Maximize your vacation days on this introductory tour of the Emerald Isle. You’ll have the chance to kiss the Blarney Stone, view the scenic Ring of Kerry and majestic Cliffs of Moher, enjoy a medieval banquet, and so much more.

2023 Taste of Ireland (Tour C) - 5 Days/4 Nights

Duration: 5 Days

Price: Starts from $0 USD

Itineraries

Day 1: Dublin Panoramic Tour | Dublin Castle | Merry Ploughboy Pub
Your tour departs at 2:00 PM from the hotel lobby, and sets out on a panoramic tour of Dublin. Drive through the lively streets with a local guide, seeing this historic city's highlights: Trinity College, elegant Georgian homes, and modern buildings rising by the River Liffey. Visit Dublin Castle for a guided tour and see the splendid State Apartments; for centuries the seat of colonial power in Ireland, this impressive complex is today a place for official ceremonies. Return to your hotel for a welcome drink with your group, then head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with traditional music and step-dancing.
(D)


Day 2: Blarney Castle | Killarney
Travel through lush green countryside on your way to Blarney Castle. Along the way, stop for photos of the stately ruins of the Rock of Cashel on their hilltop perch. At Blarney, climb the winding staircase to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone and gain the gift of the gab, or wander the beautiful gardens. Arrive in the friendly, lakeside town of Killarney, where you'll dine in your hotel this evening.
(B, L)


Day 3: Ring of Kerry | Skellig Experience | Sheepdog Demonstration
Visit CIE Tours preferred shopping partner Moriarty's in the beautiful Gap of Dunloe, before embarking on the famed Ring of Kerry scenic drive. The winding, 100-mile route reveals breathtaking coastal and mountain views, with plenty of photo stops. Pause for a casual lunch in a cozy restaurant. Continue on to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, a visitor center telling the story of the neighboring island of Skellig Michael, which you'll see off the coast. Learn how this island, a filming location for “Star Wars”, was once the austere home of early Christian monks. Stop for a stroll around the quaint, colorful village of Sneem, and at Moll's Gap for panoramic views of Ireland's highest mountains. Visit a farm to see a demonstration of skilled sheepdogs herding sheep. Return to Killarney and enjoy a free evening to dine and discover the pubs as you wish.
(B, L)


Day 4: Cliffs of Moher | Medieval Castle Banquet
Leave Killarney, taking a 20-minute ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary before driving along the coast of County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone soaring almost 700 feet above the Atlantic. Continue on to your hotel. In the evening, head out to a castle for a medieval-style feast of excellent traditional dishes. Lords and ladies will serenade you with songs and harp music evocative of medieval times. (Please note that January departures may offer a different dining experience.)
(B,D)


Day 5: Tour Ends in Shannon
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)


B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Highlights

Authentic Local Experiences:
  • Visit a farm in the beautiful mountains of County Kerry and watch border collies hard at work as they round up sheep.
  • Tour the magnificent State Apartments of Dublin Castle - once the living quarters of the viceregal court, the Apartments today are the venue for presidential inaugurations and other official ceremonies.

Trip Highlights:

  • Irish Night in Dublin
  • Blarney Castle
  • Cliffs of Moher
  • Medieval Castle Banquet
  • Dublin Castle
  • Ring of Kerry
  • Sheepdog Demonstration
  • Skellig Experience

Dining Experiences:

  • 4 Breakfasts (B), 1 Lunch (L) and 3 Dinners (D)

Hotels:

  • Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge | Dublin (1)
  • Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney (2)
  • Clayton Hotel | Limerick (1)

Taste of Ireland (Tour C) - 5 Days/4 Nights

Blarney Castle

Not included

Hotels

Taste of Ireland (Tour C) - 5 days/4 Nights land tour
SupplierNameSupplierRating DescriptionImage
SupplierName Clayton Hotel BallsbridgeSupplierRating **** This hotel was once a Masonic School and still retains many striking original features that give it a unique charm. Standard rooms are tastefully decorated and boast a fresh and warm feeling. The Brasserie Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with fresh, seasonal and sustainable produce. Tom’s Bar is a great place to relax with a drink or a snack. Set in Ballsbridge, close to the Royal Dublin Society and Aviva Stadium, this property is a short distance from the city center, with good bus service close by.
SupplierName Killarney Towers HotelSupplierRating **** This modern hotel provides guests with 182 rooms that are comfortable and include satellite TV and video facilities. An excellent restaurant serves great Irish breakfasts and carvery dinners while the choice of bars offer live music most nights. Enjoy a strenuous workout or leisurely dip in the pool in the extensive leisure center. Located in the center of Killarney town within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, pubs and the Killarney National Park. Hotel parking.
SupplierName Killarney Towers HotelSupplierRating **** This modern hotel provides guests with 182 rooms that are comfortable and include satellite TV and video facilities. An excellent restaurant serves great Irish breakfasts and carvery dinners while the choice of bars offer live music most nights. Enjoy a strenuous workout or leisurely dip in the pool in the extensive leisure center. Located in the center of Killarney town within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, pubs and the Killarney National Park. Hotel parking.
SupplierName Clayton Hotel LimerickSupplierRating **** With views from the beautiful location on the River Shannon waterfront in Limerick City Center, Clayton Hotel Limerick offers free WiFi throughout and access to the Waterfront Restaurant, Grill Bar and Restaurant and ClubVitae leisure center, featuring a 39 foot indoor heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym, steam room and sauna. The light and modern rooms offer CIE Tours' guests a flat-screen TV, tea/coffee making facilities, free WiFi and private bathrooms with soft cotton towels, a hairdryer and toiletries. Grill Bar & Restaurant offers locally sourced flame-grilled food with a view and a bar with contemporary designs where guests can enjoy an extensive European lunch and dinner. For a lighter bite indulge in a handcrafted coffee and specialty teas with freshly bakes snacks throughout the day in Red Bean Roastery. The Waterfront Restaurant in the heart of the city feature views of the River Shannon from wrap around glass walls.