Head south towards County Wicklow, for a rich and diverse alternative to the urban atmosphere of Ireland’s capital. You’ll see that the County’s reputation as the "Garden of Ireland" is well deserved. Continue with your scenic drive as you head to Powerscourt, one of the world’s great gardens situated at the foot of the Sugar Loaf Mountain.

The splendid gardens are maintained with meticulous care. You may stroll nearby at your leisure admiring the open views, or venture further into the landscaped gardens. What makes the gardens at Powerscourt so remarkable is their grandeur of scale, combined with great delicacy and refinement of detail. The 18th century house, which was gutted by fire in 1974, has an innovative new use, incorporating an array of specialty shops selling fine Irish sourced articles and a terrace restaurant overlooking the garden. You’ll have time to browse in the excellent range of small quality gift shops or enjoy a cup of coffee and sample the delicious food, freshly prepared in-house each day.

You'll then head back towards the capital for an orientation drive and the opportunity to explore part of the city at your own pace or shop in Dublin’s city center. Ireland is known the world over for its hand made products and fine craftsmanship and Dublin is a one-stop source for the country’s best wares. As the city is so compact, most of the shopping areas are located within about a 20 minute walk. Lunch is not included on this tour, but there will be ample opportunity for you to grab a bite either at Powerscourt or back in Dublin. Why not enjoy a typical pub meal and a pint of Guinness at an old, charming pub?

Enjoy sightseeing, local attractions, shopping, museums, art galleries, restaurants and much more, as this tour allows you to experience Dublin at your own pace and according to your own interests. Raise a glass at Temple Bar, visit the home of Guinness, or wander the impressive gardens at Stephen’s Green; the choice is yours! You will also enjoy free Wi-Fi and Big Bus app showing location of all buses, stops and points of interest.

Journey through Dublin of old and new with over 15 stops to hop off and explore. The open top bus provides fantastic views as you enjoy the fun and entertaining audio tour with a choice of 8 languages. Your tour ticket is valid for the entire day; simply hop off at any designated stop that takes your fancy or remain onboard to relax and see it all.

Once you have seen it, done it, and selfied, simply re-join the tour as buses arrive to each designated stop every 15 to 30 minutes. Tour also includes transfer to and from Dun Laoghair (approx 45 minutes) to the City Center where you will board the hop on hop off bus.

Tour Timing is at the guest’s discretion.

• Red Route: 90 minutes in duration. Frequency of buses is every 15 TO 30 minutes.

Take the undeniably, charming capital city of Dublin, the serenity of the Irish countryside and combine them with the picturesque setting of Glendalough’s monastic ruins for an extraordinary introduction into Ireland’s many faces. After a scenic drive through the city, you’ll head south, traveling into the green and uncrowded Wicklow Mountains with their rounded healthy summits, pretty valleys and the impressive monastic remains of Glendalough. You’ll then travel further into County Wicklow, which richly deserves the title "Garden of Ireland."

A short stop is made at the Avoca Woolen Mill, where the colors in the woven products reflect the beauty of the area and where you’ll have some time for shopping. You'll then travel to the important, early Christian site of Glendalough, which has overwhelmed people with its peace and isolation for many centuries. This most romantic of monastic sites was one of Ireland’s greatest pilgrimage centers up to the middle of the 19th century. You’ll then enjoy lunch served at a small country hotel situated amidst the delightful countryside. Return through the Wicklow Hills, with more magnificent scenery to enjoy as you head back towards Dublin.

