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Scenery

Country Roads of Ireland

End Belfast, Classic Group

This tour has other variations available

Everyday Price From

$5,666

$6,295

12 days

No Countries

Overview

Let the luck of the Irish be with you on this 12-day guided tour across Ireland. Start the tour in Dublin, where you get up close to the Book of Kells, an ancient Gospel manuscript filled with mythical beasts and Celtic knots. In Kilkenny, visit the majestic Kilkenny Castle with a Local Expert. A chef will share traditional Irish recipes at a farm-to-table feast in Killarney. You'll see the Ring of Kerry, a mystical, verdant peninsula dotted with seaside villages. Finally, step onto Giant's Causeway with it's basalt columns carved onto the coast by volcanic lava, or a giant's feet, if Irish myth is to be believed.

Locations Visited

Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Cork, Blarney Castle, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Ennistymon, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Londonderry, Giant's Causeway, Ballygally, Antrim Coast, Belfast

Countries Visited

Ireland, Northern Ireland

Travel Style

Guided Vacation

Accommodations

11 nights included

Age Requirements

Minimum age 5

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Itinerary

COLLAPSE ALL EXPAND ALL

Day 1

Welcome to Dublin

Join your Travel Director for a warm and friendly dinner, with the opportunity to mingle and get to know your fellow travelers.

  • Accommodation

    Clayton Burlington Road, Dublin


  • Meals

    Dinner

Accompanied by a Local Expert, become acquainted with Dublin’s elegant squares during an orientation of the city. Discover Custom House, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Enjoy entrance to the 9th century Book of Kells and a walk through the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College.

  • Accommodation

    Clayton Burlington Road, Dublin


  • Meals

    Breakfast

In the morning, visit one of the country’s main racehorse breeding centers, also home to the acclaimed 100 year old Japanese Gardens where you can ‘journey through life’ during a walk through the beautiful surrounds. Travel to the medieval city of Kilkenny to visit the majestic Kilkenny Castle. With a Local Expert, learn how the castle was built in 1195 after the Norman Conquest of Ireland and admire its beautifully restored Victorian era rooms. Continue through Cahir and see its imposing 13th-century castle, featured in the film 'Excalibur', on the way to Cork. On arrival, your Travel Director will show you around the compact university city, with its vibrant waterfront and grand Georgian parades.

  • Accommodation

    The Kingsley, Cork


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Travel to the ruined Blarney Castle and Gardens. Will you hang upside down from the ramparts to kiss the stone and ensure a lifetime of eloquence? Travel across the majestic Derrynasaggart Mountains to the lively town of Killarney. For your Farm-to-Table dining experience, enjoy some Irish home cooking in the kitchen of chef John Sheehan. Join John and Freda, your hosts at the 19th Green Guesthouse, and savor the delicious flavors of fresh local cuisine on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Gather together at a Farm-to-Table dinner, using responsibly sourced ingredients from the local community, and gain personal insight into classic Irish recipes that are loved throughout the world.

  • Accommodation

    Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Start your day with Brendan Choice. Choose a memorable ride on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys. Alternatively, join a gentle hike with a Local Expert along the lake shore and past the grounds of Ross Castle, admiring the incredible scenery of the National Park. While there aren't any mountains to climb, walkers should be fit, have good walking shoes or boots, sunscreen and rain gear. Then explore around the magnificent Ring of Kerry. Here, mountains, valleys, lakes and sea blend into a landscape that is breathtaking beyond words. Journey past lush lakelands and around towering cliffs as you appreciate sweeping sea views. Continue through delightful villages like Sneem and cross the peat bogs of the Black Mountains to Moll’s Gap to admire Queen Victoria’s Ladies View. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Maybe take the opportunity to hire a bicycle and enjoy one of the many scenic trails around the lake or through the National Park.

  • Accommodation

    Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Depart Killarney and journey to the rugged beauty of the Dingle Peninsula, following the scenic Slea Head Drive. Travel past windswept cliffs, golden beaches and ancient stone dwellings, with views stretching to the remote Blasket Islands. In the afternoon, head north to Tarbert, where you’ll board a ferry to cross the Shannon Estuary to Killimer, a historic crossing point where Ireland’s longest river meets the Atlantic. Keep an eye out for bottlenose dolphins, often seen in these waters. Continue to Ennistymon, a charming market town known for its traditional shopfronts and cascading river falls and settle into your hotel for the evening.

  • Accommodation

    Falls Hotel & Spa, Ennistymon.


