Irish Pubs Tour 9 Days

Included in this tour:

• Roundtrip Group transfers when you book our flights ($30 fee for transfers on Land-only bookings)
• Sightseeing by luxury coach
• Professional tour director
• 7 or 8 nights in hotels listed
• Full breakfast daily except on day 1 (B)
• 6 dinners (D) including:
  - Food, Folk and Fairies dinner/show at the Brazen Head Pub
  - 4 table d'hote dinners
  - Kate Kearney's Cottage Irish night
• 2 Lunches (L)
• Welcome get-together drink
• Tour of Dublin with a local guide
• Tours with tastings at Teeling Distillery and Smithwick's Brewery
• Tour and a pint at the Guinness Storehouse
• Walking tours of Kilkenny's Medieval Mile and Galway
• Sheepdog trials on Ring of Kerry
• Irish coffee at the South Pole Inn on your drive along the Dingle Peninsula 
• Ferry ride across the River Shanno
• Pub walking tour of Westport 
• Day tour to Achill Island
• Cliffs of Moher boat trip
• Dublin open-top bus tour with a visit to Book of Kells or General Post Office (9-day tour only)
• Visits and admissions to Glasnevin Museum, House of Waterford Crystal, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Westport House, Aillwee Caves, Cliffs of Moher, Smithwick's Experience, Teeling Distillery and Dingle Peninsula. 
• Headsets for walking tours
• Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
• Free Wi-Fi internet access in coaches and in lobbie

Overnights for this tour:

• Hilton Garden Inn Dublin Custom House(Saturday departures) or Croke Park Hotel Dublin (Wednesday departures) (1 night)
• Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny (1 night)
• International Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
• Armada Hotel Spanish Point (1 night)
• Wyatt Hotel, Westport (2 nights)
• Ashling Hotel, Dublin (1 or 2 nights depending on whether you are on the 8 or 9 day tour). 

Currency:

Please note that we charge in Euros (€). Prices in other currencies are for indication only and subject to fluctuation.

Day 1: Dublin Tour & Guinness Storehouse
Tour starts 2:00 PM at your Dublin hotel. Set out on an introductory tour of central Dublin. Cross the River Liffey to drive along the wide O’Connell Street and view the General Post Office where the 1916 Uprising started. Visit the Guinness Storehouse to learn about Ireland’s “black beer,” and after pulling your own pint enjoy views of Dublin from the rooftop bar. Back at the hotel, enjoy a welcome drink with your group and then dine on your own at one of Dublin’s many restaurants or pubs.

Day 2: Glasnevin Cemetery Museum & Smithwick’s Experience
Explore Glasnevin Cemetery Museum, Ireland’s national necropolis, which is a who’s who of modern Irish history. Head to Kilkenny for a walking tour through Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile to view merchants’ houses and historic pubs. Visit Smithwick’s Experience brewery for a tour and enjoy a sample. Spend some free time browsing the charming city before dinner.
(B, D)

Day 3: House of Waterford Crystal & Blarney Castle
Head to the ancient port of Waterford to visit the House of Waterford Crystal. Witness the creation of crystal masterpieces during your visit. Visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or explore the tranquil gardens. Treat yourself to quality Irish made goods at Blarney Woollen Mills. Pass through County Cork to Killarney where you’ll have free time to explore some of the lively musical pubs.
(B, D)

Day 4: Dingle Peninsula & Kate Kearney’s Cottage Dinner
Head to the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two movies, “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far & Away,” which showcased the wonderful scenery. Visit the South Pole Inn for an Irish coffee and learn about Tom Crean, an explorer who bravely journeyed to the South Pole. Immerse yourself in farm life and watch skilled dogs herd sheep. Enjoy some time and lunch on your own in the town of Dingle. In the evening head to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for dinner and traditional Irish entertainment with songs and step-dancing. 
(B, D)

Day 5: Cliffs of Moher & Aillwee Cave
Embark on a ferry ride across the wide River Shannon Estuary. Take in the spectacular beauty of the Cliffs of Moher, soaring 700 feet above the Atlantic surf. Walk along the top of the cliffs for views across Galway Bay, of Connemara and the Aran Islands. A short drive will bring you into Doolin for lunch at McGann’s Pub. Next visit Aillwee Cave for a guided stroll through the underground caverns. Travel to Spanish Point, named after the ships of the 1588 Spanish Armada that were wrecked there. Enjoy a drink at Johnny Burke’s Pub at the Armada Hotel before dinner.
(B, L, D)

Day 6: Galway & Westport Walk
Drive around the shores of Galway Bay and stop in Galway for some leisure time to explore independently. Continue through Connemara with its hills, lakes, and open country where mountain sheep roam freely. Stop in Leenane, where the movie “The Field” was made. Continue to Westport and enjoy a drink while taking a pub walking tour of this attractive estate town built in 1780, with buildings steeped in history and traditional pubs, many with live music.
(B, D)

