A most luxurious and romantic experience

Ireland is a breathtakingly beautiful island with epic landscapes of green hills shrouded in mist, fairytale castles, and colorful fishing villages and is a unique destination for a vacation with its romantic atmosphere. If you love the dramatic scenery, the outdoors and seafood- then Ireland is the destination for you! We have designed this luxurious trip to Ireland for foodies looking for all the creature comforts with some unique experiences.

During this short vacation in Ireland, you will pack in a lifetime of experiences ranging from a whimsical champagne picnic on a private boat in the Killarney lakes, an Irish perfumery in the out-of-this-world Burren region, pampering spa treatments in a castle, and smoked salmon and wine tasting in bewitching Connemara. On this tour, you will see the striking coastal scenery, purple mountains, fields of wildflowers, Celtic remains, and charming villages trapped in time. Explore the west and southwest of Ireland (County Kerry, County Clare, and County Galway, including the Aran Islands) and conclude your private tour with a special gourmet evening in Dublin at the famed Michelin starred L’ Ecrivain restaurant.

Sleep in picture-perfect castles, refined manor homes and the trendiest hotels in Ireland. Indulge in the famous Irish seafood, tasting Atlantic lobster, Galway oysters, organic smoked salmon, black sole and plaice, and delicious turbot. Try a different Irish beer every night from Guinness, Murphy’s, Beamish, Smithwicks, Kilkenny, Celtic wheat beer and more- this in between the champagne of course! Enjoy the superb Irish farmhouse cheeses, which are giving France a run for its cheese these days. And above all, relax and take in the incredible hospitality and warmth of the locals.


Castles, Connemara and Kerry Tour Highlights:

  • Private driver and comfortable Mercedes
  • Stay in Irish castles and manors
  • Visit the Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands, Galway, Mayo, Killarney Lakes, Dublin
  • Spa treatments
  • Burren Perfumery
  • Smokehouses
  • Private boat tour with gourmet picnic

Below is a suggested Itinerary for your private Castles, Connemara and Kerry Tour

  1. Shannon - Clare

    #1

    Dromoland Castle
    Dromoland Castle
    • Luxury Castle
    • Gourmet dinner with wines
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    Arrive at Ireland’s Shannon airport in the west of the country, and your charming Irish chauffeur and plush Mercedes will be waiting for you. Climb in and let your driver sweep you away to your castle! Arrive at your luxurious period hotel and settle in. Bubbly will be waiting for you in the room with a welcome gourmet gift. This morning and early afternoon you can take it easy, have a nap, explore the gorgeous grounds, play a round of golf or sip champagne in the Jacuzzi.

    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.

  2. Kerry touring

    #2

    Romantic Lakes of Killarney
    Romantic Lakes of Killarney
    • Luxury Castle
    • Full breakfast, gourmet picnic with champagne
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    After your low key relaxing first day you will want to start sightseeing and today we have a fabulous day of lake and mountain scenery lined up for you. You will head southwest to the ravishing region of Kerry, possibly the most beautiful corner of Ireland. Your first stop is at Ross Castle, a striking 15th century walled tower sitting on the sparkling lakefront. Your captain will be waiting for you, so hop aboard with your gourmet picnic hamper in tow.

    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.

  3. Cliffs Moher- Burren

    #3

    Gourmet dining
    Gourmet dining
    • Charming Manor
    • Full breakfast, Gourmet dinner with wine pairings
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    On to the Cliffs of Moher today! One of the most dramatic views in Ireland, these shale cliffs scale almost 700 feet high above the crashing sea below and you can walk out to the edge if you dare. On a clear day, you can see all the way out to the Aran Islands. Carry on to the weird and wonderful Burren national park, a strange landscape of limestone creviced hills (known as “karst”) crisscrossed with indigenous flora and fauna. Here you will find Burnet rose, Maidenhair fern, myriad orchid species, mountain avens, Blackthorn, Bogbean Honeysuckle, Oxeye Daisies, Primrose, Purple Loosestrife, Wild Strawberries, Sorrel, Wood Sage, Spring Gentian, Hazel, Harebell, Irish hares, cartoon-colored butterflies and Irish Saxifrage- a flood of color on the gray limestone.

