5 days 5 Day Taste Of Ireland - Tour C - 2023
See the very best of the Emerald Isle
This fast-paced, short-and-sweet Ireland tour is the perfect introduction to the Emerald Isle. Taste of Ireland hits all of the "greatest hits" highlights—from Blarney Castle to the Cliffs of Moher—with five-day, six-day or seven-day departures to suit your schedule.
Trip Highlights:
• Blarney Castle
• Dublin Castle
• Cliffs of Moher
• Ring of Kerry
• Sheepdog Demonstration
• Merry Ploughboy Pub
• Irish Night in Dublin
• Skellig Experience
Hotels:
• Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge
• Killarney Towers Hotel
• Bunratty Castle Hotel
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day 1 Dublin Panoramic Tour | Dublin Castle | Merry Ploughboy Pub | Meet your guide at 2:00 PM in the hotel lobby, and set out on a panoramic tour of Dublin. Drive through the lively streets with a local guide, seeing this historic city’s highlights: Trinity College, elegant Georgian homes, and modern buildings rising by the River Liffey. Visit Dublin Castle for a guided tour and see the splendid State Apartments; for centuries the seat of colonial power in Ireland, this impressive complex is today a place for official ceremonies. Return to your hotel for a welcome drink with your group, then head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with traditional music and step-dancing. (B, D) |
| 2 | Day 2 Blarney Castle | Killarney | Travel through lush green countryside on your way to Blarney Castle. Along the way, stop for photos of the stately ruins of the Rock of Cashel on their hilltop perch. At Blarney, climb the winding staircase to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone and gain the gift of the gab, or wander the beautiful gardens. Arrive in the friendly, lakeside town of Killarney, where you’ll dine in your hotel this evening. (B, L) |
| 3 | Day 3 Ring of Kerry | Skellig Experience | Sheepdog Demonstration | 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 breathtaking coastal and mountain views, with plenty of photo stops. Pause for a casual lunch in a cozy restaurant. Continue on to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, a visitor center telling the story of the neighboring island of Skellig Michael, which you’ll see off the coast. Learn how this island, a filming location for “Star Wars”, was once the austere home of early Christian monks. Stop for a stroll around the quaint, colorful village of Sneem, and at Moll’s Gap for panoramic views of Ireland’s highest mountains. Visit a farm to see a demonstration of skilled sheepdogs herding sheep. Return to Killarney and enjoy a free evening to dine and discover the pubs as you wish. (B, L) |
| 4 | Day 4 Cliffs of Moher | Medieval Castle Banquet | Leave Killarney, taking a 20-minute ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary before driving along the coast of County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone soaring almost 700 feet above the Atlantic. Continue on to your hotel. In the evening, head out to a castle for a medieval-style feast of excellent traditional dishes. Lords and ladies will serenade you with songs and harp music evocative of medieval times. (Please note that January departures may offer a different dining experience.) (B,D) |
| 5 | Day 5 Tour Ends in Shannon | Your tour ends after breakfast. (B) |