The Classic Ireland tour takes in all the well-known visits in Ireland, following the classic route from Dublin to Kerry, and on to the West.
• Dublin City
• Glendalough
• Powerscourt Gardens
• Rock of Cashel
• Ring of Kerry
• Cliffs of Moher
• Burren
• Connemara
• Clonmacnoise
• Kilbeggan Distillery
DAY 1: Arrival Dublin – Dublin City Tour
Arrival at Dublin airport where you will be met by your coach and guide. On the way in, enjoy a panoramic Dublin City Tour, where you will see the famous Georgian Quarter, Parliament Buildings and other landmarks. Visit Trinity College, and see the world-famous Book of Kells, an early Christian illuminated manuscript, handwritten and beautifully decorated by Irish monks. Trinity’s magnificent old library hall, known as The Long Room, will also impress you. Dinner and overnight in County Dublin.
DAY 2: Excursion to Wicklow
Travel to County Wicklow, a few miles south of Dublin and popularly known as the Garden of Ireland. Stop at Glendalogh – ‘The Valley of the Two Lakes’. If you feel energetic enough, take a stroll around the lake. The final stop of the day is at the popular Powerscourt Gardens, dating from 1731. Nestled in the Wicklow landscape, the estate features Walled Gardens, an Italian Garden, Japanese Gardens, The Dolphin Pond, Pets’ Cemetery and Pepperpot Tower. Return to Dublin for dinner at the hotel.
DAY 3: Dublin – Rock of Cashel – Killarney
Depart Dublin today for Killarney. En route, visit the spectacular Rock of Cashel, once seat of the High Kings of Munster. The rock towers over the town. It is one of Ireland’s great historic sites, featuring a cathedral, round tower, high crosses, and Cormac’s chapel with the country’s most important frescoes. Continue to Killarney for dinner & overnight.
DAY 4: Ring of Kerry
170 km of Ireland’s most spectacular scenery, the Ring of Kerry offers magnificent panoramas of the Atlantic Ocean and the rugged coastline of southwest Ireland, side-by-side with the rich and varied vegetation nurtured by the Gulf Stream. Visit Killorglin Fisheries for a taste of Irish salmon along the way. Return to Killarney for dinner and overnight.
DAY 5: Kerry – Cliffs of Moher – Burren – Clare
Leave Kerry behind and travel to the famous towering Cliffs of Moher. Standing 214 metres above the Atlantic Ocean at their highest point and stretching for 8 km along the rugged coastline. Enjoy spectacular views and see the environmentally-friendly visitor centre. Continue through the magnificent landscape of the Burren, a unique limestone landscape famed for its caves, karst pavements, and mix of Mediterranean and Arctic flora. Amidst the stone, see ruined churches, and megalithic tombs which predate the Roman and even Egyptian civilisations. Continue to your hotel in County Clare/Galway region for dinner & overnight.
DAY 6: Connemara
A full day tour of the Connemara region, a magnificent wilderness populated largely by sheep and dotted with hundreds of small lakes. The stone walls, tiny farms, isolated thatched cottages and heather-covered hills are bounded by a coastline with pristine sandy beaches. Many of the inhabitants of this region still speak Gaelic, and ancient Celtic traditions and customs have been preserved. Return to your hotel for dinner & overnight.
DAY 7: Clonmacnoise – Dublin
Depart for Dublin. Your first stop is the early-Christian monastery of Clonmacnoise, beautifully situated at the shores of the river Shannon, where you will see round towers, early Christian graves, and some of the best high crosses in Ireland.
Continue to Kilbeggan for a tour of Kilbeggan Distillery, which finishes with a whiskey tasting at the bar. Continue to Dublin for dinner & overnight.
DAY 8: Departure
Depart hotel for Dublin airport.