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PRIVATE TOUR ITINERARY

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Discover Ireland — see the best of Ireland in 10 days with your very own chauffeur-guide! Experience Ireland’s must-see historical sites, and spectacular coastal scenery. Visit one of Europe's premier archaeological sites: the ancient tombs of Brú na Bóinne, or Boyne Valley, predating Stonehenge by a thousand years and the pyramids at Giza by 500. Enjoy Gaelic tunes in the music filled bars and gourmet dinners at hand-picked restaurants. Stay in the charming towns Kenmare and Dingle and tour the Slea Head Drive along the Dingle Peninsula. Lean into the wind on the very edge of Europe at the Cliffs of Moher. Visit Mizen Head signal station, nestled high up on the cliffs viewing some of the most beautiful scenery Ireland has to offer. Experience the last stop of the Titanic in Cobh. This beautifully guided journey ends in Dublin where you’ll enjoy a private-guided walking tour. Discover Ireland on your own private tour!​

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Day 1) Arrive Dublin & Boyne Valley

Arrive Dublin Airport where you will be met by your chauffeur-guide. You’ll then be driven to one of Europe's premier archaeological sites: the ancient tombs of Brú na Bóinne, or Boyne Valley. Predating Stonehenge by a thousand years and the pyramids at Giza by 500, these massive "passage tombs" of Newgrange and Knowth are windows into a mysterious, pre-Celtic Ireland, just as it was pulling itself up and out of the Stone Age. Continue to your castle hotel, just outside of Dublin, for an overnight stay.

 

Day 2) Rock of Cashel & Cobh

Depart for one of Ireland’s most historic and evocative sights: The Rock of Cashel. St. Patrick himself was here more than 1,500 years ago and, ever since, the Rock has been the spiritual heart of Ireland. Next, continue to explore Cobh, an island in Cork city’s harbor. Cobh is the Titanic’s last port of call in 1912.You’ll visit the Titanic Experience Cobh, a themed attraction in the former White Star Line ticket office, and the Cobh Heritage Centre, which through the “Queenstown Story” tells the story of Irish Emigration. Next, continue to quaint Kenmare, with its rows of vividly painted shop fronts and a go-for-a-stroll atmosphere for a two-night stay at a luxury boutique hotel.

 

Day 3) Mizen Head & Bantry House

Depart on a whole-day excursion to Mizen Head in western County Cork, a photographer’s paradise. At Mizen Head Signal Station nestled high up in the Cliff face, view some of the most beautiful scenery Ireland has to offer. Stops along the route will include Barleycove Beach, and if time permits, Three Castle Head. Continue to Bantry Bay for a visit to Bantry House, a country house with gardens dating from the 18th century. 

 

Day 4) Ring of Kerry & Killarney National Park

Today, depart Kenmare for the spectacular wild scenery of Killarney National Park. View Molls Gap, Ladies View and Torc Waterfall, and visit the evocative Ross Castle and the beautiful Muckross House & Gardens, all set against stunning beauty. Enjoy a jaunting car ride (horse carriage ride) in the National Park. You'll arrive this evening in the pastel-painted Irish harbor town of Dingle for a two-night stay. Dingle is a lively Gaeltacht town of seafaring heritage, where instrumental music and song have a long tradition. You will explore the town, have an opportunity to soak up Gaelic tunes in one of the local bars and enjoy dinner at one of several excellent restaurants, all within walking distance of your hotel. 

 

Day 5) Falconry Experience & Dingle Peninsula

Today, discover the Dingle Peninsula along the Slea Head Drive, one of the most scenic routes in Ireland. Your day will include a private Falconry Experience, where you will learn how to hold a hawk, as they fly along the beach between you. You will visit the Blasket Island Heritage Center, with stunning views of the wild Atlantic coast and islands. The Blasket Centre is a fascinating museum, honoring the unique community who lived on the remote Blasket Islands until their evacuation in 1953. Tonight, explore more of Dingle’s delights and dinner for which your driver-guide will make recommendations. ​

 

Day 6) Conor Pass, Atlantic Way & Cliffs of Moher  

This morning, you will drive across Ireland’s highest mountain pass, the Conor Pass, cross the Shannon estuary by ferry, and drive through County Clare to the sensational Cliffs of Moher, where you'll find yourself leaning into the wind on the very edge of Europe, more than 600 feet above the waters of the North Atlantic. Tonight, you will enjoy a gourmet dinner at your country house castle hotel, your base for the next two nights. The hotel is strikingly situated with magnificent views of the Atlantic and the Aran Islands. 

 

Day 7) Inis Oírr (Aran Island), Cliffs of Moher & Burren
This morning, you’ll board a ferry at Doolin Harbor bound for the stark beauty of Inis Oírr, the smallest of the Aran Islands. On arrival, enjoy a pony and trap (cart) tour of the island. On your return to the mainland, admire the Cliffs of Moher in the most spectacular way, from the sea. This afternoon, explore the intriguing rocky landscape of the Burren and its hardy prehistoric residents, including the Poulnabrone Dolmen—also called the ‘Hole of Sorrow’—the most iconic of Ireland’s megalithic structures. 

 

Day 8) Birr & Kildare

Today, depart for the picturesque heritage town of Birr, developed around the Birr Castle estate of the Parsons family, the Earls of Rosse. Heaving with history, Birr is one of Ireland’s premier heritage towns and proud of its unique character spanning many centuries.  The tree-lined malls and avenues of elegant houses dating from the 1800s tell a fascinating story. The castle itself is the home of the 7th Earl of Rosse, not open to the public but the award-winning gardens are. From Birr, continue your journey to Kildare to visit the Irish National Stud and view the famous Kildare horses. Next, arrive in Dublin for a two-night stay at a centrally located hotel, within walking distance of all main sights.

 

Day 9) Dublin 

This morning, enjoy a private-guided walking tour of Dublin, learning about it's often calamitous history, from the days of Viking raids to the hard centuries of British occupation, to its remarkable literary legacy, to the modern city of today. You'll visit the stunning Old Library, Trinity College, for an illuminating look at the remarkable Book of Kells, a jolt of Irish creativity that helped pull Europe out of the Dark Ages. You'll have the afternoon on your own to take in some of Dublin's other world-class sights such as Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Castle or Jameson distillery.

 

Day 10) Dublin Airport 

Private car transfer to Dublin Airport for your return flight.