Ireland Castles and Manors
This grand Ireland castle trip is fit for royalty, including lavish 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 marble is carved in Connemara.
About Brendan Vacations
Brendan Vacations is dedicated to showing you authentic travel experiences including the best places to eat, drink and mingle with local storytellers. Based in Dublin, their team works hard to custom build every part of your vacation with the destinations, experiences and accommodations they know you’ll love. Their team of experts is extensively trained to make sure your trip runs smoothly. Travel Directors and Local Hosts take the hassle out of all the nitty-gritty details so you can enjoy the essence of their Celtic homelands.
Travel Insurance
For your protection AAA recommends travel insurance. Pre-existing medical conditions may be waived with proper coverage if travel insurance is purchased within 14 days of initial deposit only. Other conditions may apply; ask your travel advisor. AAA recommends Allianz.
- 12 Meals
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Explore Dublin, Killarney National Park and Cashel with a Local Specialist
- Admire Ireland's finest thoroughbreds at the Irish National Stud Farm
- Scenic Drive of the Ring of Kerry and through Connemara
- Visit a Connemara marble factory to see how this vivid green-colored stone has been crafted into jewelry and figurines for generations
- 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
- Enjoy a traditional Be My Guest High Tea hosted in the Drawing Room of a stately 18th-century home near the charming town of Westport
*Price is per person, land only and based on double occupancy. Subject to availability; varies by inclusions and travel dates.
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Set your watch to the lively pace of Ireland's capital city – the springboard for your in-depth journey through the lush landscapes and enduring allure of Ireland. Our exploration of Dublin with a Local Specialist will see us view St. Patrick's Cathedral and the colourful Georgian Squares. Spend some time at leisure exploring Dublin's pretty streets before joining your travel companions and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception celebrating traditional Irish flavours.
Our first stop today is Europe's 'Capital of Culture', where you will have an opportunity to see Galway Cathedral and stroll through Eyre Square. We overnight at one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories on the shores of Lough Corrib. Feel like lords and ladies as you relax in the elegant country quarters of the Lodge at Ashford Castle, celebrating the heritage and hospitality of Ireland.
Leaving the elegant estate of Ashford Castle behind, our journey takes us to Westport House where we'll Connect With Locals and indulge in a memorable Be My Guest experience with tales of the Pirate Queen, and enjoy Banoffee and Baileys flavours in the Drawing Room of this stately 18th-century home. Our home for the next two nights is one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories - the spectacular Abbeyglen Castle.
Drive through the 'savage beauty' of Connemara, as described by Oscar Wilde who was inspired by the region's craggy mountains, shimmering lakes and endless shades of green. We visit Kylemore Abbey, a magnificent castellated structure built as a family home and now inhabited by a group of Benedictine nuns. Venture into the secret nooks and crannies of its extensive walled Victorian garden before returning to your castle accommodation for a delicious dinner.
This morning, visit the Connemara marble artisan workshop, where you'll Dive Into Culture and witness first-hand how this famous green jade-like marble is carved. Picture yourself living in 1520 alongside the Dunguaire Castle when we later stop to explore the charming seaport village of Kinvara. Next up is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience you’ll remember for years to come as you watch the UNESCO-listed Cliffs of Moher plunge dramatically into the Atlantic waters below. Beyond the endless views and the opportunity to capture on film the colonies of curious-looking puffins that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies, you’ll have an opportunity to visit the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience which really brings this natural phenomenon to life in an interactive way, leaving you with a deep understanding of this special place. Our home tonight is one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories - Great Southern, a Victorian-styled hotel built over 160 years ago as Ireland's first purpose-built hotel. The hotel’s Victorian architecture ends the day still dreaming of life many years ago.
Enjoy a slow start to your morning, joining a Local Specialist for a leisurely guided walk at Torc Waterfall, strolling over wooded paths and lakeshore trails. We embark on an epic drive next, exploring the enduring beauty of the Ring of Kerry whose enchanting coastal landscapes have inspired writers and poets for centuries.
Discover the legacy of St. Patrick when you visit the imposing Rock of Cashel, once the traditional seat of the kings of Munster. View its ecclesiastical ruins with a Local Specialist then traverse scenic landscapes to Kildare. Here you’ll Dive Into Culture and learn about Ireland's thoroughbred industry at the Irish National Stud. You'll have a rare opportunity to see the foaling unit, museum and of course the magnificent stallions that continue to make racing history. Later today, return to the Irish capital where you’ll inject a bit of the craic into your Farewell Dinner with new friends.
We say a fond farewell to our newfound friends and Dublin today. You will be transferred to the airport, where your journey through the 'Emerald Isle' comes to an end. Transfers are available. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Castles and Manors, by Brendan Vacations
