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Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

Signature Ireland: Splendors of the Emerald Isle

Escorted 13-day Irish castle stay tour with rail, coach, and boat travel

Illustration of Signature Ireland: Splendors of the Emerald Isle

Vacations By Rail offers this 13-day escorted tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland, starting in Dublin and ending near Kildare. A Tour Manager guides the full journey, which combines First Class rail travel to Belfast with coach journeys, boat excursions, and stays in four and five-star hotels, including two castles. The itinerary weaves through Dublin's Guinness Storehouse, Belfast's Titanic museums, the Giant's Causeway, the Wild Atlantic Way, Connemara's Kylemore Abbey and heritage railway, the Cliffs of Moher by boat, the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, and historic sites such as Blarney Castle and Cobh. Days blend guided cultural tours, distillery tastings, scenic drives, and castle experiences. The tour suits luxury seekers, history enthusiasts, and food-and-wine travelers who prefer the security of a manager-led package with included meals and excursions. Mobility Rating 3 reflects the considerable walking and activity involved.

What to know before you look closer

  • Flights and airport transfers are not included; arrange separately or book private transfers for flights outside the 11am group-transfer window
  • The final night hotel location is Barberstown Castle near Straffan (County Kildare), not central Dublin; plan your departure accordingly
  • Mobility Rating 3 indicates this tour involves significant walking and activity; confirm your fitness level matches before booking

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Dublin

    Arrival in Dublin

    Make your own way to our five-star boutique hotel in the Grand Canal area, with the day free to explore. Meet the Tour Manager this evening for a welcome drink and dinner in the Eddison Restaurant.

    Meals: Dinner

  2. Day 2overnight: Dublin

    Exploring Dublin and the Guinness Storehouse

    A short panoramic city tour followed by a guided tour of the Guinness Storehouse, concluding in the rooftop bar where you're taught to pour the perfect pint. The rest of the day is free.

    Meals: Breakfast

  3. Day 3railovernight: Belfast

    Guided tour of Belfast and the Titanic museum

    First Class rail travel from Connolly station direct to Belfast. A local guide leads the Hidden Belfast Walking Tour, followed by a visit to Titanic Belfast. Dinner in the Seahorse Restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  4. Day 4overnight: Lough Eske

    Giant's Causeway and Derry

    Drive the Causeway Coastal Route via Glenariff National Park, with a picnic lunch at the Giant's Causeway, then past Dunluce Castle to Derry City to view the Bogside murals, before checking in to Lough Eske Castle in County Donegal.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  5. Day 5overnight: Galway

    Wild Atlantic Way to Galway

    Drive the Wild Atlantic Way past Mullaghmore Head to Parkes Castle on Lough Gill, then sail aboard the Rose of Innisfree boat into Sligo for free time, before continuing to Galway.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  6. Day 6railovernight: Galway

    Kylemore Abbey and Connemara Railway

    Visit Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine nunnery set in the Connemara countryside, then board the heritage Connemara Railway at Maam Cross for a 10-mile round trip with tea and scones onboard. Free time in Galway.

    Meals: Breakfast

  7. Day 7overnight: Parkavonear

    Burren Smokehouse and Cliffs of Moher

    Drive through the Burren to Lisdoonvarna for a guided tour and tasting at the Burren Smokehouse, then a boat trip from Doolin to view the Cliffs of Moher from the water, before a ferry across the River Shannon to Kerry.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  8. Day 8overnight: Parkavonear

    Ross Castle and the Ring of Kerry

    A Jaunting Car ride through Demesne parkland to Ross Castle on Lough Leane, then a scenic drive on the Ring of Kerry taking in Torc Waterfall, Moll's Gap and Ladies View, with a stop at a working sheep farm. Dinner at Muckross House for an Irish Night.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  9. Day 9overnight: Parkavonear

    Exploring the Dingle Peninsula

    A journey on the Wild Atlantic Way onto the Dingle Peninsula, past Inch Beach and Slea Head, with views of the Blasket Islands, and free time in the fishing port of Dingle.

    Meals: Breakfast

  10. Day 10overnight: Cork

    Blarney Castle and Cork

    Drive over the Cork and Kerry Mountains to Blarney Castle, built in 1446, with the opportunity to kiss the Blarney Stone, then a guided tour of Cork's old jail before checking in and dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  11. Day 11overnight: Cork

    Titanic Experience and Old Midleton Distillery

    Visit Cobh (formerly Queenstown) and the Titanic Experience, housed in the former White Star Line ticket office, then a tour and tasting at the Jameson Old Midleton Distillery.

    Meals: Breakfast

  12. Day 12railovernight: Kildare (Straffan)

    Irish National Stud & Gardens

    Train from Cork Kent Station towards Portlaoise, then by coach to Kildare for a VIP visit to the Irish National Stud & Gardens, including a simulated race meet, before checking in to Barberstown Castle in Straffan for a private final dinner in the Barton Room.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  13. Day 13

    Traveling home

    After breakfast, a group transfer to the airport with your Tour Manager (available for flights after 11am; private transfers can be arranged for other times).

    Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Day 2: Rooftop bar at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, learning to pour the perfect pint
  • Day 3Day 3: First Class rail from Dublin Connolly station direct to Belfast, followed by the Hidden Belfast Walking Tour
  • Day 6Day 6: Heritage Connemara Railway 10-mile round trip from Maam Cross with tea and scones onboard
  • Day 7Day 7: Boat trip from Doolin viewing the Cliffs of Moher from the water
  • Day 8Day 8: Jaunting Car ride through Demesne parkland to Ross Castle, followed by scenic Ring of Kerry drive

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 12 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
  • 1st & Standard Class rail travel on local rail networks
  • All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
  • Breakfast each day, 1 picnic lunch, 8 dinners
  • Group luggage transfers between all hotels
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  • Flights and Airport transfers

Questions travellers ask

Is rail travel included?
Yes. The tour includes First Class rail travel from Dublin Connolly station to Belfast and a later train segment from Cork Kent Station toward Portlaoise. It also features the heritage Connemara Railway. All rail and coach travel throughout the tour is included.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. Vacations By Rail provides a Tour Manager from the start of the tour through the final day, including the group airport transfer on Day 13.
What hotels are included?
The tour stays in 12 nights of four and five-star hotels: The Dylan Hotel (Dublin, 2 nights), Grand Central Hotel Belfast (1 night), Lough Eske Castle (Donegal, 1 night), Salthill Hotel (Galway, 2 nights), Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa (Killarney area, 3 nights), The Montenotte Hotel (Cork, 2 nights), and Barberstown Castle (Straffan, 1 night).
What meals are included?
Breakfast is included each day. The tour also includes one picnic lunch (at the Giant's Causeway on Day 4) and eight dinners throughout.
What is the activity level?
The operator rates this tour Mobility Rating 3, which involves considerable walking, stairs, and varied terrain on coastal drives and castle grounds.
When does this tour run?
The operator does not publish specific departure dates in the available information. Contact Vacations By Rail to confirm availability and book your preferred date.

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