9-Nights Ireland's Notorious North Tour with Private Driver/Guide — CALL
CIE Tours
OFFER ID 1633726
Experience Ireland your way with our most personalized style of travel for up to 9 guests. Enjoy your own private car with a driver who knows the local history and has plenty of insider stories to share. Perfect for heritage seekers, multi-generational families, and milestone celebrations.
9 nights | Call for pricing
Itinerary Details
Dublin Arrival
Private Transfer to Dublin Hotel
Welcome to Ireland! After landing at Dublin Airport, complete customs and immigration formalities. A private transfer will escort you and your luggage to the hotel.
EPIC Ireland
Visit EPIC Ireland, which celebrates the dramatic story of the spread of Irish culture around the globe, and how Ireland has changed throughout the years. It was voted as "Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction" at the World Travel Awards in 2019.
2-Night Stay: Westbury Hotel, Dublin
Located off Grafton Street, within 2 minutes walk of elegant shopping, theaters, entertainment and cultural attractions. This gracious hotel offers dining at The Russell Room or Sandbank Bistro. The Terrace Lounge is a favorite place for afternoon tea.
Dublin Walking Tour & Dublin at Leisure
Private Historical Walking Tour of Dublin
Join a local guide for a walking tour of historical Dublin. See the Old Irish Parliament, Dublin Castle, City Hall, the Medieval and Viking Quarter, which surrounds Christ Church Cathedral. Also, walk along the pedestrianized Grafton Street, Henry Street and Nassau Street, all with busy shoppers roaming the streets. See the famous Temple Bar and many other key places within the city.
Dublin at Leisure
The rest of the day is free to relax or sightsee and explore Dublin. There are plenty of museums of Irish interest such as the National Museum, the National Gallery or the Writers Museum. There are also plenty of shops along Nassau Street and the pedestrianized Grafton Street or Henry Street. You may like to explore Temple Bar or visit some of the traditional pubs.
Suggested: Tasting Menu or Chef's Table at Chapter One, Dublin (One Michelin Star Restaurant)
Chapter One reflect the great Irish tradition. What you see on a plate in the restaurant is an expression of many artisans, many landscapes and much talent. The menu has unique strength and depth that customers really value and enjoy. When it comes to service, the front-of-house team endeavor to create a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere in which you feel free to enjoy yourself whilst savoring your food and wine to the fullest.
***To be booked in advance. ***
Private Driver Services Begin
Meet Private Driver
Today your private driver services start. Meet your private driver in the lobby of your hotel at 9:00 AM this morning. Enjoy your comfortable ride with your knowledgeable driver who will guide you through the popular and hidden gems of Ireland.
Private Slane Castle Tour with Meet and Greet
At Slane Castle, home to the Conyngham family since 1703, you can take in the 18th Century interiors and learn about its colorful heritage and history, including the legendary Slane Rock Concerts. While here, partake in a Meet and Greet with a Member of the Mountcharles Family (Lord Henry/Earl Alex/Lady Iona)
Titanic Belfast
In the Titanic Quarter, visit Titanic Belfast to embark on a journey through the life of the Titanic, from her conception in Belfast to her tragic end.
2-Night Stay: Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast
This hotel is located in the centre of Belfast, next to the Grand Opera House and just a 10 minute walk to the Belfast Waterfront. Chic rooms offer either vibrant accents or an elegant, subtle color palette. Try dining in the eclectically styled restaurant or drinks at the hip bar.
Belfast Black Cab Tour & Giant's Causeway
Belfast Black Cab Tour
Enjoy a fun escorted tour of Greater Belfast's historical sites in a London-styled black taxi. Let the experienced driver take you on a journey back in time to explore the many places of interest. You choose what you want to see or simply leave it to the driver.
Giant's Causeway
Stop to visit the Giant's Causeway, an impressive area of hexagonal columns formed over 60 million years ago by cooling lava which has given rise to many legends. The story goes that Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner, and the causeway was built as a meeting point for the two. In one version, Fionn defeats Benandonner, while in another, he is disguised as a baby and tricks Benandonner into thinking that he is the largest giant based on the size of his “child”. In this version, Benandonner flees across the North Channel destroying the causeway in his path.
