Southern Route Itinerary The most popular 7-night self-drive tour of Ireland for first-time travelers

This Highlights of Ireland Self Drive/Chauffeur Tour is our most popular tour featuring Dublin, Waterford, Kerry and Galway in one 7-night tour. Visit Ireland’s most famous sights including Trinity College and Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Powerscourt House & Glendalough on the way to Waterford to visit the new House of Waterford in the downtown. Visit Blarney Castle and the Cobh Heritage Centre in Cork on your way to Killarney for 2 nights where you can take a day trip to the Dingle Peninsula, tour Muckross House, explore the Killarney National Park or hike the Gap of Dunloe. Head toward Galway, visiting the Cliffs of Moher and the ‘Burren Landscape’ of County Clare on the way. Head to the Aran Islands or Connemara in County Galway before heading back to Dublin stopping and Ireland's most visited attraction, the ancient Megalithic Tombs at Newgrange.

We designed this tour to accommodate travelers who have booked their airfare using either of Ireland's airports, Shannon or Dublin. We'll simply move things around to accommodate your flights.

Overnights for this tour:

• Dublin (2 nights)
• Waterford (1 night)
• Cork (1 nights)
• Killarney (1 nights)
• Galway (1 nights)
• Shannon (1 nights)

Tour Inclusions:

• Manual or Automatic Car Rental w/Unlimited Miles and Basic CDW Insurance
• 7-nights accommodations (choose from B&B, Hotels, Manor Homes and/or Castles)

Suggested Sightseeing:

• Dublin. Half day hop-on/hop-off city bus tour of Dublin where you will see St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College and the world famous Book of Kells. Overnight in Dublin.
• Dublin. Use your hop-on/hop-off pass to visit sites along the route that intrigue you; visit Kilmainham Gaol. Dinner in Temple Bar and overnight in Dublin.
• Dublin – Kilkenny – Waterford. Morning departure from Dublin via the medieval city of Kilkenny for local sightseeing. Visit Jerpoint Abbey, continue on to Waterford and visit its famous House of Waterford tour, learning about the famous crystal and seeing how it is made. You can overnight in Waterford downtown or you can enjoy a luxury castle stay at Waterford Castle, located just outside of the downtown on it's own private island. Overnight Waterford.
• Waterford - Blarney – Cork. Leave Waterford and travel along the southern coast, enjoying towns such as Youghal (Ya'll), the town where the original Moby Dick was filmed. Stop in Cobh and visit the Cobh Heritage Center, which documents the history of Irish emigration and the story of the ill-fated superliners; the Lusitania and the Belfast built Titanic. On to Blarney Castle, where you pause to kiss the famed Blarney Stone, said to bestow eloquence on all who dare. Continue to Cork City and get settled in and ready for dinner and a pub. Overnight Cork.
• Cork - Ring of Beara - Killarney. Continuing on the southern coast, you'll enjoy such towns as Bantry and Ballylickey, where you'll find Manning's Emporium - our favorite pick to enjoy charcuterie, local Irish cheeses and some great international wines. Off-the-beaten path turn to the Beara Peninsula will give you all the sites of the Ring of Kerry without the longer driver and tour buses. Overnight in Killarney.
• Killarney – Limerick – Galway. Travel north via Limerick to Galway for local sightseeing. See the Galway Cathedral and the Spanish Arch. Perhaps visit the Royal Tara China Factory. Overnight Galway.
• Galway - The Burren - Doolin - Shannon. Meandering back toward the Shannon Airport, you'll head over toward Doolin and take in amazing little villages like Ballyvaughan, Lisdoonvarna and of course our favorite, Doolin. You can visit the Burren Perfumery, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Ailwee Cave and lots of great sites along this route. Overnight in Doolin or Shannon, depending on how early your flight is.
• Shannon Airport – Home. Today travel to nearby Shannon Airport for your return flight home.