2025 Vacations

CONTINUING OUR EARLY 25 IN 25 CELEBRATIONS! 15% Discount on all self drive packages AND only €25pp deposit!

We continue to toast 25 years of creating Ireland vacations by extending our €25pp deposit AND offering you a 15% discount on any of our self-drive vacation packages! Book by 15th November 2024*

*CIE tours and Knitting tours not included

Tour Overview

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Get involved and celebrate being Irish with the Gathering Ireland. Ireland will open its arms to the many millions of friends, family, loved ones and connections overseas, inviting them home to celebrate.It will be a year long , spectacular celebration of all things Irish where communities will showcase and share the very best of our culture , tradition, business, sport  and of course our Irish wit!  There is a global diaspora of over 70 million - Are you one of them?

There have been no fewer than 4 recent US presidents claiming Irish family connections so when you research your family tree; you never know who may be a distant relative! 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of John Fitzgerald Kennedy‘s visit to Ireland. His great-grandfather Thomas Fitzgerald had emigrated to Boston in 1847 to escape the poverty and devastation caused by the potato famine. JFK returned to his homestead in Dunganstown, New Ross, County Wexford in 1963 to have tea with his cousin who still lived there.  JFK commented at the time something which still rings true today:

“I want to express… how much this visit has meant. It is strange that so many years could pass and so many generations pass and still some of us who came on this trip could come… here to Ireland and feel ourselves at home and not feel ourselves in a strange country, but feel ourselves among neighbours, even though we are separated by generations, by time, and by thousands of miles”.

So let us help you plan the perfect tour, so you can come and find out more about your forefathers or get reacquainted with distant cousins!

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

Tour highlights

  • Aran Islands
  • Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
  • Burren
  • Cliffs of Moher
  • Cobh Heritage Centre
  • Conor Pass
  • Doolin
  • Dun Aengus
  • Gap of Dunloe
  • Ring of Kerry
  • Titanic Walk
  • Bantry House & Gardens
  • Blasket Centre
  • Connemara National Park
  • Crag Cave & Kingdom Falconry
  • Desmond Castle & Wine Museum
  • Galway
  • Kinsale
  • Kylemore Abbey
  • Mizen Head Signal Station
  • Garnish Island
  • Blarney Castle
  • Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms

Overnights for this tour

  • Waterford for 1 Night
  • Cork for 1 Night
  • Killarney, County Kerry for 2 Nights
  • Galway for 2 Nights
  • Dublin for 2 Nights

Accommodation options

  • Superior & First Class Hotels
  • 4-Star Country Manor Houses
  • 4 & 5 Star Irish Castles
  • Handpicked B&B's with private facilities
  • Any Combination of the above

Day 1 - Galway

Due to its compact size, Galway city is easily explored on foot. The redeveloped Eyre Square area encloses a pleasant courtyard and park, nearby you will find a new shopping centre leading out to shop street which is lined both sides with a mix of cafés, restaurants, traditional and modern shops.    The city comes alive during the summer months with tourists not just from overseas but also other parts of Ireland. Sites of interest include the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, the old Spanish Arch and the Claddagh, which the famous Claddagh ring is named after. Galway city is a great place to enjoy some traditional Irish music with many pubs having live music on a weekly and in some cases a daily basis. You will also find many lovely restaurants to enjoy a romantic meal, Galway has something to suit every visitor’s taste buds and pocket!

Day 2 - Connemara

Your time in Connemara may well be the highlight of your romantic getaway in Ireland! This wild region of Galway encompasses serene seascapes, rugged coastlines and magnificent mountains. Visit Kylemore Abbey which is often referred to as Ireland’s most romantic Castle as it was built by Mitchell Henry for his wife having fallen in love with the area whilst they visited on honeymoon!  Further west visit the town of Clifden with its colourful buildings, craft shops and lively pubs. Drive the breath-taking Sky road from Clifden passing desolate scenery and the narrow inlet at Clifden Bay, from here you could easily take the coastal route to the village of Roundstone. Your Irish Tourism itinerary will guide you with all the route options that you could possibly take.

Day 3 - Galway - Beyond the City

Another day in Galway affords you the opportunity to explore further afield, if you have not yet explored the beautiful Connemara region, you could do that today or you could check out the village of Cong in County Mayo. Cong is best known for the stunning Ashford Castle, one of Ireland’s best known Castle hotels but this picturesque village was also the setting for the 1952 movie, The Quiet Man. Nearby you will also have the chance the the stunning Lough Corrib and boat trips are available from Ashford Castle or Oughterard during the summer months. 

Day 4 - Clare

You can’t miss the Burren when travelling the coast road from Galway to Clare, and you will find Romance in every corner of it! Scramble over karst limestone formations where the bleak landscape and unusual plants give the area an other-worldly ambience. In the Southern area of the Burren the limestone rock gives way to the black shale and sandstone that form the Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs are one of Ireland’s most visited attractions offering outstanding views. Well-worn visitor walkways lead in both directions, offering various viewing points. At night we recommend spending a few hours in Doolin, which is often considered the traditional music capital of Ireland. You are surely to find a comfortable pub to soak up the lively atmosphere. On a sunny evening, join the crowds at Doolin Pier which has become famous for its stunning sunsets that somehow give the watcher a great appreciation for life and nature.

