GREAT TOUR OF IRELAND

Upon your arrival in Dublin, one of our vehicles will be waiting for you at the airport to receive you and transfer you comfortably and quickly to the hotel. The rest of the day will be free to relax and, if you wish, begin to enjoy this city at your own pace.

Dublin is an intimate city with the charm of a village and the warmth of an authentic Irish pub. Surrounded by mountains and bordered by a beautiful bay, its streets and alleyways are filled with artistic and historic buildings, modern cafés, and traditional pubs.

Walking through its streets, you can feel the energy of over 1000 years of history. Traces of the Vikings intertwine with bustling shops, while the cobblestone streets resonate with the music of street performers: 18th-century parks host festivals, film screenings, and food markets.

Greca Tip: Remember to pack a raincoat or umbrella! The weather in the city is quite unpredictable!

You will start the day with a great breakfast and continue with a sightseeing tour of Dublin, the peaceful capital city of Ireland.

You will also enjoy a stroll on the banks of River Liffey, visiting its parks, old university, and its lively downtown streets. One of the highlights you will visit is Trinity College (depending on the duration of sunlight, this visit may take place the afternoon before, upon arrival in Dublin). 

The Old Library at Trinity College houses the famous Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript Gospel book created by Celtic monks around 800 AD. It is one of Ireland's greatest national treasures.

Then, you will have free time during the afternoon.

Dublin is a literary city, home to famous writers like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett. The city houses the National Library and the Dublin Writer's Museum

Greca Tip: Dublin has one of the oldest continuously operating train stations in the world. The Pearse Street train station (previously known as Westland Row Station) has been in operation since 1834.

In the morning, after a full breakfast, you will depart from Dublin heading to Powerscourt, which is located nearby. Here you will visit its magnificent gardens, designed in the 18th century and considered the most beautiful gardens in Ireland. Admire its fountains, Japanese Gardens, and pet cemetery.

Afterward, you will travel to Kilkenny, where you will have time for lunch and to stroll around this lively town. Kilkenny is one of Ireland’s most cosmopolitan cities, a gem in the heart of Ireland's Ancient East.

Further south, you will stop to visit the impressive Rock of Cashel, a medieval fortress that symbolizes the fight of the Irish people against England.

The Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings or St. Patrick’s Rock, is an iconic and historically significant site in County Tipperary, Ireland. Situated on a limestone outcrop, the Rock of Cashel boasts a unique and awe-inspiring skyline that has attracted visitors for centuries.

The site comprises various religious and secular buildings, highlighting the rich cultural and historical past of the area. This history can be traced back to the early centuries AD, weaving together legends, kings, and religious conversions.

You will arrive in Cork around mid-afternoon. Will be time for a stroll in the center of Ireland’s second-largest city.

Greca Tip: Kilkenny is known as the Marble City because of its distinctive black marble.

After having a complete breakfast, you will depart for Kinsale. Make a stop by Charles Fort to admire its great views of the ocean right by the 17th-century fortress. Once in the historic center of Kinsale, you will have some free time. This is a seaside town, considered by many as one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Ireland.

Afterward, you will travel to Killarney, a tourist town in the heart of Ireland. Here you have some time for lunch and a walk around, you will also enjoy a romantic horse and carriage tour of its national park. The horse and carriage tour will take you to Ross Castle which offers wonderful views of the lake. Here you will also take a short cruise to enjoy the beautiful views.

Continuing on the road will be a brief stop in Adare, a small village that preserves its picturesque traditional thatched-roof cottages and the ruins of the old abbey. The Earl of Kildare founded the Augustinian friary at Adare, County Limerick in 1315. It was known as the Black Abbey due to the color of the friars’ habit. Religious activities continued for about 200 years until the community was suppressed in the mid-16th century.

Today, it is possible to take a view of the well-preserved cloisters as well as the church, in use by the Church of Ireland since 1807.

By mid-afternoon, you will arrive in Limerick. Once there will be time to stroll around its center where you will have the opportunity to visit its castle, walk along the river, its cathedral, or discover its shopping center.

Greca Tip: English is the primary language spoken across Ireland, with Irish Gaeilge only being spoken by around 4% of the population regularly.

Once breakfast is done, you will visit Folk Park in Bunratty, a wonderful park where you can learn about how life was in Ireland in the past with its typical cottages and old markets. Its castle stands, accurately reproducing how life was in the Middle Ages.

You will continue to Caherconnell where the Poulnabrone dolmen is found. This is an unusually large dolmen or portal tomb located in Burren, County Clare, Ireland. Situated on one of the most desolate and highest points of the region, it comprises three standing portal stones supporting a heavy horizontal capstone, and dates to the Neolithic period, probably between 4200 BC and 2900 BC.

Before continuing the way to the next stop, you may get the chance to see an exhibition of how dogs shepherd sheep.

Afterwards, you will visit the impressive Cliffs of Moher which overlook the ocean, those who wish can walk to O’Brien’s Tower. The Cliffs of Moher host major colonies of nesting sea birds and are one of the country's most important bird-breeding sites.

Your route continues through Burren National Park which displays amazing landscapes. Finally, you will arrive in Galway.

Galway is a unique blend of tradition, contemporary culture, and a picturesque coastal location, making it a fascinating city to visit

Greca Tip: Ireland has the largest number of red-haired people of any country in the world. Over 10% of the Irish population is estimated to have red hair. That compares to about 1% in Southern Europe, for example.

After breakfast, you will depart for Cong, a small picturesque village located in a magnificent lake area. Here you will have the chance to visit the ruins of the Royal Abbey and walk around Ashford Castle, a gorgeous medieval castle that has been turned into a hotel.

Later, you will travel to Clonmacnoise, where after lunch, you will visit its monastic ruins. Many treasures were taken though during the numerous times that Clonmacnoise was attacked and raided. In its' 1,400 years of being an important monastic center, the monastery was attacked 8 times by the Vikings, 27 times by other forces such as Irish kings, and the Normans, and by other monasteries.

You will resume the journey back to Dublin, where you will arrive in the late afternoon.

Greca Tip: At night don't miss the de opportunity to taste the Irish traditional dish "Irish stew". With a base of root vegetables and beef, it’s the perfect dish to make in the dead of winter or on a cold and rainy spring day.

After breakfast and at the agreed time, we will transfer to the airport to board our departing flight.

Undoubtedly, after spending some fantastic days with Greca, we look forward to seeing you soon to forge new and emotional moments that will always remain in your memory.

Safe travels! Or, as you would say yourself: "Turas maith!".

Greca Tip: If you wish to extend your stay in this city, you can add an extra night in step 1 of your reservation!