Day 1 :
After arriving in Dublin Airport, you will travel to your hotel in Dublin’s City Centre. Due to the beauty and picturesque nature of the Irish countryside, the perceived notion of many tourists is that Dublin is simply ‘another’ capital city, useful only as a point of entry and exit for the country before the real tour commences. Spend 2 days in this historic city and you will be faced with the quandary, not what you should see but that you should leave out. Knee- deep in history and the genesis of much of Ireland’s modern success story, Dublin is an invigorating city.
Despite Ireland’s “Celtic Tiger” economy, Dublin has remained one of Europe’s most intimate capitals boasting elegant shops, hotels, galleries, coffeehouses and a stunning variety of excellent restaurants.
Dublin city centre is a compact area, with all points of interest being easily accessible on foot. As a result you will find a large number of walking tours available, the most popular of which include the “Historical Walking Tour” and the “Literary Pub Crawl”. You may of course wish to visit many of the sights in your own time. To that end, we are happy to provide you with a detailed map of Dublin, complete with a number of suggested walking tours. All landmarks, museums, etc. are clearly marked on the map, including a short description of each.
Day 2 :
A great way of getting around the city today is the Hop-On, Hop Off bus tour that stops at many of the major attractions in the city including the Phoenix Park (Home of the Irish President and Europe’s largest City park), The Guinness Brewery, Kilmainham Gaol, Trinity College, The National Museum and Dublin Castle to name but a few. Other sights worth visiting in or close to the city centre include Christchurch Cathedral, The James Joyce Centre, The GPO and of course The National Gallery. Spare some energy for the evening however, as the Temple Bar area of the city centre awaits. Just a short walk from your hotel, the Temple Bar offers an excellent mixture of restaurants and pubs with contemporary and traditional Irish music. For the shoppers amongst you, just yards from Trinity College is Ireland’s most famous shopping area, that of Grafton Street.
Day 3 :
Departing Dublin, it is time to discover the splendour of the South East of Ireland. Just south of Dublin, you will arrive at Powerscourt Gardens (signposted). One of the world’s great gardens, Powerscourt with its 18th Century Palladian House is situated in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. It is a sublime blend of formal gardens, sweeping terraces, statuary and ornamental lakes together with secret hollows, rambling walks and over 200 varieties of trees and shrubs.
Soon after is the Monastic Ruins of Glendalough, with its two clear water lakes beneath the sheer cliffs of a deep valley, which was carved out by glaciers during the Ice Age. The monastic settlement has been a centre for pilgrims and visitors since its foundation by St. Kevin in the 6th century. Continuing on through the Garden County Wicklow, you will also see Avondale House, now a museum to the memory of one of the greatest political leaders of modern Irish history, Charles Stewart Parnell, who was born in Avondale on 27th June, 1846.
The Avoca Handweavers factory and the beautiful ‘meeting of the waters’ at Avoca await you just before you leave Wicklow behind. Traveling down the N30 to New Ross in Wexford, it is well worth stopping at the Dunbrody Famine Ship which is moored on the river in the centre of the town. An interactive exhibition re-enacts life on the Dunbrody as she carried her passengers from New Ross to the US and Canada 150 years ago. Also in this area is the ancestral family home of the Kennedy’s.
Just 20 miles later, you will arrive in Waterford city, home to Waterford Crystal.
Day 4 :
From Waterford, you will travel to the Kingdom of Kerry in the South west. On route you will stop off at the Cobh Heritage Centre, The Jameson Distillery and Blarney Castle in Cork, before arriving in Killarney Town. There is also the option of a visit to the gardens of Lismore castle in County Waterford. Lismore Castle has been the Irish home of the Dukes of Devonshire since 1753 and is one of the most spectacular castle in Ireland. Situated in a panoramic position overlooking the Blackwater Valley it has views over rolling, wooded hills to the Knockmealdown Mountains beyond. Whilst being totally private except for their gardens, the Castle is on the outskirts of the Heritage Town of Lismore.
The Cobh Heritage centre (The Queenstown Story) is your next stop. Cobh, situated on one of the world’s largest natural harbours, was the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic in 1912 and was the closest port to the site of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. The heritage centre sympathetically recounts these events and tells the story of emigration from Ireland to the United States and Australia from the time of the famine in 1847 up to the 1950s. You will also have the opportunity to tour the Jameson Whiskey distillery in Midleton, just before Cork City. About 5 to 8 minutes beyond the Cork City Centre take a left turn to Blarney. A stop to climb to the castle ramparts to ‘Kiss the Blarney Stone’, said to bestow the gift of eloquence, and is a must for those who dare.
Upon arrival in Killarney, check in to your accommodation and enjoy a well earned rest! In the evening take a stroll around the town, find a good restaurant or inn for dinner and follow your ears to one of Killarney’s lively traditional music pubs such as Danny Manns or The Laurels.
