Book any of our wonderful self-drive vacation packages before the 15th of June 2024 to receive a FREE UPGRADE from Economy to Compact AND 15% discount off your tour price!
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts or special event packages.
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 »
This Best of Ireland Tour, can be accessed using any of the Irish Airports and is a 10 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.
After arriving into Dublin Airport you will travel to Belfast by train (note that if you prefer, you can arrange to fly into Belfast and out of Dublin if possible). Today, the remnants of Belfast’s troubled past make it an interesting destination for tourists from all over the world. First stop on your tour of Belfast might be Titanic Belfast, built on the site where the Titanic was originally constructed; galleries reconstruct scenes from Belfast at the time of its construction, the launch, the maiden voyage, the sinking and the aftermath.
Explore Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Visitor attractions include the Metropolitan Arts Centre (the MAC), St Anne's Cathedral, the NI War Memorial, the Oh Yeah Music Centre and the Discover Ulster Scots Centre. Full of colourful street art, this area of town is buzzing with music, entertainment and fun at night.
Another day in Belfast will give you more time to explore the heritage and culture of the city using your Hop on Hop off Bus Tickets. One of the highlights of your tour will be the private Black Cab tour with a local cab driver who will take you to the famed Murals of Belfast in both the republican and loyalist areas of the city, giving you a local’s perspective of ‘The Troubles’ that plagued Northern Ireland during the conflict.
Another place worth visiting is The Crumlin Road Gaol which dates back to 1845 and closed in 1996. Tours of the prison tell the fascinating history of the site and the underground tunnel that connects the Gaol to the Crumlin Road Courthouse is an interesting feature. Tonight get out and about and discover Belfast’s stylish pub scene, of great interest to many is the Crown Liquor Saloon, one of the most famous Victorian gin palaces which once flourished in industrial cities, the saloon dates back to 1826, and its furnishings and fittings are authentic and fascinating.
Enjoy the first stop of the day at Carrickfergus Castle, before travelling onward to the world famous Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge where the brave members of the group make the journey across the 30m chasm! The not so brave can enjoy the stunning views or enjoy an exhilarating cliff walk.
Travel onward to Bushmills distillery and enjoy a swift taste or two of their famous tipple before journeying to the highlight of the tour – The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland’s only World Heritage Site. Spend some time climbing over the ancient stones, taking photographs, and appreciating the folklore and legend that surrounds this famous attraction. Re-board the coach again and make the return journey to Belfast stopping at the ancient ruins of Dunluce Castle on the way.
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 the Hill of Tara, the Tombs at Newgrange and Trim Castle.
After travelling by train from Belfast 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.
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!
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.
This morning, check out of your hotel for the journey home.
Book any of our wonderful self-drive vacation packages before the 15th of June 2024 to receive a FREE UPGRADE from Economy to Compact AND 15% discount off your tour price!
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts or special event packages.
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 | 3 Star | 4 Star | Combo 4*Bel |
---|---|---|---|
Jan-Mar & Nov-Dec | €1,290 | €1,490 | €1,370 |
April & October | €1,390 | €1,590 | €1,470 |
May-June | €1,490 | €1,750 | €1,490 |
July -September | €1,490 | €1,750 | €1,490 |
August | €1,490 | €1,750 | €1,490 |
Notes
Prices in other currencies are indicative only. Please note that we charge in Euro.
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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