Best of Ireland
Experience Overview
An in-depth encounter with the Best of Ireland awaits, from spectacular sights like the Cliffs of Moher and Ring of Kerry to the past and present showcased in Dublin, Galway and pretty Adare. You’ll learn all about Irish famine history, former kings and how to embrace the craic.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Cong: Join Catherine and Jim at Glen Keen Farm, owned by the same family since 1600. Hear the story of their land, meet the working border collies and watch a live herding demonstration. Discover how they’ve embraced sustainable farming on the Wild Atlantic Way, then sit down to a farmhouse lunch and homemade cake with tea.
Dive into Culture
- New Ross: Explore the tragic history of Ireland's famine emigration with a Local Specialist at the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience, a replica of one of the original ships used in the 1800s.
- Waterford: Learn how crystal is crafted at the House of Waterford Crystal during a workshop tour.
Iconic Experience
- Dublin: A Local Specialist will show you Dublin's elegant Georgian squares, O'Connell Street and the Custom House.
- Dublin: Embark on an interactive discovery of the 70 million people who claim Irish ancestry at EPIC - The Irish Emigration Museum. Throughout 20 rooms divided per topic, learn about the Irish experience and the timeline of Ireland’s history told through the personal stories of emigrants. The sights and insights range from learning a special Irish dance to reading the letters of past emigrants, to tracing your family name going back generations.
- Blarney: It is said that those who kiss the Blarney Stone are bestowed with the power to persuade, flatter and coax. But to do so, you must dangle from the ramparts! Visit Blarney Castle and see the famous Stone of Eloquence.
- Adare: Experience a village walk through the main street lined with thatched cottages.
- Limerick: See Limerick's iconic landmarks during an orientation with your Travel Director.
- Bunratty: Visit the impeccably-preserved Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
- Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden: Visit the turreted Neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey. This monastery was founded in 1920 for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I.
- Knock: In the pilgrimage town of Knock, visit the beautiful Marian Shrine, where the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and John the Evangelist are said to have appeared to the townsfolk in 1879.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Lisdoonvarna: Discover the art of traditional, sustainable salmon smoking at the family-run Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare. Guided by Brigitta, you’ll uncover the secrets behind their award-winning organic smoked salmon, produced with respect for Irish traditions and local ecosystems. Explore the interactive visitor center, where the story of Irish salmon unfolds through captivating mythology, history and cutting-edge aquaculture. You’ll witness the unique smoking process up close and savor the distinct flavors of their delicious, sustainably sourced produce. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Dublin
- Discover Waterford, Killarney, Limerick and Galway
- Visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross, the Crystal showroom at Waterford, Blarney Castle to kiss the stone and gain the 'gift of the gab', Adare, Bunratty Folk Park in Bunratty, Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey
- View King John's Castle in Limerick and the Marian Shrine in Knock
- See St. Mary's Cathedral in Limerick and Galway Cathedral
- Scenic Drive the Ring of Kerry
Trip Details
Product Code: 28169
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 55.65B
Starts: Dublin, Ireland
Finishes: Dublin, Ireland
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,036 ($404 /day)
Itinerary
Write your own lively tale of legends and iconic landscapes during this epic encounter with Ireland's treasures. Begin your journey in the capital of Dublin, joining a Local Specialist to see the sights. This evening sees you visiting EPIC - The Irish Emigration Museum, for some drinks and canapes.
Accommodation: Clayton Ballsbridge, Sandymount
Journey through the scenic countryside of County Wicklow, 'The Garden of Ireland', and on to New Ross – the ancestral home town of John F. Kennedy. Dive Into Culture and gain insights into the plight of the starving Irish emigrants who boarded the Dunbrody Famine Ship to flee the potato famine. Continue to Waterford. This afternoon, celebrate the centuries-old craft of flint glass creations, as you Dive Into Culture at the House of Waterford Crystal and witness talented master crafters at work. Arrive in Kilkenny where you will stay for the night.
