8 Night Viking Tour of Ireland

Begin your vacation in the city of Dublin. The Vikings ruled Dublin for almost three centuries; they were expelled in AD902 only to return in AD917 and then occupied Dublin until their defeat by the Irish High King Brian Boru at the battle of Clontarf in 1014. From that date, the Vikings were a minor political force in Ireland, firmly opting for a commercial trading life.  

In your detailed sightseeing itinerary you will find a map and directions for a short Medieval & Viking Dublin self-guided walk and this truly is a great way to discover Dublin’s connection with the Vikings. This walk has an accompanying audio which you can download if you want to and listen to it on your personal music player, although your Irish Tourism itinerary will have plenty of information if you prefer not to do this. The walk begins by the Dublin Tourism Centre which is itself is directly connected to the age of the Vikings as it stands on the location of a ‘Thigmote’ which was a meeting point during this time.

As the walk progresses and you approach Christchurch Cathedral you will see the outline of a Viking House.  Within Christchurch Cathedral a treasury of information on the Vikings in Ireland is to be found by visiting the onsite Dublinia museum. Here you can learn about Viking Weaponry, board a Viking Ship, See what the inside of a Viking house looked like and learn more about the poetry that played an important role in the religious and social world of the Vikings in Ireland.

Enjoy another day exploring Ireland’s capital city, perhaps today taking the Dublin Hop-on Hop-off bus. Your Irish Tourism agent can pre-book this for you and your personal sightseeing itinerary will you direct you to interesting points of interest.  A highlight of your Ireland vacation will your time spent in Dublin’s Temple Bar area which is now a flourishing hub of restaurants and bars but at one time was one of the Viking’s primary market places. Beneath the streets here lie remains of Viking homes, streets, burial places and animal enclosures.

Nowadays you are sure to find the best in traditional Irish food and many lively bars, many of them having nightly traditional Irish music.  Nearby, Fishamble Street is thought to be the oldest street in the city and not too far away, Woodquay was the site of an extensive Viking settlement. Excavations here between 1974 and 1981 revealed a lot of what we know today about the Vikings in Ireland today.

The journey from Dublin to Wexford may well be the highlight of your Ireland Vacation, for you will have the chance to explore Ireland’s beautiful East coast.  Your journey will take you via Glendalough, an early Christian religious site which was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century. Despite numerous attacks by the Vikings over the years, Glendalough prospered as one of Ireland’s great religious foundations and schools of learning until the Normans destroyed the monastery in 1214.

Wexford’s position between Dublin and Waterford meant that it was greatly affected by the power struggles between the Gaelic Irish and the Vikings in Ireland. Its coastline and harbour were a welcome haven the Viking’s longboats and the ‘Three Sisters’ rivers allowed them to reach the interior lands of Muster and Leinster with ease. The Irish National Heritage Park in Ferrycarrig close to Wexford town is a must see on any Viking Vacation! Here you will find more than 35 acres of beautiful woodland and wetlands as well as a reconstructed Viking village.

Upon your arrival into Dublin Airport it’s time collect your Hertz Car Rental and start your Castle’s and Manor Tour of Ireland. Taking into account your long overnight flight, your first day’s drive is a short one, bringing you southeast of Dublin to Kilkenny. Your first stop is the National Stud and Japanese Gardens where a Horse Museum tracing the history of the horse in Ireland. In fact the winner of the 2003 Californian ‘Breeders Cup Mile’ race is a National Stud horse, the 3rd in the last 9 years. The Japanese Gardens are situated in the grounds of the Stud Farm and were created between 1906 and 1910. They are planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man' from the cradle to the grave.  On to Kilkenny - Long renowned as Ireland’s Medieval Capital, the city’s origins date back more than 1,500 years. Kilkenny Castle is a 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands. Also in Kilkenny is Saint Canice's Cathedral, built on the site of an earlier church, the major work was carried out in the 13th Century. As part of your tour, tickets for the ‘Smithwick’s Experience’ are included. This famous Irish Ale was first secretly produced in Kilkenny by monks in 1231 and this atmospheric tour culminates with a pint of this now world renowned Ale. 