Glenshane Pass Scenic Drive & Derry Walking Tour
Glenshane Pass Scenic Drive
A driver’s delight, the Glenshane Pass stands exquisite as a mammoth mountain pass. The Pass precisely situates itself by cutting the Sperrin Mountains that stand high in the Londonderry County in Northern Ireland. The Glenshane Pass road promises some of the most spectacular visuals of the Sperrin Mountains.
Derry Walking Tour (McNamara Tours)
Travel to the heart of Irish history with a walking tour of Derry. The interactive, hour-long tour will stroll by the City Walls, St. Columba’s Cathedral, Guildhall, and Bogside where you will learn of the city's culture and past.
2-Night Stay: Lough Eske Castle, Donegal
This beautifully restored 17th century castle is set on 43 acres of woodland, a few miles from Donegal town. The hotel offers a blend of Irish country charm and modern comforts for a perfect retreat together with elegant dining and spa facilities.
Slieve League & Glenveagh National Park
Slieve League
Visit Slieve League Sea Cliffs, where the highest point reaches 1,972 feet making them the highest in Europe. The cliffs drop straight down to the wild Atlantic waves below and you will see marvelous vistas.
Glenveagh National Park
Visit Glenveagh National Park where high walls and conifers provide shelter for an amazing collection of exotic plants from all over the world.
County Sligo Drive & Lunch in Sligo
County Sligo Drive
Take an awe-inspiring drive through County Sligo, passing Ben Bulben, a large rock formation that has a table top appearance, and Mullaghmore, a village located on a peninsula. There, stop and see Classiebawn Castle, an imposing country house that sits between the ocean and Ben Bulben.
Lunch Stop in Sligo
After, stop for lunch in Sligo at a local restaurant.
2-Night Stay: Ashford Castle, Cong
This renowned castle, set on the shores of Lough Corrib, is one of Ireland's most luxurious retreats. Accommodations, restaurants and bars are of the highest standards, as would be expected in a world-class hotel. Enjoy golfing, horse riding, spa treatments and many more activities.
*Please note: upon checkout there will be an employee contribution tip of €20 per person added to your invoice. This may be removed at your discretion.
Ashford Castle Falconry & Westport Panoramic
Ashford Castle Falconry
Learn all about falconry at Ashford Castle! After being introduced to the hawks, you will set out into the castle’s woodlands to fly your hawks under your instructor’s supervision. Your instructor will teach you all about hawks and their eyesight, speed, and agility as they fly in the woods. At the end, the hawk will swoop down and return to your gloved hand.
Westport Panoramic
Take a drive out to visit the picturesque Westport, a hidden gem on the west coast with a tranquil river, scenic walks, and hiking.
Galway Panoramic & Galway Walking Tour
Galway Panoramic
Embark on a panoramic tour of Galway to see the principal sights of the city. See the Spanish Arch in the Claddagh area, the City Museum and the Cathedral of Our Lady, which is built on the site of the former county jail.
Galway Walking Tour (Brian Nolan)
Join a local guide for a gentle walking tour of Galway. See the medieval city walls, Lynch's Castle and the narrow streets.
Irish Gun Dog Experience at Adare Manor
Shooting, an important country pursuit, is linked to trained gun dogs to assist in finding and retrieving game. Join a trainer and get up close to the Irish Labradors who will demonstrate different skills, such as obedience, agility, and water work, needed to work in tandem with their owners while hunting. You will also learn how to handle the beautiful dogs yourself!
Overnight: Adare Manor, Limerick
This Neo-Gothic manor hotel is located on 840 acres of property off of the River Maigue. Luxurious rooms are decorated with an updated spin off of the grand 19th century style and features Georgian inspired furniture. There is an indoor pool that overlooks the river, a championship golf course, an onsite spa, and a state-of-the-art movie theater. The hotel also offers several on site dining options that offer a variety of delicious foods.
Private Driver Services Conclude
Your private driver services will conclude at the end of the day. Ask your driver to reconfirm your return airport transfer, if applicable, before parting ways.
