10-day Itinerary

Arrive in Dublin Airport, where your driver will be awaiting you with a warm Irish welcome. Check in to the Merrion Hotel. Use the first day to adjust to the time difference and we suggest 2-4 hours sleep in the middle of the day and then perhaps a walk nearby to breath in some of the fresh Irish air. If you feel up to more sightseeing, your driver will take you on an adventure around Dublin capturing the key sights.

2 overnights at The Merrion.

After breakfast in the hotel your driver guide will take you to North County Dublin and County Meath. Newgrange is one of Ireland's iconic places to visit and is designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. The 19-meter-long inner passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a corbelled roof. It is estimated that the construction of the Passage Tomb at Newgrange would have taken a work force of 300 at least 20 years.

Following your visit to Newgrange we will take in further sightseeing around north Dublin with stops in Malahide and the Howth Peninsula.

Just an hour south of Dublin is the epic scenery of County Wicklow. We take the scenic route to Wicklow, passing by the forty foot bathing area, James Joyce tower and the towns of Dalkey and Killiney where Irish stars like Bono live. The Wicklow Mountains offer scenery that is often seen in Hollywood blockbusters about Ireland. The Glendalough valley was carved by glaciers during the ice age and the two lakes are a result of the thawing ice. If you enjoying nature walks and hiking, Glendalough is a must! Your driver will adjust the sightseeing to suit the weather and introduce alternative options if necessary and/or desired.

In the evening you will drive to Waterford and check in to Waterford Castle.

2 overnights at Waterford Castle.

There is really so much to see and do in Ireland and we always tailor any given tour day to each clients preferences. Typically your intuitive driver will have a better understanding of your preferences and may be presenting further options to enhance the itinerary. The Kennedy family hail from Wexford and of course there is still a connnection there. The Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross is well worth a visit. Waterford Crystal is no longer the powerhouse visitor center that once attracted big crowds, as a small amount of production only takes place in Ireland – that being said, there is a visitor center to bring to life the story of such an iconic Irish brand. Just north of Waterford is the colorful town of Kilkenny. Kilkenny Castle is a must-see attraction, and Jerpoint Abbey can also be fitted in time permitting.

Optional: Rock of Cashel

Sadly we say farewell to Waterford, but don't worry as we've still plenty of great Irish places to visit. Not far from Waterford, on the way to Cork along the scenic coastal drive near Youghal, we will visit the Middleton Distillery where Ireland's premier whiskey is produced. Then we visit the picturesque town of Cobh with its colorful streets, houses and businesses perched above a magnificent harbor where the Titanic last berthed on her ill fated voyage in 1912. We continue through Cork on the road for Killarney and there is the opportunity to visit Blarney and kiss the Stone of Eloquence, or if you prefer, a quick photo stop. In the afternoon we arrive in the heart of Killarney where you will overnight in the most central five-star hotel at the Killarney Park.

3 overnights at the Killarney Park Hotel.

Optional: Kinsale

The Ring of Kerry is one of the most talked about places to visit in Ireland. What is it? Well, basically it’s a loop which tours the best of County Kerry, considered by the locals as the 'Kingdom.' The Ring of Kerry tour commences in Killarney and travels counter clockwise west, south and east, taking the climatic ascent north into the mountains before coming through Killarney National Park and back into the village. Our Ring of Kerry tour takes in the key sights, and with spectacular lakes, mountains, rivers and ocean at almost every turn, you will likely take a lot of pictures.

Guests traveling to Ireland often talk about the Ring of Kerry as being top of their list to visit. Those who spend a little longer in Kerry and venture over to Dingle are in for a treat. The Dingle Peninsula is worth dedicating a day to, as there is so much to see – ancient beehive-shaped huts where people once lived, mountains sweeping down to foam-flecked waters and quaint small towns with colorful shop fronts.

Since you will be checking into Ireland’s must exclusive castle today, we have a light sightseeing agenda in mind en route from Killarney to Newmarket-on-fergus. The Foynes Flying Boat Museum tells the remarkable story of a Trans Atlantic air travel service which once operated between the US and Ireland. Further along we will pass through the quaint town of Adare, whose thatched-roofed cottages are very easy on the eye. Limerick City has Ireland's first mint at King John's Castle, which is built alongside the River Shannon in the heart of the city. Noteworthy in Limerick is The Hunt Museum, which exhibits one of Ireland's greatest private collections of art and antiquities, dating from the Neolithic to the 20th Century, including works by Renoir, Picasso and Yeats.

Dromoland Castle is where you will stay tonight, so we suggest getting there in the early afternoon to get the full experience of this wonderful property.

Two overnight at Dromoland Castle.

The Burren & Cliffs of Moher are the highlights of today’s touring. The Burren, (from the Gaelic word Boireann) is an area of limestone rock covering imposing majestic mountains, and tranquil valleys with gently meandering streams. With its innate sense of spiritual peace, extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, and megalithic tombs and monuments older than Egypt’s pyramids, the Burren creates a tapestry of color and a seductively magical aura which few people leave without wanting to experience again.

The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s top visitor attractions, reaching 214m at their highest point and ranging for 8 kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O’Brien’s Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara, and Loop Head to the South.

Vaughan’s in Liscannor is a place we often stop for lunch after visiting the Cliffs. If you stop here, you will learn an interesting fact regarding how the Holland Tunnel in NY gets its name.

Return to Dromoland Castle in the early afternoon.

Your driver will arrange a time to transfer you to your departure airport. Slan abhaile or safe travels. Note: If you are departing from Dublin Airport, this is a two-hour drive from Dromoland Castle.