Classic Ireland and England

Your driver-guide will meet inside the terminal, assist with luggage and escort you to the vehicle. Check into your hotel and relax, you have Irish and English adventure ahead.

Overnight: Dublin - No 1. Recommended Hotel: The Merrion.
Overnight: Dublin - No 2. Recommended Hotel: The Westin Dublin.

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The classic guided walking tour of Dublin (using taxi's when required) – Customised for you

On your guided walking tour of Dublin discover the origins, history, music scene and fascinating tales of this thriving and energetic city.  

Have you been intrigued by TV and Movies about The Vikings? You may have picked up how widespread their settlements were, from North America to the Mediterranean and to Ireland, Dublin to be exact. From the late 12th century Dublin became an Anglo-Norman trading port. The city has suffered much, plague, war, suppression, unemployment, resulting in large scale emigration. The Irish have returned to their beloved capital in large numbers, now that prosperity has returned. Dublin is now bursting with life and ambition.  

On your tour In this city of famous writers, see Oscar Wilde's birthplace and pass the National Gallery, which is supported by royalties from "Pygmalion," George Bernard Shaw's celebrated play. Head for the ancient city centre, where the Vikings first settled over 1,000 years ago, now with gracious public buildings and lively shopping areas.

Tour Dublin Castle, for seven centuries a symbol of English and British rule, now government offices. There is a series of fascinating towers, apartments and chapels of every architectural period and style to see. Visit Trinity College's Old Library to view the 8th century Book of Kells, the symbolism within the pages and the beautiful illustrations make it a world-famous book. The historical value is priceless, but it is on a show for everyone's enjoyment.

We can tailor your tour to include architectural aspects of the city, art galleries, the National Museum of Ireland, the Guinness factory tour, and Christ Church Cathedral. 

Overnight: Dublin - No 1. Recommended Hotel: The Merrion.
Overnight: Dublin - No 2. Recommended Hotel: The Westin Dublin.

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Tour the Rock of Cashel - All Rocky high points in the past were valued, easier to defend, impossible to undermine, and any building would stand proud and be a symbol of power. The message from this ancient site is clear, prime real estate for Irish rulers. It was a Royal stronghold of the Kings of Munster, masters of southern Ireland and handed to the church in the 12th Century. It becomes a flourishing religious centre until a siege by a Cromwellian army in 1647. Much of the complex survives and is an enchanting place to tour, Cormac's Chapel is of particular interest, the interior carvings of mythical beasts is terrific to see and learn their meaning. This Romanesque wonder is a must-see site.

The River Lee surrounds Cork, as the river splits it almost circumnavigates the town centre, creating the feeling of being on an island. The name Cork derives from the old Gaelic, which means marshy place. The origins of the settlement are old; St Finbarr founded a monastery here in the 7th Century. Cork is Ireland's second City, with a large student population; therefore, the City has a reputation of rebelliousness, much of that spirit reflected in the arts and music scene. 

Many of today's narrow back streets were waterways lined with warehouses and wealthy merchants houses; pubs, restaurants, and cafes now cram these modern streets. This district is the best food lovers scene in Ireland.

Overnight: Killarney - Recommended Hotel: Killarney Park Hotel.

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Visit Blarney Castle, a six hundred years Tower House Castle; Blarney is a romantic ruin, surrounded by stunning gardens; it is now one of Ireland's most significant landmarks.  See the Blarney Stone found at the top of the tower, with its legendary magical powers. Kissing the Blarney stone is an old tradition and could date from the time of the crusades. Once kissed, the Blarney Stone, a gift of eloquence and persuasiveness, is bestowed on the kisser. 

Take in the very best of this magical landscape in a unique and unforgettable drive through the gems of the Killarney National Park, the lake district of Ireland.

Stop by Muckross House, a Victorian mansion with Elizabethan style interior. Visit the basement of the property to see how the servants carried out their daily tasks.  Since the early 20th Century, the three working farms on-site still traditional methods. Your driver-guide, will if required to take you to the wildlife centre for an introduction to flora and fauna of the National Park.

Overnight: Killarney - Recommended Hotel: Killarney Park Hotel.

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For many people around the world, the Ring of Kerry drive encapsulates their image of Ireland: ancient monuments, romantic castles, spectacular gardens and colourful towns and villages. The stunning scenery, dramatic coastline, charming locales and ancient archaeological treasures featured in postcards, film, poetry and song. 

