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 January 2025*
*CIE tours and Knitting tours not included
Stephanie was an amazing source of help, assistance and knowledge for our first trip to Ireland. She kept us informed of the every changing covid rules as well as adapted to our many - at least three- Read more »
Staff was extremely attentive and very flexible when it came to organizing our trip. All questions were answered quickly and in great detail. When some aspects of our selected trip had to be altered d Read more »
Stephanie at Irish Tourism booked our trip- she was wonderful to work with. I am picky about my rooms - when we booked the trip I requested more spacious accommodations and paid accordingly. We had Read more »
As well as cosmopolitan Dublin City and traditional Irish music loving Galway City, this tour includes the renowned Cork Film Festival which runs from 06-15th of November. Including a varied selection of contemporary world cinema, the Cork film Festival has an energetic and diverse music on film programme, and an interesting event series which uses films to explore some of the burning issues of our time.
Your time in Ireland also includes overnights in the cities of Dublin and Galway and as you pass from city to city, you will see Ireland’s other famous landmarks such as the Cliffs of Moher, The Aran Islands and the megalithic tombs at Newgrange to name but a few of the better known sites. The comprehensive detail of your IrishTourism personal sightseeing guide will make sightseeing a pleasure and makes it easy for you to explore all that lies between these 3 cities.
Dublin city centre is a compact area, with all points of interest being easily accessible on foot. As a result you will find a large number of walking tours available, the most popular of which include the “Historical Walking Tour” and the “Literary Pub Crawl”. You may of course wish to visit many of the sights in your own time either on foot or with the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus service that stops at all of the major attractions including Dublin Castle, Trinity Castle & the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, the National Museum of Ireland and The Guinness Storehouse to name just a few.
Continue your sightseeing in Dublin today visiting the many historical and modern attractions that this cosmopolitan city has to offer. Other attractions include Christ Church Cathedral which was founded in the year 1030 by Sitric, King of the Dublin Norsemen, the James Joyce Centre & the Dublin Writers Museum. Of course, you may wish to take time out to shop in Grafton Street or any one of a number of narrow and quaint streets that the café strewn city centre has to offer. This evening, why not spend some time in the Temple Bar area.
This small area boasts a dazzling choice of restaurants, cafes, bars and shops to suit all tastes and pockets, all within easy walking distance of Temple Bar's many cultural centres and galleries. Its narrow cobbled streets are pedestrianised and are ideally suited to a leisurely stroll through the quarter. There is also the opportunity to experience an evening’s entertainment at The Abbey Tavern or the more intimate Irish House Party where good food combined with exception traditional music and dance is the order of the day
Use your personal sightseeing guide to discover the many touring options available to you today. You might choose to travel to Cork via what is commonly referred to as the ‘Garden of Ireland’ with its superbly beautiful Glendalough area and striking vale of Avoca or you may prefer to travel via the historic city of Kilkenny famous for its 13th century castle and black marble like stone buildings and cobbled stone streets. Either route will take you by Ireland’s most famous ruin, Blarney Castle! Here pick up ‘The Gift of the Gab’ if you are brave enough to climb to the top and kiss the renowned Blarney Stone.
Cork city was founded in the 6th century and achieved an urban character in 922 when Norse settlers founded their fist trading port. St. Patrick's Street, the main street of the city which was remodelled in the mid-2000s, is known for the architecture of the buildings along its pedestrian-friendly route and is the main shopping thoroughfare. While you are here discover the rivalry between the cities of Dublin and Cork!
Corkonians generally view themselves as different to the rest of Ireland, and refer to themselves as "The Rebels"! This distinct view has in recent years manifested itself in humorous references to the region as ‘The People's Republic of Cork’ which you will find on postcards, t-shirts and signage throughout the city. Cork's most famous building is the church tower of Shandon, which dominates the North side of the city. The clock is affectionately known as a four faced liar, since the east and west facings tell slightly different times, and the panoramic view of the city from Shandon church is well worth the climb.
Most notable stops on your route will be the picturesque town of Adare with its authentic thatched buildings and numerous historical ecclesiastical ruins, the Viking city of Limerick, the remarkably intact and furnished Bunratty Castle with its adjacent folk park and best of all, the magnificent Cliffs of Moher in Clare. On a clear day from the top of the Cliffs the Aran Islands and Galway Bay as well as the Maum Turk Mountains and the Twelve Pins in Galway can easily be seen. The cliffs offer views as far as Kerry and remarkable photography opportunities. O’Brien’s Tower stands close to the highest point and has served as a observation point for many a visitor for hundreds of years. This evening head to the Quays area in Galway city for some of the best traditional entertainment and Craic in the country!
Today, the hauntingly beautiful Connemara Region awaits you. Just west of Galway, Situated on the most western seaboard of Europe, this unspoilt region boasts breath-taking scenery. The characteristic features of Connemara include its rugged, unpolluted coastline, dramatic mountains, numerous lakes and rivers and woodlands and the renowned Connemara National Park.
Visit Kylemore Abbey and the Lough Inagh Valley as well as the spectacular Sky Road near the town of Clifden. You can also visit the fishing village of Roundstone and see how a ‘Bodhran’ (traditional Irish Drum) is made. Alternatively, you may prefer to take the ferry to the Aran Islands. Aran will take you back to an Ireland of Celts and Early Christians. Take a pony and trap, or a guided tour from the pier up the island to the stone fort of Dun Aengus. Dún Aengus is located on top of a 300ft high sea cliff and is one of the finest prehistoric monuments in Western Europe.
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 Type | B&B's | 3 Star Hotels | 4 Star Hotels | Combination |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan-Mar & Nov-Dec | €690 | €836 | €990 | €939 |
April & October | €690 | €890 | €1,090 | €1,043 |
May-June | €831 | €1,190 | €1,390 | €1,183 |
July - September | €934 | €1,290 | €1,490 | €1,286 |
Notes
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.
Prices in other currencies are indicative only. Please note that we charge in Euro.
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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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