Explore Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way Car-Free

Arrive in Dublin – we can help with travel should you require it – and immediately set off, taking the first of your train journeys, from the capital to the City of Cork. Upon arrival you’ll be met by a friendly local driver and whisked 30 minutes down the coast to the colourful fishing village of Kinsale, the centre of Ireland’s vivacious culinary scene, and where you’ll find more restaurants per head than anywhere else in the country.

You’ll get here in plenty of time to start exploring, perhaps to Desmond Castle and the International Wine Museum, or a stroll around the harbour and up the hill to impressive Charles Fort for superb views of town.

Your Accommodation in Kinsale

Peacefully placed just by the harbour, this family owned, art filled guest house is certainly one to which we never tire of returning. Local hosts pull off the rare trick of combining rapt attentiveness with an easygoing, lightness of touch so rarely encountered. The calming en-suite rooms contain all you need for a relaxing stay. Though your guest house offers endless hot drinks and very comfortable lounging, your stay here is offered on a room-only basis, the property perfectly located within a few short steps of some of Kinsale best eateries.

After a breakfast as light or lavish as you fancy, meet with one of Kinsale’s best-known sons, lifelong resident and historian of this most fascinating West Cork town. On an easy stroll along the harbourside and among its tangle of twisting streets, you’ll discover the origins of Kinsale, its rich history both social and military, bringing the story right up to the present day.

Enjoy a private road transfer to Cork City, boarding the train here at Kent Station. Your westbound journey will take you through the Kingdom of Kerry. The train first travels North to the town of Mallow, where a brief stop sees a change to the train for Killarney. From Mallow, the line spears west through Banteer and Rathmore before arriving in vivid Killarney.

Your Accommodation in Killarney

Just a few short steps from the railway station (with help at hand should you require it), this small, family owned hotel has for many decades enjoyed a position at the very centre of life in Killarney. Beautifully presented rooms decorated in neutral tones, and the popular bar and restaurant serve lunch, a fine afternoon tea and dinner to locals and visitors alike.

Today you enjoy a gentle stroll around the capital of the Kingdom of Kerry. On the face of it a bustling town, popular with tourists for over a century, drawn here by its colour, people, food and music, but look just a little closer and there’s much more to Killarney, with a rich history to be uncovered by your host, a Kerryman and lifelong resident.

Return to the rails and head north-west, leaving Kerry behind and making your way to County Clare and the lively town of Ennis. You’ll travel by train via Mallow in Co Cork to Limerick Junction in Co Tipperary. Here, a friendly local driver-guide will meet you off the train and sweep you away on a private transfer direct to your accommodation in Ennis.

One of the friendliest of all Irish locations, Ennis is a town steeped in history and regarded as the very epicentre of Irish traditional music, whose bars play host to daytime and evening sessions performed by virtuoso local musicians on fiddle, flute, concertina, pipes and even the odd harp.

Your Accommodation in Ennis

In a quiet courtyard location, yet moments from the main thoroughfare, your accommodation in Ennis is a welcoming, family owned gem, where nothing is too much trouble. Simple, cosy rooms, a buzzy traditional pub and atmospheric restaurant complete the ideal picture, with local staff always on hand to offer advice on how best to enjoy your time here

A distinct holiday highlight today as you’re met after breakfast by one of our terrific local guides and carried off in style in an executive car to see some of Ireland’s most arresting sights. You’ll visit the vast, mystical landscape of the Burren, the beach at Spanish Point and the Cliffs of Moher, claimed by the county as Europe’s highest.

A short hop by rail today, from Ennis to Galway, Ireland’s second – and Europe’s westernmost – city, and an ever thriving University town with a genuinely international feel. Once here, it’s a brief taxi ride to your accommodation.

Your Accommodation in Galway

Located right next to the harbour, your accommodation in Galway is an independent hotel in the perfect position from which to discover this fascinating city. Friendly staff bring a cheerful note to their efficient service, and each is eager to give advice on how to make the most of your visit to Galway. There’s a bright, airy bar/ restaurant serving an imaginative range of cocktails and a menu of modern Irish flavours. Upstairs, bedrooms are presented with a contemporary edge, with a strong colour palette and every feature to make your stay a relaxing one.

A fun and fascinating day awaits. In the morning, depart Galway City harbour for the short ferry crossing to the Aran Island of Inis Mor. Here, you’ll be met by a superb guide and set off either by Land Rover or horse-drawn carriage (depending on your day of arrival) for a fascinating guided tour. Given the success of the film The Banshees of Inisherin, there’s a renewed focus on Inis Mor, location for much of its filming. But the island remains a romantically rugged and deeply affecting place, filled with history and jaw-dropping scenery. There are few people better placed to bring this place to life than your guide, a man of the Gaeltacht and lifelong resident of the island.

On the return crossing, your ferry detours to the Cliffs of Moher, giving the opportunity to see their awe-inspiring site from a fabulous perspective.

Take the classic Irish cross-country route back to the capital, from which you’ll commence your onward journey home.