Irish Experience
Experience Overview
Explore all the best the Emerald Isle has to offer on your trip filled with tales of mythical creatures and the troubled history of an island split in two. Beyond soul-stirring landscapes, there’s time with a local ‘Cabbie’ who’ll guide you through Belfast.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Ballycastle: Join your hosts, the Cole family, at their home, Broughgammon Farm near Ballycastle, where you'll enjoy farm life and a delicious meal of local favorites.
Dive into Culture
- Belfast: Experience Belfast from the comfort of your dedicated Black Cab with expert 'Cabbie' commentary.
- Belfast: Discover the full story of the Titanic at the Titanic Belfast visitor attraction and monument in Belfast.
- Belleek: See traditional craftsmen at work at the Belleek Pottery Visitor Center, one of the oldest working potteries in the world.
- Waterford: Learn how crystal is crafted at the House of Waterford Crystal during a workshop tour.
- New Ross: Explore the tragic history of Ireland's famine emigration at the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience, a replica of one of the original ships used in the 1800s.
Iconic Experience
- Dublin: A Local Specialist will show you Dublin's elegant Georgian squares, O'Connell Street and the Custom House.
- Bushmills: In Northern Ireland you'll discover the legend of the Giant's Causeway as you explore this iconic natural landmark.
- Londonderry: Explore London’s famous landmarks with a Local Specialist, including Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Get the stories behind the city’s royal and political traditions on a guided sightseeing tour.
- 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.
- Galway: Explore the historic heart of Galway. See landmarks such as the Spanish Arch and the cathedral, or perhaps admire the distinctive Claddagh rings.
- Ring of Kerry: Admire Ireland's enduring scenic beauty on one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
- 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.
- New Ross: Visit the port town of New Ross. On the quayside, perhaps see the Dunbrody replica famine ship and statue of John F. Kennedy.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Lahinch: Join your Local Specialist, either Oonagh or Marie to gain a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty surrounding you as they illuminate the interconnection between environmental issues and current conservation initiatives at the Cliffs of Moher. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Dublin, Belfast and Londonderry
- Discover Galway and Waterford
- Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, the Titanic Experience in Belfast, the UNESCO World Heritage site at the Giant's Causeway, Belleek to see how the famous pottery is made, Kylemore Abbey, the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney's Castle to kiss the stone and gain the 'gift of the gab', the Crystal Showroom at Waterford and the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross
- View the City Walls and Murals of Londonderry
- See Galway Cathedral
- Scenic Cruise across the Shannon Estuary
- Scenic Drive through Connemara and along the Ring of Kerry
Trip Details
Product Code: 19178
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 111.410A
Starts: Dublin, Ireland
Finishes: Dublin, Ireland
Duration: 11 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 and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Ferry across the Shannon estuary
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,315 ($392 /day)
Itinerary
Embrace your playful side and discover the allure of the lively Irish capital - a small city with a lot of heart and yours to explore before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers this afternoon for a sightseeing tour with your Local Specialist. See the stately Georgian Squares and Trinity College before enjoying a Whiskey Tasting at a local distillery.The excitement will build this evening over drinks, good food and great company as your Travel Director gives you a taste of what’s to come.
Accommodation: Clayton Ballsbridge, Sandymount
Meals: Dinner
Leaving the cosmopolitan streets of Dublin behind, we travel to Northern Ireland and the bustling city of Belfast, where you will have some free time to enjoy a spud for lunch or perhaps an Irish stew. Later, we meet our Local Specialist 'Cabbie' for an insider view of the city’s living history during a journey through its vibrant streets in a real taxi. We spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure, or perhaps join an Optional Experience.
Accommodation: AC by Marriott , DoubleTree by Hilton Belfast Templepatrick
Meals: Breakfast
Dive Into Culture during a visit to the award-winning Titanic Belfast Experience. Gain insights into the tragic story of the Titanic and its passengers who lost their lives in the icy Atlantic. Leave the city behind, traveling to your Be My Guest experience near Ballycastle for lunch. Then onto the Giant's Causeway as we walk in the footsteps of Finn MacCool. Our visit will help to conserve this iconic natural landmark. Take some time to admire the natural spectacle of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns before continuing to Londonderry, our home for the next two nights.
Accommodation: City Hotel Derry, Waterfoot
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Join your Local Specialist for a walk along the 17th-century city walls and see the formerly turbulent Bogside neighborhood, with its street murals depicting the history of the 'Troubles'. Spend a free afternoon walking along the pretty Foyle River or consider joining an Optional Experience to Inishowen Peninsula, with its rich history. This evening enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Accommodation: City Hotel Derry, Waterfoot
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Journey through the lush countryside to Belleek, where you'll Dive Into Culture and witness talented pottery crafters create the exquisite collectables that have graced homes since the mid-19th century. Arrive in Galway later, where you will stay for the next two nights.