Day 7: Teeling Distillery & 12th Century Brazen Head Pub
Enjoy the scenery of central Ireland as you head to Dublin on the east coast. Visit Teeling Distillery, a distillery in the heart of the city, and sample the aged whiskey. Head to the Brazen Head Pub, Dublin’s oldest, dating back to 1198 for an evening of “Food, Folk and Fairies” where story-telling will reveal Ireland’s myths and beliefs in times past. 
(B, D)

Day 8: Independent Bus Tour in Dublin
Enjoy an independent Dublin open-top bus tour and a visit to one of Dublin’s top attractions – Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC Ireland, or the General Post Office Museum.
(B)

Day 9: Tour Ends in Dublin
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Day 1: Dublin & The Guinness Storehouse

Welcome! On arrival in Dublin you can check into your hotel, then the adventuring starts at 2pm, when all participants meet in the hotel lobby for a guided tour of Dublin. Driving down the mains streets you can take in some of Dublin’s most famous sights like Trinity College, the Spire and the GPO. Next up you head to the Guinness Storehouse, home of Ireland’s famous "black beer". Try a cold pint of the stuff while overlooking Dublin from the rooftop bar. You have the rest of the afternoon to explore the city, until dinner!

Day 2: Glasnevin Museum and Medieval Kilkenny walk

Before leaving Dublin You’ll get to visit Glasnevin Museum, Irelands national Necropolis, where Michael Collins, Daniel O'Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell were laid to rest. Leaving the capital you head towards County Kilkenny, where you can check into your next hotel. Kilkenny has a rich medieval history, which you'll learn all about on your walking tour of the town. Visit Smithwick’s Brewery and enjoy some free time before Dinner.

Day 3: Waterford Crystal & Blarney Castle 

You start your day today by visiting the House of Waterford Crystal, where you can learn about how the beautiful glass masterpieces were created. Next you head to Cobh, via Dungarvan, Cobh was the last port of call of the Titanic, before it set off on its maiden and final voyage. Continuing south, you head to Blarney Castle where you can kiss the Blarney stone and visit the woollen mills. You'll be passing through Macroom next, a town built around a castle! Finally you arrive in County Kerry and shortly after that, the town of Killarney, a picturesque, lakeside town, jam-packed with culture and atmosphere. Once checked into your hotel, enjoy a relaxing meal and if in the mood, venture out to explore Killarney's nightlife.

Day 4: Dingle Peninsula & Kate Kearney's Cottage Dinner

Today you visit the epic Dingle Peninsula, driving to Slea Head, the westernmost part of the Peninsula you can see some incredible views of the Atlantic. Visit the Blasket Centre in Dunquin to learn about the history of Blasket Islands, which until 1953 were inhabited by farming and fishing families! Visit the South Pole Inn at the village of Annascaul, where local legend Tom Crean set up his themed Pub. Meet a farmer who has sheepdogs trained to herd flocks before heading back to Dingle to grab a bite to eat. In the evening you drive to Kate Kearney's Cottage, for traditional Irish food and entertainment!

Day 5: Cliffs of Moher and Aillwee Caves

Cross the Shannon estuary by ferry you reach County Clare, following the coast you'll eventually reach the coastal town of Doolin. From here you can take a boat trip to see the epic Cliffs of Moher from below. Next up you head to Aillwee Caves, where you can follow underground caverns, rivers and waterfalls! Travelling south you'll reach the village of Spanish Point, named such due to the many ships of the Spanish Armada that were wrecked there. Make sure to check out some of the villages lively traditional pubs before or after Dinner.

Day 6: Galway & Westport House

Driving along the Galway shore, you can take in the beautiful scenery of Galway Bay before heading in to explore the city!  Continuing on to Connemara, with its beautiful countryside, hills and lakes, you're guaranteed some incredible pictures! Next stop is the village of Leenane where the movie "The Field" was filmed. On to Westport next a pretty estate town dating to 1780 with lots of traditionally styled pubs and restaurants! Enjoy a tour of the stately Westport House, an 18th Century mansion, set in a picturesque estate that has overlooking views of the Atlantic Ocean and Clew Bay! Make sure to take in the history in some of the priceless painting s and artefacts the house contains.

Day 7: Teeling Distillery & 12th Century Brazen Head Pub

Leaving the West coast you head through the centre of Ireland back to the Capital. Here you'll visit Teeling Distillery, the newest distillery in Dublin and try its aged whiskey. Later that evening, it’s off to the Brazen Head Pub for a night of "food, folk and fairies" where you can listen to traditional Irish myths and legends over dinner!

Day 8: Independant Bus Tour in Dublin

For an extension of your tour you can spend an aditional day in Dublin and go on an Independant Bus Tour aswell as visit to the Book of Kells or the General Post office Museum.

Day 9: Departure from Dublin

After breakfast, its goodbye for now!