This 6 Day Southern Ireland Tour includes all the highlights and overnights Waterford, Dingle Peninsula, Spanish Point and Galway.
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Overview
Mix with the local characters that make this tour a truly brilliant insight into our beloved country, our people and our legends. Irish eyes shall smile as we greet you with the true beauty of the Emerald Isle.
The 6 Day Southern Ireland tour covers all of the highlights in less than a week. MIx with the local characters that make this tour a truly brilliant insight into our beloved country, our people and our legends. Irish eyes shall smile as we greet you with the true beauty of the Emerald Isle.
You'll visit Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough, medieval Kilkenny, Waterford Crystal, Waterford City, Cobh, Blarney Castle (Cork), Dingle Peninsula, Slea Head, Killarney, highlights of the Ring of Kerry, Tralee, the Cliffs of Moher, Burren region, Doolin village, Galway city, highlights of Connemara before returning to Dublin in time for dinner on the last evening.
All accommodation and breakfast included.
With a free cancellation option up to 72 hours before departure you can book with confidence. Lock in your seats (any date for autumn / winter 2024-2025) at the early bird rate today.
Day 1: Dublin - Glendalough - Kilkenny Castle - Waterford Crystal - Waterford City
The 6 Day All Ireland tour begins this morning in central Dublin. We'll leave the city behind and drive through rolling countryside to the Wicklow Mountains. Our first stop is the monastery ruins at Glendalough, the Valley of Two Lakes. This is an area of natural beauty and you'll have time at leisure to enjoy the local walks and trails and take some great photos of the ancient Celtic crosses and round towers. Afterwards, we'll continue to medieval Kilkenny with its cobbled streets and famous red ale. Potential sights to explore at leisure include the Castle, Cathedral, Abbeys and Churches all dating back to the Norman period following the invasion of the 12th Century. This afternoon we continue south to the Viking settlement of Waterford City. Look forward to visiting the House of Waterford Crystal (entrance included) where we enjoy a tour of the facility to see artisans at work producing the world famous glass. Stock up on fine cut glass at the outlet store or simply pause a while to watch the production. Overnight close to Waterford Harbour on the south- east coast, this is a relaxing spot to spend the evening with some great pubs and seafood restaurants.
Day 2: Waterford City - Cobh - Blarney Castle - Dingle Peninsula - Annascaul
Our day begins with a scenic drive through Co. Waterford to Cobh, the natural deep sea port at Cork. Cobh is the harbour through which many thousands of Irish emigrants departed for the New World, particularly to North America.
You'll enjoy time at leisure here to discover the town with its amazing coastal vistas, colourful houses and imposing St. Colman's Cathedral. Perhaps consider a visit to the (optional) Titanic Experience - located in the former White Star Line ticket office - this museum is quite literally where the last passengers to board RMS Titanic purchased their tickets before the ship famously sank on her maiden voyage.
The highlight for many today is world renowned Blarney Castle. Here we spend plenty of time (2 hours) visiting the Castle, with the chance to kiss the Blarney Stone (to receive the gift of eloquent speech also known as the gift of the gab). Surrounded by beautiful and majestic gardens, you may also shop for souvenirs at Blarney Woolen Mills, the world's largest Irish shop. After lunch we'll continue on our journey to the Dingle Peninsula and overnight in Annascaul village, one of the last parishes before America.
Day 3: Dingle Peninsula - Slea Head - Annascaul
Today we take the short drive to Dingle, a charming Gaelic speaking fishing village. Famed in many films like Far and Away and Ryan's Daughter, Dingle is celebrated for having most pubs in Ireland for a town of its size, 52 pubs and 2000 people. We cannot forget Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi the Dolphin who we shall time to visit in the early afternoon. Then it's off on a wonderful pleasant trip around Slea Head with amazing views of Sleeping Giant Island, the Blasket Islands, and Beehive Huts dating back to 2000 B.C. Regarded as the most beautiful Peninsula in the world by many photographic magazines, Slea Head has some of Ireland's most fabulous beaches and is definitely the highlight of Ireland's famed Wild Atlantic Way. This area is completely Gaelic speaking, and you may even get to hear some of the locals converse in this ancient language. Then it's back to Dingle where there is ample time for shopping in traditional arts and crafts stores, lunch in one of the many colorful pubs with local musicians playing some mystic tunes. We complete our day with a visit to Ireland's longest beach at Inch, connecting Dingle Peninsula to the Ring of Kerry before returning to Annascaul. Look forward to relaxing in one of the atmospheric local pubs.