Shannon Departure
Private Transfer to Shannon Airport
Your vacation ends after breakfast with a private transfer to Shannon Airport. We hope you had a fantastic time and wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
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Excursions
Belfast - Tour of Antrim Coast - Full Day Tour
Belfast - Tour of Antrim Coast - Full Day Tour
Arrive at The Giants Causeway Centre.
Enjoy a 2 Course lunch with tea/coffee in the wonderful Distillers Arms restaurant.
Following lunch you will travel along the Coast up to the fantastic Dunluce Castle. It is thought by some to be the most picturesque of all Irish castles. Situated in the most north-easterly tip of Ireland and first built by Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster in the 13th century, the ruins of the castle are a huge tourist attraction.
The castle is surrounded by terrifyingly steep drops at either side; these would have been essential features to the Vikings and early Christians, who were drawn to this magnificent place where an early Irish ring-fort once stood. It is situated on a 100 foot high basalt stack with a sea cave underneath. The earliest features of the castle, the two large drum towers, about nine metres in diameter, can still be seen on the eastern side.
Return to Belfast Port on the motorway which runs close to some scenic inland countryside.
Inclusions:
- Private Driver Guide
- Giants Causeway visitor Centre
- Entrance to Dunluce Castle
- Lunch Including Tea and Coffee
Belfast: Cultural Belfast - 8 hours
Belfast: Cultural Belfast - 8 hours
Belfast may be a small city, but it has a wealth of culture and excitement on offer for you to discover! Firstly, visit the purpose-built iconic ‘Titanic Belfast’. With over nine galleries, the Titanic story is brought to life for you with exhibitions, rides, full-scale reconstructions and lots
of interactive fun.
After a hearty Irish lunch (payable locally) head into Belfast city where your guide unravels stories related to “the troubles” of Northern Ireland. You cannot miss the murals across Belfast that offer a fascinating history in pictures. Although huge strides have been made in the fight to combat sectarianism in the city, the marks of the past can still be witnessed across the city, adorning the sides of buildings and walls. A tour of Belfast wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a pint of Guinness at the famous Crown Bar in the city centre. This 19th-century bar is an experience that is unique to Northern Ireland. You are privately transferred back to board your cruise after your tour.
Highlights:
- Explore the 'Titanic Belfast' and learn about the ship's fascinating history
- Learn about Belfast's turbulent past and visit the famous Crown Bar in the city centre
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Belfast: Highlights of Belfast - 6 hours
Belfast: Highlights of Belfast - 6 hours
Today you are met by your expert local guide for a sightseeing in Belfast and the surrounding area. Spend the morning on a panoramic tour of the city centre, where you see the impressive City Hall in Donegall Square, St. Anne’s Cathedral and the buildings of Queen’s University. During this tour, your guide talks to you about the sectarian divisions that have been so prominent in Belfast in recent years. You also visit the Titanic Quarter, so-called as it was here that the ill-fated liner was being constructed a century ago. Your guide shows you where the ship was constructed and the Thomson Dock where it had its final fit-out.
Highlights:
- Take a panoramic tour of Belfast’s city centre to see the impressive City Hall and the buildings of Queen’s University
- Visit the Titanic Quarter where the ill-fated liner was constructed a century ago
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 6 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Excursions
Dublin: Highlights of Dublin City - 8 hours
Dublin: Highlights of Dublin City - 8 hours
Ireland, known affectionately as the “the Emerald Isle” is renowned for its excellent hospitality and you can be assured of a warm welcome by your guide and driver, who will meet you at the port. Discover the history, literary heritage and culture that lies behind Dublin’s elegant Georgian architecture and famous landmarks, during your full-day tour.
Founded in the 16th-century, Trinity College is Ireland's oldest university and holds the Book of Kells, a greatly treasured example of early Irish manuscript illumination. History lovers may opt to visit the nearby Treasury of the National Museum or EPIC - the interactive museum commemorating the emigration of 10 million Irish. For those interested in art, the National Gallery houses a superb collection.
Afterwards make a lunchtime pit stop at the Guinness Storehouse, where you learn how a pint of the world-famous Guinness is created. The heart of the building is modelled on a giant pint glass, which would hold approximately 14 million pints of Guinness beer if filled! Enjoy a complimentary pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar, which boast 360-degree views of the capital.
