While I like to rent a car to explore outside of Dublin, I realize not everyone wants to deal with the stress of driving on the opposite side of the road while trying to navigate an unfamiliar place. It usually gets much easier after the first day, but for those who prefer someone else get behind the wheel, there are some great day tours that can bring you to some of Ireland’s top attractions.
With an expert local guide leading the way, you’ll hear some of the insider stories behind the destinations to get even more out of the experience by booking any of these top tours from Dublin.
Cliffs of Moher & Galway
The Cliffs of Moher is a dramatic sight, looming over the Atlantic coast in County Clare. It’s consistently ranked among Ireland’s top attractions and a must-see for any first-time visitor. A full-day excursion to the cliffs is available for a very reasonable price and includes a stop in the Burren and a guided walking tour of Galway’s city center too.
The highlight is the chance to stroll the pathways that run alongside the famous cliffs providing breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands. On a clear day, the mountains in the Connemara region come into view as well. After soaking up the incredible vista and capturing photos, you’ll have time to explore the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, with your admission included.
The lunar-like landscape of the Burren is renowned for its remarkable diversity of plants, with Arctic-alpine plants living right next to those that are typically only seen in the Mediterranean region. Several species that are rare elsewhere on the planet are abundant here, all somehow surviving and even thriving in this land that seems to be nearly entirely made up of rock. Watch for the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a portal tomb dating back to the Neolithic period.
Northern Ireland: Belfast, Giant’s Causeway & More
If you want to explore some of the most popular attractions in Northern Ireland, that can easily be done from Dublin as well. This fantastic tour is very reasonably priced and includes a black cab tour through Belfast. You’ll ride in a traditional black cab for an adventure that includes the famous murals and Peace Walls that kept Protestants and Catholics apart, the university, the docks, and more, all while learning about the city and the infamous “troubles” from your driver’s perspective for a unique historical and cultural experience.
Continue to the Causeway Coast for a spectacularly scenic drive to Giant’s Causeway with its soaring cliffs and some 40,000 basalt columns, created by a volcanic eruption that took place 60 million years ago. You’ll also see unique formations like the Wishing Chair which you can sit in for a great Instagrammable shot, the Giant’s Boot, The Camel, The Giant’s Granny, and The Organ. Set high atop the cliffs, it looks as if it could really be played by a giant tall enough.
A stop at the haunting ruins of Dunluce Castle, used as the filming location for House Greyjoy in “Game of Thrones” is included too.
Wicklow Mountains with Glendalough + Kilkenny
The Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny are within easy reach of Dublin and provide some of the most dazzling scenery and interesting history in the east of Ireland. A full-day tour jam-packed with delights includes a scenic drive through Wicklow National Park, the magnificent monastic ruins and lakes at Glendalough, and the city of Kilkenny.
If you’ve ever seen the film “P.S. I Love You,” or watched the History Channel’s “Vikings” you’ll recognize many of the scenes in the park. In the summer and early fall when the heather is in bloom, a sea of purple and maroon covers the hills and fields of bog cotton, providing many postcard-perfect shots. Glendalough is the home of a monastic settlement that was established in the sixth century, with its Round Tower a popular object for photographs.
Kilkenny is my favorite Irish city with its medieval vibe, cobbled streets, and 12th-century castle overlooking the River Nore – you’ll get to explore it on a guided walking tour.
Rock of Cashel & Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle is on many travelers’ bucket lists, bringing the opportunity to climb to the top and kiss the famous Blarney Stone and receive the “gift of the gab” in return. Yes, it’s very touristy but worth it to say you did it once, as well as to explore the castle and the stunning gardens. This tour not only includes iconic Blarney, but time to shop the Woollen Mills – perhaps to buy a beautiful Irish-made sweater – and a visit to the Rock of Cashel.
The “Rock,” pictured above, is one of the country’s most impressive sites, with its oldest buildings dating back to 1100 AD, although the site was used as a fortress and royal seat since at least the fourth century. This is also said to be where the King of Munster was converted to Christianity by St. Patrick in the fifth century and the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster for several centuries before the Norman invasion. The complex features one of Europe’s most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture, with most of the structures that survive dating to the 12th and 13th centuries.
Newgrange & the Hill of Tara
Newgrange is an absolute must-visit, just 45 minutes northwest of Dublin. Older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid of Giza, built about 3200 BC, no one knows for sure what its purpose was, but it’s believed to have been a passage tomb and temple for ancient people who worshipped the sun. White quartz was used to build it, said to inspire life-giving energy.
People travel here from across the globe to witness the winter solstice spectacle at Newgrange. Demand is so high, that a yearly lottery is conducted with just 120 chosen to enter the burial mound during the 17-minute-long, 5,000-year-old light show. This is when illumination occurs, with a beam of sunlight shooting down through the narrow corridor leading into the chamber, flooding the stone passage with a warm glow.
If you aren’t one of the lucky few who can be here for the winter solstice event, after you enter through the narrow passageway your guide will replicate the experience and reveal lots of interesting insight about the event and the history behind Newgrange as well.
There are private tours that will bring you here to get the most out of your visit with other stops included as well, like the Hill of Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland which was at the peak of its power as a political and religious center in the early centuries following the birth of Christ.
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