Upon your arrival into Dublin Airport it’s time collect your Hertz Car Rental and start your Castle’s and Manor Tour of Ireland. Taking into account your long overnight flight, your first day’s drive is a short one, bringing you southeast of Dublin to Kilkenny. Your first stop is the National Stud and Japanese Gardens where a Horse Museum tracing the history of the horse in Ireland. In fact the winner of the 2003 Californian ‘Breeders Cup Mile’ race is a National Stud horse, the 3rd in the last 9 years. The Japanese Gardens are situated in the grounds of the Stud Farm and were created between 1906 and 1910. They are planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man' from the cradle to the grave.  On to Kilkenny - Long renowned as Ireland’s Medieval Capital, the city’s origins date back more than 1,500 years. Kilkenny Castle is a 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands. Also in Kilkenny is Saint Canice's Cathedral, built on the site of an earlier church, the major work was carried out in the 13th Century. As part of your tour, tickets for the ‘Smithwick’s Experience’ are included. This famous Irish Ale was first secretly produced in Kilkenny by monks in 1231 and this atmospheric tour culminates with a pint of this now world renowned Ale. 

Upon your arrival into Dublin Airport it’s time collect your Hertz Car Rental and start your Castle’s and Manor Tour of Ireland. Taking into account your long overnight flight, your first day’s drive is a short one, bringing you southeast of Dublin to Kilkenny. Your first stop is the National Stud and Japanese Gardens where a Horse Museum tracing the history of the horse in Ireland. In fact the winner of the 2003 Californian ‘Breeders Cup Mile’ race is a National Stud horse, the 3rd in the last 9 years. The Japanese Gardens are situated in the grounds of the Stud Farm and were created between 1906 and 1910. They are planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man' from the cradle to the grave.  On to Kilkenny - Long renowned as Ireland’s Medieval Capital, the city’s origins date back more than 1,500 years. Kilkenny Castle is a 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands. Also in Kilkenny is Saint Canice's Cathedral, built on the site of an earlier church, the major work was carried out in the 13th Century. As part of your tour, tickets for the ‘Smithwick’s Experience’ are included. This famous Irish Ale was first secretly produced in Kilkenny by monks in 1231 and this atmospheric tour culminates with a pint of this now world renowned Ale. 

Upon your arrival into Dublin Airport it’s time collect your Hertz Car Rental and start your Castle’s and Manor Tour of Ireland. Taking into account your long overnight flight, your first day’s drive is a short one, bringing you southeast of Dublin to Kilkenny. Your first stop is the National Stud and Japanese Gardens where a Horse Museum tracing the history of the horse in Ireland. In fact the winner of the 2003 Californian ‘Breeders Cup Mile’ race is a National Stud horse, the 3rd in the last 9 years. The Japanese Gardens are situated in the grounds of the Stud Farm and were created between 1906 and 1910. They are planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man' from the cradle to the grave.  On to Kilkenny - Long renowned as Ireland’s Medieval Capital, the city’s origins date back more than 1,500 years. Kilkenny Castle is a 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands. Also in Kilkenny is Saint Canice's Cathedral, built on the site of an earlier church, the major work was carried out in the 13th Century. As part of your tour, tickets for the ‘Smithwick’s Experience’ are included. This famous Irish Ale was first secretly produced in Kilkenny by monks in 1231 and this atmospheric tour culminates with a pint of this now world renowned Ale. 

Upon your arrival into Dublin Airport it’s time collect your Hertz Car Rental and start your Castle’s and Manor Tour of Ireland. Taking into account your long overnight flight, your first day’s drive is a short one, bringing you southeast of Dublin to Kilkenny. Your first stop is the National Stud and Japanese Gardens where a Horse Museum tracing the history of the horse in Ireland. In fact the winner of the 2003 Californian ‘Breeders Cup Mile’ race is a National Stud horse, the 3rd in the last 9 years. The Japanese Gardens are situated in the grounds of the Stud Farm and were created between 1906 and 1910. They are planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man' from the cradle to the grave.  On to Kilkenny - Long renowned as Ireland’s Medieval Capital, the city’s origins date back more than 1,500 years. Kilkenny Castle is a 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands. Also in Kilkenny is Saint Canice's Cathedral, built on the site of an earlier church, the major work was carried out in the 13th Century. As part of your tour, tickets for the ‘Smithwick’s Experience’ are included. This famous Irish Ale was first secretly produced in Kilkenny by monks in 1231 and this atmospheric tour culminates with a pint of this now world renowned Ale.