Accommodation: Maldron Oranmore
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
The rugged beauty of Connemara was captured in the film 'The Quiet Man' with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Its loughs and mountains are yours to explore today during a scenic drive. Arrive at Kylemore Abbey later to visit the country's most romantic castle and ramble through the hidden nooks of its Victorian walled garden. Returning to Galway, enjoy some free time to explore its imposing stone Cathedral or stroll through Eyre Square, which John F. Kennedy visited in 1963.
Accommodation: Maldron Oranmore
Meals: Breakfast
See the imposing UNESCO-listed Cliffs of Moher rising over 650 feet (200 m) above the pounding Atlantic and scan the horizon all the way to the Aran Islands to get the full view of the irresistible beauty of this special place. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with your Local Specialist to truly appreciate this breath-taking landscape. You’ll have an opportunity to visit the ‘Atlantic Edge’ exhibition which will bring to life this extraordinary natural phenomenon in a way that only the wildlife of the area get to see. Enchanted by the wild landscapes, you’ll continue along the Wild Atlantic Way with spectacular views of this dramatic coastline before you board a ferry across the tranquil Shannon Estuary river. Then, continue through County Kerry to your hotel in Killarney, where you'll have an evening at leisure or join in the craic at an optional Irish ceilidh.
Accommodation: Killarney Towers, Killarney
Meals: Breakfast
The soul-stirring landscapes of Iveragh Peninsula provide a mesmerizing backdrop for our scenic coastal drive around the Ring of Kerry – an unimaginably beautiful natural setting. En route we will see Killorglin, famous for its annual 'Puck Fair', as well as Daniel O'Connell's Cahirciveen, the fishing village of Waterville, the Black Valley and Moll's Gap.
Accommodation: Killarney Towers, Killarney
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today you might acquire the 'gift of the gab', bending over backwards to kiss the Blarney Stone before we travel to Waterford. Admire the delicate creations of fine crystal during a visit to the House of Waterford Crystal where you will Dive Into Culture and witness a demonstration by master crafters. This evening, arrive in Kilkenny with its imposing 12th-century castle, once the seat of the Butlers of Ormonde.
Accommodation: Kilkenny
Meals: Breakfast
After a morning exploration of Kilkenny, depart for New Ross where you'll see the monument to John F. Kennedy, who visited his ancestral family hometown in 1963. Dive Into Culture and gain insights into the tragic plight of Irish emigrants during the potato famine of the 1800s on your visit to the nearby three-masted Dunbrody Famine Ship. Journey through the lush Irish countryside of County Wicklow, the 'Garden of Ireland', and back to Dublin where you’ll spend your final evening with travel companions sharing stories of your memorable journey through Ireland at dinner.
Accommodation: Clayton Leopardstown, Sandymount
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
It’s time to say a fond farewell to Ireland and newfound friends as you prepare to end your wonderful Irish experience.
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, August 2024
70! Local knowledge makes a difference … The tour was at the right pace for a wide range ( age groups) for the passengers.. *Personal information removed by Feefo* the Tour Director and *Personal information removed by Feefo* the Bus driver were stars - really appreciated *Personal information removed by Feefo* local ( and personal) knowledge and ability to change venues when the weather wasn’t good for walking !!! Great excursions and Hotels .. Only point for improvement was that I thought I’d requested a seat on my own but got saddled with *Personal information removed by Feefo* , a loud , abrasive Aussie as co-passenger … it was a bit tricky to change seats with 47 passengers!!!! In any event , *Personal information removed by Feefo* and *Personal information removed by Feefo* had a word with him to tone it down .. I’ll definitely use Trafalgar again but will insist , if at all possible , on a seat by myself !!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/31/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2024
Irish Experience Tour 7/21/24! Service was excellent, handled all questions with efficiency and solved all logistics issues. Both *Personal information removed by Feefo* and *Personal information removed by Feefo* (the driver) were excellent and made the trip very entertaining and enjoyable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/24/2024
Julie Sendall - Traveled, May 2024
Awesome tour director Terry and Michael the driver. We enjoyed ourselves and all the peoples on tour. We were one happy family laughing and having a good time. *Personal details removed by Feefo* was the excellent tour director couldn’t do enough for us and for all the passengers on the bus.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/28/2024
Gregory Thayer - Traveled, April 2024
Irish Experience is fantastic fun! The tour director, bus driver, and local guides made the trip fun and a great learning experience. The seamless service from the Trafalgar team is unmatched in my travel experience. Trafalgar did a fantastic job keeping us all engaged and excited about the next day. Truly a magnificent experience! Fantastic trip! The tour guide, Trafalgar, the bus driver, and the local guides are all world class. My favorite part of the tour is the optional experience at Malzard's Pub. The relationship that Trafalgar built with Fred Malzard is worth its weight in gold. It helps a small town economy and provides an evening of fun for the tour group.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/11/2024
Elizabeth Ionata - Traveled, April 2024