Day 5 :
While based in Killarney, you will have the opportunity to tour either the Ring of Kerry or the Dingle Peninsula. These two drives offer some of the most spectacular scenery that you will find in the country. You will drive through stunning mountain passes, high above the likes of Killarney and along an unspoilt coastline that boasts mile after mile of clear uncrowded beaches. Add into this mix, the colourful and quaint villages that dot the coast and you will have a day to remember. Returning to Killarney, you will have the opportunity to visit the Muckross House and Gardens or perhaps take a short boat cruise on the lakes of Killarney that sits in the middle of the Killarney National Park. Also in the grounds of the National park are the Muckross Traditional Farms. Take a stroll down memory lane to visit Ireland in the 1930s and 1940s. This was a period before the widespread use of electricity, when all work was carried out using traditional methods. You will visit three separate working farms (small, medium and large), each complete with animals, poultry and horse drawn farm machinery. A good way of seeing the park and town is to take a traditional pony & trap tour. Spend another evening in the company of like minded souls enjoying the entertainment that this famous town has to offer.
Day 6 :
Today, travel to the ‘City of the Tribes’ that is Galway City. The route brings you through the villages of Adare & Bunratty and the city of Limerick. Adare is regarded by many a seasoned traveller as Ireland’s prettiest village with its charming thatched cottages, manicured public park and ancient church – make sure you have plenty of film in your camera. The city is a not often recognised as a tourist destination, which is a shame because Limerick has a long history with a medieval past dating back as far as the 5th century. Among the most interesting attractions are King John’s Castle and The Hunt Museum.
10 minutes from Limerick, you will arrive at Bunratty Castle. Built in 1425, the majestic castle was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour. Marvel at the finest collection of medieval furniture in the country, which brings to life a vital part of the Celtic past. At night-time the Castle is the impressive setting for medieval banquets that are held year round subject to demand.
Galway City can be best described as the festival capital of Ireland and the cultural capital of the west of Ireland. Galway offers an excellent choice of nightlife throughout the year. Particularly in the Quays area of this small city, you will find a wonderful range of restaurants and pubs with great traditional music.
Day 7 :
The twinge of regret you will feel upon leaving Galway city behind will be instantly forgotten as you enter the hauntingly beautiful region of Connemara in West Galway. Connemara is a unique and very special part of Ireland. Situated on the most western seaboard of Europe, this unspoilt region boasts breathtaking scenery. The characteristic features of Connemara include its rugged, unpolluted coastline, dramatic mountains, numerous lakes and rivers and woodlands and the renowned Connemara National Park. Amongst the top locations to visit are the National Park, the Kylemore Abbey with its Gothic Church and Walled Gardens, the stunning Lough Inagh Valley Drive and of course the remote and history laden Aran Islands.
Here, on the very edge of Europe, is an Island rich in the language, culture and heritage of Ireland, unique in its geology and archaeology and in its long tradition of gentle hospitality. Aran will take you back to an Ireland of Celts and Early Christians. Dún Aengus – The Fort of Aonghasa – is located on the edge of the island on top of a 90m (300ft) high sea cliff. Dún Aengus is one of the finest prehistoric monuments in Western Europe. Back to Galway that evening for another night of traditional fare.
Day 8 :
Travel to the splendid Dromoland Castle today where you will be spending your last evening. An early start to the day will allow you the opportunity to visit some of the most unusual landscape and scenery in the country, that of the west Clare Burren region and the Cliffs of Moher. The Burren, from the Gaelic word Boireann is an area of limestone rock covering imposing majestic mountains, and tranquil valleys with gently meandering streams. It is reminiscent in many ways of a lunar landscape in places. You will also find the ancient Poulnabrone Tombs in this area. Just beyond the Burren, lies the majestic Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs are without doubt one of Ireland’s most spectacular sights and overlook the Atlantic Ocean on the coast of West Clare. From here, travel to your Castle for the night. Dromoland Castle, one of Ireland ‘s finest castle hotels, offers guests the experience of living like landed gentry. The castle, a magnificent Renaissance structure built in the 16th century, was once the royal seat of the O’Brien Clan. It retains priceless reminders of the Castle ‘s historic past. Splendid woodcarvings and stone statuary, hand-carved paneling and fine antique furnishings surround guests. On Dromoland Castle ‘s 375-acre estate, guests can hunt, fish, ride horseback, golf, play tennis and more. This evening, you may dine in style in the Castle’s excellent restaurant or if you want something a little different, why not attend the Medieval Banquet at the nearby Bunratty Castle.
Price: From EUR 840 per person
Duration: 8 Nights
If you are not able to make up your mind from any of the tour itinerary or hotels listed above in 9 Days Fall in Love with Ireland Honeymoon Package, then we can also make changes and provide a customized, tailor-made romantic honeymoon vacations, especially for you. We can modify this package as per your budget, duration as well as the tourist places you’d like to visit or whether airfare should be included or not. This customization helps you make the best out of your honeymoon package with your loved one and keep the candle of romance burning.
Contact us for personalized romantic getaways packages and honeymoon tours.
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