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The Heart of Ireland Experience

Highlights

  • Visit historic houses, gardens, ancient Celtic monuments, and cruise on the River Shannon
  • Explore the vibrant medieval city of Galway, sampling local produce
  • Learn how to make soda bread, visit a sheep farm, and scone making

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Oops! Looks like we are waiting on availability from our host for this trip.

Give us a call or email to request your preferred dates and we’ll get in touch with our host to see what’s available.

What you'll do

Overview

Discover, relax, enjoy. Experience the real Ireland, the warmest Irish welcome, the picturesque landscapes and over 5000 years of history at the heart of the country. Let yourself relax and feel the breeze, have the craic (fun) with the locals and let the world slow down for a while.

See Ireland from the inside out and spend three nights in a small town with a big heart, plus one night in the heart of the country in a 13th century castle. Visit historic houses, gardens, and ancient Celtic monuments, cruise on the River Shannon, and explore the vibrant medieval city of Galway. Get a real taste of Ireland through its food; sample some local produce, learn how to make traditional soda bread, enjoy a traditional sheep farm visit and scone making.

Dublin pickup

Pick up in Dublin, greeted by your guide for the week. Feel the weight of the world drift off your shoulders as you relax in our luxurious mini-van, while your guide enthrals you with stories (and maybe even a song or two). Explore the abandoned medieval town of Rindoon with a refreshing guided 4.5km walk around the ruins along the Lough Ree shoreline. Discover Europe’s largest unexcavated site, soak up the atmosphere of 5000 years of myths and legends and squeeze through the gateway to the underworld! Spend a while sampling some of the locally made gin, before retiring to your cosy, traditional guesthouse accommodation at the heart of Ireland.

Accommodation: On this tour we use 3-4 star hotels which change depending on the time of year. Please ask which hotels we will use for the time you are booking.

Irish touring

After a relaxing nights’ sleep and a hearty breakfast, discover how to make traditional Irish soda bread in the impressive surroundings of Clonalis House, seat of the O’Connor clan, enjoy a tour of the house from the current owner and enjoy your freshly baked bread over lunch in the grand dining room. After lunch, take some time to explore the picturesque historic town of Boyle, and return to Roscommon for an evening of traditional Irish food and storytelling, and maybe a song or two, with a seannachi (storyteller).

Accommodation: On this tour we use 3-4 star hotels which change depending on the time of year. Please ask which hotels we will use for the time you are booking.

Galway

Take a trip westwards and experience life on a traditional sheep farm, making scones and enjoying them after a morning out in the fields rounding up sheep. Spend the afternoon exploring the lively medieval city of Galway. Settle into a 13th century castle for a memorable stay.

Accommodation: On this tour we use 3-4 star hotels which change depending on the time of year. Please ask which hotels we will use for the time you are booking.

Athlone

Explore the vibrant town of Athlone, at the geographic centre of Ireland, and spend a while relaxing on a River Shannon cruise. Sample an Irish coffee at Ireland’s oldest pub, and in the afternoon walk along the Pilgrim’s Road (the oldest road in Europe) to the world-famous 6th century monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise, featuring three legendary high crosses.

Accommodation: On this tour we use 3-4 star hotels which change depending on the time of year. Please ask which hotels we will use for the time you are booking.

Ireland touring and departure

Discover the picture perfect Clonfert Monastery, founded by St Brendan the navigator in the sixth century and see the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Clonfert, which survived an attack by Cromwellian soldiers by hiding in an oak tree for two hundred years! Take a tour around Portumna Workhouse and discover the harsh reality of life in nineteenth century Ireland which led to mass starvation and emigration. Explore the beautiful Birr Castle and Gardens, and the world’s largest telescope built in the 1840s.

Unfortunately, your tour comes to an end towards the late afternoon.

What's included

Included

  • Fully guided by an Irish guide
  • Transport by luxury mini van
  • Entry to attractions listed in the itinerary
  • 4 nights 3*/4* accommodation
  • 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 evening meal
Your local host

Kirsty

My business came from our experiences of group travel in Ireland. We saw groups loading suitcases on to a bus at 6am, we saw groups spending hours on buses to be led to overcrowded sites to fulfil unrealistic itineraries. This is not a holiday and we knew it didn’t need to be like this. We are a family business and have over thirty years' experience in travel and tourism in Ireland.

My business came from our experiences of group travel in Ireland. We saw groups loading suitcases on to a bus at 6am, we saw groups spending hours on buses to be led to overcrowded sites to fulfil unrealistic itineraries. This is not a holiday and we knew it didn’t need to be like this. We are a family business and have over thirty years' experience in travel and tourism in Ireland.

Kirsty image

Location

You will be picked up from your hotel in Dublin, or any designated central city place of your choice. Please ensure you have passed this information to us no later than one month prior to tour departure.

You will dropped back in Dublin afterwards at a central city destination of your choice.

FAQs

Can I book a single room?

Yes, please reserve this using the drop down at booking stage.

Can I book this package during any time of the year?

Yes, please just advise us of your preferred dates and we will try make sure it happens.

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