St. Patrick's Trail
Travel through "The Land of Saints and Scholars" on this 12 or 13 day tour. Explore the roots of Irish Christianity by following in the footsteps of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. Visit areas associated with other popular saints as well as hermits and monks.
Travel through "The Land of Saints and Scholars" on this 12 or 13 day St. Patrick's Trail Tour of Ireland.
Explore Ireland's heritage and the roots of Irish Christianity by following in the footsteps of Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. Visit areas associated with other popular saints, hermits and monks including Glendalough, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Croaghpatrick, Kylemore Abbey and much more.
Tour Options:
- 12 days/ 11 nights or
- 13 days/ 12 nights
(Please note prices are based on a 12 day tour).
Included in this tour:
- Full breakfast daily (B) except on day 1
- 7 dinners (D) including
- Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet
- Taylor’s Three Rock Pub dinner and traditional show
- 5 table d'hote dinners
- 2 lunches (L) - Welcome get-together drink
- Tours of Dublin and Belfast
- Half-day tour of St. Patrick Country
- Ferry across Strangford Lough
- Walking tours of Derry, Galway and Waterford with local guides
- Sheepdog trials
- Tea and scones in Listowel
- Horse-drawn jaunting car ride in Killarney
- Visits and admissions to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh Cathedrals, Hill of Slane, Titanic Belfast, Saul Church, Down Cathedral, St. Patrick Centre, Giant’s Causeway, Knock Shrine, Croaghpatrick Visitor Centre, Kylemore Abbey, Ballintubber Abbey, Cliffs of Moher, Skellig Experience, St. Brigid’s Well, Gallarus Oratory, Blarney Castle, Rock of Cashel, House of Waterford Crystal and Glendalough Visitor Centre
- Headsets for walking tours
- Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
- All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
- Free Wi-Fi on coaches and in hotel lobbies
Overnights for this tour:
- Radisson Blu Royal Hotel - Dublin (1 night)
- Hilton Belfast Hotel, Belfast (2 nights)
- City Hotel, Derry (1 night)
- Hotel Westport, Westport (2 nights)
- Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty (1 night)
- Killarney Plaza Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
- Granville Hotel, Waterford (1 night)
- Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin (1 night) (or 2 nights if on the 13 day tour)
(Please note prices are based on a 12 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 Arrival & St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Your trip starts at 2:00 pm when you meet your tour director at your Dublin hotel. Tour Dublin city where you can see elegant Georgian townhouses, pass St. Stephen’s Green and Trinity College and cross the River Liffey to drive along O’Connell Street. Take a guided tour through the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral, named in honor of Ireland’s patron saint. In the evening meet your tour director and fellow travelers over a welcome drink to discuss your trip.
Day 2: Hill of Slane, Armagh Cathedrals & Belfast
Today you will travel north of Dublin where you will visit the Hill of Slane, a place of importance since pre-historic times. St. Patrick lit the first paschal fire here in direct defiance of the pagan kings at nearby Tara. Continue to onwards to Armagh, to visit the two cathedrals that are both dedicated to St. Patrick. Drive further north to Belfast for a panoramic tour to learn about 20th century history and see the shipyards where RMS Titanic was built in 1912. Visit Titanic Belfast where you will learn about this ill-fated famous liner. (B, D)
Day 3: St. Patrick Country & Downpatrick Cathedral
Today take a half-day tour to areas associated with the patron saint. View Saul Church, known as the Cradle of Christianity in Ireland, as it was the first church St. Patrick founded. Visit Down Cathedral where you can see St. Patrick’s historical burial site and learn about his work, life and times in the nearby St. Patrick Centre. Return via ferry across Strangford Lough and the scenic Ards Peninsula to the city of Belfast where you will have free time for shopping and dining independently. (B)
Day 4: Giant’s Causeway & Derry Walk
Today view Slemish Mountain where St. Patrick reputedly first lived in Ireland and herded sheep. Join the Nine Glens of Antrim route, for lovely views of mountains and coastline. Stop at the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Continue onwards to Derry, associated with St. Columba, another important Irish saint who introduced Christianity to Scotland. Join a local guide for a walking tour around the medieval city walls. (B, D)