Ring of Kerry and Star Wars Island (Skellig Michael)
As an alternative, take a boat trip to Skellig Michael (Great Skellig) the film location of the latest batch of Star Wars movies. The rock in the Atlantic ocean is inhospitable and mysterious. Perched on a ledge 700ft above the sea and reached by an astonishing one thousand-year-old staircase is a monastery. Monks sort solitude in the 6th Century and constructed six rock beehive-like houses, amazingly despite having received 1400 years of Atlantic weather they remain standing. Over 165 ft of the Rock of Skellig Michael lay beneath the waves and provides a habitat for dolphins, turtles and the world's second-largest shark, the basking shark. 

The picturesque town of Kenmare, with a population of 1,200, is an example of one of Ireland's few planned cities. The limestone facades and ornate plasterwork of some of the buildings pay tribute to the craftsmen of a bygone age.

Sneem, meaning "a knot" in Irish, hence "The Knot in the Ring of Kerry" is a charming and peaceful village located between Kenmare and Waterville. The town offers some shops, pubs, three restaurants and craft shops and is home to several artists.

Overnight: Killarney - Recommended Hotel: Killarney Park Hotel.

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The Dingle Peninsula delivers some of Ireland most spectacular scenery. To the north rises mountains and west stunning coastal drives, giant cliffs, powerful surf, and relics of the past, Christian oratories and beehive huts. 

Your driver-guide will stop in a village or two for drinks and lunch. Some remote areas of the Dingle are still Gaelic speaking, and therefore road signs are in Gaelic.

The pristine pale sand and crystal clear waters will surprise you. High rise hotels or resorts will not spoil the views; this is a preserved coastline of fishing villages with independent shops and fish (seafood) restaurants. 

Overnight: Adare near Limerick - Recommended Hotel: Adare Manor Hotel.

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Journey through part of the Burren Country, a unique region of rounded limestone hills where many rare wildflowers thrive in sheltered crevices. Many prehistoric dolmens (megalithic tomb of the stone age) are consisting of large capstones supported on two uprights.

If you would like to feel like you are standing on the edge of the world, then this is the place - the mighty Cliffs of Moher, one of the natural wonders of Europe. The cliffs are 5 miles long and 650 ft high, with jagged drops and sheer drops to the ocean below. Seabirds flourish here, perched in crevices above the crashing waves. The visit to Cliffs of Moher is exceptional an experience. When a clear day, you can see views of the Aran Islands, on a misty day, admire the dramatic beauty of the meeting of land and sea. 

The lively university city of Galway, capital of the West, is an excellent place for those who would like a night on the town, this is a musical City. Enjoy a walking tour of Galway, walkthrough the twisted streets, and explore the old quarter, learn the history of this centre of Gaelic speaking Ireland. See how the Galway has blossomed into a high-tech centre, with a revived economy.

Overnight: Galway. Alternatively, stay at Adare Manor Hotel or head North and stay at Ashford Castle Hotel.

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A combination of bogland, lakes, and mountains makes up the Connemara National Park. Fifty peaks dominate the horizon within a tightly defined 5000-acre area. For those who love to hike, there is Diamond Hill in the Connemara National Park, with its wood and cut stone path, offers a very safe way to go hill-walking.

Wildlife includes; birds of prey, such as peregrines and merlins, large mammals include Red Deer, and the coast is ideal for breeding Grey seals.

Kylemore Abbey and Gardens is the most visited attraction in the West of Ireland. Sheltered by the slopes of twelve 'Bens' (mountains) the lakeside Castle is a romantic, crenellated (battlements) gothic fantasy and constructed as a gift for his wife by Mitchell Henry. He was a Manchester Tycoon and Galway MP. The Abbey itself was known as Kylemore Castle until 1920 when the Benedictine order of nuns made it their home. The Abbey was home to the Kylemore Abbey Girl's school until 2010. Although the Benedictine nuns still own and use most of the building, the ground floor is accessible for visitors who can get a glimpse of what life was like in this fascinating building built 150 years ago. 

Compared in magnificent with Kew Gardens in London, the Victorian walled garden is a tamed garden within a wild National Park. Surrounded by a protective wall, plants thrive, and more delicate species love in the heated glasshouses. Follow the meandering stream-side walk and enjoy the longest double herbaceous borders in Ireland.  

Overnight: Galway. Alternatively at Ashford Castle Hotel or the golfing resort of Glenlo Abbey Hotel.

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Chauffeur-driven transfer to Shannon airport, fly to Liverpool, John Lennon airport. Your NEW driver-guide will meet inside the arrivals hall assist with luggage and escort you to the vehicle.