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Journey to the Visitor Center at the 700-foot Cliffs of Moher. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Clare Coast before a delightful drive through the strange, rocky landscape of the Burren to Galway Bay. On arrival, see the Lynch Memorial and Church of St. Nicholas, where Christopher Columbus reputedly prayed before his voyages to America. See the Spanish Arch and Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President, John F. Kennedy.

  • Accommodation

    Connemara Coast, Galway


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Spend a day at leisure to relax and enjoy Galway. Perhaps join an Optional Experience to the Aran Islands? A genuine highlight of the Wild Atlantic Way. With their cliffs and spectacular coastal views, the islands are a true Irish experience.

  • Accommodation

    Connemara Coast, Galway


  • Meals

    Breakfast

Admire the Blue Stack Mountains of Donegal as you cross into Northern Ireland, bound for the ancient walled city of 'Derry.' What better way to experience sightseeing than with one of Northern Ireland's best storytellers, Ronan, as he takes you on a tour inside the city walls, still topped with cannons. Walk down steep Shipquay Street, with its elegant Georgian houses, to the Gothic Guildhall.

  • Accommodation

    Maldron, Derry/Londonderry


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Visit the iconic Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where thousands of interlocking basalt columns form one of nature’s most extraordinary landscapes. Explore this legendary setting at your own pace before continuing along the scenic Antrim Coast Road, renowned for its dramatic cliffs and coastal views. Arrive in Ballygally and settle into your hotel overlooking the bay. If you're feeling brave, perhaps venture into the Ghost Room hidden within one of the castle’s turrets. Later, gather with your fellow travelers to enjoy a final evening of warm hospitality and regional cuisine.

  • Accommodation

    Ballygally Castle


  • Meals

    Breakfast

    Dinner

Continue around the Antrim Coast, past the huge Norman castle at Carrickfergus, to arrive in the Northern Ireland capital of Belfast. Meet your Local Expert for a passionate city tour including views of the City Hall, Queen's University, the Parliament Building at Stormont and murals in different locations indicating political sentiments of local residents.

  • Accommodation

    Titanic, Belfast


  • Meals

    Breakfast

For your departure transfer, you’ll first stop at Belfast George Best City Airport before continuing to Belfast International Airport. The journey between the two airports takes approximately 45 minutes.

  • Meals

    Breakfast

Highlights

Dining Summary

  • 5 Dinner (D)
  • 11 Breakfast (B)

Choice Highlights

  • Explore the scenery of Killarney National Park on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys.
  • Join a gentle hike with a nature guide in Killarney National Park and admire stunning mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls. Stroll along the lake shore and past the impressive 15th Century Ross Castle and the famous Muckross Estate, a charming 19th Century mansion and grounds. Alternatively, enjoy a memorable ride on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys.

Additional Included Highlights

  • Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with us, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

  • Join your Travel Director for a warm and friendly dinner, an opportunity to get to know each other over a meal.
  • The Irish call it 'craic' - the warm feeling resulting from the confluence of music, drink, good food, laughter, and conversation. And after circumnavigating the Emerald Isle, there's bound to be a fair share of craic at your grand finale Celebration Dinner. Sláinte!

Brendan Choice

  • Explore the scenery of Killarney National Park on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys.
  • Join a gentle hike with a nature guide in Killarney National Park and admire stunning mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls. Stroll along the lake shore and past the impressive 15th Century Ross Castle and the famous Muckross Estate, a charming 19th Century mansion and grounds. Alternatively, enjoy a memorable ride on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys.

Brendan Experiences

  • A stunning combination of cobblestone walkways, emerald-green lawns and 18th-century architectural gems, Trinity College is one of Europe’s elite universities and counts poet Oscar Wilde among its alumni. Tour the enchanting college campus with a Local Expert and discover insights into its impressive history. Enjoy access to view the famous Book of Kells, an exquisite manuscript of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament, renowned for the intricacy, detail and majesty of the illustrations.
  • Horse racing is key part of Irish culture; and you'll get a rare peek into it over your visit to the Irish National Stud. Set in Kildare at the breeding ground of champions and the birthplace of legends, explore the foaling unit, museum and the stallions that continue to make racing history. As the only stud farm in Ireland open to the public, learn the insights of horse-racing at a site whose former visitors include queens and presidents.
  • Visit Kilkenny Castle with a Local Expert. On a guided tour, learn the history of this magnificent castle and that of the powerful family that came to call it home for so many centuries. Amble through the Picture Gallery, library, drawing room, nursery and bedrooms decorated in 1830s splendor as well as the rolling parkland formal terraced rose garden, woodlands and man-made lake.
  • There's no better way to experience sightseeing than with one of Northern Ireland's best storytellers, Ronan, as he takes you on a tour inside the city walls. See the Gothic Guildhall and the Georgian houses of Shipquay Street.

