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10 Days | 8 Nights | From $5,999 per person*

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Dublin to Shannon — a private journey through the heart of Ireland

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The Journey

Ireland is not a country you rush through. The roads are narrow and winding by design, the countryside demands you slow down, and the people will stop you for a conversation whether you planned for it or not. This eight-night journey moves deliberately — from the Georgian elegance of Dublin south through the ancient midlands, into Cork's bustling food culture, the wild beauty of Kerry, and out through the timeless grace of County Limerick. A private chauffeur throughout, two castle stays, and a pace that lets Ireland actually sink in.

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Day 1 — Arrival in Dublin

Private transfer from the airport to your four or five-star hotel in the heart of Dublin — your base for the first two nights. Lunch at Harry's on the Green, a welcoming pub restaurant just steps from St. Stephen's Green — the kind of place that feels like Dublin at its most genuine. An afternoon stroll down Grafton Street, Dublin's famous pedestrian thoroughfare, with its street musicians and boutiques. Then into the Georgian squares — Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Street are lined with the famous brightly painted Georgian doors, each a different color, one of Dublin's most distinctive and photographed sights. St. Stephen's Green to finish the afternoon. A quiet first evening and a Guinness poured correctly in the city where it was born.

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Day 2 — Dublin

A full day in Dublin at a measured pace. The Guinness Storehouse in the morning — seven floors telling the story of Ireland's most famous export, culminating in the Gravity Bar at the top where a pint and a panoramic view of Dublin come as a package. For something completely different, the Viking Splash Tour is an amphibious vehicle ride through the city streets and into the River Liffey — part history lesson, part spectacle, and genuinely great fun. Note: tickets are not always available, particularly in high season, so this is one to secure early — Nancy will handle it as part of your pre-departure planning. Trinity College and the Book of Kells in the afternoon — one of the most beautiful illuminated manuscripts in the world, housed in a library that is itself worth the visit. For dinner, take the DART coastal train out to Howth — a scenic 30-minute ride to a charming fishing village on Dublin Bay. King Sitric, one of Ireland's most celebrated seafood restaurants, sits on the East Pier with harbor views and fish so fresh it was swimming this morning. The DART back into Dublin afterward is half the fun — the coast at dusk is worth the trip alone.

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Day 3 — Wicklow & Glendalough

A morning drive south through County Wicklow — the Garden of Ireland — to Powerscourt Estate, with its Italian-influenced terraced gardens and views across the Wicklow Mountains. Then to Glendalough, the ancient monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century, set in a glacial valley between two lakes. One of the most atmospheric sites in Ireland, and largely unchanged from the medieval period. Back to Dublin for the evening.

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Day 4 — Irish National Stud & Kinnitty Castle

Depart Dublin and travel southwest into County Kildare — Ireland's horse country. A morning stop at the Irish National Stud in Tully, where some of the world's finest thoroughbreds are bred and trained. The property also includes the remarkable Japanese Gardens — designed in the early 1900s and considered among the finest in Europe — and the Horse Museum, which tells the story of the Irish thoroughbred from ancient times to the present day. Then west into the midlands and on to Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly — a Gothic Revival castle deep in the Slieve Bloom Mountains and your home for the night. Dinner in the castle.

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Day 5 — Rock of Cashel & Cork

Depart Kinnitty and travel south, stopping at the Rock of Cashel — one of the most dramatic and historically significant sites in Ireland. A limestone outcrop rising sharply from the Tipperary plains, topped with a remarkable cluster of medieval buildings including the 12th century Romanesque Cormac's Chapel, the roofless Gothic cathedral, and a 900-year-old round tower. The views across the Tipperary plains from the top are extraordinary. Continue south to Cork — Ireland's second city and its culinary capital — arriving in time for dinner.

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Day 6 — Cork & Kinsale

A morning in Cork's legendary English Market — one of the finest covered food markets in Europe, where local producers have been selling since 1788. Cork's city center is compact and walkable, with independent shops, galleries, and the kind of café culture that takes its food seriously. In the afternoon, a short drive south to Kinsale — one of the prettiest harbor towns in Ireland, with colorful painted shopfronts, excellent seafood restaurants, and a history as the site of the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, a turning point in Irish history. Back to Cork for the evening.

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Day 7 — Cork to Killarney

A leisurely morning in Cork before your private chauffeur transfers you west into County Kerry — the landscape changing dramatically as the mountains close in and the Atlantic opens up. Arrive in Killarney for lunch in the town, then an afternoon at leisure — a first look at the Lakes of Killarney, a walk through the National Park, or simply settling into your four or five-star hotel.
 

Day 8 — Killarney at Leisure

A day without an agenda in Killarney. Muckross House and its traditional farms, a jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park, or simply a morning by the Lakes of Killarney — three interconnected lakes surrounded by ancient oak woodland and the McGillycuddy Reeks. Lunch in Killarney town, afternoon at leisure. If your visit coincides with one of Killarney's four annual horse racing meetings — held in May, July, August, and October — an evening at Killarney Racecourse is not to be missed. One of Ireland's most scenic venues, set on the edge of the National Park with the mountains as a backdrop, it stages both flat and National Hunt horse racing including steeplechase. The atmosphere is as Irish as it gets — ask Nancy about timing your trip around a race day.
 

Day 9 — Adare Manor

Transfer northwest to Adare — consistently voted Ireland's prettiest village, with its thatched cottages, medieval ruins, and the River Maigue running through it. Check into Adare Manor — one of Ireland's great castle hotels, a Victorian Gothic masterpiece set on 840 acres with a championship golf course, spa, and dining that has earned a serious reputation. An evening to do absolutely nothing in considerable style.
 

Day 10 — Departure from Shannon

A leisurely morning at Adare Manor before private transfer to Shannon Airport for your return flight.
 

Optional Extension — The Dingle Peninsula

For travelers who want to go further into Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula offers a completely different experience — wilder, more remote, and more authentically Irish than anywhere else on the itinerary. A night at the Dingle Skellig Hotel, perched on the shores of Dingle Bay, makes a natural base for exploring the Slea Head Drive, one of the most dramatic coastal routes in Ireland, and the Ring of Kerry can be incorporated as a day excursion on the way back to Killarney or Adare. Ask Nancy about adding the Dingle Peninsula to your Ireland journey.
 

What's Included

• Private airport transfers throughout

• Private chauffeur for all transfers and excursions

• Four and five-star accommodations throughout

• Two castle hotel stays — Kinnitty Castle and Adare Manor

• Daily breakfast

• Dinner at Kinnitty Castle

Rates are per person, based on double occupancy, and vary by season and accommodation category. Subject to availability at time of booking.
 

This is a sample itinerary offered as inspiration. Every Equinox Travel journey is tailored to your interests, pace, and travel style — contact Nancy to design your own Ireland experience.
 

Start Planning Your Ireland Journey →