1 (800) 243-8687 Speak to an expert
Menu Open
Menu Close
Search Icon
CIE Search Close
Ring of Kerry
Dates & Prices Request a Quote
4.8
Read 421 reviews

See the very best of the Emerald Isle 

This fast-paced, short-and-sweet Ireland tour is the perfect introduction to the Emerald Isle. Taste of Ireland hits all of the "greatest hits" highlights—from Blarney Castle to the Cliffs of Moher—with five-day, six-day or seven-day departures to suit your schedule.

Trip details

Tour start Dublin

trip-destination

Tour end Shannon

5 icon

Days

4 icon

Nights

8 icon

Meals

Available Promotions for this Tour

Spring Into Travel | Save 15% on CIE Tours

Booking window

01 May 2025 - 30 May 2025

Group Discount

Repeat Guest Savings

Solo Traveler

Solo Travel

Highlights

Blarney Castle

Get the gift of gab after you kiss the legendary Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle.

Dublin Castle

Tour the historic 800-year-old castle, which has served as a fort, an official government residence, and the site of presidential inaugurations.

Cliffs of Moher

Thrill at the views of the Atlantic from Ireland's famous cliffs, rising 700 feet above the ocean.

Ring of Kerry

See the spectacular coastline, mountain, and forest vistas of Ireland's famous drive.

Sheepdog Demonstration

Watch the hardest working dogs in Ireland guard their herd.

The Merry Ploughboys
Merry Ploughboy Pub

The Merry Ploughboy Pub is owned and run by the traditional musical group ‘The Merry Ploughboys’ who perform every night and are one of Dublin’s longest performing Irish music groups.

Skellig Experience
Skellig Experience

This prizewinning interpretive center gives visitors a rich and evocative experience of "the islands at the edge of the world".

slide slide

Itinerary

Download Itinerary
map
Expand All Collapse All
slide Day 1Dublin City Tour | Dublin Castle | Merry Ploughboy Pub
At 2:00 PM, meet your tour director in the hotel lobby and depart for a panoramic tour of Dublin. Drive through the lively streets with a local guide, seeing this historic city’s highlights: Trinity College, elegant Georgian homes, and modern buildings rising by the River Liffey. Visit Dublin Castle for a guided tour and see the splendid State Apartments; for centuries the seat of colonial power in Ireland, this impressive complex is today a place for official ceremonies. Return to your hotel for a welcome drink with your group, then head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with traditional music and step-dancing. (D)
Travel through lush green countryside on your way to Blarney Castle. Along the way, stop for photos of the stately ruins of the Rock of Cashel on their hilltop perch. At Blarney, climb the winding staircase to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone and gain the gift of the gab, or wander the beautiful gardens. Arrive in the friendly lakeside town of Killarney, where you’ll dine at your hotel this evening. (B, D)
Visit CIE Tours preferred shopping partner Moriarty’s in the beautiful Gap of Dunloe, before embarking on the famed Ring of Kerry scenic drive. The winding, 100-mile route reveals breathtaking coastal and mountain views, with plenty of photo stops. Pause for a casual lunch in a cozy restaurant. Continue on to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, a visitor center telling the story of the neighboring island of Skellig Michael, which you’ll see off the coast. Learn how this island, a filming location for “Star Wars,” was once the austere home of early Christian monks. Stop for a stroll around the quaint, colorful village of Sneem, and at Moll’s Gap for panoramic views of Ireland’s highest mountains. Visit a farm to see a demonstration of skilled dogs herding sheep. Return to Killarney and enjoy a free evening to dine and discover the pubs as you wish. (B, L)
Leave Killarney, taking a 20-minute ferry ride across the River Shannon before driving along the coast of County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone soaring almost 700 feet above the Atlantic. Continue on to your hotel. In the evening, enjoy a medieval-style feast of traditional Irish fare at a castle. Lords and ladies will serenade you with songs and harp music evocative of medieval times. (Please note that January departures may offer a different dining experience.) (B, D)
Your tour ends in Shannon after breakfast. (B) B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner>

Where you’ll stay

The Beautiful 4-Star Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge

Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge Dublin, Ireland

This hotel was once a Masonic School and still retains many striking original features that give...
Killarney Towers Hotel

Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney, Ireland

The Killarney Towers Hotel is the perfect location from which to explore the excitement and...
Clayton Limerick Hotel

Clayton Hotel Limerick Limerick, Ireland

Located on Steamboat Quay, Limerick the 17-story Clayton Hotel Limerick combines architectural...
slide slide

Inclusive package with no hidden extras

What's included?

  • Full daily breakfast and many meals*
  • An evening of Irish entertainment  
  • Transportation (Buses, shuttles & ferries)
  • Welcome drinks with your group
  • Free Wi-Fi on luxury coaches
  • All entrance fees to attractions
  • Comprehensive travel itinerary

 

*Breakfast is not included on Day 1

Our welcome gift to you

  • A travel backpack
  • Travel adapter
  • Rain poncho
  • Luggage strap and tags
  • Water flask

From our travelers

Stunning Cliffs of Moher

We were able to see a lot of beauty in southern Ireland and experience some of the local food, drinks and culture. Would definitely recommend this package for anyone who would like to see some of Ireland's beauty.

Chastity Rachielle Vigil
CIE Tours Difference
Play
We take care of everything: authentic experiences, expert local tour directors, and more. Check out the CIE Tours difference!

See what people are saying about this trip

4
Christine Nealon
2 years ago
Great tour but extremely busy

I loved our tour guide Brian you could not get anybody more knowledgeable or funny and on top of that I felt extremely safe driving around in the giant bus and teeny tiny, narrow Irish roads

5
Heather Anne Sullivan
2 years ago
A fantastic week in the Emerald Isle

Excellent customer service

5
CIE Tours Customer
2 years ago
Taste of Ireland

The tour stops were great. Everything ran very smoothly.

4
Mr. Gale Mackinnon
2 years ago
Good stuff and bad stuff.

Great hotels, good food every day. Ireland was amazingly clean, no litter, tidy homes etc. Loved the sheep and lambs ! Our driver and guide Noel was funny and gave lots of history and facts about places.

4
Kelly
2 years ago
6 day Taste of Ireland review

Overall a really amazing trip! Our guide was Noel and he was full of information and funny and told lots of good stories. Felt very safe with his driving, even through the mountains in the rain and fog!

We did not get to do Dublin Castle because Joe Biden was visiting and so we were sent to a museum in Dublin called Epic instead. We found it rather boring and wished we could have done the original plan but appreciated CIE having a backup for us.

All of the hotels we stayed in were very nice and comfortable with pretty decent breakfasts, although they were all exactly the same. All of our other meals (some lunches, some dinners) were great though. The Limerick hotel/stay was one I think should be changed as their was nothing to do in Limerick and the hotel was not that centrally located.

We absolutely LOVED the dinner at The Merry Ploughboy with traditional Irish music and step dancing. The castle at Bunratty was also a fantastic and super fun night. The Cliffs of Moher and the sheepdog demonstaraion were awesome. But I think our favorite day was Blarney Castle which was also the best day weather-wsie, we wished we could have stayed all day. Killarney was our favorite city, so much fun and lots of great shopping.

Yes, you are on the bus alot but with so much beautiful scenery to look at and no stress of having to drive- we enjoyed it. Yes, you are up early every day so we were pretty tired by the end but that was expected on a 6 day tour; we were happy by the amount of places/things we were able to see and do in such a short amount of time.

Well done CIE!

How can we help you?

Contact US

The Inclusive Advantage

Get more without spending more.
CIE Tours includes every experience and most meals so you won't be hit with hidden expenses.

Learn More