Iconic Experience

  • Blarney

    It is said that those who kiss the Blarney Stone, the famous stone of eloquence, are bestowed with the power to persuade, flatter and coax. Take your turn at giving it a peck knowing that the stone was sourced from 330-million-year-old limestone.
  • Cliffs of Moher

    Towering cliffs and the dramatic sea, the Cliffs of Moher has inspired countless travelers. Visit the Exhibition Center and look out over the Wild Atlantic Way from these majestic cliffs that rise over 700 feet high. Gain insights from your Travel Director into the cliffs’ geology, history and the species that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

  • Meet passionate guesthouse owners John and Freda at their beautiful home in Killarney, where you'll hear more about their farm-to-table concept, while enjoying a delicious meal made from fresh ingredients sourced within a five mile radius. John and Freda have a policy that all food is sourced locally from farms and the coast of the Emerald Isle.  They educate their visitors about sustainable consumption and the benefits of eating fresh homegrown produce. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 12

Top Rated Highlights

  • See Custom House and travel along the River Liffey. See the Guinness Storehouse, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
  • See one of the largest castles in Ireland dating back to the 13th century.
  • Your Travel Director will show you the Grand Parade and South Mall, along with City Hall and the Opera House.
  • Admire Ireland's enduring scenic beauty on one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
  • Enjoy hearing of the history of Killarney during your city orientation.
  • Follow the Slea Head route, a dramatic coastal drive around the Dingle Peninsula, where sheer cliffs, secluded beaches, and ancient ruins reflect centuries of settlement. Pass prehistoric ring forts, beehive huts and Ogham stones, evidence of early Gaelic communities. Offshore, see the Blasket Islands, once home to a resilient Irish-speaking population who, facing isolation and hardship, relocated to the mainland in 1953.
  • Cross the Shannon Estuary by ferry. This large estuary is where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Fascinating stories and interesting locals take center stage on your orientation of the historic heart of Galway. Visit the Lynch Memorial Window. Then make your way to the Church of St. Nicholas - the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use, Spanish Arch and Eyre Square.
  • Visit Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Walk across thousands of interlocking basalt columns, shaped by nature and renowned for their striking geometric appearance.
  • Explore this seaside town with your Travel Director.
  • See the immense Castle as your drive around it.
  • Meet Hilda, a true Belfast local, having lived in the same house her entire life. During your panoramic tour, hear about the history of the city and learn why Hilda is proud of its progress and current prosperity. You'll also see the City Hall, Queen's University, Parliament Building at Stormont and murals in different locations indicating political sentiments of local residents.

Well-being

  • Enjoy the comfort of the luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
  • Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Dates & Prices

Versions of this Tour

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Country Roads of Ireland - End Belfast, Classic Group

$5,666
$6,295

Country Roads of Ireland - End Belfast, Small Group

$7,850

Country Roads of Ireland - End Dublin, Classic Group

$5,666
$6,295

Country Roads of Ireland - End Dublin, Small Group

$7,850

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Terms & Conditions

Trip Notes:

  • ​International Air: Please note that airfares are not included. We will quote you the lowest possible airfare available on the day you book.
  • ​Travel to Europe often requires an overnight flight. Please arrange flights to arrive on or before Day 1 of itinerary.

Terms & Conditions:

  • ​Prices listed are per person, land only and based on double occupancy in CAD. Single room supplements are available.
  • Guided Vacations: ​'Price with Current Deals' reflects current applicable 'Early Payment Discounts' or 'Early Booking Discounts.' Early Payment Discounts (land only) savings vary by itinerary, are not valid on all vacations/departure dates and are subject to availability; not valid with all other promotional offers. Early Booking Discounts are available on select departures only and only available to travelers departing from the United States; not combinable with Early Payment Discounts or any other promotional offers; full payment due at time of booking. All discounts are for new bookings only, subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Call or request a quote for complete details.
  • 'Exclusive Costco Member Price' is available upon member login. 
  • Costco Vacations of a Lifetime: Private Chauffeur Ireland itinerary, price shown is the final base price, exclusive to Costco members and already reflective of any special member savings.
  • Please see all separate Vacations of a Lifetime Private Chauffeur Ireland Terms & Conditions.
  • ​​​Trip prices and information are correct at the time of the trips going live online, however are subject to confirmation - please confirm all details at time of quote and booking.
  • For full details, please refer to our Terms & Conditions page.
  • Other conditions may apply. TICO # R50025597 and W50025598