Accommodation: Kilkenny
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, pursue the 'gift of the gab' at Blarney Castle, where you'll have a chance to kiss the famous stone. Consider joining an Optional Experience for a traditional pony and trap ride through the beautiful Bourn-Vincent National Park. During your journey, your Local Specialist will share fascinating anecdotes about the area and Ireland. Arrive in Killarney for a two-night stay. In the evening perhaps join an optional Gaelic Roots show. Using traditional instruments, Irish dance and time-honored folk songs, this energetic show will have you tapping your feet and singing along in no time.
Accommodation: Killarney, Killarney Towers
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Ireland's soul-stirring Ring of Kerry takes center stage today as you embark on a scenic drive past its mountains, lakes and lush green countryside – unquestionably one of the most scenic routes in Ireland. See Daniel O'Connell's Cahirciveen, the fishing village of Waterville, Moll's Gap and the Black Valley, whose remoteness saw it become the last area in Ireland to receive electricity.
Accommodation: Killarney, Killarney Towers
Meals: Breakfast
Continue through the windswept countryside, arriving in Adare, one of the prettiest villages in Ireland. On arrival in Limerick, you will enjoy views of St. Mary's Cathedral, the Treaty Stone and the 13th-century King John's Castle during an orientation tour. Delve into an Ireland of old, as you discover the day-to-day life of the Irish during the 18th and 19th centuries on your included visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park this afternoon.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Limerick
Meals: Breakfast
The Cliffs of Moher are a must-see along the Wild Atlantic Way. The towering cliffs plunge into the Atlantic, offering endless ocean views and perfect spots for taking photos. Explore the interactive visitor center, where you can see the cliffs through the eyes of the wildlife that call this UNESCO site home, bringing the whole experience to life. Later, you’ll meet Brigitta at her family-run Irish smokehouse for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Discover the secrets of their organic salmon, learn how the kiln and smokebox work, and savor the distinctive flavors of their award-winning smoked salmon. Arriving in Galway, enjoy time at leisure to admire its beautiful stone Cathedral or wander through vibrant Eyre Square–it’s yours to explore at your own pace.
Accommodation: Connacht
Meals: Breakfast
Connemara's 'savage beauty' is yours to explore today as you tread in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde who described its 'wild and mountainous splendor' as magnificent. Admire the views on the scenic drive to Kylemore Abbey, now a Benedictine monastery, where you will embark on an included visit to the country's most romantic castle and walk through its exquisite Victorian Walled Garden.
Accommodation: Connacht
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a Be My Guest experience at Glen Keen Farm, where Catherine and Jim share stories of their centuries-old land and demonstrate life on their working sheep farm. Meet their skilled border collies during a live herding demonstration and indulge in a farmhouse lunch and homemade cake with a traditional cup of tea. Later, stop at Knock’s Marian Shrine, one of Ireland’s most significant pilgrimage sites, where an apparition of the Virgin Mary was reported in 1879. You’ll stop in Sligo for the night, where you could choose to join an Optional Experience that takes you off the beaten track, with a countryside drive and a relaxed dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Clayton
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Continue south to Dublin. Here you’ll enjoy some free time to take a walk down Grafton Street or stroll along the Liffey. This evening, close the chapter on an epic journey through Ireland, joining your fellow travelers for a memorable dinner.
