2024 Vacations

Book early and save 15%

Book any of our wonderful self-drive vacation packages before the 31st of May 2024 to receive a 15% discount off your tour price!
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts or special event packages.

Tour Overview

‘Excellent’

Our most popular Ireland self drive tour -  See Ireland’s best attractions and most scenic locations on this 8 night/9 day best of ireland tour

This Best of Ireland Tour, our most popular tour, can be accessed using any of the Irish Airports and is an 8 night tour based on Ireland’s most famous sights including Trinity College and Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Powerscourt House & the Waterford Crystal exhibition in the South East, Blarney Castle and the Cobh Heritage Centre in Cork, Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher and the ‘Burren Landscape’ of County Clare as well as the Aran Islands and Connemara in County Galway and Ireland's most visited attraction, the ancient Megalithic Tombs at Newgrange, just 45 minutes north of Dublin.

Depending on the airports used, the stopovers outlined below may vary in order but the same route will be covered.This tour will leave the traveller with a wonderful array of memories of the diverse scenery and cultural differences that they will encounter from one side of the country to the other. While the accents and dialects of the spoken word will vary greatly while journeying from County Dublin in the East of Ireland to the western counties of Cork, Kerry and Clare, the one unchanging constant will be the level of friendliness, humour & welcome that you receive throughout your travels.

While the suggested tour itinerary clearly outlines how you will be able to visit many of Ireland’s most historical locations and attractions, make sure to take time-out to get to know the local people and their culture.

What's included

  • Accommodation in rooms with Private Bathroom Facilities 
  • Full Irish Breakfast Each Morning
  • Rental Car or Chauffeur Driven Car
  • 24/7 Local Telephone Support During Your Trip
  • Our Renowned Customized Sightseeing Guide
  • Unlimited Services of Experienced Ireland Based Travel Planner
  • Map of Ireland

Overnights for this tour

  • Waterford or Kilkenny for 1 Night
  • Cork for 1 Night
  • Kerry for 2 Nights
  • Galway for 2 Nights
  • Dublin for 2 Nights

Accommodation options

  • Superior & First Class Hotels
  • Luxury Accommodation & Service in our 4-Star Country Manor Houses
  • Deluxe Accommodation in our 4 & 5 Star Irish Castles
  • Our Recommended & Handpicked B&B's, all rooms with private bath facilities
  • Any Combination of the above

Day 1 - To Killarney by Rail

After arriving into Dublin Airport you will travel to Killarney by rail. Begin the next stage on your Irish rail tour with a scenic train journey from Cork to Killarney in county Kerry. For your first day in Kerry we recommend that you take in Killarney and the surrounding attractions.

 You may decide to visit Muckross House and Gardens on the outskirts of the town or take a tour around Killarney national park by horse and carriage. One of the main attractions in Killarney is the town itself with its colourful shops, cute cafes and ample fine restaurants. There is always plenty of traditional Irish music on offer in Killarney in its many old style pubs! 

Day 2 - Ring of Kerry Tour

Today we have pre-booked a Ring of Kerry bus tour for you. On your tour discover landscapes of magnificent beauty alongside the backdrop of the grand MacGillycuddy Reeks mountain range, rivers and rolling countryside. Along the way, you will encounter larger bustling towns to the more traditional quaint Irish villages. 

Visit such places as Glenbeigh which holds the famous Kerry Bog Village, a cluster of reconstructed cottages dating back to the 1800’s, Cahersiveen,  the principal town of the peninsula and Sneem with its brightly painted buildings and quaint village green. Return to Killarney via Ladies View, a famous stopping point to view the three Lakes of Killarney in all of their splendour. 

Day 3 - Dingle Peninsula Guided Tour

This morning hop on the coach to do a comprehensive day tour of the Dingle Peninsula which offers some of Ireland’s best scenery and spectacular views. The Dingle Peninsula or the Corca Dhuibhne as it is named in our native tongue is believed to have more than 2000 ancient monuments, the locals here speak fluent Irish and the town is well known for its fantastic traditional music and dance culture.

On your travels you will discover Dingle Town with its brightly coloured shops and Slea head which is known to be the most westerly point in Europe and has astonishingly beautiful view especially of the nearby Blasket Islands. Your tour also takes in the countryside where David Lean filmed ‘Ryan’s Daughter’ and the landscape backdrops for the Irish scenes of film ‘Far and Away’.

Day 4 - Return to Dublin by Rail, Dublin City Sightseeing

NOTE – You also have the option to travel to Dublin today by private chauffeur who will take you to Dublin via some of Ireland’s most historic locations such as Blarney Castle, Cahir Castle and The Rock of Cashel.

