Ireland Private Tour – Sample 14-Day Custom Itinerary

Explore Ireland on a customized Ireland Private Tour with your own driver/guide. This sample itinerary features Dublin, Belfast, Derry, Galway, Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle, the Ring of Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wicklow, and more. Each tour is designed around your interests, travel style, and pace.

Prices available on request. Every itinerary is customized for each client.

Day 1 – Arrive in Dublin

Arrive in Dublin and meet your private driver/guide for a half-day introductory tour of the city, lasting approximately 3.5 hours.

Begin with a brief tour of Dublin, passing Trinity College, the Georgian Squares and Doors, Oscar Wilde’s former home, and his bust in Merrion Square Park.

Depending on your interests, visit one of the following highlights:

• St. Patrick’s Cathedral, dating from 1191
• The Guinness Brewery, first opened in 1759 by Arthur Guinness
• Trinity College and the Book of Kells
• Jameson Distillery, where you can learn how the famous whiskey is made

Continue along the scenic coast road south of Dublin, visiting Dalkey and Dún Laoghaire, where grand homes overlook the Irish Sea. After the tour, transfer to your hotel and check in.

Overnight: Dublin

Day 2 – Dublin to Belfast via Newgrange

Depart Dublin and travel north to Newgrange in County Meath. Enjoy a light lunch before visiting this remarkable megalithic passage tomb, which predates the pyramids by approximately 500 years.

Newgrange is believed to be more than 5,000 years old and is especially famous for the winter solstice, when sunlight shines through the passage to illuminate the inner chamber.

Continue into Northern Ireland and visit the St. Patrick Centre in Downpatrick. Visit St. Patrick’s grave and tour the center, which offers an engaging experience for all ages. Afterward, take a ferry across Strangford Lough and travel along the coast to Belfast.

Overnight: Belfast

Day 3 – Belfast to Derry via the Antrim Coast

Leave Belfast and pass the historic Harland & Wolff shipyard, where the Titanic was built.

Continue along the beautiful north coast and stop at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, traditionally used by local fishermen for hundreds of years. From there, visit the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique rock formations and legendary connection to Scotland.

After visiting the Giant’s Causeway, continue to Bushmills, where you may choose to visit the world-famous distillery, which has been in operation since the 1600s.

Travel onward to Derry City for dinner, overnight accommodations, and perhaps some traditional music.

Overnight: Derry

Day 4 – Derry to Galway via Sligo and Foxford

After a brief tour of Derry, travel south toward Sligo. Visit the famous grave of Irish poet W. B. Yeats, set beneath the dramatic mountain of Ben Bulben.

Continue to Foxford to visit the famous woolen mills. This visit shares the story of the local town and how it struggled through difficult times in the late 1800s. Foxford is also the hometown of Admiral Brown, founder of the Argentinian Navy.

Continue to Galway for the evening.

Overnight: Galway

Day 5 – Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and Roundstone

Travel south into Connemara, one of the most scenic regions included in this Ireland Private Tour.

Your first stop is Kylemore Abbey, a neo-Gothic building overlooking Kylemore Lake. The abbey has been run by Benedictine nuns since 1922. Enjoy lunch at the informal restaurant before strolling around the abbey and Gothic church.

Continue to Clifden, the main market town of Connemara. After lunch and time to explore, travel to Roundstone, a charming fishing village on the Atlantic seaboard.

Roundstone is known for its artistic atmosphere, beautiful coastal setting, and views of the Twelve Bens Mountain Range. Visit Malachy Kearns Musical Workshop before continuing to Gorteen Beach. Return to Galway for the evening.

Overnight: Galway

Day 6 – Galway to Dromoland Castle via Kilmacduagh, Ennis and Bunratty

Say goodbye to Galway as you travel toward Limerick. En route, visit Kilmacduagh Monastery near Gort. This historic monastery features ancient buildings and a round bell tower set along the edge of the Burren region.

Continue to Ennis for lunch. This lively town is known for its narrow streets, colorful shops, and welcoming atmosphere.

After lunch, travel to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The castle dates from 1425 and is rich in history. Outside the castle grounds, thatched cottages show what life was like in different parts of Ireland around the 1900s.

Overnight: Dromoland Castle area

Day 7 – Cliffs of Moher and the Burren

Tour the area around Dromoland Castle, passing through Ennis and traveling to Lahinch, a town famous for surfing and golf.