    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.

  4. Clare- Galway- Aran Islands

    #4

    Friendly Locals
    Friendly Locals
    • Unique hotel in the Aran Islands
    • Full breakfast, Dinner with wines
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    After a sumptuous dinner and an even better night’s sleep in your ultra-comfy room, enjoy a late breakfast today before carrying on north to Galway, an artsy young city and the heart of Connemara. Browse the colorful shops and slip into a cozy pub for a coffee or aperitif. Free time to grab a bite to eat. A local pub lunch specialty is oysters served with a pint of Guinness- sublime. In the early afternoon, head to the port about 20 minutes away from where you will board a boat for the Aran Islands. Destination- Inis Meáin!

    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.

  5. Aran Islands- mainland- County Mayo

    #5

    Romantic Ashford castle
    Romantic Ashford castle
    • Luxury castle
    • Full breakfast, Gourmet dinner with wines
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    Breakfast will be served in bed today, why not indulge in a champagne mimosa? At your preferred time, you will boat back over to the mainland and carry on to your next destination hotel- an authentic castle in County Mayo. This castle dates back originally to the 13th century and it once belonged to the Guinness family. The magnificent estate (350 acres of gardens set on a lake) was used for most of the filming of the Quiet Man (with John Wayne and Maureen O´Hara). Countless royalty, politicians, and celebrities have stayed here from Grace Kelly to Oscar Wilde and the atmosphere of opulence and extravagance is the perfect contrast to the simplicity of the Aran Islands the night before.

    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.

  6. County Mayo and Connemara touring

    #6

    Shunning Clew bay
    Shunning Clew bay
    • Luxury castle
    • Full breakfast, smoked salmon tasting with wine
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    Travel around County Mayo and Connemara today, visiting some of the loveliest villages like Oughterard, Roundstone, and Westport. From Cong, you will journey around the lake towards Westport, an 18th century “tidy town”. This pretty village is known for its lively pubs with Irish music and for its arts festival. Go for a walk, admire the views over Westport Bay and Clew Bay beyond and stop for a pint of Guinness or a Baileys Irish cream.

    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.

  7. Cong- Dublin

    #7

    Four Courts, Dublin
    Four Courts, Dublin
    • 5* Boutique hotel Dublin
    • Fresh breakfast, Gourmet dinner with wine
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    Today is your last full day in Ireland and you can’t leave without visiting the capital, Dublin, with its characteristic Georgian architecture, historic pubs, and fantastic restaurants. From Cong, head east to Dublin, about a three and a half hour drive, stopping for breaks whenever you like. Arrive at your boutique hotel and check-in. Lunch will be on your own with our suggestions and in the early afternoon, our best guide in the country will give you a terrific walking tour of Dublin.

    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!

  8. Dublin

    #8

    Safe journey home.
    Safe journey home.
    • None
    • Full breakfast
    • Private Chauffeured Mercedes

    Your driver will take you to Dublin airport for your outbound flight today and this concludes your unforgettable trip to Ireland.

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

More information

If you would like us to customize an exclusive, luxury tour for you, get in touch with us and let us know your travel plans. We offer luxury food and wine tours for private groups of minimum 2 guests. All of our private, chauffeured tours are available year round upon request.

Contact us for your personalized quote!
Cellar Tours Private Luxury Food & Wine Tours

Cellar Tours

Cellar Tours is a Luxury Travel Specialist, operating since 2003 and offering exclusive Mercedes chauffeured Gourmet Vacations in Chile, France, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain. We specialize in luxurious custom designed vacations, events and incentives related to food and wine. We are proud members of Slow Food, UNAV (Travel Agency Association in Spain), and the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals).

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