10 Night Best of Ireland, by Rail
Overview
This extensive itinerary covers the best that Ireland has to offer while travelling aboard comfortable modern trains and private transfers. Discover Cork, Killarney, Galway and Dublin and visit top attractions like Blarney Castle, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher while soaking in Irish hospitality, heritage and culture.
This itinerary features More Moments activities included with your package.
The train tickets and hotel stays are included in the package, along with some meals and many other travel essentials that will help make this trip easy and unforgettable.
Format
Locations
- Cork
- Killarney
- Galway
- Dublin
Inclusions
- Round-trip flights to Dublin (if Flight & Hotel package option is chosen)
- Round-trip airport transfers in Dublin
- 10 nights of accommodation including breakfast, in selected category
- Train tickets, economy class, Dublin to Cork, Cork to Killarney, Galway to Dublin
- Private chauffeured scenic transfer from Killarney to Galway
- Return shuttle bus from Galway to port of Rossaveal
- Return ferry tickets from Rossaveal to Inis Mór
- More Moments - activities included:
- 48-hour Hop-On Hop-Off Dublin City pass
- Day tour of Cork, Cobh and Blarney Castle
- Ring of Kerry tour
- Day tour of Dingle Peninsula
- Day tour of Cliffs of Moher and the Burren
- Earn 4,000 extra Aeroplan® points per member on this tour for travel completed by December 31, 2025
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart Canada
Fly to Dublin.
Day 2
Welcome to Dublin – Cork City, by Rail
Arrive in Dublin and take a transfer to the train station. Travel directly to Cork where your adventure will begin. Make your own way to your hotel in Cork, explore the city at your own leisure.
Day 3
Cobh and Blarney Castle Tour
After breakfast, make your own way to the meeting point for your Cobh and Blarney Castle tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Cobh and Blarney Castle Tour
Travel to Blarney where you will have plenty of time to explore the Castle grounds at your leisure. A must see is the Rock Close area and Poison Garden where the world’s most poisonous plants are kept behind large cage-like structures. After, climb the ramparts of Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone! After Blarney, hop on the coach again and travel onward to Cobh, famous for being the last port of call for millions of Irish emigrants, and also for being the last port of call for the Titanic. Two excellent museums explore these events in detail; the Cobh Heritage Centre and the Titanic Experience. Saint Coleman’s Cathedral in the town is also well worth a visit. After free time in Cobh, your coach returns you back to Cork city, where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 4
Cork to Killarney, by Rail
After breakfast, make your own way to the train station to take your train directly to Killarney.
On arrival in Killarney, make your own way from the train station to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your own leisure. Explore Killarney National Park, take in the town’s charm with its shops, restaurants and traditional music in old-style pubs.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 5
The Ring of Kerry Tour
After breakfast, make your own way to the meeting point for your Ring of Kerry tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Ring of Kerry Tour
Discover landscapes alongside the backdrop of the grand MacGillycuddy’s Reeks Mountain range, rivers and rolling countryside. Along the way, encounter bustling towns and quaint Irish villages. Visit such places as Glenbeigh which holds the famous Kerry Bog Village, a cluster of reconstructed cottages dating back to the 1800s, Cahersiveen, the principal town of the peninsula and the charming village of Sneem, with its brightly painted buildings and quaint village green. Return to Killarney via Ladies View, a famous stopping point to view the three Lakes of Killarney.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 6
The Dingle Peninsula
After breakfast, make your own way to the meeting point for your Dingle Peninsula tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Dingle Peninsula Tour
A comprehensive day tour of the Dingle Peninsula, which offers some of Ireland’s best scenery and spectacular views. The Dingle Peninsula or the Corca Dhuibhne is believed to have more than 2000 ancient monuments. On your travels, you will discover Dingle Town with its brightly coloured shops and Slea Head, known to be the most westerly point in Europe with breathtaking views, especially of the nearby Blasket Islands.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 7
Killarney to Galway by Private Chauffeur
After breakfast, head onwards to Galway with your private chauffeured transfer.
