft green fields, dramatic cliffs, sandy beaches, gently meandering rivers, open spaces, waterfalls and mythology. It's the people; visitors come to experience the legendary sense of humour and good nature. In addition, it's the culture and built heritage. We are lucky to have some of the finest Neolithic Monuments in the world (32OO BC), Bronze Age and Iron Age forts, Norman, Viking, Anglo-Irish and remnants of British colonial architecture in the world. Dublin is the city of writers, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Literary city. Oscar Wilde, WB Yates, Seamus Heaney, Patrick Kavanagh, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Lady Gregory, the list is endless.
The time is now, come to Ireland to experience a myriad of splendours and the purest getaway in Europe. You will not regret your trip to Ireland, many people come back time and time again as they develop a sense of belonging with the people, landscapes and cultures of the Emerald Isle.
Itinerary and Specifics
Highlights
- Experience Ireland better than anyone - we have tremendous contacts and experience to achieve whatever you're looking for
- Tap your feet to Traditional Music in a cozy pub setting
- See Irish Dancing and revel in the pageantry
- Try the finest Irish Stew, Irish Whiskey, best Guinness in the world and Enjoy the Best Irish Welcome
- Experience some of the world's most scenic landscapes
- Get off the beaten track, we are known for this and you're going to see eclectic Hidden Gems
- Meet the locals - engage in humour and share stories
- Learn some of the Gaelic language - pick up a few phrases and practice the Blarney (Good ole Queen Victoria, she gave us the term)
- Connect with your Ancestors - 50+ million Americans, Canadians and Australians can lay claim to Irish heritage
- Return relaxed, informed and in love with the Emerald Isle
Included:
- 4 Star Accommodations on a Bed and Breakfast Basis
- Meet and Greet at Airport
- Transfers to and from hotel
- Expert driver/guide
- Comfortable touring vehicle
- Local knowledge, recommendations and help with any bookings you want to make
- Porterage - 1 piece per person in and out of hotels
Not included
- Flights - purchase your own flights in/out of destination
- Gratuities minimum recommended $10 per person per day
- Lunches and Dinners - we like our guests to be able to choose their own dining options
- Any entrances to museums, attractions and concerts - most of what you're looking for will be free entrance anyway.
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrive in Dublin International Airport, Meet and Greet, Transfer to hotel and stay for 3 Nights in the capital of Hibernia so you acclimatise and experience the best of Ireland's only big city. We'll take you on a panoramic tour of the city in our touring vehicle, showing you the best of what you can explore in your free time. Meet the guide for a walking orientation in and around your hotel.
Day 2
We'll bring you to Wicklow, known as the Garden of Ireland, south of Dublin, and you'll be brought to Glendalough to see a 1,500 year old monastery and round tower, Celtic High Crosses, religious ruins and the beauty of nature in a U-Shaped Glacial Valley created during the last Ice Age.
If you like walking and getting fresh air, walk around the lakes and meet us back at the visitor centre for the AudioVisual movie on the history of the site. Afternoon return to Dublin where you can explore the National Gallery, National Musuem, Trinity College and Book of Kells, St. Stephen's Green, Guinness Storehouse and Gravity Bar, Temple Bar, Irish Writer's Museum, James Joyce Museum and much much more.
Don't forget, we know every nook and cranny of the city, so engage in any interests you want. This is your time to rest, relax or go out and enjoy the deep and fascinating history of one of the Europe's most educated and youthful cities. It's buzzing with positivity and opportunity, being the tech capital of Europe.
Day 3
Today we're going to explore the coastline of North Dublin with fish and chips and a great pub experience in Howth, the premier coastal port with excellent fresh seafood, a nice walk around the town, great food and sometimes the market is open, which is nice to peruse. We'll also bring you to Malahide Castle, once owned by the mighty Norman Talbot family. Return to Dublin city centre for you to enjoy any last wishes in the capital and see the things you missed out on yesterday. Dublin's only issue is that there's too much culture to embrace.
Day 4
Today we head north for Belfast, crossing into the realm of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It's a two hour drive to the capital of Northern Ireland and we're going to see the Titanic Musuem, St. Georges Market, Peace Wall, Bobby Sands Mural, West Belfast, Shankhill, learn about "The Troubles", experience the meaning of Unionism and Republicanism.
Many people don't truly understand what happened between the late 1960s and 1998 in Northern Ireland even though they've seen all the pictures on the news. It's a very complex history and we're going to show you all sides of the town and explain the history so you come out truly with a clear picture of the history and the tremendous progress they have made here. Belfast is a modern, engaging and friendly city and we'll stay here one night.
Day 5
Today we're on the world's most beautiful coastal route - the Antrim Coast. Game of Thrones fans will be happy. We can visit the Dark Hedges if anyone wants to. We'll stop at UNESCO Giant's Causeway and you'll explore the 30,000 hexagonal columns linked to mythology between Scotland and Ireland.
