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 »
Accessed via Dublin Airport (slight adjustment for those using Shannon Airport), this luxury Irish tour includes overnights in Ireland's premier Hotels and Castles.
Your Luxury Irish castle & Hotel route will allow you to visit Ireland’s most popular sights including Trinity College and Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, the Monastic Settlement at Glendalough and Powerscourt House in Wicklow, Waterford Crystal in the South east, Blarney Castle and Kinsale in County Cork, Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, the Cliffs of Moherand the ‘Burren Landscape’ of County Clare as well as the Aran Islands and Connemara in County Galway.
While in Ashford Castle, one of Ireland's most stunning castles, you will also have time to pop next door to the famed setting for that John Wayne Classic, ‘The Quiet Man’. On your luxury Irish vacation tour, your accommodations include the best that Ireland has to offer in terms of service, location and gastronomy, with tasting menus available upon request.
Travelling the coastal route, you will first arrive at Powerscourt House & Gardens. Surrounding this 18th Century Palladian House in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains, you will find a sublime blend of formal gardens, sweeping terraces, statuary and ornamental lakes together with secret hollows, rambling walks and over 200 varieties of trees and shrubs. Shortly after this, you will arrive at the ancient monastic settlement at Glendalough. The monastic settlement has been a centre for pilgrims and visitors since its foundation by St. Kevin in the 6th century. Continue on to Avoca where you will find the Avoca Handweavers factory, famed worldwide for the quality of its woven fabrics. On to the Dunbrody Famine ship in New Ross before the final leg to Waterford City and the Waterford Crystal Interpretive centre.
You will have quite a long journey today from Waterford to Kenmare. The following route includes visits to Midleton, Youghal & Cobh. Youghal is famous for its point lace (point d'Irlande) which is distinguished by its vivid patterns as well as the fact that the film ‘Moby Dick’ starring Gregory Peck was filmed here in 1956. After Youghal, you will travel to the village of Cobh. Cobh, situated on one of the world’s largest natural harbours, was the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic in 1912 and was the closest port to the site of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. The heritage centre sympathetically recounts these events and tells the story of emigration from Ireland to the United States and Australia from the time of the famine in 1847 up to the 1950s. A stop to climb to the Blarney Castle ramparts to ‘Kiss the Blarney Stone’, said to bestow the gift of eloquence, and is a must for those who dare. Across the village green you will find the Blarney Woolen Mills store, a one stop shop for Irish knitwear, crystal, linen and much more. From here you will travel to Kenmare. Kenmare is an excellent location from which to tour the Ring of Kerry or indeed the less travelled but unspoilt Beara Peninsula to the south of Kenmare.
Kenmare is the perfect base for you to tour the famous Ring of Kerry, which is a journey through some of Ireland’s most outstanding scenery around the Iveragh Peninsula. Stunning mountain and coastal scenery combined with colourful towns and villages will make this journey one of the highlights of your vacation. For those who wish to take a rest from driving we can pre-arrange a coach tour through this route from Killarney. Muckross House is a stop on your route that you are sure to visit. Muckross House is a wonderful Victorian manor built in 1843 for Henry Arthur Herbert. The location of the House is impressive, close to the eastern shore of Muckross Lake and set below the impressive backdrop of the Torc and Mangerton Mountains. As a substitute to the Ring of Kerry tour you may prefer to take a wonderful tour by pony and trap that takes you through the Black Valley in the Gap of Dunloe and after a snack at Lord Brandon’s Cottage, you can return to Killarney by boat via the beautiful Lakes of Killarney. This evening you will spend another fabulous overnight stay in the luxury Kenmare Park Hotel, perhaps tonight enjoying a sumptuous dinner in the George Bernard Shaw restaurant. Named after the Irish playwright who famously said ‘there is no sincerer love than the love of food.
Today your journey brings you to Co. Clare to Dromoland Castle. From Kenmare travel to Killarney and onwards the village of Adare in County Limerick. Adare is regarded by many a seasoned traveller as Ireland’s prettiest village with its charming thatched cottages, manicured public park and ancient church. After leaving Adare travel along the N20 towards Limerick City of ‘Angelas Ashes’ fame and home to King Johns Castle. From here continue to Bunratty where you can visit Bunratty Castle. Built in 1425, this majestic castle was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour. Within the grounds of the Castle is Bunratty Folk Park where 19th century Irish life is vividly recreated. Continue from here to Newmarket-On-Fergus where the Castle is located. Dromoland Castle, one of finest castle hotels in Ireland, offers guests the experience of living like landed gentry, surrounded by luxury, beauty and service. The castle, a magnificent Renaissance structure built in the 16th Century, was once the royal seat of the O'Brien Clan. Refurbished and transformed into a luxury castle hotel in 1962, it retains priceless reminders of the castle's historic past.
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!
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!
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!
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!
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 | Tour With Standard Rooms | Tour With Deluxe Rooms |
---|---|---|
Jan-Mar & Nov-Dec | €2,790 | €3,890 |
April & October | €3,690 | €4,869 |
May-June | €4,190 | €5,536 |
July -September | €4,355 | €5,657 |
Notes
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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