Ireland Green Memories! Trafalgar’s tours are a great way to see Ireland and other countries. We would definitely use Trafalgar in the near future. Our trip to Ireland was amazing from day one. Our tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* greeted us at the hotel with a big smile on his face. We meant so many great people on our tour and enjoyed spending time with everyone. *Personal information removed by Feefo* and *Personal information removed by Feefo* our driver always had us laughing on the bus. The best highlight were the Black Taxi Tour in Belfast, the Titanic experience, the Giant Causeway, Cliffs of Moher, learning how to pour Guinness, trying Hurling, and visiting so many amazing places. We will never forget *Personal information removed by Feefo*, *Personal information removed by Feefo* and all the new friends we encountered on this amazing tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/21/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Magnificent Ireland, land of green and Guinness! Very professionally managed tour. *Personal details removed by Feefo* . was an excellent guide who kept us informed of where we were going with stories while *Personal details removed by Feefo* . driving skills were impeccable. Every hotel was magnificent, the food snd services could not have been better. *Personal details removed by Feefo* . accommodated the needs of a very diverse group of people and nobody was ever disappointed. When I indicated that I would like to spend one day visiting my ancestral he even helped us to rent a car and was anxious to hear about our time away upon our return. When another tour member fell ill in Galway he seamless he never missed a beat keeping the tour moving while ensuring that medical care was provided immediately. He kept us informed on his condition and fortunately was able to rejoin the group. Ireland's beauty and people sells itself but *Personal details removed by Feefo* . made it the trip of a lifetime. The Irish Experience was truly an experience of all aspects of Ireland. The tour was expertly handled by our tour director ****************** and driver *Personal details removed by Feefo* . . We traveled to every major city around the Emerald Isle, taking in the amazing views of the country, dining in local restaurants, learning about the history and meeting wonderful Irish people. The Peace wall in Belfast, the Titanic museum, the Giant's Causeway, the Blarney Castle, Kylemore Abbey and gardens, the Cliffs of Moher, the tour of Waterford Crystals, the Dunbrody Famine Ship, sipping Guiness in a traditional Irish pub and seeing a Cielidh...all this and much, much more, made every minute enjoyable and well worth every dollar invested in this trip. The coach rides were smooth. The hotel accommodations were superb! Well done Trafalgar!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/06/2024
Sharon Dobbs - Traveled, April 2024
Best Tour of Ireland, Including Northern Ireland, a must see. Trafalgar really takes care of its customers, they bring your luggage to your room each location and pick it up outside your room. Each location that dinner is offered we took advantage of since the Trafalgar chosen dinners were the best! Our Tour Director was there for all of our questions and went above and beyond every day! This is a great tour! Each location was great and had a lot to see and do. Northern Ireland is amazing and not to be missed. This trip was amazing. The amount of time in the bus was less than other trips as we stayed 2 days in most places, it made this a very relaxing trip while still packing in the sight seeing and great shopping opportunities, like Waterford and Bellick. Tour Director *Personal details removed by Feefo* . is the best we have ever had. The trip up to Northern Ireland should not be missed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/16/2024
Sarah Haines - Traveled, March 2024
10 out of 10 experience! By booking our airfare through Trafalgar with the tour, everything was well planned and taken care of from the moment we passed through security at the airport until we returned to the airport at the end of the tour. What a wonderful experience! Our tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* and driver *Personal information removed by Feefo* were great. The optional experiences provided a broader and diversified knowledge beyond the typical tourist which was very much enjoyed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/23/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
IREX trip was awesome. Tour set up locations to visit great hotels. Great tour guide. *Personal information removed by Feefo* wss amazing Great driver. *Personal information removed by Feefo* handled the narrow roads with great skill and expertise loved the itinerary. Great flow to the trip!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/21/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
It was great the pace was excellent having 2 nights at a hotel makes a huge difference. A tour director can make or break a trip and *Personal information removed by Feefo* MADE the trip his humor and organization were the best!!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/22/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Another wonderful trip! Overall was a fantastic trip! We saw a lot of Ireland and we had plenty of free time. Our tour director gave us plenty of history during our travel days but left us to have “quiet time” in the afternoon which was much appreciated. Overall wonderful trip. Our tour director was fantastic and very well organized. Bus driver not as friendly as we’ve had in the past. Be our guest and foraging with *Personal information removed by Feefo* was not up to regular trafalgar standards. The restaurant was extremely cramped, the foraging aspect was boring and quite a walk for those with mobility issues and the food that was provided was subpar. All other aspects of the trip were great! Belleek factory tour was a highlight and hotel on Killarney was the best location.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/27/2024