Continue along the coast of County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher, which rise approximately 670 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy a light lunch locally before continuing along the coast road to Ballyvaughan.

This region is known for its flora, fauna, and dramatic scenery. Depending on your interests, visit the Burren Perfumery or Aillwee Cave before returning south to Dromoland Castle.

Overnight: Dromoland Castle area

Day 8 – Dromoland Castle to Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula

Leave Dromoland Castle and travel west, taking the ferry across the Shannon Estuary into County Kerry. This day includes more time traveling by vehicle, but the scenery is spectacular.

Arrive in Dingle for a walk around town and lunch. Dingle is a thriving fishing village and one of Ireland’s most beloved coastal towns. You may hear Gaelic, the Irish language, spoken naturally in the area.

Continue with a tour of the Dingle Peninsula, a visually stunning route filled with Atlantic views. Visit the Blasket Heritage Centre in Dunquin, which tells the story of the last inhabitants of the Blasket Islands before they moved to the mainland.

Overnight: Dingle

Day 9 – Dingle to Killarney via the Ring of Kerry

Enjoy one of the most famous scenic drives in Ireland as your Ireland Private Tour continues through the Ring of Kerry.

Travel from Dingle through mountain scenery and coastal landscapes toward Waterville, a lovely village with a great restaurant overlooking the sea.

This full-day tour offers stunning views throughout the peninsula, along with opportunities to stop and explore based on your interests.

Visit Ladies View, overlooking the three Lakes of Killarney, as you make the winding approach into Killarney. Time permitting, stop at Muckross House and enjoy a jaunting cart ride along the lakeside to Torc Waterfall.

Overnight: Killarney

Day 10 – Killarney to Cork via Blarney Castle

Depart Killarney and County Kerry as you travel toward Cork. Along the way, visit Blarney Castle and Gardens, where you may choose to kiss the famous Blarney Stone, said to give the “Gift of the Gab.”

Continue to Cork and visit the Old English Market, known for its fresh fish, cheeses, and long-standing culinary traditions.

Continue to Aherns of Youghal for dinner and overnight accommodations.

Overnight: Youghal

Day 11 – Cork, Cobh and Kinsale

Tour the Cork area, beginning with Cobh and the Queenstown Story. Cobh was the departure point for many Irish emigrants who left on ships bound for the United States during the famine years of the 1850s.

From here, choose how you would like to spend the rest of the day. Options include shopping in Cork, visiting Cork City Gaol, or traveling to Kinsale, known as the Gourmet Capital of Ireland.

Kinsale is a beautiful village set deep in a river estuary, with narrow streets, excellent food, and plenty to see and do.

Return to Youghal for dinner and overnight accommodations.

Overnight: Youghal

Day 12 – Youghal to Waterford, Kilkenny and Dublin

Leave Youghal and travel to Waterford. No visit to Waterford City is complete without seeing the world-famous Waterford Crystal, where expert craftspeople create crystal masterpieces.

From Waterford, continue to Kilkenny for a light lunch and a visit to Kilkenny Castle, one of the finest examples of a castle and gardens in Ireland.

Depart Kilkenny in the mid-afternoon and make your way back to Dublin.

Overnight: Dublin

Day 13 – Dublin and County Wicklow Day Tour

Meet your driver/guide for a full-day tour of Dublin and County Wicklow.

Begin with a brief tour of the city, passing Merrion Square and Ballsbridge, Dublin’s embassy district. Continue along the south Dublin coast by Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey before traveling to Powerscourt House and Gardens in County Wicklow.

Enjoy a light lunch before strolling through the Japanese and Italian gardens, set in a valley overlooked by Sugar Loaf Mountain.

After lunch at the award-winning Avoca shop and café, or a local pub, continue over the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough, a 6th-century monastic ruin. Glendalough is home to one of Ireland’s most famous round towers, along with many ruins of old churches in a beautiful natural setting.

Return to Dublin for dinner and overnight accommodations.

Overnight: Dublin

Day 14 – Transfer to Dublin Airport

Transfer to Dublin Airport for your departure flight.

This sample Ireland Private Tour can be customized for each client, including preferred destinations, travel pace, hotel style, special interests, and private sightseeing experiences.

Prices available on request.