Planning a private luxury tour of Ireland should not be about rushing from one attraction to the next. Ireland is best experienced at a relaxed pace, with enough time to enjoy its cities, countryside, coastal scenery, restaurants, traditional pubs and local hospitality.
At Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours, we specialise in creating private, bespoke tours designed around you. If you are planning an extended trip around Ireland, this route provides an excellent starting point.
Begin Your Ireland Tour in Dublin
Start your journey with two nights in Dublin. Ireland’s capital combines history, culture, excellent restaurants and some of the country’s most famous attractions.
A visit to the Guinness Storehouse is a great introduction to Dublin, finishing with panoramic views across the city from the Gravity Bar.
You should also make time for the famous Book of Kells at Trinity College and explore Dublin Castle in the historic centre of the city.
Two nights gives you time to experience Dublin properly before beginning your private journey through the rest of Ireland.
Travel South to Kinsale and Cork
From Dublin, travel south towards beautiful Kinsale in County Cork, where we recommend spending two nights.
Kinsale is one of Ireland’s most attractive coastal towns and has developed an excellent reputation for food. Its colourful streets are filled with independent restaurants, traditional pubs and places to enjoy live Irish music.
Kinsale Marina
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N Chadwick
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CC BY-SA 2.0
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During your stay, explore nearby Cork City and visit the famous English Market, which has been trading in the heart of the city for centuries.
Back in Kinsale, visit Charles Fort, the impressive star-shaped fortress overlooking Kinsale Harbour.
Cross the Caha Pass to Kenmare
The journey itself is one of the great pleasures of a private tour of Ireland.
Leaving Cork behind, travel through spectacular countryside and across the Caha Pass towards the picturesque town of Kenmare.
We recommend spending a couple of nights here. Kenmare provides an excellent base for exploring some of the finest scenery in southwest Ireland while still offering superb restaurants and traditional Irish hospitality in the evening.
Explore Killarney National Park and the Ring of Kerry
From Kenmare, spend a day discovering Killarney National Park, with its mountains, lakes, woodland and historic estates.
Another essential experience is the world-famous Ring of Kerry. The route takes you through spectacular coastal scenery, traditional villages and some of the landscapes that make County Kerry such an important part of any luxury Ireland itinerary.
Travelling with your own private driver-guide gives you the flexibility to stop when something catches your eye instead of following the rigid timetable of a large coach tour.
Discover the Ring of Beara
We also recommend taking time to explore the Beara Peninsula.
Sometimes described as Ireland’s unexplored peninsula, Beara offers dramatic mountain passes, rugged Atlantic coastline and small villages while generally feeling quieter than some of Ireland’s better-known touring routes.
It is exactly the type of place where having a knowledgeable local driver-guide can transform your experience of Ireland.
Travel North to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren
Continue northwards towards County Clare and one of Ireland’s most recognisable natural attractions, the Cliffs of Moher.
Rising dramatically above the Atlantic Ocean, the cliffs are a highlight of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
Your journey should also include time exploring The Burren, a remarkable limestone landscape unlike almost anywhere else in Ireland.
Galway and Connemara
Continue into Galway, one of Ireland’s liveliest and most characterful cities, before travelling west into Connemara.
Spend a few nights around Clifden, an ideal base for discovering this beautiful part of Ireland.
Clifden offers excellent pubs and restaurants, often accompanied by traditional Irish music. More importantly, it allows you to slow the pace of your tour and enjoy the landscape rather than constantly packing and moving hotels.
Visit Kylemore Abbey
While exploring Connemara, make sure Kylemore Abbey is included in your itinerary.
Set between mountains and a beautiful lake, Kylemore Abbey is one of the most photographed locations in the west of Ireland and an essential stop on a luxury tour through Connemara.
Continue North to Belfast and Holywood
Your private Ireland tour can then continue north into Northern Ireland.
We recommend spending two nights around Holywood, just outside Belfast. From here you are perfectly positioned to explore Belfast itself and the spectacular Causeway Coast.
Explore Belfast
Spend time discovering Belfast, a city with fascinating industrial, maritime and cultural history.
One of the highlights is Titanic Belfast, located beside the historic Harland & Wolff shipyard where RMS Titanic was designed and built.
A privately guided visit around Belfast can also reveal parts of the city’s story that visitors often miss when travelling independently.
The Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills
From Belfast, travel along the beautiful Causeway Coast to the legendary Giant’s Causeway.
This extraordinary coastal landscape is one of Northern Ireland’s most famous natural landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Continue to nearby Bushmills Distillery. Whether you are a whiskey enthusiast or simply interested in Irish heritage, it is a worthwhile addition to the journey.
Our existing 14 Day All Ireland Tour also incorporates many of these destinations, including Dublin, Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway and Ireland’s west coast.
Finish Your Ireland Tour in Malahide
Rather than finishing your holiday with a long drive directly to Dublin Airport, travel south and spend your final night in Malahide.
This attractive coastal village provides a relaxing end to your tour while keeping you conveniently close to Dublin Airport for your flight home the following morning.
How Long Should You Spend Touring Ireland?
If your schedule allows, Ireland rewards travellers who give themselves more time rather than trying to see everything in a few days.
A journey incorporating Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Connemara, Belfast and the Causeway Coast is ideally suited to an extended itinerary of approximately 12 to 14 nights.
The aim should be quality rather than quantity: fewer hotel changes, comfortable travel days and enough time to genuinely experience each destination.
Plan Your Private Luxury Tour of Ireland
Every traveller is different, which is why the best Ireland itineraries should never feel like a standard package tour.
Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours is a small, family-run business specialising in personalised private touring. We create bespoke itineraries using experienced local driver-guides and carefully selected accommodation, allowing you to explore Ireland comfortably and at your own pace.
Whether this itinerary sounds perfect as it is or you would like us to adapt it around your interests, preferred hotels, family history, golf, food, whiskey or particular parts of Ireland, we can create a journey specifically for you.
Explore our 14 Day All Ireland Tour for more inspiration.
Start Planning Your Private Tour of Ireland
Contact Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours today and let us create your own private luxury tour of Ireland.
