BRENDAN VACATIONS

Castles and Manors

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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.
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GUIDED VACATION
8 days  •  12 meals  •  10 highlights

Your Itinerary

DAY 1
Welcome to Dublin

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.
Hotel: Clayton Ballsbridge
Meals: Welcome Reception
DAY 2
Journey to Galway and on to Ashford Castle

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.
Hotel: The Lodge at Ashford Castle
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3
Admire the Elegant Westport House and Abbyglen Castle

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.
Hotel: Abbeyglen Castle
Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest, Dinner
DAY 4
A Day Exploring Stunning Connemara

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.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
OPTIONAL EXPERIENCE
Visit an Historic Connemara Farm
Dive back into 19th-century rural Connemara to hear its stories and traditions. You'll be able to see first hand the centuries-old custom of turf cutting at the hilltop bog. And in the cottage where he lived, hear stories of Dan O’Hara, who lived here before having to leave during the Famine. This is a not-to-be-missed insight into rural Ireland life.
Adult Price:  €30.00*

​* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change
DAY 5
Onwards to the Cliffs of Moher and Killarney

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.
Hotel: Great Southern
Meals: Breakfast
OPTIONAL EXPERIENCE
Irish Ceilidh Evening
The Irish Ceilidh epitomises how music and dance were enjoyed in rural Ireland, especially on festive occasions. The craic - welcoming, jolly, fun and informal - is accompanied with plenty of food and drink. There's no more enjoyable way to understand Irish culture.
​Adult Price: €67.00*
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* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
DAY 6
A Day on the Ring of Kerry

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.
Meals: Breakfast
OPTIONAL EXPERIENCE
Experience a Jaunting Cart Ride
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Enjoy a traditional pony and trap ride through the beautiful Bourn-Vincent National Park. During your journey, your Local Specialist will share fascinating anecdotes about the area and Ireland.
Adult Price: €22.00*

Celtic Steps
Enjoy a spectacular evening of Irish music, song and dance performed by champion dancers and musicians and showcasing the music of Kerry and beyond.
Adult Price: €36.00*
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* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
DAY 7
Discover Cashel and Return to Dublin

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.
Hotel: Clayton Ballsbridge
Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
DAY 8
Journey Home

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.
Meals: Breakfast
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Castles and Manors

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Dining Highlights
  • 7 breakfasts
  • 4 dinners 
  • 1 Be My Guest
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Sightseeing Highlights
  • Explore Dublin, Killarney National Park and Cashel with a Local Specialist
  • Discover Killarney and Galway
  • Visit Kylemore Abbey, Connemara Marble 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
  • Connect With Locals 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.
  • Stays with Stories Overnight on the shores of Lough Corrib in the elegant country quarters of the Lodge at Ashford Castle.
  • Stays with Stories Built over 160 years ago, the Great Southern hotel's prime central location next to the train station and marvellous Victorian features have ensured enduring popularity.
  • Stays with Stories 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.
  • Dive into Culture Admire Ireland's finest thoroughbreds at the Irish National Stud Farm.
  • Dive Into Culture Visit a Connemara marble factory to see how this vivid green-coloured stone has been crafted into jewellery and figurines for generations.
  • MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Help preserve the Cliffs of Moher for generations to come and learn about its extraordinary geology, history and the species that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies.
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