Grand Tour of Ireland by Air

Fly to Dublin where you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel on the outskirts of the city for a two-night stay.

Enjoy a morning in Dublin’s fair city. Our optional sightseeing tour will show you the inner heart of Dublin, which, if left on your own would take a week! You will see both the north and south part of the capital. The tour is a panoramic one, seeing all the beautiful buildings of architectural significance like Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, The National Art Gallery and the Four Courts. Dublin is a beautiful Georgian city and highlights will be the magnificence of Georgian Dublin with visits to some of the superb squares. This afternoon, our optional excursion is to the spectacular Wicklow Mountains. We will visit the town of ‘Ballykissangel’ fame, Avoca, and the valley of the two lakes, Glendalough, celebrated equally for its beauty and for its historical and archaeological interests.

We travel to Kilkenny, Ireland’s medieval capital. Above the broad sweep of the River Nore sits the castle, while a pretty humpbacked stone bridge leads into narrow, cheerful streets laced with carefully maintained buildings. Following time at leisure in Kilkenny we travel via Clonmel to our hotel in the Killarney area for a two night stay.

Enjoy an included full-day tour along the Ring of Kerry, part of the mystical and unspoilt Ireland that has attracted visitors for hundreds of years. See dramatic scenery, picturesque villages and fishing towns. Visit Killarney and absorb the town’s cheerful atmosphere and the infectious Kerry humour of the local families. You may even wish to enjoy an optional ride on a traditional jaunting car! Climb aboard a traditional Irish jaunting car (pony and trap ride) for a tour around the sights of Killarney. Operated by Irish families for many generations this traditional mode of transport is a great way to discover the delights of Ireland. The jaunting car rambles its way along Killarney National Park, Deer Park and on to Ross Castle on the shores of Lough Leane.

We make our way to the friendly University city of Galway. The city has a certain chemistry and vibrancy which many delight in, and few forget. Music, festivals, horse racing, pubs, restaurants, shops, theatres and most of all Galway people, combine to create this atmospheric medieval city of culture. Be sure to see Eyre Square, enclosing a pleasant park lined with imposing, mainly 19th century buildings. Overlooking the park is a modern shopping mall built to incorporate sections of the historic city walls. To complete your explorations why not visit the old quays, a tranquil spot for a stroll down the Long Walk to the docks. We continue to our hotel in Westport, where we stay for the next two nights.

A day of glorious scenery awaits as we head north to Achill, Ireland’s largest island on our optional excursion. Reaching the island by road bridge, we follow the spectacular Atlantic Coast Drive, a circular route around the southern tip of the island overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the islands of Clare and Achill Beg.

We leave Westport this morning for the bustling market town of Donegal. Situated at the mouth of Donegal bay on the river Eske, Donegal is overlooked by the Bluestack Mountains and holds a special charm, best represented in the friendly locals and the craic. We continue to the Letterkenny area for a two night stay.

A day of fantastic scenery as we head to the world-famous Giant’s Causeway. Entrance to the Giants Causeway Visitor Experience and to see the famous stones is included. Please note: The Translink easy access bus service to the stones is not currently in operation.

We later continue to the walled city of Derry (Londonderry). Prosperity and peace have made this compact city, with its tumultuous history, one of the most fascinating to visit in the British Isles. During your visit an optional sightseeing tour will be available to introduce you to the city. The sightseeing tour of Derry will commence by coach, giving an overview of the city before we continue on foot around the walls. Ireland’s only completely walled city – there is over 1,450 years of history locked into its 17th century walls. We enjoy a stroll along part of the walls, ending in the city centre. From the walls you will view the murals, which are a reminder of key events within Derry’s more recent history.

We head to Dublin for the return flight to the UK.