5-Day Escape to the West of Ireland Tour**Cliffs of Moher | Dingle Peninsula | Portmagee | Ring of Kerry**

Discover the scenic, historic and cultural highlights of South West Ireland. From dramatic sea cliffs to ancient monasteries and castles, this is a tour that will bring the country to life. Meet the locals in a traditional pub, sample local seafood, walk on stunning Atlantic beaches or explore prehistoric ruins - Ireland has a lot to offer. We'll depart Dublin and head west through the farmland and peat bogs of counties Kildare and Offally. Our first stop is the Kilbeggan Distillery, reputedly the oldest legal distillery in the world. Sample the local whiskey and discover the true spirit of Ireland! We'll go further west to reach the mighty Shannon River and the early Christian site of Clonmacnoise, home to a collection of churches, stone crosses and round towers. After an afternoon stop in a traditional pub in the village of Shannonbridge, we'll head to Galway City for your first night. This lively student town has no shortage of good pubs and restaurants for dinner!

On the tour's second day, we'll drive to The Burren, one of Ireland’s great natural treasures. This is a land of limestone pavements, barren hillsides, rare flora, early Christian settlements, and ancient stone monuments. We'll spend most of the morning exploring this unique area. We'll then stop in Kilfenora, the Town of the Crosses, for a visit to the old cathedral and lunch in the village. After lunch, we'll visit the stunning Cliffs of Moher, which drop almost 700 feet straight into the Atlantic. Here, you can walk the cliff top trails, watch the numerous seabirds or visit the award winning environmental exhibition. From here, we'll travel south through County Clare passing the famous golf course and beach at Lahinch to catch the ferry across the Shannon estuary into County Kerry to the beautiful lakeside town of Killarney, your base for the next three nights. The pubs here make great food and most have live music in the evenings - your only problem is which one to choose!

The tour today will explore the wonderful Dingle Peninsula - one of the most scenic parts of Ireland and a heartland of Gaelic culture and tradition. The first stop of the day is the beach at Inch. From here, increasingly narrow roads lead onto the peninsula itself through the town of Dingle and out to Slea Head. This is an area of ancient forts and dwellings going back thousands of years and you will visit some of the best examples along the way. Weather permitting you will be able to walk on the beaches or along the cliff tops to fully appreciate the fabulous scenery. This area is very important in Gaelic literature and you will learn more during the day. The circuit of Slea Head leads back to Dingle town with its brightly colored buildings and busy harbor. You will spend the rest of the afternoon here before returning to Killarney. If the weather is good, you could take an evening walk in the Killarney National Park - just on the edge of town.

Today, you will tour one of the world's classic routes: the Ring of Kerry! After departing Killarney, on a clear day there will be views to Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohil after which we join the coast road through Glenbeigh and Kells to Cahersiveen. There will be plenty opportunities for photo stops along the way with great views across to the Dingle Peninsula. Possible stops include the Daniel O’Connell’s birthplace and Cahersiveen ring fort before reaching the little fishing village of Portmagee. Here, you can relax and sample local seafood for lunch or alternatively cross to the island of Valentia for a visit to the Skellig Experience, where you can learn about the nearby rocky islands and the small community of monks who once lived there. During the afternoon, we'll make photo stops in Waterville - a favorite holiday place for Charlie Chaplin and then at the top of Coonmakista Pass for one of the best views in the country. From here, the road drops down to sea level for a visit to Derrynane House - family home of Daniel O’Connell. There are walks in the gardens and down to the beach as well as the house itself. The tour continues on around the Ring of Kerry with stops at Moll’s Gap and the Ladies View. There will just be time for a short walk to the Torc Waterfall before arriving back into Killarney.

On the tour's last day, we will head back east through the mountains of West Cork and the market town of Macroom then along the Lee Valley to Blarney Castle. Here, you will have time to visit the castle, explore the woodland walks and mystical Rock Close as well as visiting the village of Blarney itself - a good place for a bite of lunch and a bit of shopping. There may even be the chance to kiss the famous Blarney Stone, although in peak season it can be very busy. During the afternoon, the tour continues on to the heritage town of Cahir with its impressive castle on an island in the River Suir and finally Kilkenny, a bustling city with a fine castle and park, riverside walks, the National Craft Centre and plenty of pubs for one last Guinness before hitting the road again for the last leg of a wonderful journey arriving back into Dublin about 7:30pm.