Along the way, your driver will show you places of interest and you will have a chance to explore the pretty, medieval village of Adare and Bunratty, home to the famous castle and Folk Park. Galway is the main city of West Ireland and a lively university city and is known as Ireland’s Festival Capital.
The city is easy to explore on foot, and you will find many bars and restaurants. Take a stroll down Shop Street to find a variety of buskers and other street performers. Shop Street contains Galway's best-preserved ancient building, Lynch's Castle and a great selection of shops.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 8
The Cliffs of Moher and Burren Day Tour
After breakfast, make your own way to the meeting point for your Cliffs of Moher and Burren tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Cliffs of Moher and Burren Tour
Take a trip to Ireland’s most famous attraction, the Cliffs of Moher! Travel by Galway Bay and stop first at the village of Kinvara, where Dunguaire Castle is located. Built in 1520 by the O’Hynes Clan.
Continue through the Burren where you will witness a landscape like you have never seen before. The Burren is home to numerous ancient monuments including the 5,800-year-old Poulnabrone Dolmen Tomb. Settle at the coastal village of Doolin in County Clare for a lunch stop before visiting the 200-metre-high Cliffs of Moher. Revel in astonishing views over the Atlantic Ocean and take some time to appreciate the natural beauty of the cliffs before returning to Galway.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 9
Aran Islands
After breakfast, make your own way to the shuttle meeting point for Rossaveal port.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Aran Islands, Inis Mor
Depart early morning for your journey to Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands where the Gaelic language is spoken. Learn about the Aran Jumper and traditional crafts like basket weaving.
There are more than 50 different pre-Christian monuments of importance on the Aran islands, the most popular being the fort of Dún Aonghasa which stands dramatically against the cliff edge over the western part of Inis Mór. After a long day spent exploring the island, take the return ferry back to Rossaveal and the return shuttle back to Galway City.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 10
Galway to Dublin by Rail
After breakfast, make your own way to the train station for your journey to Dublin.
Upon arrival in Dublin, make your own way to your hotel. Spend remainder of the day at leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 11
Dublin - Sightseeing
After breakfast, explore the city using your Hop-On Hop-Off pass.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Sightseeing – Dublin City Hop-On Hop-Off Pass
Highlights of Dublin include Dublin’s famous St Stephen’s Green or check out the shops and cafés on Grafton Street. Plus stop to take a picture with Molly Malone, one of Dublin’s most famous statues.
Another must-see is the Dublin Castle, which held the seat of English rule in the 13th Century also houses the Chester Beatty, with its display of manuscripts, prints, miniature paintings and early printed books from countries across the globe.
In the evening, check out Dublin’s traditional music and pub scene at The Cobblestone and the Auld Dubliner, or enjoy a drink or two in Kehoe’s Bar, one of the last great heritage pubs of Dublin!
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 12
Return Home
After breakfast, transfer to Dublin airport to board your return flight back home.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Accomodations
Where you'll stay
Location
Hotel
Room details
Type of bed(s): 1 double bed or 2 twin beds
Room occupancy: Maximum 2 people (2 adults)
Unless otherwise specified, guests will stay in a standard room at all hotels during the trip.
Room details
Type of bed(s): 1 double bed or 2 twin beds
Room occupancy: Maximum 3 people (3 adults, or 2 adults and 1 child)
Unless otherwise specified, guests will stay in a standard room at all hotels during the trip.
Important Information
-
Daily departures from:
- January 2, 2024 – October 15, 2024
- April 1, 2025 – October 15, 2025
-
Not included:
- Meals, unless specified
- Transfers unless specified
- Additional activities, excursions and entrance fees
- Personal expenses and insurance
-
The More Moments activities/excursions mentioned in the itinerary are all included in the package, but may be rescheduled to take place on an earlier or later day, or replaced with an alternative, depending on availability, weather, seasonality and general operational reasons.
-
- Economy Class train service
- Private transfers
-
The order of the itinerary may change, operate in reverse due to operational restrictions. The itinerary above is for reference only.
-
Check-in: 3:00 p.m.
Check-out: 12:00 p.m.