Grand Tour of Ireland

We fly to Belfast airport and continue to our hotel.

Grand Tour of Ireland

We catch the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin and continue onwards to our hotel in Belfast, our base for the next two nights.

Grand Tour of Ireland

We take a guided tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland’s most famous city, and now a thriving, modern metropolis with a colourful history – as a key player in the Industrial Revolution; it was the centre for the Irish linen and tobacco industries. We take in the highlights before visiting Titanic Belfast, a fantastic exhibition located on the site of the original shipyard in which the famous liner was built. The exhibition brings the maiden voyage of the Titanic to life in the place where it all began.

Grand Tour of Ireland

We make our way to the Giant’s Causeway, noted for the enormous volcanic columns that make this National Trust-owned site such an incredible place to visit. From here we head to Derry~Londonderry – the only completely walled city in Ireland. We enjoy a guided walking tour, where highlights include the gleaming Peace Bridge across the River Foyle and St Columb’s cathedral. Later, we check in to our Donegal hotel where we spend the night.

Grand Tour of Ireland

We stop at Knock, Ireland’s renowned Catholic pilgrimage site. Visit the famous Knock Shrine, where the apparition was witnessed in 1879 and take time to explore the peaceful grounds and relax with a coffee in the on-site café.

Our journey continues to Galway, a thriving, cosmopolitan destination named European Capital of Culture in 2020. Despite being the fastest-growing city in Ireland, it has managed to retain its warm, friendly atmosphere and we enjoy free time here before we continue to our hotel.

Grand Tour of Ireland

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is set in 26 acres of unspoilt County Clare countryside. The most complete castle in Ireland and meticulously restored to reflect the grandeur of its past inhabitants, it’s fascinating to imagine how lords and ladies once lived in this 15th-century gem. 

We continue to the picturesque village of Adare, often regarded as one of Ireland’s prettiest villages. Famous for its charming thatched cottages, Adare offers a delightful atmosphere in which to spend the afternoon. Browse the Heritage Centre, explore the village’s characterful streets or relax in one of its many inviting cafés before rejoining the group as we travel to our hotel in Tralee, the county town of County Kerry.

Grand Tour of Ireland

We embark on a scenic guided tour of the Ring of Kerry, journeying through an untouched landscape of tranquil lakes and rolling hills, passing through charming towns such as Killorglin, Waterville and Kenmare. We also hope to enjoy a little free time to explore pretty Killarney, famed for its jaunting cars (horse-drawn carts) operated by the local jarvies that take visitors on guided tours of the town.

Grand Tour of Ireland

Finally, we head to Dublin, with the option to join a guided tour. With its fascinating past, iconic landmarks and plethora of convivial pubs serving up the perfect pint of Guinness, Dublin never fails to charm its visitors. After our guided tour or free time, we head to our hotel in the Dublin area.

Grand Tour of Ireland

We check out of our hotel early to catch the ferry back to Holyhead; therefore, a voucher will be provided to enjoy breakfast on board. On arrival in Holyhead, we continue our journey home.

Experience vibrant Galway City, where buskers animate the Latin Quarter and colourful shopfronts spill towards the medieval Spanish Arch. Wander to Eyre Square, trace lanes to the riverfront, and sample cafés and craft stores that showcase the city’s creative spirit.

Once a merchant stronghold, Galway blends Gaelic heritage with youthful energy. Look for Claddagh ring workshops, stone churches and lively pubs carrying the lilting strains of traditional music, all within a compact centre that rewards unhurried exploration.

Step inside Bunratty Castle, a restored 15th-century tower house whose tapestry-lined Great Hall evokes medieval banquets and lordly ceremony. Climb narrow spiral stairs to timbered chambers and battlements overlooking the patchwork fields of County Clare.

Continue into the Folk Park, a living museum of thatched cottages, a village street, and working farmsteads. Costumed interpreters share crafts and stories as turf smoke curls from hearths, revealing the rhythms of Irish rural life from the 19th century.

Stroll through Adare, a heritage village famed for its row of thatched cottages, stone bridges and manicured green. Browse the Adare Heritage Centre, step into craft shops and cafés, and admire the riverside setting along the Maigue.

Centuries-old ecclesiastical ruins, including Augustinian and Trinitarian priories, hint at a storied past beneath the picture-book charm. Photo stops capture honey-coloured limestone, flower-bedecked eaves and peaceful lanes that make Adare one of Ireland’s prettiest small towns.

Journey the legendary Ring of Kerry on a guided scenic tour of the Iveragh Peninsula, tracing ocean inlets and mountain passes with views to the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. Pause in villages like Waterville and Kenmare, and photograph sweeping bays, peat bogs and stone-walled fields.

Spend time in Killarney, where lakes and parkland frame handsome streets and traditional pubs. Those distinctive jaunting cars clip-clop past as you explore at leisure, with viewpoints such as Ladies View and Molls Gap revealing classic County Kerry drama.

Join an optional guided city tour of Dublin to see elegant Georgian squares, the Trinity College precinct and river vistas from the Ha’penny Bridge. Pass landmarks on O’Connell Street and the exterior of St Patrick’s Cathedral while hearing tales of writers, rebels and rock ’n’ roll.

This experience is bookable on tour at additional cost (£19pp). Your guide traces the city’s arc from Viking settlement to modern capital, pointing out museums, pubs and neighborhoods to revisit during your free time later in the day.

Walk the otherworldly stones of the Giant’s Causeway, a sweep of interlocking hexagonal basalt columns stepping into the Atlantic. Feel the salt wind and watch surf crash against the cliffs as seabirds wheel overhead along County Antrim’s rugged coast.

Geology and myth meet here: cooled lava flows forged the formations, yet locals still tell of Finn McCool striding to Scotland. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Causeway offers superb viewpoints for photos and time to linger on this dramatic shoreline.

Explore Derry~Londonderry’s 17th-century walls on a guided walking tour, circling bastions that frame the old city and views across the River Foyle. Highlights include the graceful Peace Bridge and serene St Columb’s Cathedral, with stories that bring streets and squares to life.

Hear how the Plantation era shaped the city, how sieges tested its resilience, and how recent decades forged a modern cultural hub. Panoramic vantage points reveal the Guildhall, murals and riverside quays from an elevated, history-rich path.

Visit the Knock Shrine, Ireland’s national Marian pilgrimage site, where villagers witnessed an apparition in 1879. Stroll peaceful lawns, light a candle and pause at the Chapel of the Apparition or the vast basilica, whose devotional mosaics glow with colour and symbolism.

Guides explain the testimonies that placed this Mayo village on the world map of pilgrimage. The atmosphere is contemplative, welcoming both the faithful and the curious to reflect amid sculpted stations, gentle fountains and low stone walls.

Join a guided panoramic tour of Belfast to see the handsome City Hall, the cobbled lanes of the Cathedral Quarter and the iconic Harland & Wolff cranes rising over the docks. Your guide traces the city’s industrial boom and creative revival as murals, shipyards and elegant Victorian architecture pass by.

Step inside Titanic Belfast, the award-winning galleries on the historic slipways of the shipyard where RMS Titanic was built. Interactive exhibits, audio and archive film bring the liner’s story to life amid the very streets and waters that shaped it.