The cries of patriots and the songs of poets fill the air, the smells of delicious Irish fare and the strains of Celtic music wafts from the halls of boisterous pubs, and the dazzling landscapes will fill your eyes and brighten your heart. With all of this, and so much more, no wonder so many shout “Ireland Forever.”
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Dublin – Welcome to Ireland’s Charming Capital
You enter the Emerald Isle at Dublin International Airport, where a taxi or pre-arranged driver waits to take you to the city center of this unique and unforgettable city. From its wide walkways to the Georgian townhouses lining the streets, Dublin is one of the best cities on Earth to explore by foot. Members of the literati will be particularly taken by the bronze plaques throughout Dublin referencing eponymous passages found in Joyce’s Ulysses, while less high-brow perambulations can be based on nothing more than a leisurely crawl from one pub to the next. From the verdant squares at Merrion and St. Stephens Green to the hustle of bustle of shoppers on Henry and Grafton Street, Dublin has offerings for all sorts of travellers, along with warm and welcoming people that will make you feel like a true Dubliner even before your first pint.
What's Included:
Day 2
Dublin – Touring the Center of the Emerald Isle
Day 3
Killarney – Into the Irish Countryside
Day 4
Killarney – Planet Earth’s Best Drive
Day 5
Galway – Heading North on the Atlantic Coast
Day 6
Galway – Touring Connemara, the Celtic Kinglands
Day 7
Dromoland – A Night in a Castle and a Lordly Dinner
Day 8
Shannon – Departing the Emerald Isle
Trip Highlights
- Walk in the footsteps of literary giants through the singular streets of Dublin, on your way to such sights as the National Gallery, Phoenix Park, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- Take in the undulations of the peaks in County Wicklow before heading west into the rugged handsomeness of County Kerry
- Ride through the foothills of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and past the many varied landmarks of the immaculate Ring of Kerry
- Witness the splendor of the Atlantic coast in the seaside towns of Adare and Galway, and the stretch of land and sea from the towering Cliffs of Moher
- Explore Connemara in the heart of Gaelic Ireland and Kylemore Abbey, one of the most elegant monasteries on Earth
- Spend the evening in the kingly Dromoland Castle before enjoying dinner at the Earl of Thromond, recipient of a Michelin star
Detailed Description
The island of Ireland may be one of the smallest landmasses on the planet, but it is also unquestionably one of the richest. From the green expanses in County Wicklow and the ragged cut of country rising from the sea at the Cliffs of Moher, to the literary power of Dublin and the Celtic culture of Connemara, this seven-day vacation will introduce you to Ireland in all of its crowning glory.
Walk the streets of Joyce, Shaw, Beckett and Wilde in peerless Dublin, and visit the Book of Kells, the world’s most famous manuscript. Visit the medieval monastery built by St. Kevin at Glendalough and the modern-day abbey at Kylemore. Gaze upon the indescribable splendor of County Kerry and the islands dotting the Atlantic Ocean beyond the shore. Rest assured, by the end of your trip, you will have seen the very best that this noteworthy nation has to offer.
You’ve seen the verdant stretches and the towering peaks, heard the driving jigs and haunting slow airs, tasted the famous exports and felt the pull of its romantic people. Cosmopolitan cities and quaint country towns, plunging valleys and pounding shores, and the stirring culture of this literary world power all are here awaiting your arrival. There’s never been a better time to visit the magnificent isle of Eire.
Related information: for additional tour selections, Zicasso offers custom, escorted, and luxury tours to Ireland throughout the year.
Starting Price
$5,200 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.85 stars based on 422 reviews.
Zicasso's trip planner worked with my family for the better part of a year planning our big family trip. She provided exceptional service and planned every detail of our trip. We have a large family, with lots of moving parts. There were many changes in the itinerary along the way and she rolled with all the many changes. She was always polite, courteous, and graceful in her many interactions with our family.
She listened carefully during our initial conversations to help us plan the best trip possible. Being a large family, with multiple generations, she really created the best possible experience, taking in everyone's wishes. Working with her was very relieving, knowing she was taking care of all the details.
Our family's trip took us from the States to Ireland, Scotland, and England. We traveled on planes, trains, ferry, and drove a car. Our trip planner arranged every detail meticulously. We stayed in lovely, quaint, boutique hotels, ate the most wonderful foods, saw the amazing sights, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites across all three countries. From the Cliffs of Moher to the Culloden Moor Memorial to Stonehenge to castles grand and desolate; from beautiful cathedrals to old abbey ruins; from little country pubs to Michelin-starred restaurants; and even spending a couple days in an actual 17th-century castle, every minute was amazing! Truly amazing!
Reviewed By Leah S.
We really loved our trip to Ireland! Our Zicasso travel agent was there to meet us right at the airport and really took care of us the whole trip. We could not have asked for a better driver/travel guide. We loved the incredible scenery, the wonderful people throughout our trip, the history, and the music in the pubs at night! Ireland is really a magical place and we had a great time on our visit. Thank you!
Reviewed By Kristen K.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything went smoothly. We liked that we were always in contact through WhatsApp. That was very helpful and gave us a security blanket.
Our itinerary was planned through a Zicasso travel expert. The guides/drivers she chose were terrific. They were full of information and stories of each place we visited, and they answered all of our questions. One of a few outstanding ones was in Scotland. We had him on two occasions and enjoyed his knowledge and wit. The knowledge of our guide in Edinburgh was outstanding. The tour in Dublin was with a super guide. He is sending us a recap of our tour. In Ireland, for our tour of Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, our guide was wonderful with his knowledge of the area and his charm and wit. We had a great time with him. In Killarney, we had a guide for the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. He gave us a map with both days highlighted so we would remember where we were. He took us to the most beautiful places and had so much information and charm. We had two days with him and they were wonderful. Our Kilkenny guide went out of his way to get us as close to the Rock of Cashel. He also had so much information as we traveled. All these tour guides/drivers were so good. Our travel specialist did such a fantastic job of choosing this guides!!
Reviewed By Sue H.
We enjoyed working with the Zicasso tour company for our trip to Ireland. After asking about our interests, they planned a great trip for my husband and me. We enjoyed every place we went to.
Reviewed By Fenton+Ann M.
We had a fantastic trip. The hotels were excellent. They were located centrally, within walking distance to the major attractions. All of the tour guides were amazing and knowledgeable.
Reviewed By David N.
This was the first part of a trip to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. It included our children and grandchildren aged 15, 14, and 10; nine of us in total for eight days all over Ireland in an 11-person van. It was memorable beyond words. It was planned terrifically by Zicasso's travel company, with one exception, and our driver/guide was exceptional. We appreciated his knowledge, humor, and flexibility.
The tours and activities were excellent. We especially liked the Jeanie Johnston famine ship tour, the EPIC museum, the Book of Kells, the sheep dog tour, feeding a baby lamb, the falcon demonstration, and the many historic sites we saw.
Our hotel in Dublin, the hotel in Cork, and most especially the hotel in County Clare were fantastic and well worth the cost. The hotel in Kerry was good as well, but unless you are determined to be in downtown Galway, do not go to the one near Eyre Square. We should have planned to stay an extra day at the hotel/castle and drive into Galway. That was the only planning mistake. There is no way that hotel deserves a four-star rating; two-and-a-half for me.
We are now on the second part of the trip to Northern Ireland without the family, just my husband and I, and except for the rainy day that cancelled a planned boat trip, so far so good. We also have an excellent driver/guide.
Reviewed By Johnna T.