Best of Ireland Tour

It will be an early start but fear not as your morning begins with breakfasts that are hearty and set alongside tea that can wake you up as well as any coffee. It will be a good four-hour drive west to Connemara, the longest drive of the trip. But along the way you get to know more of Ireland and see how the roads twist through villages and vintage scenes and how the landscapes never seem to change, yet every angle appears to be different. Arrive at Connemara, and you will soon be confronted by drama, Kylemore Abbey a breathtaking sight as it sits on a lake in deepest Ireland. Stop for lunch in the garden cafe here before a guided tour of a place owned by Benedictine nuns.

For the rest of the day, you explore Connemara National Park. Mostly you stay out of the vehicle, walking amid bogs, mountains, heathlands, and lakes. Herds of wild Connemara ponies may be spotted, along with strange rock formations and crashing Atlantic waves. Galway is a good place to arrive if you’re exhausted from the day’s explorations. It’s small and compact, with many traditional pubs around Eyre Square. Pop in one for dinner and you’ll hear Irish music, something that gives energy to any a weary traveler and helps you get a good dose of local Ireland without having to leave your seat.

Ireland is all about the journey. Cliffs appear out of the morning mist, their jagged, moss-covered facades above frothy waves. When it’s raining these Cliffs of Moher are moody and majestic, as if putting up a barrier against the skies. When the sky is clear, you walk along their glory, wind in your hair, and the impressive crash of waves in your ears. This whole coastline is dotted with dramatic sights, and the journey continues, stopping at Bunratty Castle and the Neolithic portal tomb of Poulnabrone dolmen. While this fast-paced tour does spend a lot of time on the asphalt, the views are sublime, and there is always another highlight along the road.

Move onwards to the ethereal limestone karst as The Burren appears to be stepping stones, bizarre slabs haphazardly linked together, stretching on and on. But stepping stones to where? You can walk and jump across them, yet still, there are more, this barren land more like the moon than anywhere on earth – it was a key inspiration for Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. It will be late afternoon when you reach Adare, which is a good time because it means the day-trippers have left. Thatched roof houses form a harmony down the village streets. Horses pull carriages across old stone bridges, and it is elegant and enchanting, a village from a movie topped by a ruined 13th-century castle. You will have a whole evening to walk around, and as with all your overnight stops, there’s no shortage of local pubs for a hearty Irish meal.

It will be less driving now as you head back to the coast, where the landscapes are softer but just as enticing. While the cliffs further north are jagged and imposing, the Dingle Peninsula is all rolling hills and curved heads. Peaks converge on each other, and you will soon be all alone in Ireland, surrounded by nothing but green slopes and a sense of silence. Locals still use Irish as their main language, and music can be heard throughout day and night. The day’s route is flexible and depends on what you want to see. There are some great walks along the coast, but also an abundance of sights on route.

Towards the westernmost point of Ireland, you will see the wild remains of Minard Castle, then entering Dingle you hear the euphonic chatter of a Gaeltacht town. Officially you’re not staying in Dingle, but Daingean Ui Chuis, the Irish name that is still used. All of the street signs are also in Irish, making for many a confusing photo. And while you may not be able to decipher the words, the music is accessible to all. This is a seaside town that’s big on entertaining, with music and storytelling two ways to preserve language and tradition. Although it’s nowhere near as popular as other places nearby, those that venture to Dingle often find it to be their favorite stop in Ireland.

Ah, the Ring of Kerry, that famous circular route that’s been celebrated as one of the world’s finest drives. You do not need to do it all and in fact, with all the tour buses bustling around, it is better to pick and choose. Your private guide will help you make up a route to suit your interests and energy levels, mixing in the variety of experiences that have made the Ring of Kerry so well known with a fairytale village, some Bronze Age architecture, an old isolated castle, and a dreamy coastal view. Throw in some exploration of Killarney National Park, and you have more than enough for a day.

Yours is a one-way route which saves further time as you come from the north and end in Kenmare, perhaps the most charming of the County Kerry towns. Every house is painted a different color here and then adorned by a traditional signboard and a handful of flowers. Although more touristic than Dingle, it has plenty of different lanes to explore, so you don’t need to photograph the same colorful street like everyone else. Your hotel is on the edge of the town, a manor house that has one view of the countryside and another to the town.

Waterford’s story must be experienced to be understood. It’s Ireland’s oldest city and a maritime gateway on the island’s far south. Viking raiders came and dominated, leaving behind their own snippets of culture. Norman conquerors then arrived and set up shop, using the natural harbor to bring wealth into Waterford. Medieval merchants came from all over Ireland to do business here. Next, there were the earls, the bishops, and the palaces to complement fortress defenses.

After the transfer to Waterford, your local guide leads the discovery both in the city and in the trio of Waterford Treasures museums. You may be a little travel weary by now, so these last two days are much slower. After the drive to Waterford, there will be no more driving, just an ancient city with a fabulous history and a local guide to show you around. After the treasures, there is the Waterford Crystal, and after that, there is a whole city of mansions, gardens, churches, pubs, and everything in between.

County Wexford is where the Irish go on vacation, and by now, you will be more than happy to take the Irish lead when it comes to this island. The coastline here is as spectacular as to the west, just nowhere near as known. Like County Kerry, it is dotted with small, quaint villages, where Irish is spoken and the houses come from a fairytale. Historical sites pile up, each one different from the last. Visit the world’s oldest operational lighthouse, step back 1,500 years in Enniscorthy, and find out why Toss Tapestry is so revered. If you have a little Irish-American heritage, then the interactive Dunbrody Famine ship can help you trace what happened when so many migrated across the Atlantic.

As with previous days, your guide will help you pick and choose a route, incorporating two or three attractions before you spend the evening amid Wexford’s medieval cobbled lanes. You will notice the distinct lack of foreign tourists and the guide can point out two pubs for a final night of singing and dancing.

After breakfast and one last leisurely morning, you will transfer back to Dublin for your international flight.