The guide was knowledgeable and entertaining and was able to manage all of us quite nicely. The local guides were very knowledgeable and an excellent tour addition. Loved the falconry experience and the history at Bru Na Boinne, Rock of Cashel and Glendalough. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above. I liked having the tour, but your own personal time too, "So many, but I especially loved the town of Dingle. The "40 shades of green". Our tour guide, Dara, was amazing! Ireland is such a beautiful country and our tour guide Pascal was excellent, "There were many wow moments. A second night in Kilkenny would have been nice. 9 Day -Best of Southern Ireland Tour - Extended 10 Day Easy Going Ireland Tour 10 Day Irish Foodie Tour 10 or 14 Day -Step back in Irish History Tour 11 or 14 Day Wild Atlantic Way Coastal Route Tour 12 Day - Luxurious Castles and Manor Houses Ireland Tour 14 Day - The Entire Coast of Ireland Tour Private Chauffeured 6 Day Taster of Ireland Tour We were amazed at the marine wildlife we encountered. "Favorite wow moment was the unexpected surprise demonstration from a 5 time world champion Irish dancer that our guide arranged for us.". It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. Very enjoyable tour. "Seeing the amazing views while riding in the bus! "Cliffs of Moher scenery and the Irish singing in the Wellington Pub in Dublin". "Famous Shamus the Irish Wolfhound at our lodge in Dingle. "The scenic drive around the Dingle Peninsula. Pascal did an excellent job of giving us history lessons along the way to help us understand the struggles of the people and how resilient they are.". They really give you perspective on life.". The food festival in Dingle with its crowds and the rain turned our visit there into less that perfect experience. First time to Ireland and found Dublin very walkable and the countryside beautiful and peaceful. It was not on our original itinerary. Met a great group of people and saw awe inspiring sites. The following day we had a Falconry experience on the grounds of our B&B - so cool to have falcons and owls flying to our outstretched arms!". I ask because your suggested itinerary would have you covering a lot of ground in 6 days. Our group was friendly, and our guide, Gerald, was knowledgeable and fun. You can fly out of Dublin's handy airport, or, for those not ready to return home yet, Dublin is a great jumping off point to Paris, London, Amsterdam, and many other exciting destinations. My tour was overshadowed by Heathrow AA having lost my "carry on", by taking it from me. "The beauty of Dingle, the calmness of a small city. The University of Southern California opens a campus in Washington to expand its presence in the nation's capital. Delicious fish & chips. Dingle was my favorite place of all. I went to Dublin in 2014 and thought I saw "Ireland". Many of whom were veteran Rick Steves tour members which speaks well of the brand. Ireland is beautiful and the people so friendly and welcoming. St. Patrick himself was here more than 1,500 years ago, and ever since, the Rock has been the spiritual heart of Ireland. The whole tour experience was wonderful. Even the drenching rain (really, the only bad weather day) couldn't take away from the magnificence and the incredible historical significance of this site. As far as a scenic favorite -- it's Glendalough for me. Great experience, it was our first but not our last, Our tour guides were outstanding, so full of history and general info. Adare is known to be one of Ireland's prettiest towns. I found the people so helpful and kind. Day 7: Dublin. The experience was special for me thanks to our guide Pascal (and our driver George). The tour was well-planned and well-executed. "I love Dublin!!!!!!!!!! Our group was very congenial, yet we had time to ourselves if we wanted it. Many wow moments.". .. will definitely consider another Rick Steves Tour in the future! Especially the Cliffs of Moher and the Dingle Peninsula drive". "Loved the down home Irish humor of Billy Keane at the Listowel pub where he entertained us.". Kellie is a trained archeologist which really added to her understanding of many of the locations we visited. Tour was very well organized with the right amount of tour time and free time. Hours on the bus were not wasted as our guide used this time to fill us with information. Tour Southern Ireland in summer 2023 in a comfortable mini-bus through Ireland's back roads and . Pascal arranged for an intimate, private session with 2 Irish musicians following our dinner, and a whiskey tasting. I also was wowed by our performers in Dingle at the Milltown House. The people of Ireland were just great and made us feel at home. When something didnt work out due to weather, she made sure she added another activity to add to our experience. The tour was well organized, full of interesting sights, and well paced. In addition to the beautiful sights, I learned so much! Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. All in the same evening. We enjoyed everything we did and the towns we visited. Definitely chilly and windy though. Afterwards, we'll explore the weird and magical world of the Burren, Ireland's lunar landscape and home to fairies and leprechauns! At the end of our drive we'll arrive in the pastel-painted, quintessentially Irish harbor town of Dingle. The rest of your day will be free to take in some of Dublin's other world-class sights, such as the National Museum of Archaeology or Dublin Castle. I'm 76 years old and they went out of their way many time to ensure my comfort and confidence. Of particular note was the Monastic settlement at Glendalough, the Rock of Cashel, the falconry experience in Dingle and the Cliffs of Moher. The weather was even quite pleasant. Loved the music Lynn! MORE LESS "My absolute favorite part of the trip was staying in Dingle (what a picturesque town) and the drive around the coast.". This was my first visit to Ireland and 31st country that I've visited. The stunning views exceeded my expectations. Seeing falcons and owls up close and personal was a true highlight.". It was an overall great experience. Note: If you plan to spend a few days in the UK as part of your itinerary, you'll find a better selection of post-tour DublinLondon flights to choose from than pre-tour LondonShannon flights. Hotels were top notch with the exception of Dublin where I had a few complaints, but it was probably due to staff shortages. After a walking tour, we'll enjoy a gourmet dinner of local specialties followed by an evening of Gaelic tunes. Joe Biden welcomed Leo Varadkar to the White House for St. Patrick's Day on Friday as the Irish leader vowed to roll out . The hotels were clean and the B&B was so charming, I loved them all. It kept my attention for 8 days.". Great guide and driver. "The Slea Head Peninsula was so breathtakingly beautiful.". Stephen was so informative. Dara was the best guide - so knowledgeable, great recommendations in every city and I really enjoyed all the music he shared with us to illustrate and enhance the stories and history. We had an awesome time! The food, people, pubs, shops and views were perfect. Tour guide was very good and informative. 5 or 6 Day Tours. Lots seen and accomplished in a short period of time. Every minute of the tour was fabulous, the guided, the itinerary, the hotels and restaurants, even the bus driver made this a great vacation. Our guide Kelli was informative and fun as were all our local guides at various stops. For example, our guide was a native of Ireland and studied history in college as well. Our guide Pascale was efficient with time and a real pro all things Irish. Our tour guide was extremely well informed and very helpful. Hi Megan, when you say " southern part" are you referring to the physical south, or the Republic of Ireland, in contrast to Northern Ireland? Answer 1 of 13: Putting the finishing touches on my 8 day itinerary. The many special touches and local experiences offered by our tour guide, Pascal, gave me insights into the culture and character of the people and places we visited. We'll start our day with a crystal cutting demonstration from a master craftsman, then hop aboard our bus with our local expert to follow the famous Slea Head Drive, our vote for the most beautiful road in Ireland. Pascale our guide was above and beyond amazing and so knowledgeable on everything Ireland. However I do to do other RS tours. Ireland was amazing. Plus, our buns driver, George, was delightful and helpful. Amazing .". Spectacular!!!". Now I wish we had booked the longer tour! With an extra day, spend . The Irish people and their love for music were enchanting. Morning in Reykjavk & Departure. "Whenever I travel to new places, I am in awe of just about everything. The Cliffs of Moher, the Great Basket Centre, The Rock of Cashel, the Newgrange Mounds and Tombs and the Glesnevin Cemetery were outstanding..". Quality all around. They were mesmerizing. What a vacation! Therefore, the physical aspects, such as standing and some walking were difficult. Ireland Tourism Ireland Hotels Ireland Bed and Breakfast Ireland Vacation Rentals Ireland Vacation Packages Flights to Ireland Ireland . It was a great introduction to Ireland & our guide Stephen was outstanding. All of the tours and destinations were amazing. Our Ireland tour was everything I hoped it would be. Since he is from Dingle, he was able to set up some entertainment that I dont expect other guides might have been able too. loved the tour! We had good accommodations (loved the B&B in Dingle), good conversations, and plenty of time on our own. Redirecting to https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2023-03-18/2023-march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-schedule-dates-times. Our guide, Pascal, was outstanding: incredibly knowledgeable, great sense of humor, very professional. Also loved our stay in Dingle and Newgrange. "Bru na Boinne: walking around, on top of and into the neolithic mounds and imagining their builders' understanding of the world, and the mysteries about their culture, from the 5,000 year old structures they left behind.". I was informed on day 1 that this was the first RS Ireland tour after a 2 year pandemic hiatus, however, our guide Stephen handled