Castles, Connemara and Kerry Tour

The spa staff are waiting for you this afternoon and will spoil you with a fig leaf therapy, lasting about two hours. Begin with a splendid aromatic body exfoliating fig rub and continue with a seaweed body wrap (this stimulates the blood and lymph flow and improves your skin tone and texture). The fig leaf therapy is a major skin rejuvenator and will relieve the muscle fatigue from your flight. Finish your spa pampering with a full body massage.

Dinner is at the castle’s fine dining room tonight and will include dishes like Terrine of Foie Gras with a Quince Jelly and Plum & Port Wine Dressing; Lobster Cannelloni with Monkfish and a Velvet Bisque Sauce; Assiette of Pork with Apple & Wild Mushrooms and a Golden Raisin Sauce; and then why not finish with a Mille-Fuille of Pear with Kirsch Cream, Caramel & Honey Ice Cream.

On your traditional vintage rowboat, glide across the lake to the picturesque meeting of the waters. Don’t forget the camera today as you will see some phenomenal photo opportunities! Unpack the luxury picnic hamper and find high-end champagne, flutes, Gubbeen cheese and oatcakes, organic smoked salmon, Ballymaloe country relish, freshly baked bread and cured meats, Irish chocolates from Kerry and other delicious surprises. If the famously unpredictable Irish weather does not cooperate today you will have a gourmet lunch in delightful Kenmare and save the hamper for another occasion on the tour.

This afternoon you will explore the spectacular Muckross Estate where you can stretch your legs on a beautiful walk amid Victorian gardens punctuated with rhododendrons and azaleas, and of course those magical views of the lakes. At your leisure, head back to your hotel, stopping in the quaint village of Adare on the way back for a coffee or a glass of wine (or why not Irish whiskey) at the handsome bar in Adare Manor. Tonight is yours, free to relax and dine on your own.

Stop at the pretty Burren perfumery for tea and cakes or a light lunch and a walk in their herb garden. You can see how the perfumes are made in the old still, and check out the extensive product line of botanicals, candles, soaps, and oils made out of the more than 70 species of flowers in the Burren park. After a day out sightseeing along the beautiful coast and parklands, head to your sweet little hotel tonight- a historic Irish country house.

Free time to enjoy your romantic room before settling into their lovely dining room for one of the best meals on your vacation. Start with appetite opening Amuse Bouche and champagne then savor the famous chef’s tasting menu including signature dishes like beetroot roasted mousse with pine nuts and Irish goat’s cheese, poached lobster in a butter sauce, braised pork with fennel and critics, sautéed Foie Gras with pain de épice and apples, sea bass, Irish cheese and raspberries, petit fours- all paired with wines. Bon appetit! There are no televisions here so you can really disconnect.

This tiny island is under an hour’s sail, and you will have amazing views en route. Arrive at your very special little hotel (with only 3 suites and a restaurant) and settle into island life for the next 24 hours. The hotel lends out fishing rods and bicycles and the best thing about this place is the peace and tranquility. You really feel like you have stepped back in time (with all the creature comforts of course!), with the quiet island laneways, funny local donkeys and fishing boats bobbing in the distance. The day is yours to explore.

Dinner tonight will be a seafood feast. Begin with a warming and comforting seafood chowder followed by the deluxe freshly-caught seafood platter of lobster, crab, mussels, smoked salmon, and periwinkles- served with fantastic wines. Finish off with a homemade apple tart and crème anglaise- divine. The rooms are very minimalist and comfortable with great beds, robes and spectacular views of the sea. Instead of televisions, the hotel offers books and this combined with the soothing presence of the water creates a completely relaxing vibe. The ultimate anecdote to city life.

Variety is the spice of life and on this tour of Ireland, all of your hotels will be wonderful in their own ways but very different from each other. Today you will have the day to yourself at the resort to spend as you please. You can go horseback riding, play golf in their famed 9-hole course, take a cruise on Lough Corrib, check out the unique falconry demonstrations, have an Irish whiskey tasting, practice Archery, get a beauty treatment or just play lord of the castle for the day. Tonight, you will be served the tasting menu in the 17th-century dining room, savoring refined dishes in an elegant setting.

Continue on south passing Croagh Patrick and the Twelve Pins, before arriving at Clifden where you can have a quick peek and then move on to Ballyconneely where you will visit a smokehouse. Taste just smoked salmon, paired with white wines and learn how to fillet the salmon and suggestions about dishes to incorporate it. This will work as a light lunch today. The rest of the afternoon is yours to sight-see with your driver who will make recommendations based on your interests and the weather. At your leisure, head back to the castle and relax. A free evening tonight to dine a la carte.

Pat is a local legend, author and radio presenter and the ultimate Dublin personality to show you around. Based on your interests you could visit the Guinness brewery, the ancient Celtic Book of Kells at Trinity College, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Christchurch, the Jameson whiskey distillery, Dublin’s mummies (!), art galleries, colorful Temple Bar with its pubs and quaint food shops. In the early evening, you will have some free time to shop or rest.

Your farewell dinner tonight is a feast at the Michelin starred L’Ecrivain restaurant run by master chef Derry Clarke whose signature style of cooking is innovative classics with the best quality Irish ingredients- from seafood to lamb to game to farmhouse cheeses. The tasting menu will be seven heavenly courses with wine pairings. Enjoy this last night of your tour with a culinary indulgence!

We hope you had an amazing time and enjoyed the scenery, fabulous cuisine, and warm hospitality!