Icons of Ireland - Travel with Marion Bunnik

Welcome to Dublin, Ireland's pretty capital and home of the famous Guinness beer. Located on the east coast at the mouth of the Liffey River, Dublin's friendly locals are always happy to throw open their arms to welcome visitors. After making our own way to our hotel, we'll meet our small group tour leader and fellow travellers for a drink before a delicious welcome dinner at nearby restaurant.

Be transported back to medieval times when we travel to Kilkenny today. The city is home to narrow streets and historic buildings, a vibrant restaurant and pub scene, and friendly locals. We'll start our day with a tour of Dublin, learning about the city's fascinating history and traditions. Highlights include a visit inside Trinity College, dating back to the late 16th century and home to an impressive list of alumni including Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde and Jonathon Swift. We tour Trinity College's famous library and see its most prized possession, the Book of Kells. We'll also see Dublin Castle, the General Post Office, Parliament House, the Liffey River and the Temple Var district.

Special Experience: Visit some of Dublin's local bars and pubs to sample delicious traditional Irish food. In the afternoon, we'll make our way to Thomastown and Jerpoint Abbey, founded in 1180 and known for both its picturesque setting and the incredible stone carvings that line its walls. Later, we'll continue to Kilkenny, where we enjoy dinner at Kilkenny's oldest inn, Kyteler's Inn.

Compact and cosmopolitan, Cork is Ireland's second largest city. Situated on an island in the River Lee, the vibrant city's narrow streets are bursting at the seams with traditional pubs, boutique shops, welcoming laid-back locals and more. This morning we'll visit the stunning Kilkenny Castle, taking time to wander through the impressive Rose Garden and surrounding grounds. Built in the thirteenth century, Kilkenny Castle originally served as a defensive castle, due to its location close to the River Nore and several important trade routes.

Continuously occupied until 1967, it was sold to the local council for a staggering £50! We'll then continue on to the Michtelstown limestone cave for a guided tour before making our way to Cork. After checking into our hotel, we'll have some free time before our afternoon walking tour of Cork. With its easy, laid-back feel, Cork is a wonderful city to explore on foot and here we'll see the English Markets, St Patricks Street, Fitzgeralds Park, the Saint Fin Barres Cathedral and the Butter Museum.

Today we take the time to explore Ireland's remarkable natural scenery with a drive to the coastal town of Glengarriff, where we take a ferry to Garnish Island. On the way to Garnish Island, we'll stop near the seal islands to see if we can spot any of the area's local seals. Afterwards, we'll head towards Muckross and the idyllic Killarney National Park. Home to Ireland's largest forest of oak trees, Killarney National Park is situated in over 10,000 hectares of pristine, rolling countryside.

This afternoon, we'll enjoy a stroll through the national park to the picturesque Torc Waterfall. Upon our return to Cork, we have some time at leisure before our evening drive to Cobh, a pretty town with a lovely harbour area. Here, we'll have some free time to explore and seek out dinner at any of the restaurants and cafes on the harbour front.

Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.

Limerick, nestled on the banks of the River Shannon and overlooking the spectacular King John's Castle, is our destination today. It is thought that the Vikings settled here in as early as 922AD, though these days Limerick is better known for its Georgian architecture and as the setting for Frank McCourt's book, Angela's Ashes. We take the coastal route on our way to Limerick this morning making a special visit to Ballymaloe House.

Special Experience: Relish the experience of morning tea on a 30-acre estate dating back to the 17th century at Barnabrow House. Internationally acclaimed for being the birthplace of modern Irish cuisine and having won awards for the world's best dessert trolley in 2019, combined with the picture-perfect scenery and charming country house setting, morning tea at Ballymaloe House is not to be missed!

After our morning tea, we'll continue on to Limerick and this afternoon we'll enjoy a city orientation tour.

We'll make our way to Galway today, located on the stunning west coast where River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. The city is alive with a vibrant live music and arts scene combining with historic buildings and remnants of a medieval past. We'll start our day by exploring the Limerick Milk Market where we have free time to discover the undercover markets at our own pace.

Take the time to soak in the tantalising aromas of the wide variety of fresh, local produce on offer and be tempted to buy yourself a mid-morning snack! Next, we'll continue our journey to Killaloe for a scenic cruise on the waterways of the River Shannon and Lough Derg Lake before lunch in the quaint town of Killaloe. In the afternoon, we travel onwards to the vibrant city of Galway.

A wonderful day of exploration awaits us today, and we begin with a walking tour of Galway. Here, we'll uncover the rich history and culture of this proud city, visiting Eyre Square, Lynches Castle, Quay Street, the Spanish Arch, Galway City Museum, the Church of St Nicholas and the markets, known for its fresh cheeses and seafood.

The afternoon is a highlight of any trip to Ireland as we drive to Clare to see the famous Cliffs of Moher and the visitor centre. Rising over 200 metres from the seabed, the rough, jagged cliffs stretching along the vast coastline are truly a sight to behold! Upon our return to Galway, we'll enjoy the night at leisure to explore the local restaurants and cafes.

Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.

A somewhat delicious start this morning as we make our way back to the Irish capital, Dublin.

Special Experience: Visit a local distillery where we enjoy a tour and finish with a tipple of this Irish staple, whiskey. Next, we'll continue on to Kildare and visit the Irish National Stud and Gardens. Owned by the government, the Stud is a thoroughbred horse breeding facility that was established in 1946 and produces some of the most magnificent horses to be found in all of Europe. The Japanese gardens attached to the Stud are also believed to be the finest example of its kind in Europe and a wander around the property is an exercise in peace and serenity.

In the late afternoon we'll arrive in Dublin, where we'll enjoy a lovely farewell dinner at one of Ireland's oldest pubs, complete with storytelling and traditional music.

Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning, when we'll say a fond farewell to the beautiful country of Ireland and our newfound friends.