Accommodation: Clayton Dublin Airport
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After a hearty Irish breakfast, bid your Travel Director and fellow travelers a fond farewell as your Irish holiday comes to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Great experience with Trafalgar. Trafalger is a well organized tour company. They take care of all the accommodations, sightseeing, and meals. The tour buses are very clean and have a toilet onboard. This was the first time that I booked a trip with a tour company. I was truly amazed how well organized everything was from hotel accommodations, sightseeing, and the beautiful countryside. Our travel director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was wonderful. She is well learned about the history of Ireland and gave us a very good history lesson. *Personal information removed by Feefo*, our driver, is a true gentleman helping everyone off and on the bus, pleasant, and funny. He was excellent in driving through narrow streets of the cities and the countryside. We were able to have free time to explore on our own on some of the stops that we made. *Personal information removed by Feefo* knew exactly how much time we would need and let us roam. There is a bit of walking during some of the sightseeing stops, so be prepared. At the Cliffs of Mohr, there are carts to take people to the top of the hill. This trip gave you the highlights of Ireland. It was a great experience and I will use Trafalgar again.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
First Time On A Bus Tour. This is the first bus tour I have taken and I am impressed with the quality of the hotels, food, and bus transportation used by Trafalgar. *Personal information removed by Feefo*, our bus driver for most of the trip, was amazing. The Best of Ireland has a great itinerary: a good introduction to the people, places, and history. Stops are frequent enough and have sufficient time to explore. *Personal information removed by Feefo* was everything you would want in a travel director.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/15/2025
Thomas Long - Traveled, May 2025
Outstanding! This was our 2nd tour with Trafalgar and we could not have been happier . The itinerary was everything we wanted plus we signed up for as many side excursions as we could. This really enhanced our experience. Our driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was so good and so very pleasant. Our tour director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was incredible. She was so thorough and on top of all details all during our trip. Her depth of knowledge regarding Irish people and places was astounding. She definitely made the trip much more enjoyable. A plus / 5 Star across the board!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Ramona Deer - Traveled, May 2025
The Best of Ireland. Honest. This was a fabulous tour. Our tour guide , Bernard and our coach driver, who coincidently was also name Bernard were incredible. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgable , personable and had a great sense of humour. Ireland has incredible scenery and historic sites and every where we went, the people were friendly, sociable, polite, courteous and always laughing. I recommend this tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Irish Delightful Days. Tours and accommodations are always good. Tour guides give you lots of good information and good stories. We saw so many beautiful places. We enjoyed our guide and our fellow travelers.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Love Trafalgar Tours. Trafalgar's customer service is first rate. Everything is taken care of for you. Once the tour starts, you'll never have to worry about luggage, hotels, or transportation. We've taken five Trafalgar tours and would recommend them to anyone. Our coach drivers have all been excellent as well. All our tour directors have been first rate and very knowledgeable about the areas we've traveled. This was a wonderful trip. It covered a large portion of the country both urban and rural. Our tour director was fantastic and shared his knowledge of the country with us at every opportunity. We went to places that other tours didn't go and saw many highlights. The Best of Ireland tour really gives you a great overview of the country and the wonderful people who call it home.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Our Irish adventure! Our trip was well organized. Our schedule went like clock work. Any issues were resolved immediately. Excellent trip. Perfect mix of big cities and beautiful scenery. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and fun. I highly recommend the Tour of Ireland. Restaurants and food was excellent. It was a mix of traditional Irish food and modern cuisine.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/19/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2025
I would prefer if the accommodation was closer to the actual cities. Breakfast ato some places was very plain Itinerary was good but ring of Kerry was ordinary and overrated.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/13/2025
John Johnstone - Traveled, April 2025
I very much enjoyed the itinerary and all the places we were able to see and experience. The food selection for two or three of the places, both included and optional, were not up to par as compared to the two previous tours we had experienced with Trafalgar. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable of Ireland, entertaining and a pleasant individual but I got the impression he wasn't as engaging and participant in our activities as we'd seen in past tour guides - and appeared to be a change in Trafalgar policies from my impression of discussions throughout the tour. Overall the tour guide was a great guide with marvelous connections throughout the tour and the local knowledge and history of the of Ireland was impressive. The bus driver had some of the best driving skills imaginable for the road system he had to deal on a daily basis.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/08/2025
Beverly Simmons - Traveled, April 2025
Hotels not 5 star. Too much rushing, too long on the bus. Food choices for provided meals were lacking nor tasty anywhere. Not the vacation I had longed for nor expected.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/30/2025
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