Tselana Travel - Irish Adventure - Final Information

Day 1 - Wednesday 25^th June - Céad míle fáilte

Céad míle fáilte, or one hundred thousand welcomes, to Ireland’s biggest southwest city, Cork! Arriving at the airport, you’ll pick up your rental car and head to your centrally located hotel. Cork is Ireland’s second-largest city, has a vibrant centre and is worth wandering around. Cork has a very rich historical and archaeological heritage, much of it still in evidence today. If you’re looking to spend a peaceful sunny afternoon (Ireland does have them!) visit Fitzgerald Park. This popular park is home to lakes and manicured lawns, lots of sculptures,  and wandering paths, as well as the Cork Public Museum, which makes for a great place to duck inside if the weather turns grey.

Booking ref: 408447142

Overnight: Cork | Imperial Hotel
Room Type: x1 Deluxe Kingsize
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Thursday 26^th June - Cork City

This morning, we recommend a visit to the oldest market in Europe, trading since 1788. The English Market in Cork City has survived famine, flood, war, fires, and multiple recessions to remain a strong part of Cork’s fabric. Other attractions include the Blackrock Castle Observatory. Once you have enjoyed the day exploring this vibrant city, enjoy dinner in one of the many diverse restaurants the city has to offer or for a unique taste of old Cork, look no further than the long-standing ale house steeped in tradition that is The Mutton Lane Inn.

Overnight: Cork | Imperial Hotel
Room Type: x1 Deluxe Kingsize
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 - Friday 27^th June - Colourful Kinsale

This morning you head out of the city to Kinsale, famous as the gourmet capital of Ireland. This colourful town is brimming with activity, from art galleries to elegant yachts. Historically a medieval fishing port, Kinsale’s spectacular waterfront setting and candy-coloured houses, shops and restaurants make it a glorious blend of old and the new. We recommend a walk to Charles Fort, one of the best-preserved examples of a 17th-century star-shaped fort associated with some of the most momentous events in Irish history.

Overnight: Cork | Imperial Hotel
Room Type: x1 Deluxe Kingsize
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 - Saturday 28^th June - Buffalo Farm Tour & Cheese Tasting

As you drive further west today, the landscape becomes more wild and rugged. Your first stop is a local Buffalo farm in the lush green countryside where you will take a tour of the land, meet the herd, chat about the cheese-making process with Dorothy, and partake in a special tasting experience using local produce and cheese made right there on the farm. Afterwards, you continue to the small town of Kenmare, nestled between the Beara Peninsula and the majestic landscapes of the Ring of Kerry.

Booking ref: 057664

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x1 Deluxe Room
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Sunday 29^th June - Exploring the Beara Peninsula with a Folklorist

Balanced on the edge of County Cork and County Kerry, the Beara Peninsula is the wildest of Kerry’s three peninsulas. This rugged corner of Ireland weaves a tapestry of wild mountains, pristine lakes, and meandering coastal and mountain roads. The Beara Peninsula is rich in local culture. Sparsely populated and rural, you can stumble across quiet villages and their warm and welcoming communities. Today you will head out walking the Beara Peninsula with a local folklorist, Anna, who also specialises in the archaeology of the region, bringing this fascinating landscape to life. A writer and storyteller, Anna conducts guided historical tours throughout the Peninsula and aims to give the visitor an appreciation of the deep history, culture and dramatic beauty that is Beara.

Anna will be with you for the day. No need to bring a packed lunch, Anna will allow time to stop at the  Museum Cafe on the day for lunch.

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x1 Deluxe Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6 - Monday 30^th June - The Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is often used as a substitute name for the Iveragh Peninsula, but more properly it refers to the 175-kilometre road that encircles this vast, scenic leg of land on the southwest of the island. Your first stop is on the southern shores, where you will meet one of our favourite characters. A fisherman, foraging expert, storyteller and a true Irish gent, John, will take you on a wander along the shoreline learning about life on Ireland’s west coast all the while regaling you with tales of characters from the region, from lonely monks to 18th century civil rights activists to mythical heroes. Afterwards, we recommend you take a spin out to the nearby Valentia Island, a step back in time. On the rugged and exposed elements of the southwest coast is Valentia Lighthouse, a beacon of safety to many a seaward traveller. There are even prehistoric fossilised footprints to discover.

