Ashford Castle & Ireland's Icons (small group)

Highlights

• Cork: Ireland's second city - "Rebel Cork" dates back to the 7th century. Your Travel Director will show you the Grand Parade and South Mall, along with City Hall and the Opera House on an insightful orientation tour encompassing the development of the religious settlement of St. Finbarr, to Viking raiding and settlement, to the creation of the Norman city and Merchant Princes. You’ll love learning the tales and history of this port city and enjoy hearing the lilt of the Cork accent.
• Ring of Kerry: Venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lakelands, beaches, fields dotted with sheep, rocky coastline, remote villages and historical sites, as you journey the magical Ring of Kerry. This 111-mile circular route is the best place to admire Ireland's scenic beauty and truly one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
• Cliffs of Moher: Towering cliffs and the dramatic sea, the Cliffs of Moher has inspired countless travelers. Visit the Exhibition Center and look out over the Wild Atlantic Way from these majestic cliffs that rise over 700 feet high. Gain insights from your Travel Director into the cliffs’ geology, history and the species that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies.
• Galway: Fascinating stories and interesting locals take center stage on your orientation of the historic heart of Galway. Visit the Lynch Memorial Window. Then make your way to the Church of St. Nicholas - the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use, Spanish Arch and Eyre Square.
• Connemara: With a striking Victorian Walled Garden and turreted church, Neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey is a sight to behold. Dig into the Abbey’s history, discovering how it was founded in 1920 for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I.
• Sligo: Sit back and relax as you learn from a Local Specialist how, at this largest lake in Southern Ireland, archaeologists are just beginning to learn how this lake’s importance in trade in their discovery of several preserved 5000-year-old boats.
• Dublin: History and famous figures. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is one of the few buildings left from medieval Dublin. It is also on this site where St. Patrick reputedly baptized the local Celtic chieftains in the 5th century. The cathedral was later built between 1191 and 1270 and has come to be famous for its choir, also Ireland’s oldest. The cathedral’s burial site of author Jonathan Swift is one of approximately 700 burials on the site.
• Kildare: Horse racing is key part of Irish culture; and you'll get a rare peek into it over your visit to the Irish National Stud. Set in Kildare at the breeding ground of champions and the birthplace of legends, explore the foaling unit, museum and the stallions that continue to make racing history. As the only stud farm in Ireland open to the public, learn the insights of horse-racing at a site whose former visitors include queens and presidents.
• Wicklow: The walled gardens and rambling walks of Powerscourt Gardens will enchant any traveler. On your visit, these carefully curated and maintained gardens and magnificent mansion house will delight your senses and inspire your imagination. Stroll through the manicured formal gardens and terraces passing striking statues, lakes and secret hollows. You’ll savor taking in the wonder of nature curated by world-class gardeners. Your visit directly supports UN Global Goal 15: Life on Land.
• Killarney: Choose from a fine selection of local restaurants on your Dine-Around evening.
Show more

What's this trip about?

Get up close and personal with the icons of Ireland on this 10-day guided tour. Bask in the beauty of Connemara’s wild landscape, stand upon the 700-foot-high Cliffs of Moher and admire 40 shades of green on the mystical the Ring of Kerry. On a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, amble through stunning Powerscourt Gardens. Elevate your experience learning the insights and staying in comfort and style at five-star Ashford Castle, the former famous home of earls, princes and the famous Guinness family.

Accommodation