Lighthouses and Islands

Day 1: Arrival Cork (or Kerry) Airport – Killarney

 Welcome to the south-west of Ireland – I will greet you at the airport today and our journey to the lively town of Killarney will start immediately. We spend the afternoon visiting some of the sights of Killarney, such as the gardens of Muckross House or the church ruins of Aghadoe, from here you have a fabulous view of the mountains, forests and lakes of the national park. You can also take a short walk by the lake. The evening is then at your leisure, maybe you fancy a ‘pub crawl’, Killarney has many nice pubs There is also an Irish dance show ‘Celtic Steps’, we would be happy to organise a visit to the show for you on one of our evenings here.

Overnight stay including breakfast in the 4* Old Weir guest house oder 4 * Great Southern Hotel in Killarney or similar

Day 2: Ring of Kerry – Derrynane House – Sheepdogs

All around the Ring of Kerry today we travel today. We start north with Killorglin, the place of the King Puck, the goat king, until we reach the spot with the first breathtaking view of the Atlantic. We then visit Brendan, he will show us how he works with his Border Collies and sheep, because sheep are at home on many farms in this coastal landscape. Onwards we travel around the Iveragh Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, through Waterville, over the Coomakista Pass to Derrynane. Derrynane was the home of one of the most famous figures in Irish history. The house is now a museum and is fantastically located near a white sandy beach, which invites you to take a walk in the fresh sea air. You probably don’t want to leave this place ever. But on our further journey you can expect a few more highlights – the small, colorful town of Sneem, Moll’s Gap and the drive through the oak forests of the national park and the lookout point of Ladies View with a view over the famous lakes of Killarney.

Overnight stay including breakfast in the 4* Old Weir guest house oder 4 * Great Southern Hotel in Killarney or similar

Day 3: Killarney – Kenmare – Garinish Island

Look forward to two fantastic narrow mountain passes today. We drive over the Caha Pass from one county to the other, from Kerry to Cork to Kenmare, a beautiful little town that invites you to a stroll. The road over the Healy Pass then brings us to Glengariff . Here we take a boat to the garden island Illnacullin or Garnish, on our crossing we will see many seals and the island itself is a paradise of various landscaped gardens. Today’s excursion ends with a visit to Bantry House, a country estate with an interesting history and wonderful views. Here we can spend the night and spend the evening in the stately rooms. Another option is to stay at the Seaview House Hotel, where you can relax with a seaweed bath.

Overnight stay including breakfast in Maritime Hotel or Bantry House or in the 4 * Seaview House Hotel in Ballylickey or similar

Day 4: Ring of Beara Tour – Dursey Island

We spend our day today on the Beara Peninsula, a much less visited area than the Ring of Kerry. The Beara Peninsula is one of the most fascinating and beautiful places in Ireland. The Miskish and Caha Mountains form the rugged backbone of the Beara Peninsula, which juts out into the wild Atlantic Ocean and ensures that the coast is omnipresent. Our journey goes over small streets lined with endless hedges that meander between the cozy, colorful villages and communities of Beara. The peninsula is densely littered with remains from the Bronze Age: wedge graves, stone circles and standing stones. The economic importance of the sea is also evident here, Ireland’s largest fishing fleet is based in Castletownbere. Fish and chips are certainly excellent here.

Overnight stay including breakfast in Maritime Hotel or Bantry House or in the 4 * Seaview House Hotel in Ballylickey or similar

Day 5: Mizen Head Tour – Sandy Beach – Skibbereen

All good things come in threes, Ring of Kerry, Ring of Beara and today we drive out to the third peninsula, at the tip of which is Mizen Head, a place in a wild, breath-taking coastal landscape. Here you will feel the power of the Atlantic Ocean. In the visitor center we learn interesting facts about the fascinating history of this place and the views are spectacular, especially from the bridge. Maybe we will see dolphins and whales! From here we head east and can walk (or swim) on one of the most beautiful sandy beaches in Ireland. We drive to Kinsale via the towns of Ballydehob and Skibbereen.

Overnight stay including breakfast in Rocklands Guesthouse or 4* Trident Hotel in Kinsale or similar

Day 6: Kinsale – Old Head of Kinsale

From Kinsale our journey today takes us along the gentler landscape of the coast, here with small fields and many safe harbours. At the Old Head of Kinsale we have a view of the lighthouse, which here gives the ships safe conduct. A museum shows us the interesting history, here the Lusitania sank in 1915, a significant event in Europe’s history.
We spend the afternoon in Kinsale, which is well known in the culinary world as a small port town. We will explore the interesting history of the place on a tour.

Overnight stay including breakfast in Rocklands Guesthouse or 4* Trident Hotel in Kinsale or similar

Day 7: Cork – Titanic Museum Cobh

With all the coastal routes we have taken and the historical places we have seen, we can’t skip over a tragedy that has touched many people and has been a topic of films and books – the Titanic. The last port she stopped at was Cobh, there is a museum here today, which we will visit.
We will spend the afternoon in the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, Cork, on a tour I will tell you many interesting facts about the history of the city on the River Lee and you will have the opportunity to explore the city on your own.

Overnight stay including breakfast in 3* Isaacs Hotel or  5* Hayfield Manor Hotel in Cork or similar

Day 8: Departure – Cork Airport / Kerry Airport and flight home

The day of farewell has come – unless you want to extend your trip with an extra day in the city of Cork, we would be happy to organize your stay for you.

Services included in the tour price:

• 2x overnight stays including breakfast at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney or similar
• 2x overnight stay including breakfast in the Bantry House or in the 4 * Seaview House Hotel in the Bantry area or similar
• 2x overnight stays including breakfast in the 4 * Trident Hotel in Kinsale or similar
• 1x overnight stay including breakfast in…. Hotel in Cork
• Transfer and intercity bus ride on the day of departure
• German-speaking tour guide and support throughout
• Round trip according to the program (program changes reserved)
• All trips take place in a modern minibus
• Information material about your trip
• Entrances:
  • Sheep dog demonstration with Brendan
  • Derrynane House
  • Boat trip and entrance to Illnacullin Island
  • Bantry House
  • Dursey Island boat trip or cable car
  • Mizen Head Visitor Center
  • Titanic Museum Cobh

Services not included:
Flights, personal expenses, tips, food and drinks
The journey home is arranged individually

Information on travel price
Travel prices vary depending on accommodation type, please contact us for detailed information.

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