Overview
Itinerary
A modern multi-cultural city that embraces its past and exudes an enduring sense of fun, the 'Emerald Isle' has lured the most curious of travellers for centuries. Your Local Expert reveals the best of the city on a guided tour past the Georgian Squares and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Delicious cuisine and history merge this evening over drinks and canapes at EPIC - The Irish Emigration Museum where you'll discover the stories of Irish emigrants who became scientists, politicians, poets, artists and even outlaws all over the world. Stay: Camden Court, Dublin
The beauty of an Irish country house springs to life at Strokestown Park House and Gardens. After soaking in its beauty, go from grand homes to history visiting the onsite Irish Famine Museum to delve into the stories of the 1840s famine. Learn the history behind the Irish Potato Famine, the most catastrophic event in Ireland and one of the worst famines in history. View rare 19th-century photographs, witness accounts, sketches, newspapers and maps before continuing to Sligo.
In the evening, consider an optional cruise on the River Shannon and admire the rolling countryside of the emerald isle. (B/D) Stay: Sligo Park
The seaside town of Westport on Ireland's west coast will charm any traveller. Your Local Expert leads you on a walk to learn about the town's heritage – from its settlement 5,000 years ago to today. Continue to indulge your curiosity at Kylemore Abbey, a treasure trove of picture-perfect scenery and the oldest of the Irish Benedictine Abbeys.
You could enhance your day with an Optional Experience, a Galway Walking Tour featuring the Lynch Memorial Window, Church of St. Nicholas, Spanish Arch and Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President, John F. Kennedy. You'll love hearing intriguing stories of this bustling medieval port followed by a traditional Irish pub dinner. (B) Stay: Connemara Coast, Galway
Embark on an up close and personal encounter with Ireland's nature at the towering Cliffs of Moher. Perched at 700-feet, take in views of the Clare Coast and the pounding Atlantic. Gain insights into the cliffs' geology and history before crossing the Shannon Estuary by ferry from Killimer to Tarbet. Head to Killarney where you'll relive the highlights of the day over a Dine-Around evening of local cuisine. You also have your pick of Optional Experiences including a Celtic Steps performance or a Gaelic Roots show of song and dance. (B/D) Stay: Great Southern Killarney
Famous for its 'forty shades of green', the Irish nature at 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. On an insightful MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, meet John, a seaweed advocate and educator for a seaweed foraging walk. Embrace the landscape that has inspired poets, artists and writers. (B)
With Insight Choice choose to explore 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, don't miss your chance to amble the 1,500-acre grounds including the raised board walk, surrounded by water loving plants and waterfalls. The Carnivorous Courtyard features plants that with colourful, fluid-filled leaves while the Fern Garden features trees brought from the other side of the world that are survivors of the Jurassic period. (B/D) Stay: Kilkenny
12th-century Kilkenny Castle is full of curiosities dating back to when it was the principal seat of the butlers, earls, marquesses and dukes of Ormond. On your exploration of its vast parkland, learn how the castle was remodelled in the Victorian style and restored and updated several times before being formally taken over by the Irish State in 1969. Return to Dublin and finish your incredible tour with a memorable dinner at a traditional Irish pub. (B/D) Stay: Camden Court, Dublin
It's time to close the chapter on an unforgettable tour of the Emerald Isle. We bid our newfound friends and Travel Director a fond farewell. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Visit Dublin, Killarney National Park and Westport with a Local Specialist
- See Galway and Killarney, the mountains of the Connemara and Torc Waterfall
- Visit Trinity College and EPIC - The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, the National Irish Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, Kylemore Abbey, Cliffs of Moher and Blarney Castle
- Scenic Cruise across the Shannon Estuary
- Scenic Drive of the Ring of Kerry
- Dublin: Embark on an interactive discovery of the 70 million people who claim Irish ancestry at EPIC - The Irish Emigration Museum. Throughout 20 rooms divided per topic, learn about the Irish experience and the timeline of Ireland's history told through the personal stories of emigrants. The sights and insights range from learning a special Irish dance to reading the letters of past emigrants, to tracing your family name going back generations.
- Dublin: See Dublin's elegant Georgian squares, O'Connell Street and the Custom House with a Local Expert
- Strokestown: This Palladian mansion of Strokestown Park House will inspire the mind of any curious traveller. This time capsule reveals an atmosphere of grandeur from its original art collections to its gardens and woodlands where exotic plants and architectural gems delight garden-lovers. Learn how this Georgian style house served as the family home to the Mahons, a well-known military family, from the 1600s until 1981.
- Westport: Embark on an exploration of the town of Westport in a remote area of Ireland full of rugged beauty. Highlights of your walk may include Westport House - a heritage home museum celebrating 300 years of Irish heritage, a quaint stone bridge, Rockfleet Castle and Burrishoole Abbey tied to the 16th-century pirate queen Grace O' Malley.
- Connemara: 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.
- 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.
- Shannon: Cross the Shannon Estuary by ferry. This large estuary is where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
- Ring of Kerry: 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.
- Kilkenny: 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 splendour as well as the rolling parkland formal terraced rose garden, woodlands and man-made lake.
Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Blarney: 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.
- Ring of Kerry: Meet John, a seaweed advocate and educator for a seaweed foraging walk at Atlantic Irish Seaweed. Stroll along the shore learning about how they work to protect the fragile ecosystem of the wild Atlantic Irish coasts through their educational courses and passion for the local environment. Irish Atlantic Seaweed's environmental policy is to respect, enjoy and protect the natural wonders that surround them, and promote the sustainable use of Ireland's fragile marine ecosystems. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
- 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.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- 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 Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
- Killarney: Choose from a fine selection of local restaurants on your Dine-Around evening.
- Dublin: Cross the River Liffey and venture to a local restaurant to toast your unforgettable travels over dinner. Sláinte!
- Dining Summary: 7 Breakfasts (B), 4 Dinners (D)
- 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.
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
Brochure
Insight Vacations Europe, Britain & the World (2025-26)
Availability
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. We guarantee the lowest price in Australia. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Insight Vacations. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Insight Vacations. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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