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x1 Deluxe Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7 - Tuesday 1^st July - Killarney National Park

Kerry is an expanse of rugged, mountainous country that sweeps down to the world-famous Lakes of Killarney. Here, stretching across 10,000 hectares, lies Killarney National Park, with its unforgettable combination of mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls. Today you are travelling north and this is the perfect stop for a day of exploring. Your final destination today is the lively town of Dingle, we’ll recommend a few great stops en route to make a leisurely day of it.

Booking ref: #270559

Overnight: Dingle | Dingle Skellig Hotel
Room Type: x1 Deluxe SV Exec Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 8 - Wednesday 2^nd July - The Dingle Peninsula

Spend today exploring the Dingle Peninsula; there is much to discover. This morning, you’ll meet some feather friends on an exhilarating Hawk Walk. Watch as these magnificent birds of prey swoop and soar with breathtaking speed and learn all about their fascinating habits. Options for the day include strapping on the boots and taking to the hills and trails for a hike, grabbing some takeaway coffees and browsing the local stores or taking the famous Slea Head Drive route along the Wild Atlantic Way with ancient archaeological sites, like the Fahan Beehive Huts. The peninsula delivers breathtaking views around every corner. Be sure not to miss my personal favourite,  Dunquin Harbour ( pictured). Round off your day with some award-winning ice cream and today is going to be a perfect day.

Overnight: Dingle | Dingle Skellig Hotel
Room Type: x1 Deluxe SV Exec Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 9 - Thursday 3^rd July - Coastal Cliffs

We take to the road again today, leaving Dingle and Kerry, crossing the Shannon River and entering Clare. Use the quiet of the afternoon to visit Ireland’s famed Cliffs of Moher, part of the UNESCO Global Geopark, a special region with outstanding geology. Visually stunning, the Cliffs Stand 702ft at their highest point and stretch for 5 miles along the Atlantic coast. Take in the views, stop into the visitors centre, and most of all, take a family selfie for those at home. Later, it’s a short drive to your hotel, Gregan’s Castle, a former retreat for poets and authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. You’ll be back in time for a cool pint of Guinness by the fire.

Booking ref: 035818

Overnight: Ballyvaughan | Gregans Castle
Room Type: x1 Junior Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 10 - Friday 4^th July - 4x4 on Inis Mor

We hope the weather gods are on our side today as we head out to visit one of the remote islands that dot the Irish coastline. Inis Mor (Inishmore) is the largest of the three Aran Islands and our destination this morning. Explore the island with the aid of your local guides, who bring you to all the off-the-beaten-track spots on the island. Learn about the Irish language spoken on the islands, the unique Irish culture and traditions of the local people, the flora and fauna that inhabit the islands and of course, the filming site from the recent Banshees of Inisherin film!

Overnight: Ballyvaughan | Gregans Castle
Room Type: x1 Junior Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 11 - Saturday 5^th July - The Burren National Park

The Burren’s rocky alien landscape is said to be the inspiration for Middle Earth in JRR Tolkien’s world-famous Lord of the Rings trilogy and afternoon you will head into the heart of it and meet local author and producer, Tony, for a walk in this rugged, limestone escarpment that comes alive in the spring and summer with wildflowers. We first recommend lunch at a local tearoom with an option to visit the adjoining Burren Perfumery, where only natural and organic ingredients are used in production. It’s the oldest working perfumery in Ireland! Afterwards, you’ll meet Tony and set off for a walk in an area that was shaped by ancient seas and is famous for its Mediterranean and Alpine Wildflowers. The region is steeped in history as well, with over 2,500 historical monuments to be explored.

