Grand Tour of Ireland 2023

GRAND TOUR OF IRELAND 2023

14 Days - Date: August 13 - August 26, 2023

Price: SOLD OUT

Optional Excursions:

Giant’s Causeway $ 89
Powerscourt Estate Gardens $ 55
Castle Banquet Dinner $ 129
Castles of Northern Ireland Afternoon Tea $ 129
Traditional Irish Music Dance Show with Dinner $105
Kylemore Abbey & Connemara National Park $ 79
Total double occupancy $6420

Less Bus Credit – $310

Trip Overview

Get to the heart of Irish culture.

Delve beyond the sheep-dotted green landscapes to the cities and villages that span the country, all the way from Dublin to Derry. Mingle with Dubliners in traditional pubs, pick up a souvenir in Waterford, drive along the Ring of Kerry, and walk across Giant’s Causeway. After two weeks of exploring, you’ll leave feeling like a local (if you can even bear to leave at all).

Your tour package includes

12 nights in handpicked hotels
12 breakfasts
1 lunch
4 dinners with beer or wine
12 sightseeing tours
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach

Included highlights

St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Glendalough
Kilkenny Castle
Waterford Crystal Factory
Cobh Heritage Centre
Blarney Castle
Ring of Kerry
Cliffs of Moher
Titanic Belfast Museum

Tour Destinations Map

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Overnight Flight 1 night
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to Dublin today.

Dublin 2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Dublin
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to Ireland! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Dublin
Included meal: Breakfast
Take a guided tour of Ireland’s charming capital city.

Stop in Phoenix Park, site of the presidential residence, and pass by the Guinness Brewery
Step inside the soaring St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Ireland’s largest church
Pass St Stephen’s Green and admire the Georgian architecture of Merrion Square as you go
See Trinity College and walk past the entrance of Grafton Street to see the Molly Malone statue
End your tour in the iconic Temple Bar district

Enjoy a free afternoon in Dublin or add an excursion.

EXCURSION: Italianate gardens of Powerscourt Estate

Named the third most beautiful in the world by National Geographic, the Italianate gardens of Powerscourt Estate rival even the immaculately manicured flowerbeds of Versailles. Spend time wandering through these sprawling grounds and exploring the Palladian-style country house that lies at the heart of the property. Once a 13th-century castle, this opulent home underwent extensive renovations in the 1700s to transform it into the grand hall it is today.

Waterford2 nights
Day 4: Waterford via Glendalough & Kilkenny
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Leaving Dublin, travel a short distance southwest to County Kildare.

Enter Wicklow Mountains National Park and make your way to the Glendalough Visitor Centre to learn about the historic site
Explore the ancient monastery, passing by the Round Tower, stone churches, and decorated crosses
Continue to Kilkenny, Ireland’s best-preserved medieval town
Tour the imposing 12th-century Kilkenny Castle, overlooking the River Nore
Pass by the Gothic St. Canice’s Cathedral, built in the 13th century
Please note: the sightseeing tour of Kilkenny may take place on day 5 and the sightseeing tour of Waterford may take place on day 4 November through February due to site closures.

Continue on to Waterford and sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Day 5: Sightseeing tour of Waterford & Rock of Cashel
Included meal: Breakfast
Today, a local guide introduces you to Waterford’s legendary sites and exports.

Learn about the city’s roots as a Viking settlements as you walk through the Waterford Viking Triangle
Pass Reginald’s Tower, a replica Viking ship, and the Dragon Slayer’s Sword
See the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral in Ireland
Visit the Waterford Crystal Factory to learn about its world-famous crystal
Please note: the sightseeing tour of Kilkenny may take place on day 5 and the sightseeing tour of Waterford may take place on day 4 November through February due to site closures.

Continue on to the Rock of Cashel, an outcrop of limestone dominating Tipperary Plain.

View the ruins of the ancient seat of the kings of Munster and the 12th-century Round Tower
See one of the country’s finest examples of Romanesque stone carving, which dates back to 500 B.C., at Cormac’s Chapel
County Kerry2 nights

Day 6: County Kerry via Cobh & Blarney Castle
Included meal: Breakfast
On your way to County Kerry, get a feel for the many sides of Ireland, from small villages to vibrant cities and iconic castles.

Visit the Cobh Heritage Centre to see exhibits that highlight the story of Irish emigration over the past 150 years
Climb to the top of Blarney Castle to kiss the famed Blarney Stone, which is said to grant the “gift of gab”

Day 7: The Ring of Kerry & Killarney National Park
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Travel around the Ring of Kerry, a 112-mile coastal route that covers some of Ireland’s most spectacular scenery.

