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Get up close and personal with the icons of Ireland on this 10-day guided tour. Bask in the beauty of Connemara’s wild landscape, stand upon the 700-foot-high Cliffs of Moher and admire 40 shades of green on the mystical the Ring of Kerry. On a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, amble through stunning Powerscourt Gardens. Elevate your experience learning the insights and staying in comfort and style at five-star Ashford Castle, the former famous home of earls, princes and the famous Guinness family.
Locations Visited
Dublin, Kildare, Cork, Blarney, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Connemara, Clifden, Cong
Countries Visited
Ireland
Travel Style
Regional
Accommodations
9
nights included
Age Requirements
Minimum age 5
Itinerary
COLLAPSE ALLEXPAND ALL
Day 1
Hello Dublin
Soul-stirring landscapes of rugged cliffs and rolling hills, the 'Emerald Isle' has lured the most curious of travellers for centuries. Begin your journey at Powerscourt Gardens for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Across 47 acres, its sweeping terraces, ornamental lakes and over 200 varieties of trees and shrubs has earned its status as one of the most beautiful gardens in Ireland and the 3rd Best Garden in the world by National Geographic. This evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner.
Accommodation
Camden Court Hotel
Meals
Dinner
Highlights
Visit Powerscourt Gardens, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience
The walled gardens and rambling walks of Powerscourt Gardens will enchant any traveller. On your visit, these carefully curated and maintained gardens and magnificent mansion house will delight your senses and inspire your imagination. Stroll through the manicured formal gardens and terraces passing striking statues, lakes and secret hollows. You’ll savour taking in the wonder of nature curated by world-class gardeners. Your visit directly supports UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land.
Day 2
Discover Diverse Dublin
History dating back to the 1100s awaits as you join a Local Expert on a Dublin city tour to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral. Here at Ireland's largest church, gain all the insights learning how Irish author Jonathan Swift was once installed as Dean and ultimately laid to rest. With rest of the day at leisure, stroll along Grafton Street and see its lively performers, stop for a pint of the 'Black Stuff' in Temple Bar or relax in St. Stephen's Green. Or, join an Optional Experience of food and fun at a Dublin Dinner and Cabaret.
Accommodation
Camden Court Hotel
Meals
Breakfast
Highlights
Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral
History and famous figures. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is one of the few buildings left from medieval Dublin. It is also on this site where St. Patrick reputedly baptized the local Celtic chieftains in the 5th century. The cathedral was later built between 1191 and 1270 and has come to be famous for its choir, also Ireland’s oldest. The cathedral’s burial site of author Jonathan Swift is one of approximately 700 burials on the site.
Day 3
Admire County Kildare and on to Cork
Embark on an excursion to get up close and personal with Ireland's thoroughbred industry at the Irish National Stud. Next up is Cork, a fusion of castles, gardens and foodie havens will enchant curious travellers like you. Your Travel Director orients you to the sights, sounds and flavours from the circa-18th century English Market lined with local cheeses, fresh seafood and handmade chocolate to Cork City Gaol, a museum offering insight into Cork’s history. Cork is also home to the biggest jazz festival in Ireland. With the evening at leisure, take in the city’s musical culture joining an Optional Experience of Irish entertainment with local musicians including a hearty pub dinner.
Accommodation
The Kingsley Hotel
Meals
Breakfast
Highlights
Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens
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.
Cork Orientation
Ireland's second city - "Rebel Cork" dates back to the 7th century. Your Travel Director will show you the Grand Parade and South Mall, along with City Hall and the Opera House on an insightful orientation tour encompassing the development of the religious settlement of St. Finbarr, to Viking raiding and settlement, to the creation of the Norman city and Merchant Princes. You’ll love learning the tales and history of this port city and enjoy hearing the lilt of the Cork accent.
Day 4
Journey to Blarney and on to Killarney
Today's Insight Choice gets you up close and personal to one of the icons of Ireland, Blarney Castle, the Witch's Kitchen and Wishing Steps gardens and, of course, the infamous stone – said to bestow the 'gift of the gab' upon whoever kisses it. Or, go beyond the castle and don’t miss the chance to amble the 1,500-acre grounds. After your visit to the stone or stroll through the grounds, head west to Killarney ushering you into the beauty of the Ring of Kerry. Tonight’s Dine-Around invites you to enjoy your pick of Irish specialties. Then finish your day with an Optional Experience of traditional Irish song, music, and dance.
Accommodation
Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Highlights
Grounds Tour with Gardener
Your up close and personal encounter with the lush gardens of the Blarney Castle estate is brought to life on a guided tour with a senior gardener. On your stroll enhanced by your expert’s insights, learn about the arboretum’s rare trees, mystical Druid rock formations and the Bog Garden boasting three 600-year-old yew trees.
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.
Dine-Around in Killarney
Choose from a fine selection of local restaurants on your Dine-Around evening.
Day 5
A Day on the Ring of Kerry
Famous for its 'forty shades of green,' the Ring of Kerry has inspired writers and poets for centuries. Drink in the beauty of the coastal drive lined with beaches, colourful seaside villages and views of the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll be astounded by even more icons of Ireland as you venture inland to a mountainous region dotted with lakes and green woodlands. Enhance your discovery over an Optional Experience Jaunting Cart Ride through Bourn-Vincent National Park. Upon arrival back in Killarney, end your day with a decadent three-course dinner infused with Irish flavours.
