7-Nights Castles and Manors
Brendan Vacations · 7 days
Escorted
From $3,056 per person
This grand Ireland trip is fit for royalty, including stays in the homes of Irish nobility. You’ll travel to Kildare and learn all about the racehorses of Ireland, visit the Ring of Kerry and watch how delicate crystal is carved in Connemara.
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Ferry across the Shannon estuary
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
- Explore Dublin, Killarney National Park and Cashel with a Local Specialist
- Discover Killarney and Galway
- Visit Kylemore Abbey, Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory, Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel and the Irish National Stud
- View Torc Waterfall
- See Dublin's Georgian Squares and Galway Cathedral
- Scenic Drive of the Ring of Kerry and through Connemara
- Dublin: A Local Specialist will show you Dublin’s elegant Georgian squares, O’Connell Street and the Custom House.
- Galway: Explore the historic heart of Galway. See landmarks such as the Spanish Arch and the cathedral or perhaps admire the distinctive Claddagh rings.
- Kylemore: Visit the turreted Neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey. This monastery was founded in 1920 for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I.
- Connemara: Visit the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory and witness master craftsmen bring these intricate crystal designs to life.
- Torc Waterfall: Visit the Torc Waterfall with a Local Specialist.
- Cong: Overnight on the shores of Lough Corrib in the elegant country quarters of the Lodge at Ashford Castle.
- Clifden: Romance and royalty are guaranteed on your overnight stay at historic Abbeyglen, along the famous Sky Road overlooking Clifden Bay and the spectacular Twelve Bens.
- Cong: Join Catherine and Jim at Glen Keen Farm, owned by the same family since 1600. Hear the story of their land, meet the working border collies and watch a live herding demonstration. Discover how they’ve embraced sustainable farming on the Wild Atlantic Way, then sit down to a farmhouse lunch and homemade cake with tea.
- Clifden: Oscar Wilde described Connemara as “wild mountainous country. . . in every way magnificent.” Experience this region for yourself on a visit to DK Connemara Oysters. This family run farm leads the way in sustainability, biodiversity and packaging for farming and advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption & Production. The experience also promotes sustainable food experiences, small scale farmer interactions or responsible consumption.
- Lahinch: Towering cliffs and the dramatic sea, the Cliffs of Moher has inspired countless travelers. Visit the Exhibition Center and look out over the Wild Atlantic Way from these majestic cliffs that rise over 700 feet high. Gain insights from your Travel Director into the cliffs’ geology, history and the species that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies.
- Ring of Kerry: Admire Ireland's enduring scenic beauty on one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
- Kildare: Admire Ireland's finest thoroughbreds at the Irish National Stud Farm.
Air
Itinerary
Ashford Castle
Killarney (Killarney National Park)
Clifden
Dublin
Excursions
Dublin: Highlights of Dublin City - 8 hours
— Optional Private Excursions
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
— Optional Private Excursions
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
— Optional Private Excursions
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
Available Dates
| From | To | Price |
|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | $3,285 |
| May 22, 2027 | May 29, 2027 | $3,285 |
| Jun 5, 2027 | Jun 12, 2027 | $3,650 |
| Jun 19, 2027 | Jun 26, 2027 | $3,416 |
| Jul 3, 2027 | Jul 10, 2027 | $3,056 |
| Jul 17, 2027 | Jul 24, 2027 | $3,795 |
| Jul 31, 2027 | Aug 7, 2027 | $3,395 |
| Aug 14, 2027 | Aug 21, 2027 | $3,056 |
| Aug 28, 2027 | Sep 4, 2027 | $3,695 |
| Sep 11, 2027 | Sep 18, 2027 | $3,795 |
| Sep 25, 2027 | Oct 2, 2027 | $3,326 |
Terms & Additional Information
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.