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Ireland's Castles Tour
This tour takes you into the magical world of Ireland's
Castles and Great Houses, from Medieval towers, to Norman keeps and romantic
Renaissance fairytale Castles.
Each night you will as a guest in some of Ireland's most highly regarded luxury Castle Hotels where you can sample life as a pampered Lord or Lady of the Manor.
Fully guided tour - 8 days - 7 nights
This tour can start on any date.
For more information and booking details, please click on the tabs below.
Tour Overview Detailed Itinerary Price Guide How to Book
Ireland's Castles Tour
Your tour will be a private one, specially arranged for your party - you will not be joining a larger group. This means that should you require any customizations to the itinerary or any other aspect of the tour this can easily be arranged.
A very popular option with this tour is to add additional days in one or more locations to give an extended opportunity to avail of and enjoy the extensive leisure facilities in the wonderful Castle Hotels you will stay in.
Tour Highlights
- Plenty of time to explore and experience Ireland's historic and metropolitan capital, Dublin
- A tour of the 3000 year old megalithic structures at Bru na Bionne.
- Exploring the winding streets and ancient buildings of Kilkenny City, the medieval capital of Ireland.
- Visits to the Waterford Crystal Factory and to the lovely riverside village of Inistioge.
- A day spent touring beautiful West Cork, a part of Ireland few tour buses reach
- Touring the scenic regions of Kerry, including the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry
- Majestic Connemara, with it's unique light beloved of artists and photographers and it's capital, Clifden.
- A step into a different world with a visit to the magical Aran Islands.
Your Castle Accommodation
You will stay in some of the most famous and highly regarded hotels in Ireland. Luxury is standard in all these hotels and you can expect exceptional accommodation, a wide range of guest facilities and top class dining as well as impeccable and friendly service.
Hotels include Dromoland Castle in Co Clare, where American presidents have frequently been guests, Ashford Castle with its huge and lovely sporting estate in Co Mayo and Waterford Castle located on it's own private Island. In Kerry Ballyseede Castle will be your home for two nights and Galway it's Ballinhinch Castle, with its wonderful views over a Connemara lake.
Your Driver/Guide
Your guide will be an experienced driver with an impeccable safety record and will have an extensive knowledge of Ireland. More than that, all our guides are friendly, flexible and easy company, adept at dealing with any problems that may arise and at making sure their guests have the best possible experience at each place they visit. They are committed to making your trip an enjoyable and truly memorable one.
As well as providing guided tours each day, guides are happy to make suggestions about good places to eat out or about evening entertainment options and to make reservations for you also.
Your Transport
All our vehicles are recent Mercedes models, or others of equivalent standard, which are configured to maximise touring comfort and passenger space. Smaller parties will travel in a Mercedes E Class Sedan, others in Mercedes Sprinter vans or small coaches. All vehicles have air conditioning.
Detailed Itinerary
The itinerary assumes arrival to and departure from Shannon Airport. If that is not the case we can easily alter the running order to take account of your plans.
Day 1: Shannon - Limerick - Adare
King John's Castle in Limerick, which has been fully
restored, was built in 1210 "to dominate the bridge and watch towards
Thomond", and is one of the finest specimens of fortified Norman
architecture in Ireland.
Adare is a perfect example of an estate village and was developed by the Earls of Dunraven who lived at Adare Manor. This 18th Century castellated manor house, with towers, turrets, and stonework ornamentation, is now a luxury 5 star hotel.
Overnight in Adare Manor
Day 2: Ring of Kerry Tour
Explore the breathtaking scenery of the Ring of Kerry,
travelling past some of Ireland's highest mountains one one site and most
spectacular coastal scenery on the other. Our journey will take us through
the villages of Cahirciveen, Waterville and Sneem, before we return to
Killarney for a guided tour of the elegant 19th century mansion, Muckross
House .
Muckross House was built for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, the watercolourist Mary Balfour Herbert.. Building commenced in 1839 and was completed in 1843.