Next, we're going to Bushmills for lunch and the oldest continually licensed distillery in the world, operating since 1608, under James I of England (James VI of Scotland). Continue past some famous golf courses where the British Open has been held and on to Derry/LondonDerry for one night. Walk the walls and learn the history of Bloody Sunday as well as seeing the Diamond and Cathedral, the Bogside, the murals, the museum.
Day 6
Today we're driving into County Donegal and will spend some free time in Donegal Town which has a castle, some fantastic artisan cafes and restaurants and a charming feel. We'll continue down to Sligo and visit the grave of WB Yates, Anglo-Irish poet of renown. See the church associated with his family, stay near Ben Bulben mountain and enjoy a night in the countryside with an Irish family in a top class B&B. This is part of your chance to engage with locals and see how they live.
Day 7
Today we're into Irish Lakeland county, and in particular, Mayo. We'll see Westport, a beautiful Heritage town winner of many Tidy Towns Competitions, with plenty of pubs, flowers and quaint Georgian architecture.
We are huge fans of the cultural engagement at Westport House. We'll bring you to experience how the ultra wealthy Anglo-Irish aristocracy used to live over 200 years ago, amongst hundreds of acres of splendid gardens in a neo-classic Georgian mansion with dozens of servants, butlers, staff and groundskeepers. This is one of the highlights, a great visit. It also serves however to show the opulence of the rich and entitled versus the daily misery of people who had to emigrate to the New World during the Great Famine of 1845-51. We'll also explain the history of Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley, who operated out of Clew Bay, a drowned Glacial Bay on the Atlantic.
We'll head to Galway next via the wonderful Victorian Walled Gardens at Kylemore Abbey. Notre Dame and an order of Benedictine nuns share the site with visitors which was in fact built by a Manchester merchant following a successful honeymoon. His wife loved Connemara so much that she insisted they return to live for good. We go for the castle, spectacular scenery, walled garden, tea and scones, peace and tranquility in the Connemara pure air. Continue to Galway city for two nights.
Day 8
We'll give you a walking tour of the City of the Tribes and then you'll decide whether it's Sheridan's Cheesemakers and Wine Bar, the Cathedral which contains a plaque to JFK who visited in 1963, Eyre Square, the Latin Quarter, some of the best pubs and live music in Ireland, Shop Street, the River Corrib walk, a cruise on Lough Corrib (biggest freshwater lake in the Republic with 365 islands), or a visit to St. Nicholas' Church is what interests you.
We love Galway and consider it the best Irish city. Bohemian, arty, musical, bi-lingual and Mediterranean feeling at the same time, people enjoy the laid-back feel and the warm and welcoming natives here. The food and drink here are unparalleled.
Day 9
Today we leave Galway on our way to the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, crossing the River Shannon and into the Kingdom County, Kerry. We love Kerry, we love the people and music here. It's a bastion of Irish culture, music, langauge and hospitality. We're staying in Killarney for two nights.
Killarney is the focal point of Irish tourism and nobody does hospitality better than those in Kerry. Take a jaunt on horse & carriage like Queen Victoria through the National Park, see Irish Dancing and Musical Shows, enjoy the town after a day's sightseeing, meet some local people, have a pint of Guinness or relax in a cafe. Killarney has it all.
Day 10
Today it's the Ring of Kerry - spectacular sights abound on this historic full day excursion. Prepare for full immersion in Irish culture today. Natural beauty, cliffs, mountains, great food, see the UNESCO Skellig island associated with Star Wars, and where a monastic culture was set up 1500 years ago, the monks living in Beehive Huts (architectural term).
Day 11
Today we head for Cork via the Bearagh Peninsula and we'll go to Kinsale - seafood capital of Ireland. Our guests love the pubs, sights, food and mixture of locals, tourists and artisans/artists/musicians. We'll spend the night in Cork City - capital of the Rebel County. Of course, we'll see Blarney Castle and you can kiss the Blarney Stone to get the Gift of the Gab if you don't already have it.
Day 12
Today we're up to Tipperary with visits at Cahir Castle and the Rock of Cashel. Learn all about St. Patrick. We're going to stay one night in the best preserved Medieval City in Ireland - Kilkenny. You'll learn all about Cromwell, the Normans, the Butler Family, and local history. This is the smallest city in Ireland but certainly one of the most interesting and it's packed with culture, great pubs, great places to eat and drink.
Day 13
That's the end of the road and what a great trip it has been. We drop you off at the airport and you're overwhelmed by the trip of a lifetime. We know this will have been one of the best if not the best journeys you've ever been on. Those flying to the USA will do US Pre-Clearance with American staff making their passage home much easier. It's a smooth experience and we wish you a safe trip home. Come back to Ireland soon again.