Day 4: Killarney - Ring of Kerry - Spanish Point
Today we embark for the world famous Ring of Kerry. The day begins on our journey that combines the best of the Ring of Kerry with its emerald pastures and villages highlights including Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Leprechaun Crossing, Killarney National Park, Lakes of Killarney, Torc Waterfall, and much more. Our afternoon is packed with a horse and cart ride through Killarney National Park (optional) or horseback ride through the park for the energetic and adventurous (optional). We'll regroup to transfer to our next overnight location at Spanish Point, County Clare. It was here, just off the amazing beaches, that two ships of the Spanish Armada's 18,000 strong naval fleet were lost in a storm in 1588. They had been sent by the King of the Spanish Empire to defeat Elizabeth I of England. Look forward to some delicious local food and drink tonight and maybe a stroll on the beach.
Day 5: Spanish Point - Cliffs of Moher - Burren - Galway
Leaving Spanish Point, our first stop will be a photo stop at the beautiful Bunratty Castle. Today's emphasis shall be the Wild Atlantic way, visiting CLIFFS OF MOHER, the most popular natural tourist destination in Ireland and most spectacular cliffs in Europe. Rising over 700 ft in height, these cliffs are home to some of natures most majestic birds including puffins, gannets and many more. Doolin, the home of Irish traditional music is our lunch stop before continuing onwards to explore the Burren, a lunar landscape dating back 300 million years with unique features like underground rivers and waterfalls. Our journey takes us along the West Coast of Clare, and Galway Bay with fabulous vistas of the Aran Islands. We overnight in Galway known as the city of the tribes and Ireland's cultural capital, with a vast array of fine seafood eateries, and home to an endless selection of traditional Irish music venues. Galway was also once home of Christopher Columbus, the famous explorer.
Day 6: Galway - Connemara - Dublin
We depart Galway and visit Maam's Cross and the Maam Valley, ravaged by the famine of 1845. this area evokes memories of the saddest time in Irish history when more than a million people died of starvation along our Western shores. From 1st April, we'll visit Glengowla mine, a historic silver mine which has excellent underground show mines and displays of traditional farming above ground including sheepdogs and turf cutting. Our lunch stop today (until 1st April) is the charming village of Cong, famed by John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in the film Quiet Man. The village is home to Ashford castle, a regular haunt of the rich and famous and a wedding venue for a host of international stars. We have time to visit Cong Abbey before heading off on our short journey through the midlands back to Dublin inspired by a wonderful 6 day experience around Southern Ireland.
Cong will be replaced by Glengowla on 1st April
Additional Info
Language
This tour is exclusively in English.
Ticket
You will receive your ticket (featuring your booking number) via email immediately at time of booking. There is no need to print the ticket. If you wish, you can simply show it on your phone or tablet.
Accommodation
Select between Backpacker or Economy options. Backpacker includes a bed in a small to medium mixed youth hostel dorm. Economy includes a double, twin, triple or single room in a bed & breakfast accommodation. For more information regarding the accommodation options for this tour, please visit this page.
Free Cancellation
With a free cancellation option up to 72 hours before departure you can book with confidence. Lock in your seats (any date for autumn / winter 2024-2025) at the early bird rate today.
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 72 hours before the tour's start time.
If you cancel less than 72 hours before the tour's start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 72 hours before the tour's start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the local time in Ireland.
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Visiting Ireland for Christmas?
Mix with the local characters that make this tour a truly brilliant insight into our beloved country, our people and our legends. Irish eyes shall smile as we greet you with the true beauty of the Emerald Isle.