The Beatles, trace the life and times of the fab four and hear about Britain’s vibrant music culture.  Start your day with the Beatles Story, an exhibition, the largest of its kind in the world.  See the brand new lifelike statues of the Beatles in front of the iconic waterfront buildings. Your guide will show you the “Dazzle ship” ferry the colourful design was by Sir Peter Blake, who designed the cover for the Sergeant Pepper Album. Visit the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, before heading to Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields.

Your guide will show you where it all began, musically. The Beatles first regular performances took place started at the Casbah club, they even decorated the venue. The Casbah club became a home for that distinctive Mersey beat sound. 

Continue to Albert Docks passing the Billy Fury statue, pass through the rejuvenated town centre to the Town Hall. The Town Hall balcony is where the Beatles made their famous homecoming in 1964 after a grand world tour. Beatlemania had arrived, the term used by the press at the time to describe scenes of mass hysteria where ever they performed. 

See the brand new £1 billion shopping area called Liverpool One and the former site of Beatles manager Brian Epstein’s record store North End Music Stores.  See the Eleanor Rigby and the fabulous Cilla Black Statue; Cilla was a friend and fellow Liverpudlian of the Beatles. The tour will finish outside the Cavern Club where the Beatles played 292 times as the residential house band from 1961 to 1963. 

After lunch, we continue to the Lake District National Park.

Overnight: The Lake District National Park - Recommended Hotel: The Samling.

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The 19th-century landscape painter, John Constable, declared the Lake District National Park ‘the finest scenery that ever was’. For those who would like to Hike the Lake District, we have expert mountain guides available to help you navigate, make it safe and enlightening.  

The English Lakes have been photographed, painted and had poetry written about its natural beauty. Its natural features are the result of geological upheavals over millennia. Archaeological footprints, stately homes, ruined monasteries and rainbows. It’s got ten of England’s mountains, and sixteen lakes. 

Human influences have left their mark too: the main activities are quarrying, mining, farming and tourism. There is more to the Lakes District than its world-famous natural environment. There are many towns and villages to explore, whether nestled in valleys or on the side of a lake. Coniston, Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere each have their own story to tell.

The characters Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Jeremy Fisher! The creation of Beatrix Potter, undoubtedly inspired by the enchanting scenery, dreamt up her stories and eventually lived in the lake district, winning prizes for breeding Herdwick sheep.

Overnight: The Lake District National Park - Recommended Hotel: The Samling.

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Enjoy the Yorkshire Dales National Park with its outstanding scenery of deep valleys, rich hay meadows and grassy hills as well as working farms. Known ‘James Herriot Country’ after the veterinary surgeon and writer, the national park covers 680 square miles and is home to castles and ancient monasteries. 

Nestled in a wooded valley stands the awe-inspiring ruins of UNESCO accredited Fountains Abbey, built in the 12th century by an austere order of Cistercian monks. The Abbey now forms part of an extraordinary 18th-century water garden featuring moon-shaped pools, temples and cascades. 

During the afternoon, tour York Minster, one of the world’s most magnificent places of Christian worship, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. Constantine the Great proclaimed Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire while in York. The minster has half of England’s medieval glass within the Great east window, which is the size of a tennis court - so rare and precious are such windows they were removed during World War Two. The threat of damage being to great to contemplate, come and soak up one of Europe's wonders of the medieval world. 

Overnight: York - Recommended Hotel: The Grand York. 

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Take a journey through England’s timeless countryside and visit the pretty villages surrounded by the Cotswolds Hills. See traditional thatched cottages and delightful shops full of unusual and unique items. Stop at Chipping Campden, the perfect Cotswolds market town, with its old pubs, tea rooms and a quaint market hall. Visit delightful Bibury, which first earned its title of ‘the most beautiful village in England’ from the artist and craftsman, William Morris.

Stop at a country pub for lunch; we like to get off-the-tourist-trail and go where the locals go.

During the afternoon you may wish to tour some of the quintessentially English gardens of the Cotswolds region. Tour Hidcote Manor Gardens, one of England’s most exquisite gardens, a complete dream set high in the Cotswold Hills. The herbaceous borders and chambers of hedges add to the theme and character of the garden - every corner turned brings a smile to the face.

Those who would like to bike, enjoy a bike tour of the Cotswolds and truly get off-the-beaten-track and see the real England. 

Overnight: The Lygon Arms.

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Oxford is home to the oldest university in England, home to C.S Lewis, JRR Tolkien and the birthplace of Stephen Hawking. Twenty-six British Prime Ministers attended Oxford University, along with many famous individuals such as Tim Berners Lee, computer scientist and inventor of the World Wide Web. 

Enjoy a walking tour of Oxford with your guide and visit Christ Church College. See the vaulted staircase and elegant Tudor dining hall, the inspiration for Hogwarts dinning hall in the Harry Potter films.

