My Way® Ireland in 11 Days

• This is an "un-guided" tour — giving you the freedom (and responsibility) to manage your daily sightseeing schedule and meals
• Included sightseeing: Rock of Cashel • Cliffs of Moher
• A small, friendly group of 24–28 people will share our big, comfy bus during the trip, but not do organized sightseeing together
• A Rick Steves tour manager will coordinate the group's transportation and hotels and provide advice for sightseeing, meals, etc.
• All group transportation from Dublin to Belfast
• 10 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally located hotels
• All breakfasts are included
• All tips for tour manager and driver
• Free Audio Europe™ app for Apple and Android (or get free podcast/mp3 files) featuring Rick's audio walking tours of Dublin. Also includes radio interviews with experts on destinations covered in this itinerary
• A tour kit including a guidebook and a moneybelt
• Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
• Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken with us
• Flexibility should you need to transfer or cancel your tour

Costs not covered: As this is not a guided tour, you will be responsible for the cost of all your lunches, dinners, drinks, admissions, sightseeing, and non-group transportation. Be sure to plan and budget accordingly.

Day 1: Welcome to Ireland

Welcome to the bustling capital of Ireland. Depending on when you arrive, today is a great day to get acquainted with Dublin using the Rick Steves Audio Europe™ Dublin City Walk* as your guide. We'll gather at your Dublin hotel at 4 p.m. for a quick group get-together. Your tour manager will give an overview of the days ahead, answer your questions, and offer a quick orientation to our Dublin neighborhood. Then you're free to find dinner on your own — or maybe you'd prefer pub-hopping, to enjoy two Irish specialties: live traditional music and spirited craic (conversation).

No bus. Sleep in Dublin.

Day 2: All Day in Dublin

Today is yours to explore Dublin. Equipped with your Ireland guidebook you might take a self-guided walking tour from St. Stephen's Green to Temple Bar, visit Trinity College to marvel at the magnificent Book of Kells (r), or ogle the "bog bodies" and other artifacts at the National Museum. Head to the Guinness storehouse to learn about (and sample) Ireland's famous stout or side-trip out to Kilmainham Gaol (r) to hear tales of Ireland's struggle for independence or to Brú na Bóinne (r) to commune with the mysterious 5,000-year-old passage tombs.

No bus. Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Dublin.

Day 3: Rock of Cashel and Dingle Town

After breakfast, we'll board our spacious, comfy bus and drive south to the charming harbor town of Dingle. Along the way, we'll stop at the Rock of Cashel — capped with a once-mighty, now-fallen fortress — where you'll be free to tour the evocative ruins and grab lunch nearby. We'll arrive in Dingle with time for you to find dinner and follow your ear to a foot-tapping night at one of Dingle's many music-filled pubs.

Bus: 5 hours. Free to sightsee after 6 p.m. Sleep in Dingle.

Day 4: The Dingle Peninsula

You've got all day to explore peaceful, picturesque town of Dingle. You can join us on a bus ride around the breathtaking Slea Head Drive, slathered in grand views and studded with prehistoric sites; set out on foot to discover Dingle's hidden gems, like the famous Harry Clarke windows; take a boat out to the rugged Blasket Islands; or just sit back and enjoy being a temporary local in this small, quintessentially Irish community.

Bus: 2 hours (optional). Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Dingle.

Day 5: Ireland's West Coast and the Cliffs of Moher

Have your camera ready! Today we're tracing part of the Wild Atlantic Way, the dramatic route that runs along Ireland's west coast. We'll stop by the sky-scraping Cliffs of Moher, giving you time to explore this windswept edge of Europe, before winding through the rocky and ancient Burren — a landscape pockmarked with geographic wonder. Then we'll head north through windswept County Clare and on to Galway, arriving in time to find dinner in this bustling university town.

Bus: 7 hours. Free to sightsee after 6 p.m. Sleep in Galway.