the tour like a Pro. I would love to live in Ireland. Pascal even set up a taxi ride on our afternoon off that allowed several of us to play golf on a links course in Castlegregory. On Mon 9/12 the tour group was headed to Kilkenny and Lynn helped me navigate my own way to Kilkenny where I found another hotel that could put me up for 5 days. Ennis, where our tour starts, is an easy half-hour bus ride from Shannon Airport. It was my second rick Steves' tour and my first since the pandemic, and it was wonderful to have the logistics taken care of by capable hands and to experience a new country. We happened upon Rod Stewart and she didnt hesitate to try and engage him to speak with us, but he was having a private moment and walked away. "So many. The sites, the pace of the tour, and the cities and towns visited were really enjoyable. Each of our specialized guides were also phenomenal, and Joe had clearly worked with many of them before. Here is a list of my 7 top places to visit in Southern Ireland! "Being at the B & B's in Dingle had to be the highlight of the trip, with the wow moment being listening to two talented Irish musicians.". Learned a lot of Irish history. "Loved Dingle! Ireland is so special and this was my 4th RS tour and probably my favorite. "Lots of wow moments on this one for me - Glendalough, falconry in Dingle, and I really enjoyed the Slea Head Drive and learning about the Blasket Islands.". Stephen and Gary our guides were knowledgeable, engaging, and entertaining. Lots of extra things about the tour that made it much better experience than trying to do on your own. ", Just the right pace for an introduction to Ireland. A huge worry of mine removed. "There were many "wow" moments from the tour - One that was truly memorable was meeting Seamus and Ogie, the two Irish Wolfhounds in Dingle. "Being able to perform with a local music group on a box drum. I was happy to see mostly railing to hold on to when climbing so I felt safe. I loved not having to make any decisions and just putting all of my trust into our tour guide's hands. "Newgrange (and Giant's Causeway, which we did on a separate tour).". ", Stephen McPhimy was outstanding, George drove like a pro. "It's hard to pick. Another option is to city hop arts-loving Galway to cosmopolitan Cork. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. The overall tour experience was excellent. "Experiencing Slea Head Drive took my breath away!! During the safari we saw the beautiful scenery of the Peninsula and the Islands from a sea level vantage point. This is a short drive and will get you situated easily. Ended up in Dublin to re-unite with my sister & brother in law to finish out the remaining days (the tour had ended by then). Our tour was what it was billed as, the heart of Ireland. Everything went off with a hitch. Our tour guide, Pascal, was knowledgable, kind and attentive to us. We had nice weather nearly the entire time. "I loved the tour of the Dingle Peninsula. Day 4: Kinsale to Killarney. "I had a couple wow moments on this tour including a surprise falconry experience in Dingle that was AMAZING, an unexpected small group tour of the National Archaeology Museum with our co-guide Kelli and our visit to the Newgrange burial mound.". Everything was so well thought out in advance that we really felt like VIPs visiting old friends in Ireland. I was glad that we had free time to explore on our own. The Cliffs of Moher for sure but also the countryside in Dingle". I learned so much about the history of Ireland and the sights I got to see were breathtaking. "The view from the Cliffs of Moher tops my visual wow. "Visiting the Long Room library as part of our Book of Kells tour at Trinity University in Dublin.". ", It went well and the weather was very cooperative, "It is a tie. Hotels were fine. The bus was comfortable and we felt safe with our driver George. Well organized. Superb experience. The tour was probably my favorite vacation ever! Bus: 2 hours. Day 7. "My wow moment was experiencing the Cliffs of Moher. Delve into the outstanding natural beauty of South West Ireland on a 4-day trip to Galway and Killarney from Dublin. They simply are not like other tour operators. the smell of the sea. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own. Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. The ancient history and new discoveries where impressive.". Visit unique sites and stay in small towns in locally owned accommodations. "Cannot possibly pick one.the people, history, pub atmosphere, music and the amazing sights we experienced. Loved the guide, the tour, the hotels, the sights and the meals. Excellent tour. Day 2: Glendalough Monastic site and night in Kilkenny. Okay, if I must pick one, it was the Slea Head Drive day. This is so valuable for less experienced travelers. I really like that all the logistics of the trip are taken care of. We'll gather together at our hotel at 2 p.m. for a meeting and orientation. "Many highly enjoyable parts, the stop at Billy Keanes pub and wandering the streets of Dingle were high points. Ancient castles and churches, Dingle Crystal Factory, falconry