Day 5 - Clare to Kerry

Bunratty Castle & Folk Park is always a nice stop to begin your day touring. Bunratty Castle was built in the 15th Century by the McNamara Clan and is widely regarded as Ireland’s best furnished Castle, complete with authentic artefacts throughout the inside. Next to the Castle, Bunratty Folk Park gives a sense of what Ireland was like in the early 19th Century with each building representing a different element of Irish life from the humblest one roomed abode, to Bunratty House an exquisite example of a fine Georgian residence. Travelling onward towards Kerry your next stop is the town of Adare where many a couple has stopped to walk beside its charming thatched cottages or paid a visit to Desmond Castle, a 13th century feudal Castle set on the banks of the River Maigue.

Day 6 - Romantic Kerry - Killarney & The Ring of Kerry

Killarney, known as the gateway to the Ring of Kerry is famous for its lakes which are all free to visit. Recommended stops include Torc Waterfall where the Owengariff river cascades through breath-taking wooded glens and the Gap of Dunloe where Ice Age glaciers once carved a dramatic mountain pass through which the ‘gap’ offers spectacular views of three small lakes. The Ring of Kerry is a 179km circular route around Kerry’s Iveragh Peninsula, it is perhaps one of Ireland’s best known driving routes and has been drawing visitors to Kerry for centuries! The journey takes in the towns of Killarney, Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Sneem and Kenmare.  You will have the opportunity to take in such sites as the wonderful Skellig Islands which were featured recently in Star Wars & the picturesque Valentia Island which you can reach via ferry from Cahersiveen or over the bridge further south at Portmagee.

Day 7 - Romantic Kerry - The Dingle Peninsula

The Dingle Peninsula is an essential stop on any Ireland Honeymoon because of its wonderfully romantic sweeping sea views and curious history. Because of the Dingle Peninsula's isolated position beside the North Atlantic Ocean there is a remarkable preservation of over 2,000 monuments.  This amazing peninsula drive is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches and towering cliffs. Inland you will find vast rolling hills and mountains, including the 952m high Mount Brandon. The locals here speak the Irish language as their first language and there is no lack of traditional music and culture. Dunmore Head, Ireland’s most eastern point, has views across to the Blasket Islands which are famous for Irish-language memoirs documenting rural life in the 1800s and 1900s.

Day 8 - Romantic Cork

Cork city is quickly gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s trendiest cites and notable city attractions include the Church of Saint Anne Shandon which from the top gives a panoramic view of the city, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral and Cork City Gaol. Cork city is noted for its ethnic restaurants, chic bars and trendy boutiques. A great starting point for your city centre explorations is Cork’s English Market. The market is located in Cork city centre with its main entrances on Grand Parade, and on Princes Street, with further smaller entrances off Oliver Plunkett Street and Patrick Street. Established in 1788 by the Protestant or ‘English’ corporation that then controlled the country, the market has been at the heart of Cork city culture since its foundation.

Day 9 - Romantic Cork - Beyond the City

There are lots of things to see and do further afield from Cork City. The town of Kinsale with its attractive harbour font is always a popular stop with honeymooners because of its many romantic restaurants and bars. The town of Cobh is historic and a memorable touring stop, it was from here that the Titanic famously departed for the last time and it was also the final port of call for millions of Irish people leaving Ireland to live overseas, mainly to the US & Canada. Of course while in Cork you may wish to visit our famous Blarney Castle. Blarney Castle has been drawing honeymoon couples for centuries. Legend has it that when you kiss the Blarney Stone, you will be forever endowed with the ‘Gift of the Gab’! There is a lot to see and do in Cork and your Irish Tourism itinerary will show you all the possibilities.

Day 10 - Dromoland Castle

Today we recommend setting off early in order to give you enough time to truly enjoy the luxury that surrounds Dromoland Castle. Dromoland Castle is steeped in history, its roots going back to the year 1014 when the son of Brian Boru held a fortress here. The present building was built in 1800 and was opened to guests in the early 1960’s. Dromoland Castle is certainly considered to be one of Ireland’s most luxurious castles due to the high standard imposed on every feature; from the elegant bedrooms to the perfectly landscaped grounds. The hotel has a superb spa and leisure centre that is perfect for the discerning honeymoon couple and plenty of other activities for you both to enjoy, from the onsite falconry, archery, horse-riding and fishing to their world renowned golf course.

Route map

Tour attractions

2025 Vacations

CONTINUING OUR EARLY 25 IN 25 CELEBRATIONS! 15% Discount on all self drive packages AND only €25pp deposit!

We continue to toast 25 years of creating Ireland vacations by extending our €25pp deposit AND offering you a 15% discount on any of our self-drive vacation packages! Book by 15th November 2024*

*CIE tours and Knitting tours not included

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 B&B's 3* Hotels 4* Hotels & Manor Houses Combination
Jan-Mar & Nov-Dec €1,390 €1,590 €1,936 €1,678
April & October €1,474 €1,790 €2,251 €1,890
May-June €1,790 €2,290 €2,831 €2,363
July-September €1,990 €2,476 €2,990 €2,536

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 Adults.
  • 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.

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