Pass the pristine Lakes of Killarney in Killarney National Park and gaze across Dingle Bay
Enjoy unsurpassable views of mountains, beaches, and the Atlantic Ocean
Explore the picturesque villages that line the Ring of Kerry including the village of Sneem, “The Knot in the Ring”
Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

County Galway 2 nights

Day 8: County Galway via County Clare
Included meal: Breakfast
Head north to Galway today, taking time to view spectacular scenery en route.

Walk along the mesmerizing coastline of the Cliffs of Moher
Pass through the Burren, a unique limestone plateau where fields of rock are dotted with wildflowers

Continue on to Galway for a sightseeing tour of the city led by your Tour Director.

Stroll past Lynch’s Castle, Galway Cathedral, the Druid Theater Company, and the broad expanse of Eyre Square
View the city’s medieval walls and Spanish Arch
Peruse authentic Claddagh rings in a local shop

Enjoy a free evening in County Galway or add an excursion.

EXCURSION: Traditional Irish Music & Dance Show with Dinner

$105 per person

Enjoy a three-course dinner served with beer or wine at a restaurant in Galway. Then, attend a performance of Trad on the Prom at a local venue. The show is filled with live music and performances by World Champion Irish stepdancers. The dancers have been featured in notable productions such as Riverdance, The Chieftains, and Lord of the Dance. Sit back and listen to Gaelic tunes as you watch this mesmerizing traditional Irish dance show. Please note: This excursion is seasonal and runs from May through September only.

Day 9: Free day in Galway
Included meal: Breakfast
Spend a free day in County Galway or add excursions.

EXCURSION: Castle Banquet Dinner

$129 per person

Enjoy a feast fit for a king inside walls of a nearby castle. Sip from a goblet of mead and learn the castle’s history before proceeding to the banquet hall, where you’ll enjoy a sumptuous, four-course dinner and an evening of live entertainment, including songs and stories. Please note: this excursion is only offered mid-April through mid-October.

EXCURSION: Kylemore Abbey & Connemara National Park

$79 per person

Make your way to the island village of Cong, situated on the border of counties Galway and Mayo. Here, enjoy free time to stroll through the town’s charming streets, catching glimpses of the nearby Ashford Castle. Then, continue on to Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine convent founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle. Here, you’ll have time to explore the abbey’s interior and walled Victorian gardens. After free time for lunch on your own, take a scenic drive through the Irish countryside to Connemara National Park, one of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled places. Make photo stops in the Inagh Valley and at the Maam Cross before returning to Galway.

Sligo 1 night
Day 10: Sligo via Glen Keen Farm
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Pay a visit to Glen Keen Farm, one of the largest sheep farms in Ireland, on your way to Sligo.

Learn about sheep farming while soaking in the natural beauty that defines the area
Watch an interactive sheep herding demonstration
Enjoy a traditional lunch at Glen Keen Farm, dessert, coffee, and tea

Please note: Vegetarian options are available for the included lunch.

After, continue on to Sligo.

Belfast 3 nights
Day 11: Belfast via Derry
Included meal: Breakfast
On your way to Northern Ireland, journey through the landscapes immortalized by the poetry of William Butler Yeats.

Visit Glencar Waterfall, which is mentioned in W. B. Yeats’ poem titled The Stolen Child
Continue on to Derry, Northern Ireland’s second-largest city, for a guided tour
See the 17th-century city walls and learn about the history of the conflicts that took place between the Protestant and Catholic populations

Day 12: Sightseeing tour of Belfast
Included meal: Breakfast
Get to know Belfast, the cultural heart of Northern Ireland, from a local’s perspective on a guided tour.

Glimpse the copper-domed City Hall and the recently restored Grand Opera House
Learn all about Belfast’s long history, from its origins in the Bronze Age and rise as an international seaport to its role in the conflict known as “the Troubles”
Enter the Titanic Belfast Museum for a look at the vessel’s infamous history

Enjoy a free afternoon in Belfast or add an excursion.

EXCURSION: Castles of Northern Ireland & Afternoon Tea

$129 per person

Travel outside of Belfast to visit Hillsborough Castle for a guided tour of the State Rooms and gardens. The property, which was built in the 18th century, sits on 100 acres of sprawling green space and is an example of Georgian-style architecture. Then, sit down to a traditional afternoon tea complete with unlimited tea, sweet and savory pastries, plus the region’s renowned scones served with clotted cream and jam. Please note: This excursion requires advance reservation and must be booked at least 20 days prior to departure.

Day 13: Free day in Belfast
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner
Enjoy a free day in Belfast or add an excursion.

This evening, celebrate your trip with your group at a farewell dinner.

EXCURSION: Giant's Causeway

$80 per person

Flight Home
Day 14: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to visit Scotland.