The Cotswolds is one of England’s ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ with picturesque towns and villages made of honey-coloured limestone; the Cotswolds are a delight to explore. Once a wealthy wool-producing area, this region is now a TV and filmmaker’s dream, with well preserved buildings of the past. Have lunch in a traditional country pub serving, prepared with Cotswolds sourced ingredients. When the weather is inclement, pubs usually have roaring log fires to keep everyone warm. 

Home to the Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace is a grand aristocratic home befitting the high status of a Dukedom. This Baroque masterpiece intended to impress; the long drive up to the Great Court provides splendid views of Capability Brown’s world-famous landscaped grounds. Time-permitting, tour the magnificent staterooms. Walk around the formal gardens and stroll through the Italian, secret, rose and pleasure gardens along with the water terraces.

Overnight: The Lygon Arms.

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Older than the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge, Europe's most famous prehistoric monument is around 5,000 years old.  A temple to the sun, moon and stars, this mystical and magical site holds within in its stones, the key to understanding the cultures and rituals of the Neolithic people that built it. The story of Stonehenge is not one to be missed! Your private guide will reveal the mystery around this world-famous stone circle, explaining how experts have exposed the secrets of this enigmatic site. The interactive experience doesn't stop at the stone circle! Your guide can also take you to meet a 5,500-year-old man and discover the tools and domestic artefacts handled by these people who lived 1000's of years ago.

The last stop is one of Britain's most magnificent cathedrals and one of the world's most excellent examples of early English gothic architecture. Salisbury was built-in 1220, its spire boasts a height of 404 feet and is the tallest medieval structure in the world. Salisbury Cathedral commemorated its 800th birthday in 2020 and has seen some things in its time. Plague, royal feuds ravaged the city, and secret WW2 operations took place. Come and discover all this and more with your guide. See the Magna Carta and a beautifully preserved stone frieze depicting scenes from the old testament.

Take a stroll around the world heritage City of Bath with its grandiose Georgian architecture, boasting more listed buildings than London. The Circus and Royal Crescent represent Georgian architecture at its finest. Tour the ancient Roman Baths. Two thousand years ago, the Romans harnessed the local hot springs and were able to engineer a magnificent complex of plunge pools, steam rooms and saunas. See how the Romans unwound in their state-of-the-art health club and spa, complete with saunas, steam rooms and plunge pools, dating as far back as 60 AD! 

Visit Bath Abbey; The Gothic fan vault over the nave in the abbey is quite simply majestic. The great advantage of having your professional driver-guide is to be able to take scenic routes that are off-the-beaten-track and explore England’s country lanes, hamlets and lesser-known villages. Take a break at a real local’s pub in a proper English village. 

Overnight: London.

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Travel to the vibrant heart of London and view the traditional and modern landmarks such as Big Ben, London Bridge, and Tower Bridge. Stop by Buckingham Palace and see the magnificent residential home of the Royal Family. Watch Changing of the Guard, subject to army schedule.

Private guided tour of Westminster Abbey

Enjoy a private tour inside Westminster Abbey, famous for coronations and weddings of Royalty. The Abbey is one of Britain's most iconic historic buildings, a Royal church with the tombs of Kings and Queens. The Abbey has become a place of burial for the great and the good of British history. See the coronation chair and the spectacular King Henry VII chapel. Take a boat to the old City of London.

Private guided tour of The Tower of London

Enjoy a private tour Tower of London, an ancient royal palace, castle, and infamous prison. The Tower of London is quite rightly famous for being a jail of sorts, not an ordinary one, a super VIP prison. The incarceration of Queens, Kings, and government officials, such as Queen Anne Boleyn, Thomas Cromwell, Princess Elizabeth and Saint Thomas More. See the English Crown Jewels, including the Imperial State Crown, the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the First Star of Africa, the largest diamond in the world. Take a mini walking tour along banks of the River Thames and go south.

South London: Head over to Borough Market for lunch - The origins of the market date back to the 11th century, the story of its survival into the 21st century is remarkable. Today the market stallholders sell high-end produce from around Britain and Europe, drinking ale, wine, and eating within the Borough community is an experience. Rustic, but high-end restaurants surround the market complex who purchase their fresh produce from, yes you have guessed it, The Market. 

Stay a little longer and enjoy Cliveden House Hotel near Heathrow use the facilities and stroll the magnificent grounds and maybe take a driver-guided tour to nearby Windsor Castle.

If you have more time, you may prefer to see more at a slower pace, try these two tours: the Old City of London tour AND the Royal London tour.