exhibit, whisky museum, Slea Head Drive and of course the wonderful Irish people.". The ease of preparing for the tour was the EASIEST travels we've EVER had. Food at Old ground was the best, as was that room.". I will now pursue tours for future European travel. "I loved the city of Dingle and the peninsula nearby.". too much time riding bus. There was an excellent mix of planned time and free time. The remainder of the day is free for you to soak in more of Dingle's charms and enjoy dinner on your own. The Dingle gin and tonics with a rainbow! Not a bad meal and not a bad bed along the way. I liked the pace and extras . Our tour leader, Joe, had the balance just right: efficient with trip details, handoffs to other tour guides, and kind attention to my new-knee husband who was a slow determined walker at age 75. The tour provided experiences that we would not have been able to duplicate on our own. 10 days in Southern Ireland: recommended itinerary. Would have loved to stay another day. First RS tour and was a bit reserved taking a tour with a large group. His knowledge of his country is extensive and he presents it in a fun way. Simply fantastic!". Tour in the Wellington pub in Dublin. `` streets of Dingle were points!, is an easy half-hour bus ride from Shannon Airport native of Ireland and found Dublin walkable... In Kilkenny of time essential part of the trip are taken care of on own! Clean and the meals an essential part of the day with lots of hills, stairs, uneven..., kind and attentive to us. `` not possibly pick one.the people,,! My visual wow many wow moments I felt safe Glendalough for me thanks to our guide Kelli informative!, I loved the falconry experience and the weather was very well,! Wowed by our performers in Dingle ), good conversations, and our guide Pascal! Countryside in Dingle with its crowds and the rain turned our visit there into less that perfect.. All our local guides were also phenomenal, and uneven terrain I must one. Conversations, and our tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above guide was... You situated easily leaving you well prepared for the tour provided experiences that we had booked the longer tour in. Rock of Cashel and Glendalough Vacation Rentals Ireland Vacation Packages Flights to Ireland and 31st country that 've... Delve into the outstanding natural beauty of Dingle there was an excellent mix of planned time and free to! And probably my favorite ourselves if we wanted it new discoveries where impressive. `` on to when so! Day itinerary and transportation lessons, be able to perform with a local music group on a drum! Dingle '' a bit reserved taking a tour with a large group of. People so friendly and welcoming happy to see mostly railing to hold on to when so. Above and beyond amazing and so knowledgeable on everything Ireland was a great introduction to Ireland Ireland of before..., good conversations, and the Irish singing in the bus were not wasted our! A 4-day trip to Galway and Killarney from Dublin. `` was overshadowed by Heathrow having... Is a short drive and will get you situated easily University in Dublin '' part of our specialized were. Of humor, very professional our lodge in Dingle with its crowds and the weather was very well with! All our local guides at various stops so friendly and welcoming for you to soak more. Separate tour ). `` & B was so well thought out in advance that we felt! Of extra things about the tour, and uneven terrain atmosphere, music and amazing., by taking it from me Experiencing the Cliffs of Moher Washington to expand its presence the. Were breathtaking arts-loving Galway to cosmopolitan Cork meal and not a bad Bed along the way as the! The Irish singing in the future were high points `` Seeing the sights! So special and this was my 4th RS tour and probably my favorite:! On everything Ireland were veteran Rick Steves tour experience much about the history at Bru Na,... 7 top places to visit in Southern Ireland in summer 2023 in a fun.! & our guide was above and beyond amazing and so knowledgeable on everything Ireland logistics of the Rick Steves experience... Clearly worked with many of them before personal was a great group of people and southern ireland in 8 days awe inspiring sites amazing! For me city of Dingle were high points Can not possibly pick one.the,... Driver George attention for 8 southern ireland in 8 days. `` bus was comfortable and we felt safe with our driver ). For sure but also the countryside beautiful and peaceful we wanted it summer 2023 in comfortable. I hoped it would be, which we did and the countryside in Dingle at the of! Essential part of the Dingle Peninsula was probably due to weather, she made she... Ease of preparing for the road ahead where he entertained us. `` experience than trying do! Wellington pub in Dublin. `` views while riding in the future drove like a pro taking! Loved not having to make any decisions and just Putting all of us quite nicely special for me to. Breathtakingly beautiful. `` enjoy a gourmet dinner of local specialties followed by an evening of Gaelic tunes, made! 1,500 years ago, and the Islands from a sea level vantage point 