After travelling by train from killarney to Dublin, walk to the major visitor attractions near your hotel or enjoy a break from sightseeing by visiting the major shopping areas that you will find in the city centre. Make sure to ask your travel consultant is case there are shows that you may like to attend in any one of a number of wonderful theatre’s that Dublin has to offer.

Day 5 - Dublin Sightseeing and Guinness Storehouse

Today, use your Dublin sightseeing tickets to bus your way around Dublin City. The Dublin sightseeing ticket lasts for two days and includes stops close to all of Dublin’s main attractions including The National Museums, Trinity College and The Book of Kells, St Patrick’s Cathedral and Christchurch Cathedral to name just a few places. You will also visit the Guinness Storehouse or if you prefer a visit to the Jameson or another Irish whiskey experience, that can be arranged.

Take a relaxing walk through the lovely city centre park of St. Stephen’s Green. On one night of your time in Dublin, we would certainly recommend that you visit Dublin’s busy Temple Bar to check out its famous traditional Irish music and vibrant nightlife!

Day 6 - Dublin City Sightseeing

Continue your sightseeing in Dublin today. Visit Dublin Castle which was built in the early thirteenth century on the site of a Viking settlement and served as the headquarters of English administration in Ireland prior to Irish independence. Kilmainham Gaol is also a must.  One of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe, it covers some of the most heroic and tragic events in Ireland's history.

Also worth a visit are EPIC, the Irish emigration museum and the GPO (General Post Office) which houses the ‘GPO Witness History’ visitor attraction. This exhibition tells the story of the 1916 rising and the aftermath of this historic rebellion. Of course, you will also have the opportunity to visit such places as The James Joyce Centre and the The Little Museum of Dublin where you will discover the fantastic story of Dublin on the museum’s famous 29-minute guided tour, where the quirky staff offer brilliant Irish storytelling, which will make you laugh a lot.

Finally, enjoy a final evening at the ‘The Irish House Party’ complete with Food and superb traditional music and dance.

Day 7 - End of Tour

This morning, check out of your hotel for the journey home.

Route map

Tour attractions

2024 Vacations

Book early and save 15%

Book any of our wonderful self-drive vacation packages before the 31st of May 2024 to receive a 15% discount off your tour price!
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts or special event packages.

Tour Prices

Below, you will find a price for this self drive tour including your car rental. Pricing for other accommodation and transport options is also available upon request. Please also note that all of our driving tours itineraries and sightseeing guides are available to those wishing to avail of one of our experienced driver guides.

ACCOMMODATION WITH CAR RENTAL PRICING

Accommodation Type 3 Star 4 Star Combo 4* Dub
Jan - Mar & Nov - Dec €1,090 €1,390 €1,290
April & October €1,260 €1,580 €1,390
May - June €1,480 €1,950 €1,740
July - September €1,480 €1,990 €1,740
August €1,480 €1,990 €1,740

Notes

  • Please note prices are per person based on 2 persons in each room with full Irish breakfast and taxes included.
  • The Combination package includes 4 Nights in 3*** Hotels, 2 nights in Luxury Manor House Hotels & 2 Nights in our hand-picked B&B's.
  • Children Sharing with 2 adults (aged 2-11) pay 40% of the Adult option.
  • Children under the age of 2 are free when sharing with 2 Adult

Your Accommodation & Car Rental Package rate includes an Economy class car eg., Opel Corsa or Fiat Punto.

 Included with your car is all compulsory insurances - Collision Damage Waiver insurance (CDW with an excess/deductible), theft protection insurance, location fee of €30, Road fund tax, sales tax at 13.5%, unlimited free mileage, third party liability insurance, 24 hour peace of mind break down cover.

Private Chauffeur Option Available For This Tour

  • Enjoy the services of an experienced and friendly driver guide
  • Luxury vehicles so you get to travel in style and comfort
  • Take the stress out of driving on unfamiliar and sometime narrow roads
  • With our knowledgeable drivers you see more in less time
  • You get to see the scenery instead of worrying about crashing into it!
  • Contact Us for a price quotation today

Prices in other currencies are indicative only. Please note that we charge in Euro.

Detailed Enquiry Form

Please enter your vacation requirements in the form below. If your enquiry requires a more immediate response, please use the Tollfree & International numbers as listed down the page.

For customers based in North America, please note that as we are based in Ireland, we are 5 hours ahead of EST.

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