Overnight: Ballyvaughan | Gregans Castle
Room Type: x1 Junior Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 12 - Sunday 6^th July - To Connemara

This morning make your way to your next stop on your Irish road trip along the Wild Atlantic Way. Connemara is a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region) known for its windswept landscapes of mountains, beaches and bog. Ballynahinch Castle is one of Ireland’s finest hotels, set in a private 700-acre estate of woodland, rivers and walks in the heart of Connemara, Co. Galway. This authentic and unpretentious Castle Hotel stands proudly overlooking its famous salmon fishery, with a backdrop of the beautiful Twelve Bens Mountain range. As today is your arrival day, we want you to check in, relax and spend the afternoon on-site enjoying the estate.

Booking ref: 092866

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Luxury Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 13 - Monday 7^th July - West Coast Archaeology

Connemara, one of the finest wilderness areas surviving in Europe today, remains a bastion of traditional landscape and culture. The area is dotted with dozens of archaeological sites dating from the stone age, many of which are recent discoveries. Today you will meet Derek, who will bring the landscape, traditions and mythology of the region alive. Your guide has many years of experience, with stories of surveys and excavations all over Ireland’s west coast.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Luxury Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 14 - Tuesday 8^th July - Sheepdog, Stories & Fjords

Today you meet a local farmer, Tom who will introduce you to his sheepdogs before giving you a fascinating demonstration of how a sheepdog is used to bring in the sheep on real farms. Responding to Tom’s whistled commands, the dogs guide the sheep downwards from their mountainside location, safely and speedily to the commands of his master, gathering in a pen beside you. Tom has trained Border Collies in the art of sheep herding, for over 15 years and his amazing skills are on show here with his dogs responding to his every command. This afternoon, choose to walk along Ireland’s only fjord at an abandoned famine route along the southern shoreline. The life of locals during the famine times was catastrophic, emigration was the only option of survival and communities were completely cut off.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Luxury Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 15 - Wednesday 9^th July - Yeats' Country

After breakfast, it’s time to make your way further north towards Donegal. You’ll stop halfway in Sligo, nestled between the iconic mountains of Benbulben and Knocknarea on the Wild Atlantic Way. It’s easy to see how the windswept landscapes here captured the imagination of Irish national poet W.B. Yeats. Join a local guide on an exclusive adventure of a working oyster farm, where they’ll share the history, care, expertise, and craft of oyster farming, a tradition passed down through generations. As you take in stunning views of Sligo Bay, enjoy freshly shucked oysters by the shore, paired with local craft beer, bubbles, and refreshments, offering a true taste of Sligo’s rich seafood heritage. Afterwards, you’ll hit the road again for a 1-hour drive to your castle hotel, located on the shimmering shores of Lough Eske.

Booking ref: 195603

Overnight: Donegal | Lough Eske Castle
Room Type: x1 Junior Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 16 - Thursday 10^th July - The Hills of Donegal

Spend some time today exploring South Donegal with a local guide, Barry. A morning hike on the highest sea cliffs in Europe, three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher, is the perfect way to work up an appetite for some traditional fish and chips, at a local restaurant.

Your hike takes you on the little-travelled Pilgrim’s Path, a route used for Christian pilgrimages for centuries. You’ll get the chance to do something few visitors get to do: stand atop the edge of the Slieve League Cliffs. There are terrific views of the cliffs, the Atlantic Ocean, the mountains of Sligo, and Donegal Bay.

Later, head into town to enjoy a delicious dinner in a local restaurant.

Barry will meet you at the Ti Linn Visitors Centre and you will hike from there. On return to the centre, the Rusty Mackeral is 300m away.