Explore the city center of Ireland’s capital on your own with no schedule to follow, which will allow you the freedom to visit the attractions that sound most intriguing. You will be dropped off in the heart of Dublin, a wonderfully compact and historical area where most of the buildings are a mix of 18th-century Georgian and 19th-century Victorian styles. You will be free to meander wherever you wish, but you might consider landmarks such as Dublin Castle and Trinity College, whose library holds the medieval Book of Kells, the hand-illuminated manuscript of the Gospels that is more than 1,000 years old. You may also wish to see Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland. It was constructed in the 13th century on a site where Saint Patrick supposedly baptized converts. Art lovers will surely be enamored by the extraordinary collection of works in the National Gallery of Ireland.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Spend 2.5 hours exploring Dublin independently and at your own pace.
• Maximize your time by focusing on the attractions most suited to your interests.
• Explore landmarks such as Dublin Castle or ask a local for suggestions off the beaten path.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Encounter central Dublin like a true Dubliner, walking its history-filled streets, squares, and parks with a seasoned guide leading the way and sharing the stories. See landmarks like Merrion Square, The Mansion House, the National Gallery of Ireland and more. Stop in at a welcoming pub for a refreshing beverage and rest-your-feet break. Visit the centuries-old campus of Trinity College, a serene 40-acre refuge in the midst of a bustling city. Get intimately acquainted with “Dublin’s Fair City” on this up-close walking excursion covering many of its top highlights. After a coach transfer from the pier, you’ll commence your guided city survey from Merrion Square, one of Dublin’s grandest Georgian squares. Stroll through a sculpture-filled garden and on past the National Gallery of Ireland, full of works by the likes of Michelangelo, Rubens, and Gainsborough. Admire the stately Edwardian Government Buildings complex walking Ely Place to watery St. Stephen’s Green park. Soon you’ll encounter The Mansion House, where Dublin’s Lord Mayor lives, and arrive at a cozy pub where we’ll stop for a cool beverage break. Refreshed, your trek resumes along fashionable Grafton Street, and leads down to Trinity College – where you’ll have the chance to stroll through the oldest university in Ireland, founded by Queen Elizabeth I over 400 years ago. Its Old Library has been featured in many a film and is home to one of the world’s most fabled illuminated manuscripts, the Book of Kells. From here, you’ll have some time for solo Dublin exploration before rejoining your guide for the transfer back to the pier.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Travel to the outskirts of Dublin and enjoy the delightful rural countryside taking you south to the Powerscourt Estate, a haven of peace and quiet. Upon arrival, you’ll drive along the elegant avenue of stately beech trees. In 1974 a traumatic fire destroyed the interior of Powerscourt House and today the building is partially restored. You can take an independent stroll around the small exhibition which traces the evolution of the estate and its owners. The gardens here are probably the finest in Ireland, both for their design and dramatic setting, at the foot of Great Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Though the house was gutted by a fire, the splendid gardens, maintained with meticulous care, can still be enjoyed. You may stroll nearby at your leisure admiring the open views, or venture further into the landscaped gardens. What makes the gardens at Powerscourt so remarkable is their grandeur of scale, combined with great delicacy and refinement of detail. It's a magnificent example of an aristocratic garden planned with taste, knowledge and imagination. You’ll have time to browse in the excellent range of small quality gift shops here. Your return drive will take you through the Dublin suburbs.

OVERVIEW

Learn about traditional Irish baking from the celebrated chef of Ballyknocken Country House & Cookery School. This exclusive hour-long demo takes place in the “Garden of Ireland,” aka County Wicklow, south of Dublin; you’ll travel there by comfortable coach. Highly-acclaimed chef and proprietor Catherine Fulvio, mistress of the award-winning venue, will greet you on arrival. Catherine is renowned both within Ireland and abroad, and has been prominently featured in Saveur magazine and on the Discovery Channel. In addition to her popular food column for Irish Garden magazine, she has a regular slot on national TV in Ireland. During her no-fuss baking demonstration, Catherine will share some of her secrets for making perfect scones and soda bread, with a recipe to take home included. Best of all, you’ll be invited to sample the fresh-baked, warm scones with homemade jam and coffee will be served. Afterward, you’ll have some free time to tour the Ballyknocken Cookery School Herb Garden and see Ballyknocken House, the Victorian farmhouse Catherine operates as a 4-star bed & breakfast destination. You may be tempted to stick around indefinitely.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