Accommodation
Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Highlights
The Ring of Kerry Scenic Drive
Venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lakelands, beaches, fields dotted with sheep, rocky coastline, remote villages and historical sites, as you journey the magical Ring of Kerry. This 111-mile circular route is the best place to admire Ireland's scenic beauty and truly one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
Day 6
Onwards to the Cliffs of Moher
Begin the day with a ferry crossing before arriving at the towering Cliffs of Moher. Perched at 700-feet, take in views of the Clare Coast and the pounding Atlantic, where colonies of puffins make their homes. The area is home to Guillemot and Razorbills, Peregrine Falcon, Kittiwake and Fulmar as well as endangered bird species including Choughs. Full of fascinating insights, make your way through the rocky landscape of the Burren to Galway Bay.
Accommodation
Radisson Red Galway
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Highlights
See the Cliffs of Moher
Towering cliffs and the dramatic sea, the Cliffs of Moher has inspired countless travellers. Visit the Exhibition Centre 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.
Day 7
Galway
Ireland’s cultural center and the festival capital of Ireland, Galway hosts 122 festivals per year. One might say the city’s artistic side is reflected in actor Peter O’Toole, who has a strong connection with Galway. O’Toole claimed that he was born in Galway before being taken to England as a baby and built a house outside Clifden in the county. You’ll feel Galway’s fun, bohemian vibe come to life over an orientation tour. Your Travel Director introduces you to the sights including Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President, John F. Kennedy. With the rest of the day at leisure, continue to explore this bustling port city on your own or join an optional Galway Waking Tour with pub dinner.
Accommodation
Radisson Red Galway
Meals
Breakfast
Highlights
Galway Orientation
Fascinating stories and interesting locals take centre 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.
Day 8
Kylemore Abbey and Continue to Ashford Castle
Full of curiosities, Kylemore Abbey is a treasure trove of picture-perfect scenery and a storied past as the oldest of the Irish Benedictine Abbeys. Discover more on a Lough Corrib Cruise, where you'll explore one of County Galway's natural jewels and learn about its historical significance. Conclude another grand day arriving at five-star, award-winning, Ashford Castle where a lone piper escorts you over the drawbridge. Your exquisite hotel provides a romantic backdrop in superior surroundings, offering both relaxation and comfort you’ve come to enjoy on your Ireland tour. Feel history come alive with past owners including Benjamin Lee Guinness, Lord and Lady Ardilaun and hotelier Noel Huggard who transformed the estate into a hotel in 1939. In addition, celebrities such as John Lennon and Brad Pitt and even royal patrons including King George V have luxuriated at Ashford Castle.
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Highlights
Visit Kylemore Abbey
With a striking Victorian Walled Garden and turreted church, Neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey is a sight to behold. Dig into the Abbey’s history, discovering how it was founded in 1920 for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I.
Lough Corrib Cruise
Sit back and relax as you learn from a Local Specialist how, at this largest lake in Southern Ireland, archaeologists are just beginning to learn how this lake’s importance in trade in their discovery of several preserved 5000-year-old boats.
Ashford Castle Celebration Dinner
Dine on delicious Farm-to-Table fare in a stylish setting at the iconic George V Dining Room.
Day 9
Return to Lively Dublin
Time for a last-minute stroll on the Ashford Estate. Perhaps take in more of the splendid scenery on out joining a leisurely walk with the Irish wolfhounds. Then cross the midlands, also known as Our Hidden Heartlands, a beautifully unspoilt part of Ireland where life moves at its own pace. Return to the capital where the remainder of the day is free. Dinner awaits tonight, where you’ll raise a glass and toast with your new friends.
Accommodation
Camden Court Hotel
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Highlights
Dublin Dinner
Celebrate a memorable journey in Ireland on your final night out in Dublin - hub of food and drink culture including the Guinness factory. In 1759, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on St James Gate Brewery. After your final night out in Dublin, Guinness will be awaiting your return to the Emerald Isle.
Day 10
Journey Home
As the curtain falls on a memorable journey with new friends, we say a fond slán go fóill to Dublin and the 'Emerald Isle'.
Enjoy the comfort of Insight's 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.
What's Included
Vox Headsets
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
Gratuities
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.
Porterage
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
Wifi
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
Transport
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 Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Touchpoints
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Dates & Prices
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Trip Notes:
A deposit of £100 must be paid at the time of booking.
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 the USA and Canada often requires an overnight flight. Please arrange flights to arrive on or before Day 1 of the itinerary.
Terms & Conditions:
Prices listed are per person, land only and based on double occupancy (twin room). Single room supplements are available.
'Price with Current Deals' reflects current applicable 'Early Payment Discounts' or 'Last Minute Deals.' 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. Last Minute Deals are available on select departures only; 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.
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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.
*Temporary changes to standard terms and conditions apply to bookings until further notice. In accordance with travel restrictions imposed by government advisories worldwide, Insight Vacations has temporarily suspended all guided vacations across the globe for trips departing up and until 30 November 2020. For any new bookings being made, we are temporarily offering a fee waiver on the land portion of the trip until 30 days prior to departure should guests wish to change their dates or travel to a different destination. Airlines may have different policies and penalty charges, which are the guest’s responsibility. This applies to land bookings only and does not apply to group bookings. If the guest chooses a trip or departure that is more expensive than the original, they are responsible for the difference in price; if the trip or departure is less expensive than the original, a future travel credit will be issued for the difference. Please note guests are responsible for any airline penalties imposed due to trip changes and/or cancellations. View full details, along with terms and conditions here.
Every effort is made to ensure accuracy of the enclosed content. Insight Vacations cannot be held responsible for typographical errors, or errors arising from unforeseen circumstances. Conditions apply. Policies are subject to change at any time.