Compare Ireland Your Way: B&B Vacation by Great Value Vacations vs Irish Highlights (Summer) by Trafalgar
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4 | Great
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 1,535 | $ 1,650 |
| Price Per Day | $ 219 | $ 236 |
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| Trip Style | Self-guided tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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N/A |
| Flights & Transport | NA | No |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
Get behind the driver's seat and see Ireland how it was meant to be seen. From County Clare down to the Ring of Kerry, you'll be the captain of your very own Irish adventure! Arrive in Shannon and begin your 6-night vacation. From this central location, hop from city to village in a rental car as you stay in cozy bed and breakfasts. Enjoy a full Irish breakfast each morning before you explore stone castles, windswept coastline, and rolling green hills. Slurp oysters in Galway, kiss the Blarney Stone in Cork, and toast with a pint of Guinness in Dublin. You'll see and do it all in Ireland, your way! |
A roundtrip from Dublin featuring all the Ireland highlights including Waterford crystal, your newfound 'gift of the gab' at Blarney Castle and the irresistible Ring of Kerry. You’ll also learn about the devastating Irish famine and peer over the edge at the Cliffs of Moher. |
Day 1 Welcome to Shannon!
Arrive at Shannon International Airport and pick up your rental car which you will have for the remainder of your vacation. Drive to your first destination in County Clare and settle into your hotel. Enjoy your first pint of Irish beer as you prepare for the next few days of sightseeing
Day 2 Ireland Bed & Breakfast
After breakfast, it's time to travel to your next destination. The remaining nights of your vacation will be spent at the Irish Bed & Breakfast of your choice! Be sure to book your stay prior to your departure date to ensure you are accommodated at your first choice Bed & Breakfast. Your local hosts can also help you with directions, or suggest different places to visit around their home! Consider a visit to Galway, a city in Western Ireland bursting with culture and incredible coastal cuisine! Once a small fishing village, Galway has transformed into a vibrant metropolis with annual festivals, bohemian cafe culture, and colorful shop fronts.
Day 3 Ireland Bed & Breakfast
From your B&B in Galway, make your way down south to County Clare, home to the rugged Cliffs of Moher. Encounter nature in its wildest, purest form as you drive along the Wild Atlantic Way to Ireland’s most spectacular natural wonder. On a clear day, you will be able to see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, the Twelve Pins and the Maum Turk mountains in Connemara as well as the Dingle Peninsula and Blasket Islands in Kerr. After you've soaked in the beauty of the Cliffs of Moher, check into a B&B in Clare.
Day 4 Ireland Bed & Breakfast
Leave your B&B in the morning and drive to Bunratty Castle & Folk Park. Built in 1425, Bunratty Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval castle in Ireland. Explore 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of art that capture the mood of the times. Then get a taste of medieval life at Bunratty Folk Park, complete with a school, post office, doctors house, hardware shop, printers and pub! From Bunratty, continue your drive south to Killarney. Check into a B&B then explore this lively city.
Day 5 Ireland Bed & Breakfast
Today, drive to the Ring of Kerry, a road taking you through 10,000 years of Irish history! On this 111-mile route, you will pass landmarks like Skellig Michael, Muckross House, Derrynane Beach, the stone forts of Cahergal & Leacanabuaile, and more. Once you've completed the circular route, check into a B&B near Kenmare and rest up for your next day of adventure.
Day 6 Ireland Bed & Breakfast
In the morning, drive east to Blarney Castle near Cork. Explore the grounds of this famous medieval castle dating back to 1446 and don't forget to kiss the Blarney Stone, which is said to give each kisser the gift of eloquence. Then make your way to the city of Cork, considered Ireland's third city after Dublin and Belfast. Walk the compact city center and make stops at the English Market, St Fin Barre's Cathedral, and Cork City Gaol. Make your way toward Kilkenny for your final evening in Ireland.
Day 7 Depart Ireland
Say goodbye to Ireland as you drive to Dublin airport. Drop off your rental car then transfer to your departure gate for your flight home.
Day 1: Welcome to the Emerald Isle
Tread in the footsteps of James Joyce and Oscar Wilde, through the lyrical streets of Dublin – your launch pad to a memorable encounter with Ireland's iconic highlights. After a leisurely morning, meet a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour with views of Trinity College, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the stately Georgian Squares. Indulge in a little Irish craic this evening, joining your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.
Clayton Ballsbridge, Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Center.
Dinner
Day 2: Onwards to Galway and Limerick
We journey to Galway, the 'City of Tribes', where we'll see its stone cathedral on the banks of the Corrib and spend some free time exploring its stone façades. Irish traditions and heritage are explored next, during a visit to Bunratty Castle and its Folk Park, a living history museum that reveals insights into life in Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries. Continue to Limerick, for an orientation tour and view the 13th-century King John's Castle overlooking the Shannon.
Greenhills Hotel Conference and Leisure Center
Breakfast
Day 3: Experience the Iconic Cliffs of Moher and on to Killarney
We leave Limerick and stop at the spectacular Cliffs of Moher on the famous ‘Wild Atlantic Way'. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with your local specialist to truly appreciate this breath-taking landscape. You’ll feel like you’ve gone back to an ancient time as you gaze across the water, all the way to the Aran Islands if the weather is good. Visit the interactive visitor center where this incredible UNESCO-listed natural phenomenon comes to life in a way you would not get to see with your own eyes. Go beneath the surface to see how the sediment has stacked up over 300 million years to create this towering backdrop. Inspired by the irresistible beauty of this special place, you’ll continue to your hotel in Killarney with a scenic drive to the ferry departure point and journey across the Shannon Estuary. Our home for the next two nights is the colorful little town of Killarney.
International, Hotel Killarney
Breakfast
Day 4: A Scenic Day on the Ring of Kerry
Circle the spectacular Ring of Kerry – its emerald green hills, centuries-old stone villages and vivid blue seascapes provide a soul-stirring backdrop. We'll see Daniel O'Connell's Cahirciveen, Moll's Gap and the Black Valley, renowned for being the last place in Ireland to get electricity and telephone networks. Consider joining an Optional Experience to Muckross House and its beautiful gardens. With a backdrop of oak-clad mountains, enjoy taking in the towering azaleas and rhododendrons, alongside the shores of the lake. The 19th-century house contains some wonderful examples of furniture and paintings, including a portrait of King James VI, for whom Shakespeare wrote Macbeth.
International, Hotel Killarney
Breakfast
Day 5: Explore Blarney and Journey to Waterford
Cross the rugged Kerry Mountains and travel to Blarney Castle to kiss the stone and acquire the 'gift of the gab'. Continue to Waterford, where we will have dinner at our hotel.
Fitzwilton
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Through County Wicklow’s Countryside to Dublin Dive Into Culture Connect with Locals
Dive Into Culture and witness the centuries-old tradition of crafting fine glass at the House of Waterford Crystal. Here we will watch the talented master crafters in their workshop creating exquisite pieces. Our next stop is in the town of New Ross, where we'll see the monument to John F. Kennedy who traveled to his ancestral family hometown in 1963. We'll visit the three-masted famine ship Dunbrody and Dive Into Culture yet again, gaining insights into the tragic plight of the Irish emigrants who fled the potato famine during the 1800s. Continuing through County Wexford and the lush countryside of County Wicklow, we journey to Dublin stopping en route at Glenealy Farmhouse. We'll Connect With Locals over a Be My Guest Farewell Dinner and meet the Fulvio family.
Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7: Farewell Ireland
For now, it’s time to say a fond slán abhaile to your fellow travelers as you close the curtain on an unforgettable journey through the 'Emerald Isle'.
Breakfast
