2021 Taste of Ireland with Driver - 7 Days/6 Nights

Day 1: Independent Sightseeing in Dublin
Your tour begins when you are picked up at the airport and driven to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for independent touring in Dublin. Take a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour, and see all the city's highlights with the freedom to stop off to explore further as you please. Your Hop-On, Hop-Off bus ticket also gives you admission to the Little Museum of Dublin, an old Georgian townhouse with a fantastic collection of 5,000 objects telling the story of the city. Plus, you will have a voucher to admit you to one of Dublin's top attractions: the Guinness Storehouse, a seven-story attraction telling the story of Dublin's iconic beverage, complete with a pint at the Gravity Bar on the top floor; Teeling Distillery, the first new whiskey distillery to open in Dublin in 125 years; EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, telling the story of the people who left Ireland and how they shaped the world (and winner of Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction 2019); or the GPO Museum, innovatively detailing the fascinating story of the 1916 Rising ,the pivotal event that led to Ireland's independence. Your evening is free to explore Dublin's many bustling pubs and restaurants as you wish.

Day 2: Independent Sightseeing | Merry Ploughboy Pub
Enjoy the morning continuing to explore Dublin with the included vouchers, seeing its vibrant blend of ancient and modern: Trinity College, Georgian houses with colorful doors, and the modern buildings rising by the River Liffey. In the evening, head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with popular Irish songs and intricate step-dancing.
(B, D)

Day 3: Blarney Castle | Killarney
Your expert Driver/Guide will meet you up at your hotel so you may depart Dublin, traveling through the legendary green fields of Ireland's farmlands. Stop for photos of the stately ruins of the Rock of Cashel, rising high above the surrounding plain. Continue to Blarney Castle in Cork, where you can climb the winding staircase to kiss the legendary stone that promises the gift of the gab or wander through the beautiful gardens. Arrive in the friendly town of Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes with Ireland's highest mountains, Macgillycuddy's Reeks, forming a backdrop. Check in to your hotel and relax before dinner.
(B, D)

Day 4: Ring of Kerry | Skellig Experience
You might choose to visit CIE Tours preferred shopping partner Moriarty's in the beautiful Gap of Dunloe, before embarking on the famed Ring of Kerry scenic drive. The winding 100-mile route reveals breath-taking coastal and mountain views, with plenty of photo stops. Pause for a casual lunch in The Moorings in Portmagee, then continue to Valentia Island, where you'll visit the Skellig Experience; it tells the story of the neighboring island of Skellig Michael, which you'll see off the coast. Learn how early Christian monks lived there in austere conditions, and how the island was used as a location for the “Star Wars” films. Stop for a stroll around the village of Sneem, with its brightly painted houses, and at Moll's Gap for panoramic views of Ireland's highest mountains. Return to Killarney to explore and dine independently.
(B, L)

Day 5: Cliffs of Moher | Medieval Castle Banquet
Leave Killarney and drive north to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone that reaches almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Drive past Lahinch Golf Course, one of Ireland's most famous, to Bunratty. Check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, which is near Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. In the evening, head out for a medieval-style feast of excellent traditional dishes. During and after the meal the lords and ladies will serenade you with songs and harp music evocative of the Middle Ages. (Please note that January departures may offer a different dining experience.)
(B,D)

Day 6: Galway | Dublin
Travel north this morning to Galway to explore this vibrant, artistic city. Walk through its medieval streetscape, listen to the buskers performing, enjoy its many shops and cafes. Head across the country to Dublin, and say farewell to your expert Driver/Guide. Spend the final night of your tour exploring the pubs in the lively Temple Bar area or experiencing one of Dublin's fine restaurants.
(B)

Day 7: Trip Ends in Dublin
Your trip ends after breakfast today, when you are transferred from your hotel to Dublin Airport.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences

• Enjoy a fun evening of traditional song and dance over dinner at the Merry Ploughboy pub.
• Climb the winding staircase to kiss the famous Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle - Legend says it will give you the gift of eloquence.
• Enjoy a feast in a real medieval castle, as you are serenaded by lords and ladies.

Dining Experiences

• 6 daily breakfasts (B),1 lunch (L) and 3 dinners (D)

Trip Highlights

• Blarney Castle
  
  

  Blarney Castle

  Built nearly 600 years ago by one of Ireland's greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, this stronghold has been attracting attention ever since. Millions have flocked to Blarney to kiss the legendary Stone of Eloquence, found at the top of the tower, making it one of Ireland's greatest treasures.

• Cliffs of Moher
  
  

  Cliffs of Moher

  One of Ireland's top visitor attractions, the cliffs are 700 feet high and extend for 5 miles over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland and one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay and Connemara. The cliffs are home to major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds.

• Irish Night in Dublin
  
  

  Dublin Castle

  Dublin Castle is the heart of historic Dublin and has been the site of many fortifications. The magnificent State Apartments were built as the residential quarters of the viceregal court. They are now the venue for Ireland's Presidencies of the European Community, Presidential Inaugurations and State Functions.

• Ring of Kerry
  
  

  Ring of Kerry

  One of Ireland's most popular circular drives around the Iveragh Peninsula, starting and ending in Killarney. The 100-mile route of ever-changing scenery of mountains and shoreline combined with varying weather conditions ensures splendid views.

• Medieval Castle Banquet
  
  

  Sheepdog Demonstration

  Sheep farming is an important part of country life and watch a farmer with his working dogs control a flock of sheep. See how agile dogs obey various commands to round up sheep, especially useful in mountainous regions.

• Skellig Experience
  
  

  Skellig Experience

  You can experience many aspects of those offshore Skellig islands while remaining on the dry land, in a custom built, stone clad, grass roofed, prize winning building located right on the waterfront beside the Valentia Island bridge at Valentia, County Kerry!

Hotels - 6 Nights

• Clayton Hotel | Ballsbridge (2 nights)
  
  

  Clayton Hotel | Ballsbridge | 4*

  This hotel was once a Masonic School and still retains many striking original features to give it a unique charm. Standard rooms are tastefully decorated and boast a fresh and warm feeling. The Brasserie Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with fresh, seasonal and sustainable produce. Tom's Bar is a great place to relax with a drink or a snack.

• Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney (2 nights)
  
  

  Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney | 4*

  This modern hotel provides guests with 182 rooms that are comfortable and include satellite TV and video facilities. An excellent restaurant serves great Irish breakfasts and carvery dinners while the choice of bars offer live music most nights. Enjoy a strenuous workout or leisurely dip in the pool in the extensive leisure center. Located in the center of Killarney town within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, pubs and the Killarney National Park. Hotel parking.

• Bunratty Castle Hotel | Bunratty (1 night)
  
  

  Bunratty Castle Hotel | Bunratty | 4*

  This hotel is named for the famous Bunratty Castle, just across the road. Originally a Georgian mansion, the hotel offers the perfect place to relax in a traditional atmosphere and decor. All guest rooms are spacious and equipped with everything for a comfortable stay. The traditional pub is a great place for a drink or casual food. Only 8 miles from Shannon Airport, the hotel is within easy walking distance of Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Durty Nelly's Pub and shops at the Bunratty Village Mills. Hotel parking.

• Academy Plaza Hotel | Dublin (1 night)
  
  

  Academy Plaza Hotel | Dublin | 3*

  A block from the city centre's vibrant O'Connell Street, this relaxed hotel is an 11-minute walk from Trinity College and a 13-minute walk from the Temple Bar nightlife district. Warm rooms feature free WiFi and flat-screen TVs, as well as work desks, laptop safes, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. Some rooms add sofas.