Overnight: Donegal | Lough Eske Castle
Room Type: x1 Junior Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 17 - Friday 11^th July - Crafts & Characters in Donegal

This morning, drive north to Glenveagh National Park. Take in remote mountain and lake vistas and explore the forlorn castle tucked into a romantic mountain backdrop. En route back to your hotel, you’ll meet a local weaver who learned his craft at the age of 16 and whose traditional hand loom methods date back centuries. You have free time this afternoon for some browsing in Ardara or Donegal town and we recommend a visit to the Magee’s of Donegal in the Diamond.

Overnight: Donegal | Lough Eske Castle
Room Type: x1 Junior Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 18 - Saturday 12^th July - Historical Derry

This morning, you enter the North of Ireland as you make your way to Derry City, the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples of Walled Cities in Europe. Built in the 17th century, the walls, approximately 1.5km in circumference, form a walkway around the inner city and provide a unique promenade with which to view the layout of the original town. Your private guide will incorporate the tragic events of Jan 30th 1972, when a peaceful protest turned violent, leading to the killing of 14 unarmed men and boys, along with the injury of many others, in an event known as Bloody Sunday, into your guided experience today. Afterwards, you’ll hit the road again and head to Bushmills, home of the famous whiskey.

Booking ref: BK009166

Overnight: Bushmills | The Bushmills Inn
Room Type: x1 Garden Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 19 - Sunday 13^th July - Iconic Castles & The Giant's Causeway

This morning you’ll visit Dunluce Castle, one of the most picturesque and romantic of Irish Castles. With evidence of settlement from the first millennium, the present castle ruins date mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries. Later you visit the awe-inspiring Giant’s Causeway, a geological wonder of hexagonal basalt columns that attracts visitors from around the world.

Overnight: Bushmills | The Bushmills Inn
Room Type: x1 Garden Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 20 - Monday 14^th July - The Causeway Coastal Route

Leaving your accommodation this morning, you embark on explorations through the stunning northern coast where you’ll be treated to magnificent views of rugged cliffs, pristine beaches, and charming villages, a stunning coastal route known as the “secret” way to travel along the Causeway Coast! You’ll stop at Gobbins Cliff Path, which takes you along a narrow path, and across spectacular bridges amid the swirling waves below. Traverse hidden tunnels under the Irish Sea, climb rugged staircases carved into the cliff face and duck into caves, once home to smugglers and privateers. Once in Belfast, check in to the city’s iconic Titanic Hotel, the former headquarters of the Harland & Wolff shipyard, where the legendary RMS Titanic was designed and built. With original architectural features and artefacts throughout, the hotel provides a fascinating connection to Belfast’s rich shipbuilding heritage and the iconic ship that changed history.

Overnight: Belfast | Titanic Hotel
Room Type: x1 Executive Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 21 - Tuesday 15^th July - The History of Belfast

Today, you’ll join a local guide and explore Belfast from the comfort of a London black cab. Unpack the complicated history of The Troubles. See the city’s murals and peace walls, hear stories of life in Belfast at the height of the troubles, check out historical photographs and enjoy narration from your local guide.

On your final day in the North of Ireland, we recommend trying an Ulster Fry and having a glass of Armagh Cider to toast to your 3 weeks of exploration!

Overnight: Belfast | Titanic Hotel
Room Type: x1 Executive Room
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 22 - Wednesday 16^th July - Historic Dublin

This morning, make your way south to Dublin. The city is best explored with a local historian for an engaging walking tour of the lively capital city. Explore some of Dublin’s best-known attractions while also enjoying the benefit of local knowledge by visiting spots hidden off the tourist trail. Your tour guide finishes at Trinity College where you can join a tour that takes you around the campus, discovering some of the secrets and famous pupils who graced its halls and quads before making your way to the Old Library for an audio tour of the Book of Kells with its new immersive digital experience.

Booking ref: 308189286

Overnight: Dublin | The Merrion Hotel
Room Type: x1 Superior King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 23 - Thursday 17^th July - Depart

This morning, drive to Dublin airport, drop off your rental car and its time to hop on your flight home. Waving farewell for now but taking with you special memories and wonderful stories of your explorations.

Meals Included: Breakfast