Overnight in Ballyseede Castle
Day 3: Killarney - Blarney - Cobh - Waterford
This morning we leave Killarney and travel though the Agricultural
heartland of south Ireland to Blarney and its famous castle. Kissing
the famous stone at here is said to impart the gift of eloquence, but you
must be suspended upside-down to achieve it!
The Rock of Cashel was the seat of the Kings of Munster from the 4th century before being handed over to the church in the 12th century. It remained the seat of the local Bishop until 1647 when it fell to the Cromwellian army.
Overnight in Waterford Castle
Day 4: Kilkenny - Thomastown -Waterford
Kilkenny Castle dominates the beautiful medieval
city of Kilkenny. Built in 1172 it was bought by the Butler family in 1391
and remained their home until 1935. A walking tour of the city, which is
extremely rich in well preserved medieval buildings, is
well worth while.
The Cistercian Abbey of Jerpoint, close to Thomastown, dates from 1158 and was one of the most important monastic settlements in Ireland. The port city of Waterford is famous for its Crystal Factory - a tour is highly recommended.
Overnight in Waterford Castle
Day 5: Clonmacnoise - Loughrea - Coole Park - Galway
Clonmacnoise is a monastic settlement, famed for its scholarship,
which thrived from
the 7th until the 12th century. Many Irish kings were buried there.
Coole Park was once home to Lady Gregory who regularly played host to Irish poet W.B.Yeats. Although the house is long gone, the magnificent grounds and lake, with its famous swans, are worth visiting. Yeats lived at nearby Thoor Ballylee, a small castle on a more 'domestic' scale than many we have seen.
Overnight in Ballinahinch Castle
Day 6: Connemara Tour
Connemara, an area of rugged landscape, bogs and mountains is known for its clear light and unspoilt beauty, characteristics that make it specially loved by artists
and photographers.
Kylemore Abbey was built by Mitchell Henry as a gift for his wife and is now a select private boarding school for girls. Visitors are restricted to the gardens and lakeside walks. On the return trip through the Maam valley you are likely to see locals harvesting turf, used as fuel, from the bog still using tools and methods a thousand years old.
Overnight in Ashford Castle
Day 7: Galway - The Burren - The cliffs of Moher - Bunratty
The Burren covers 100 sq miles of lunar like rock with underground
rivers, caves, turloughs and ancient burial places, some dating back more
than 3000 years. At 800 feet above the Atlantic Ocean a walk along the Cliffs of Moher
is a bracing experience and will certainly give you an appetite for lunch!
Bunratty Castle is host to regular medieval banquets during the tourist season and the adjoining folk park, with reconstructions of typical rural dwellings, including a full village, is well worth seeing.
Overnight in Dromoland Castle
Day 8: Bunratty - Shannon
Today's activities will be determined by departure times. For those with late flights it is a good opportunity to see any places that were missed on the earlier visit to Limerick or to
spend a few more hours at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
We will be at your service right up to your departure, when it will be time for you to say farewell - not goodbye! - to Ireland and head home with some wonderful memories. Come back soon!
Price Guide for the Ireland's Castles Tour
Important Note:
Because your tour will be specially created for your party, and only your party, it can be customized as much or a little as you wish.
This means that it is not possible to give an exact price before we discuss your specific requirements.
If your party is larger or smaller or you wish to alter the duration of the tour, change the accommodation class, or make other changes, this will have an effect on price.
Guide Price: €3100 per person, based on four adults travelling together.
The price includes:
- Accommodation for 7 nights in luxury Castle Hotels.
- Breakfast each morning of your tour
- Transport throughout your tour in a Mercedes vehicle (or equivalent), specially configured for comfortable touring
- The exclusive services of an experienced driver/guide for 15 days
- Guided tours on each day of your trip
- A meet and greet service plus transfers to and from the airport
- All petrol costs, road tolls and applicable taxes.
- Booking service and advice about dining and entertainment
The Price does not include:
- Travel to and from Ireland
- Travel Insurance
- Gratuities
- Meals other than breakfast unless specified
Send a Booking Enquiry
Please use the form below to send us an enquiry about booking the Ireland's Castles Tour.
Note: Because your tour will be customised just for your party, we need to discuss the details of your tour with you before providing you with a final price or making a confirmed booking.
