9 Night Itinerary
Day 2: Dublin - Belfast
Travel to Belfast after breakfast and head out to explore the following recommended attractions...
The National Museum of History and Archeology, which houses many artefacts found throughout Ireland. It offers one of the most prestigious collections of prehistoric, Vikings and medieval objects from all over Europe. You will be able to appreciate its collection of gold jewels, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe...
Find St Patrick's Cathedral, decorated in a gothic style. This famous cathedral was built in the 12th century and was considerably renovated in the 1860s. It would have been built on an old place of worship, dating from the 5th century according to the Irish history, it would be on this old place of worship, that Saint Patrick would have baptized, which is where the name came from!
Trinity College University, inspired by the model of the English Universities of Oxford and
Cambridge, this institution was for a long time reserved for male and Protestant students.
Guinness Musem: This is the most famous Irish beer brand which has transformed some of its former warehouses into a museum. You will be given information about the history of Arthur Guinness and his company - the ingredients used; the manufacturing processes and distribution of Guinness and more!
Dundalk: A charming coastal village with its small avenues, colourful houses and a beautiful bay.
The Megalithic Site of New Grange: Head to this gigantic tumulus of circular stone - it is 80 meters wide and 13 meters high. At the base of this large stone mound, you will find 97 huge aligned stones, some of which are richly decorated and you will discover the megalithic art. Built more than 5000 years ago, Newgrange is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Ireland. This ancient prehistoric tumulus is even older than Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza...
Overnight in a hotel in Belfast.
Day 3: Belfast - Donegal
After breakfast, you have time to explore Belfast before leaving for your next destination, Donegal.
See the City Hall, built in 1898 under the command of Queen Victoria. Victorian and neo-baroque, Donegall square, Sainte-Anne ’s cathedral or the Parliament of Northern Ireland. This is an imposing, sober, classic-style white building which stands on top of a hill - it is reached by an avenue crossing a hilly park.
Our members will also see the following sites on this day: The famous Mural Frescoes, one of the best-known elements of Northern Irish heritage. The Blackhead Headlight or the Giant's Causeway. The Antrim Coast Road, from Belfast to Downhill, also offers a spectacular route by car - along with sublime views of the wild valleys (famous glens), steep cliffs, limestone arches and large desert beaches.
Overnight at a hotel in the Donegal area.
Day 4: Donegal - Mayo
After breakfast, head out to explore Donegal. Located at the mouth of the Eske River at the bottom of Donegal Bay at the foot of the Bluestack Mountains, this is the perfect place to take a stroll along the main streets which are full of shops and where is home to the famous "Irish Tweed".
Must see places include the Donegal Castle - built in the 15th century by a large Irish family: the O'Donnell; the Malin Beg, which is a beautiful bay with a narrow beach and Enniskillen, a medieval town, dominated by a magnificent 16th-century castle which houses a historical, must-see museum. The place is also famous for the "Portora Royal School" which was frequented by Oscar Wilde, or for its beautiful manor house built in the 18th century in the heart of the huge park of Forthill.
Overnight at a hotel in Mayo.
Day 5: Mayo - Galway
On day five, you will journey from Mayo to Galway, encountering many destinations including Westport: a small harbour town, with a famous fishing port, pleasantly situated on the meanders of the Carrowberg River. Clew Bay with its gigantic oceanic bay and more than 365 islands; Sky Road, a magnificent road circuit that offers exceptional views and landscapes, where lush green hills and breathtaking coastal landscapes mingle. This is considered to be one of the most beautiful roads in Ireland!
Visit Kylemore Abbey - A neo-Gothic castle with towers and battlements, built between 1860 and 1867 in Dalkey granite. The history of this abbey begins when Mitchell Henry and his wife arrive on the Kylemore honeymoon in 1850. Lovers of the area, the couple returned in the 1860s to build the house of their dreams. This former palace is now the home of Benedictine nuns but also a boarding school for young girls and is known internationally. Nestled at the base of Duchruach Mountain, on the northern coast of Lough Pollacapul, in the heart of the Connemara Mountains, this monument is recognised as one of the most romantic.
Overnight at a hotel in Galway.
Day 6: Connemara Area
After breakfast, you will be able to head to see the wildlife of the Connemara Area. Musch recommended is a stop in this region, which is populated with sheep and wild horses. You will discover some of Ireland's most majestic landscapes with its hundreds of small lakes, rivers, stone walls, farms, isolated cottages, heather covering the hills, and its seacoast lined with small sandy beaches. This secluded location offers a true getaway away from city life.
Two mountain ranges dominate the region: the jagged-looking Maumturks, and the quartz ensemble known as Twelve Bens.
The countless lakes and streams wind between the green plains and it is not uncommon to meet an Irishman harvesting peat in one of the many peat bogs in the region…
Other places of interest may include Roundstone: an unspoiled village on the shoreline or the Islands of Aran. Here you will be guaranteed to enjoy Ireland's breathtaking beauty, thanks to the wild landscapes and prehistoric remains, with many forts still standing!
Overnight at a hotel in the Connemara Area.
Day 7: Galway - Killarney
Head out after breakfast and explore the local area. Burren is a geological marvel of limestone terraces, some of the most unique in Europe! Enjoy this desert-like, lunar-like site - the Burren forms one of the strangest but most fascinating landscapes in Ireland and is bordered by vertiginous cliffs.
Then discover the Bunratty Castle along the Shannon River. This site will transport you to the medieval world of yesteryear and is one of the most famous remains of Irish history. Folk Park, on a beautiful sunny day is a great day out. Here you can witness a life-size reconstruction of an Irish village. This park offers houses through the ages, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The buildings have been reconstructed as a forge, a mill, typical houses of several regions, a mountain farm…
Two nights at a hotel in Killarney.
Day 8: King of Kerry - Dingle Peninsula - Killarney National Park
Leave your hotel after breakfast and fully geared up to explore the following places...
The beautiful Dingle Peninsula rises at the western end of the country and has splendid landscapes. It is one of the 3 main "Gaeltacht" of the island and is a place where the Gaelic language is still used. Here, enjoy the mild climate, thanks to the effects of the Gulf Stream. The Dingle Peninsula is a succession of hills flowing into the ocean, interspersed with coves and beaches.
Killarney National Park is officially the first and largest national park in Ireland with its 10,000 hectares. This is a true treasure of nature, where you will find many plains and hills, gathering at the foot of lakes and majestic mountains. Consisting of three lakes and four main mountains, it offers a particularly rich flora and fauna.
Similarly, the Muckross Gardens have an international reputation for their beauty.
Head to the aRing of Kerry in order to discover the beauty of this peninsula: the mountains of the interior, high cliffs, small coves and secret valleys, not to mention the lakes and patchwork that form the fields and rocky islands. The route is famous for the splendid panoramas it offers, and the vegetation maintained by the Gulf Stream.
Second night at the hotel in Killarney.
Day 9: Killarney - Kildare
On route to Kildare, after breakfast, our members will be able to stop by Cork - Ireland's second most populous city, located in the estuary of the Lee River. The city has many bridges which are its main charm.
See the famous Rock of Cashel in Tipperary or the grand Castle in Blarney - there are lots to explore!
Overnight at a hotel in Kildare.
Day 10: Dublin
Enjoy your final few hours in Dublin before heading to the airport for your departure to the UK. This is a destination which has undergone a tremendous transformation in the space of 50 years and has become one of the most beautiful European capitals!