Day 6: Vibrant Galway

Today you're free to explore Galway and its surroundings. For some edge-of-the-world vibes, our coach can bring you to the tiny port of Rossaveel, where you can catch a wild boat ride out to the Aran Islands — a land seemingly untouched by the passage of time. Indoor close-to-home options include the modern Galway Cathedral (check out the mosaic featuring JFK) and the endearing City Museum. And if you're in a wandering mood, stroll Galway's peaceful coastline walk or its bohemian Latin Quarter — always lively with music and teeming with students, travelers, and locals living life to the fullest.

Bus: 3 hours (optional). Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Galway.

Day 7: North to Portrush

Today we'll cross the border into Northern Ireland, swapping euros for pounds and kilometers for miles, as we head toward the spectacular Antrim Coast. We'll wind our way through the best of the Irish countryside, making a stop to enjoy lunch in the charming town of Donegal before arriving at our home for the next two nights, the seaside resort of Portrush.

Bus: 5 hours. Free to sightsee after 5:30 p.m. Sleep in Portrush.

Day 8: The Antrim Coast

Today is all yours to explore the stunning Antrim Coast. Those interested can hop back aboard our bus and ride to the Giant's Causeway, where legendary Celtic tales echo among the otherworldly hexagonal stones. Or you can take a taxi to Carrick-a-Rede to test your balance — and your courage — on its swaying rope footbridge between plunging cliffs. Prefer a slower pace? Spend the day along the shore, spread out a towel at the beach, dip your toes in the water, and watch local surfers wait for the perfect wave.

Bus: ½ hour (optional). Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Portrush.

Day 9: Northern Ireland's Capital

After breakfast, we'll continue on to our final destination: Belfast. On our way into town, you may catch a glimpse of the poignant "Peace Wall"…a powerful reminder of the city's turbulent recent past. But today's Belfast is rejuvenated and thriving — and the afternoon is all yours to peruse Belfast's historic St. George's Market and find dinner in the trendy, foodie city center.

Bus: 2 hours. Free to sightsee at 2 p.m. Sleep in Belfast.

Day 10: Historic Belfast

You’ll have all day to enjoy Belfast. You might head to the state-of-the-art Titanic museum — where you'll learn about the ill-fated ocean liner's local roots on the site where it was built — and the up-and-coming Titanic Quarter that surrounds it. Those wanting to dive into the tales of the Troubles can head to West Belfast on a colorful taxi tour. You could also tour stately City Hall or explore the many museums, churches, landmarks, and neighborhoods to help you connect with Northern Ireland. This evening, savor your final night by seeking out some tunes — the churning beat of traditional music is alive and well in many of Belfast's historic pubs.

No bus. Free to sightsee all day. Sleep in Belfast.

Day 11: Tour Over After Breakfast

Description: Breakfast is provided. If you're heading home — or off to other European destinations — you can fly out of Belfast's airport, or take an easy train ride back to Dublin. Your tour manager will help you with any post-tour planning, preparing you well for the road ahead. Slán leat!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

Sightseeing notes

(r) = reserve a time before you leave the US
* = included in Rick's Audio Europe™ app

Our tours are physically active! It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our My Way® Ireland in 11 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily…

1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (possibly several blocks) and up stairways to reach your hotel, then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
2. Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.
5. Travel on a bus without a toilet (rest stops every two hours).

Any time between April and October is a good time to visit Ireland. However, the months of April, May, September, and October are best for offering fewer crowds, mild weather, and the full range of tourist fun. Summers come with longer days and better (yet still mild) weather, but larger crowds, which mostly affect Dublin.

Ireland / Dublin

Tour Hotels

In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email, as well as in the Itinerary section of your tour account. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying in the Documents section of your tour account.

Flights

Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements are completely up to you.

Most tour members arrange to fly in and out of Dublin (DUB). If you prefer to fly out of Belfast (BFS), select "multicity" on flight-booking websites. The coach from Belfast direct to Dublin Airport takes about two hours and departs hourly 24 hours a day. Your guide can help you book it when you arrive.

We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves Ireland guidebook.