Complete your touring this afternoon, with a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland and final resting place of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels. Here, take a guided tour of the impressive staterooms which are a longtime symbol of British rule in Ireland, before being transferred back to your ship.
Highlights:
- Admire the grandeur of St Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland and final resting place of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels
- Pour yourself a pint of Ireland’s finest at the Guinness Storehouse to discover the country’s most famous export
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by Mercedes E-class or similar for 1 and 2 passengers, VW Caravelle (7 passenger seats) or similar for 3 and 4 passengers and 12-seater or similar for 5 and 6 passengers.
- Expert local guide for 8 hours of sightseeing in Dublin
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
- Supplement for public holidays
- Anything not specifically mentioned in the "inclusions" list above
Dublin - Dublin City & Powerscourt - Full Day Tour
Dublin - Dublin City & Powerscourt - Full Day Tour
Upon arrival in Dublin Port, you will meet with your private driver/guide and transfer directly to Powerscourt House & Gardens in Co. Wicklow
This stunning 18th Century Stately home comprises 
extensive gardens, which are open to the public; as is the Main House. There is a lovely restaurant in the house, overlooking the gardens and Wicklow Mountains, which offers the finest in Irish artisan, home cooked cuisine. The 34,000 acres of this estate extend along both shores of the River Dargle . Powerscourt is one of the finest properties in Europe, designed and laid out by Daniel Robertson between 1745 and 1767. This property is filled with splendid Greek and Italian-inspired statuary, decorative ironwork, a petrified-moss grotto, lovely herbaceous borders, a Japanese garden, a circular pond and fountain with statues of winged horses, and an occasional herd of deer. Opportunity for shopping at Avoca Handweavers now located in Powerscourt House. Enjoy lunch here at Powerscourt or at a traditional Irish pub in the city centre.
Upon your return from Powerscourt Estate, your private driver guide will take you on your tour of Dublin City.
Whilst Dublin is a vibrant and bustling city, by European standards it is a small city with a population of just over 1 million people. Much of Dublin’s streetscapes are adorned with beautiful 18th century townhouses and a
number of city parks, such as St. Stephen’s Green and indeed Merrion Square. The highlights of any tour in Dublin may include a visit to Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse… and –if time permits –St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Following the city tour, your driver will return you to your ship.
Inclusions
- Private Driver Guide
- Entrance to Powerscourt House & Gardens
- Lunch
Dublin: An Introduction to Dublin - 4 hours
Dublin: An Introduction to Dublin - 4 hours
Disembark for a city adventure this morning accompanied by your expert guide and driver. Your tour of Dublin begins with the impressive Trinity College; Ireland's oldest university. Explore the Old Library, which houses 200,000 antiquarian texts and the oldest surviving harp in Ireland. Here you will see the world-famous Book of Kells; a fabulous example of early Irish manuscript illumination. Hand-crafted by monks, it contains the four gospels and has been resident at Trinity College since the 17th century. Continue to St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland, where you have the opportunity to see a memorial to Jonathan Swift, the author of 'Gulliver's Travels', who became Dean of St. Patrick's in 1713. Afterwards you are transferred back to port.
Highlights:
- See the world-famous Book of Kells, a fabulous example of early Irish manuscript illumination
- Continue to St Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland and home of a memorial to the writer Jonathan Swift
Tour Can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local driver-guide for 4 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
To-day Limerick is a proud, progressive and thriving City with a charter older than that of London. Its castles, ancient walls and museums are testament to its dramatic past. Particularly worth viewing is Limerick's Emblem 'the Treaty Stone" and King John's Castle in its Heritage precinct as well as the magnificent Hunt Museum in Limerick's Custom House. This museum houses an internationally important collection of some 2,000 original works including pieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Renoir and Picasso.
Limerick City is the Capital of the Shannon Region and is an excellent centre for shopping. It is also rapidly building a reputation for dining and the City has its own 'Good Food Circle' of restaurants. The City is also considered to be the sporting capital of Ireland with excellent facilities and passionate followers of all sporting activities. Limerick is an excellent holiday base, is just 30 minutes from Shannon Airport, and less than 20 minutes from attractions such as world-famous Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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