Day 5: Tobernault Mass Rock & Knock Shrine
Travel through the Donegal countryside and onwards to County Sligo. Stop at Tobernault Mass Rock which is an important place of worship during 18th century Penal times when Catholics were forbidden to practice their faith. Drive to the village of Knock in Mayo where local people saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1879 on the gable wall of the church. Today it is a popular pilgrimage destination. Continue your drive to the town of Westport and you may like to browse through the town before dinner. (B, D)
Day 6: Croaghpatrick Mountain & Kylemore Abbey
Close to Westport, stop at the Croaghpatrick Visitor Centre where you can learn about the mountain where pilgrims climb to the summit in honor of the saint. Watch skilled dogs herd mountain sheep and drive into the scenic Connemara region to visit Kylemore Abbey, an impressive mansion that is home to an order of Benedictine nuns. Enjoy a light lunch before returning to Westport town. (B, L)
Day 7: Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Banquet
Visit Ballintubber Abbey, which is used for worship continually for 700 years. Travel through the heart of Connemara to Galway city for a guided walking tour. Drive past the hills of the Burren to view the majestic Cliffs of Moher, which rise 700 feet above the foaming Atlantic Ocean. View a holy well that is dedicated to Saint. Brigid, Ireland’s female patron saint. At Bunratty village check in to your hotel, near Bunratty Folk Park and Durty Nelly’s Pub. Head to the famous 15th century Bunratty Castle for a jolly medieval-style dinner. (B, D)
Day 8: Literary Tea with Scones & Dingle Peninsula
Drive through the outskirts of Limerick city and alongside the River Shannon into County Kerry. Sample tea and scones in a pub in Listowel, associated with the writer, J. B. Keane. Journey along the Dingle Peninsula for glorious scenic views of hills and coastline. Drive to Slea Head, located at the westernmost point and visit Gallarus Oratory, a tiny early Christian church built of unmortared stone. Stop off in the town of Dingle before heading to Killarney. (B, D)
Day 9: Killarney’s Lakes & Jaunting Car Ride
in Killarney town take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car ride to Ross Castle for scenic lake views. Drive around the stunning Ring of Kerry, one of Ireland’s most popular scenic routes. Visit the Skellig Experience which explains how early Christian monks lived on the nearby rugged Skellig Islands. Savor a casual spot of lunch and continue your drive, stopping for photos at spectacular viewpoints, including Moll’s Gap and Ladies’ View. Return to Killarney where the evening is free. (B, L)
Day 10: Blarney Castle & Rock of Cashel
Travel to the famous Blarney Castle to climb to the top and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Drive inland to visit the Rock of Cashel, called Cashel of the Kings. Cashel is reputed to be the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century. Continue onwards to Waterford and after dinner join a local guide for a stroll around the historic streets of this old port city. (B, D)
Day 11: Waterford, Glendalough & Taylor’s Three Rock
Today visit the House of Waterford Crystal to see how molten glass is blown into shapes before being hand-cut and polished by master glassblowers and carvers. View the countless priceless trophies in the showrooms. Drive north to the scenic Glendalough, a lovely monastic site founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century in the Wicklow Mountains. In Dublin, this evening’s destination is Taylor’s Three Rock Pub where you can stop off for dinner with traditional Irish songs and intricate step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 12: Tour Ends in Dublin
Your program ends after breakfast.
or for the 13 day tour:
Day 12: Independent Bus Tour
Spend an additional day in Dublin with an independent Dublin open-top bus tour (valid for 48 hours), plus a visit to Guinness or General Post Office. (B)
Day 13: Depart Dublin for home
Your program ends after breakfast. (B)
| Tour Start Date in Ireland. | Tour End Date in Ireland | Land price Twin Sharing | Guaranteed Departure |
|---|
Start planning your vacation... Enquire Now
Driving Vacations in Ireland
Visit anywhere in Ireland at your own pace and experience the charm
See Fly Drive Vacations
Special Offer $409
7 Day Vacation with stay in an Authentic Irish Castle.
Book Now
Honeymoons in Ireland
Choose Ireland for your Dream Romantic Honeymoon
See Irish Honeymoons
Escorted Tours of Ireland
All inclusive tours by luxury coach escorted by expert tour guide
See Escorted Tours
Group Tours
Enjoy Ireland with your Group
See Group Vacations