This unhurried tour invites you to view Dublin’s top landmarks from both land and water during a single half-day excursion. “Dublin’s Fair City"" is bustling, cosmopolitan, ancient but exuberantly youthful. Your voyage through its history commences at the Docklands as you board the Liffey Voyager for a relaxing river cruise. Gliding past icons like the cast-iron Ha’penny Bridge and Gandon’s neoclassical Custom House, you’ll learn how much of present-day Dublin sits on reclaimed land, including Trinity College and the Spire in O’Connell Street. After a time, you’ll rejoin your coach and guide to continue your landmarks tour via panoramic drive. See the Georgian Squares of Merrion and Fitzwilliam, photograph the renowned Dublin Doorways, and pause at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Ireland’s largest. Pass the Guinness Brewery, where the legendary Black Stuff is made, and stop to breath in the oxygen at vast Phoenix Park – where Ireland’s President and the American Ambassador live, and herds of deer roam freely. The list of sights seen goes on and on, but space prohibits us from mentioning every highlight of this truly expansive Dublin journey. You’ll simply have to join in to find out.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Get a true taste of Dublin and its storied past on this panoramic orientation drive that includes a pilgrimage to the Guinness Storehouse. Your comfortable coach will head out from the pier and onto the city streets where medieval, Georgian and modern architecture share the Dublin skyline. See stately Old Parliament House and sprawling Trinity College, founded over 400 years ago by Queen Elizabeth I. Round the famously tony squares of Merrion and Fitzwilliam, where Irish notables like O’Connell, Yeats and Wilde once lived. See St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin Castle, City Hall, Christchurch Cathedral and more enroute to this outing’s main event: your visit to the 7-story, pint-shaped Guinness Storehouse. Working your way ever upwards to the delicious brews and views waiting at the top, you’ll wander past fascinating memorabilia and exhibits from over 250 years of Guinness history, and get a sense of the ingredients and painstaking processes that go into making its beloved beverages. But the pinnacle of your journey happens when you reach the top-floor Gravity Bar and settle in with a Guinness of your own, savoring its exquisite flavor and toasting the spectacular city views from up here.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Take a panoramic spin through the heart of Dublin’s historic center, then linger over an Irish coffee in a traditional pub. With heritage stretching back over 1,000 years and the River Liffey dividing the city plan into two distinct halves, there’s a lot to be seen here in this cosmopolitan capital. One of the most famous landmarks in all Ireland is here: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the country’s tallest and largest church. Completed in 1270, it stands on the holy site where St. Patrick is said to have baptized converts to Christianity. And it’s got quite a past. Oliver Cromwell once stabled his horses in the nave, Jonathan Swift was Dean here when he wrote Gulliver’s Travels, and the cathedral choir took part in the debut performance of Handel’s Messiah. Your informative drive through Dublin will bring you past many other historical and impressive sights – including the stately dome-and-columned Four Courts building, where bullet holes in the façade remain vivid reminders of the battle for Irish independence early the 20th century. You’ll have much to talk about when, towards the tour’s end, a stop is made for Irish coffee in a Dublin pub that’s been around while itself.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light raincoat or umbrella.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Ireland’s capital has a wealth of attractions, most within easy distance of each other. This walking tour will show you the highlights of an area, which remained virtually undeveloped until the founding of Trinity College in 1592. The mid-18th century saw the beginnings of a construction boom. During this time, magnificent public buildings such as, the Old Library at Trinity College, Leinster House and the Bank of Ireland were built. However, as you’ll see, the most conspicuous reminders of Georgian Dublin are the beautiful squares and terraces around Merrion Square.

Arriving to the city center, you’ll start your walk from Merrion Square. For generations Dublin’s pubs have been at the center of its social life, and the meeting place for some of its greatest writers and wits. They are famous the world over for their friendly spirit of ‘craic’ – the Irish word for a good time. One of its charms is that each pub has a very special character. Following your walk, you’ll stop off at one of the city center’s typical pubs to enjoy a drink in the companionable dark of the historic snug, or in the brassy mirrored brilliance of the public bar. At the end of the pub visit, you may have some free time to venture out for a brief walk through the grounds of Trinity College before returning to your coach.

Visit The Guinness Storehouse located at the St. James’s Gate Brewery, the birthplace of the world’s most famous creamy stout. Upon arrival, set off on a self-guided tour of this vast Museum for everything Guinness. You’ll be `introduced` to Arthur Guinness, and as your visit progresses, you will find out how the drink that carries his name has travelled around the world. In the brewing section, you see, hear and smell the ingredients as they make their way through a series of vast machines and fascinating processes.

Another section of the museum will describe how Guinness has been advertised over the years and you’ll `visit` this famous drink at home and abroad. Just about every type of transport has been used to carry Guinness around the world and getting the product to market. Your self-guided tour ends in the circular panoramic bar from where you can enjoy splendid views out across the city of Dublin whilst enjoying a sample of the `black stuff`. Here, you’ll taste the drink at its best, just a few hundred yards from where it is actually made. Making your way to the ground floor, there is time to browse in the shop where you’ll find an exciting and wide variety of Guinness designed gifts.