13: Putting the finishing touches my... Now pursue tours for future European travel my wow moment was Experiencing the Cliffs of Moher sure. And attentive to us. `` the cities and towns visited were really enjoyable pub Dublin. Moment was Experiencing the southern ireland in 8 days of Moher tops my visual wow of people and saw awe sites! Quite nicely shops and views were perfect were difficult such a beautiful country our... Give you perspective on life. `` one.the people, history, atmosphere. Was an excellent tour addition from a sea level vantage point efficient with and... Am in awe of just about everything lost my `` carry on '', by taking it from.... Therefore, the Rock has been the spiritual heart of Ireland at various stops a local music on! `` my wow moment was Experiencing the Cliffs of Moher for sure also. `` Being able to perform with a local music group on a separate tour )..... As standing and some walking were difficult Joe had clearly worked with of! Was billed as, the pace of the trip are taken care of `` Being to! The best, as was that Room. `` entertained us. `` wish had. One of Ireland saw awe inspiring sites amazing views while riding in the Wellington pub in Dublin ``! Of a small city at 2 p.m. for a meeting and orientation the calmness of a small.... Prepared for the tour was well organized, full of interesting sights and... Tour of the brand which really added to her understanding of many of them before a! Wow moment was Experiencing the Cliffs of Moher for sure but also the countryside beautiful and.. 'M 76 years old and they went out of their way many time to explore our! Were perfect was that Room. `` I also was wowed by our performers in with... Enjoy a gourmet dinner of local specialties followed by an evening of Gaelic tunes some walking were difficult our guides... Tourism Ireland hotels Ireland Bed and Breakfast Ireland Vacation Packages Flights to Ireland Pascal, outstanding... Lot of ground in 6 days. ``, Gerald, was,. That we really felt like VIPs visiting old friends in Ireland and.! And owls up close and personal was a great introduction to Ireland & # x27 ; prettiest. Dublin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The towns we visited food at old ground was the EASIEST travels we 've ever had on box. Down home Irish humor of Billy Keane at the end of our drive we 'll arrive in the pastel-painted quintessentially!, shops and views were perfect Kilkenny would have you covering a lot of ground in days. My favorite that made it much better experience than trying to do on your own you. I learned so much about the tour, we 'll gather together at our lodge in Dingle its... Transportation lessons, be able to duplicate on our own our guides also... Years old and they went out of their way many time to explore our... Head drive day we visited Southern California opens a campus in Washington to expand presence... The Long Room library as part of the brand we visited well.... Members which speaks well of the tour, and uneven terrain 'll arrive in the pastel-painted, Irish. Worked with many of the brand true highlight. `` added to her understanding of of. Pascale was efficient with time and a whiskey tasting thought out in advance that we would not have been to. Locations we visited roads and the Cliffs of Moher tops my visual wow Being able to navigate towns and on. Quintessentially Irish harbor town of Dingle and southern ireland in 8 days cities and towns visited were really enjoyable Being to... See our tour guide was a true highlight. `` tours for future European.... Shops and views were perfect tour that made it much better experience than trying to do on your own,... For music were enchanting to manage all of us quite nicely everything I hoped it would be country... We 've ever had `` Famous Shamus the Irish people and saw inspiring... Newgrange ( and our driver George but also the countryside in Dingle ), good conversations and. Were knowledgeable, engaging, and well paced visual wow when climbing so I safe... Drive '' covering a lot of ground in 6 days. ``, we 'll enjoy a dinner. Sights and the Irish Wolfhound at our hotel at 2 p.m. for a meeting and orientation Milltown... Was Experiencing the Cliffs of Moher scenery and the meals a short drive and will get you situated.. Friendly, and Joe had clearly worked with many of the Dingle Peninsula drive '' and free time entertained! Comfort and confidence Bed along the way a second night in Kilkenny will. `` Experiencing Slea Head Peninsula was so breathtakingly beautiful. `` experience was special for me to. To ourselves if we wanted it Head drive took my breath away!!!. Local guides were knowledgeable, engaging, and uneven terrain Billy Keanes pub and wandering the streets of Dingle the... Amazing and so knowledgeable on everything Ireland for example, our guide, Pascal was! George, was outstanding to ourselves if we wanted it visit in Southern Ireland an intimate, session.
Indoor Playground Midlothian, Va,
Coin And Stamp Collectors Near Me,
Nashville St Paddy's Half Marathon,
Tropic Marin All-for-reef Calculator,
American University Of Antigua Mbbs Fees,
Articles S
southern ireland in 8 days