Heidi Bohannon - Traveled, June 2024
The Wonders of Ireland. That we had the best tour guide ( *Personal information removed by Feefo* ) and the best bus driver ( *Personal information removed by Feefo*) ever! Very good…we saw so much! Weather didn’t always cooperate..to be expected. I would recommend this trip to others!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/18/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Great to Discover OUR Roots! We've experienced Trafalgar before and this time our Tour Director and driver surpassed earlier experiences! Great Coach, routes that only an expert would know, and excellent history "lessons" along the way! This turned out to be a find - perhaps because of our Tour Director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*! OK, the group on the coach was amazing, as well...we're keeping in touch from our homes in five countries and five states! Ireland is an enchanting place...reinforced by the history we learned (you meet real people who have experienced it), the spectcular scenery (we went to Ballycastle in the North and the Ring of Kerry towns in the South, and just about everywhere in between), and the culture that has grown becaue of the marriage between the land and its people.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/12/2024
Shaira Duante - Traveled, September 2024
The itinerary was perfectly curated to show the beautiful parts and history of Ireland. Our tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* is a wonderful storyteller of the myths and history of Ireland. In addition, the local tour guides were also friendly and shown us lots of history and background of their town.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/20/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, September 2024
It was very well organized, the tour director *Personal information removed by Feefo* and the driver *Personal information removed by Feefo* were very professional and knowledgable. All the hotels except one in London, Derry were very good.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/16/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2024
Ireland Delight! The itinerary was on spot for us. Ireland was on my bucket list for years! The Irish Experience I chose thru Trafalgar was exactly every place I had on my list to see. From the wild Atlantic way to Giants Causeway, to Cliffs of Moher, Ring of *Personal details removed by Feefo* and every stop we made was pure enchantment. Our weather was perfect and our tour Guide *Personal details removed by Feefo* was perfect. He was so funny, witty and just full of knowledge. We made some out of the ways stops that were just perfect. Our driver *Personal details removed by Feefo* was superb. We always felt safe on our journey around the beautiful country of Ireland. Our Tour Director *Personal details removed by Feefo* was just wonderful. We had so much fun with him.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/10/2024
Lisa Wells - Traveled, June 2024
IrishExperience - a great all around tour of Ireland. Everything was so easy from start to finish. We booked on-line and entered all our travel information on line as well. Tour information and documents arrived in a timely manner. Check in with our tour director was easy and everything ran smoothly while on the tour. The hotels were very nice and comfortable. *Personal information removed by Feefo*, our tour director ensured we had all the information we needed since we were staying an extra day after the tour ended. *Personal information removed by Feefo* was so nice, helpful and a lot of fun. This was an awesome trip! Every day there were new, fun and exciting things to do. So many of the activities were more than just a photo opportunity: the local guides, the titanic museum, the black cab tour in Belfast, walking the walls of Derry/Londonderry, learning about hurling at the pub. We saw so much of Ireland and we had a great time. *Personal information removed by Feefo*, the tour director was awesome. She was so helpful and kept everything running smoothly.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/20/2024
Karen Graves - Traveled, June 2024
It was everything we knew we wanted to see, and a whole lot more! We loved each and every aspect and the huge variety of outings. We loved the outdoors. We went to see the greenery, the cliffs, the castles, the museums and the pubs. We learned Ireland was that and so much more. The history, the stories, the local guides, along with the most knowledgeable tour guide ever made our trip to Ireland the best we could have asked for. *Personal information removed by Feefo* was the best!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/06/2024
James Sands - Traveled, May 2024
*Personal information removed by Feefo* the tour guide and *Personal information removed by Feefo* the driver were first class all the way. The hotels were not up to an American 4 or 5 stars. No air conditioning and no wash clothes are some of the short falls. *Personal information removed by Feefo* ran a very good tour getting us in and out of the hot tourist spots before all the big crowds came. He was very knowledgeable about the history of Ireland and had a lot of humor. Great qualities!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/12/2024
Marlene Harris - Traveled, May 2024
We had such a wonderful trip. Everything from the group we traveled with, to our tour manager( Personal details removed by Feefo*) and bus driver (Personal details removed by Feefo*). They had never worked together before but we would never know it. We all just meshed together because of Personal details removed by Feefo* way of leading us with info before hand we always knew what the day would bring. He knew history, paid attention to detail and all with humor included. The best trip ever, couldn't have asked for more! ??
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/22/2024
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