If you’re visiting Dublin and want to get out of the city and explore the beautiful countryside here are some places I recommend. Ireland is small so it can be pretty easy to travel across and still be back in Dublin by early evening. We managed to hit every corner of the Emerald Isle. There are many different combinations of tours available, depending on how long your stay is, you can fit in what is most important to you. We booked all of out tours through viator.com and were pleased with all of them. The tour guides were wonderful, knowledgeable and funny. Transportation was clean and comfortable. Best Ireland Day Tours From Dublin…

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Cliffs of Moher and Galway

This is possibly one of the most mesmerizing places I have been to. You might recognize the cliffs from movies such as Harry Potter and The Princess Bride. Rising up 700 feet above sea level and going on for 8 miles, the views are just breathtaking. A dedicated Unesco Global Geopark and a sanctuary for birds and wildlife, my wish was to see a puffin. My wish did not come true, but the trip was still worth it. You’ll also see the Burren, not far from the cliffs, also a Unesco Global Geopark.

After the cliffs you’ll head to Galway, a charming little Irish, town to do some shopping or grab a bite to eat before heading back to Dublin. There were many pubs and shops in Galway. This is definitely a little town I would like to spend more time in. This tour lasts about 12 hours and is approximately $88 pp.

Kilkenny and Wicklow Mountains

Not far from Dublin is Kilkenny, where you’ll find Medieval Kilkenny Castle, built in 1260, situated on the River Nore. This tour stops first at the castle. You have the option of touring the castle or heading to town. We had enough time to tour the castle and have a lovely breakfast in town at the Fig Tree. Sit upstairs by the window and people watch.

After breakfast you’ll head through the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough, meaning Valley of the two lakes. It is stunning. At the base sits a cemetery and monastic ruins. You can hike the park loops (Wicklow Way Trail) to the Upper Lake. I felt like I was hunting for fairies it was so magical. There was a beautiful waterfall, just off the Spinc Trail up near the lake you don’t want to miss. The weather happened to be perfect this day. Even though it was May it was the first day I had taken off my coat.

A short drive from the park you stop at a sheep farm and watch the dogs herd the sheep. This is something I had never seen before. The dogs are so smart! After the show you get to meet the dogs and hold the lambs. This tour is about 12 hours and approximately $48 pp

Belfast, Giants Causeway, Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle

Where the euro becomes the pound. A Northern Ireland day tour is a must. Remember, Northern Ireland is UK territory, so you are actually visiting another country. I am going backwards on this, as Belfast was our last stop on this tour. We only had about two hours in the city. You could choose to tour the Titanic Museum or explore on your own. We chose the city. There was a Titanic Memorial Garden on the grounds of Belfast City Hall. A beautiful city with a lot of history I want to return to.

On the way to Belfast the first stop was the Dark Hedges, some of you may know from Game of Thrones. I haven’t seen the show myself. This was a really cool place and I was hoping to get some cool pics, but there were just too many people there.

Next stop was Dunluce Castle, beautiful castle perched on the cliffside overlooking the ocean. We just stopped along the highway to take pics.

On to the Giants Causeway, a Unesco World Heritage Site. After a hike down to the stones it really is a site to behold. Made up of some 40,000 columns, most likely caused by volcanic activity and not by giants. Also the album cover for Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy. This tour lasts 13 hours and costs approximately $99 per person.

Blarney Castle, Rock of Cashel, Cork

Everyone has heard of the famous Blarney Castle. No, I did not kiss the stone. My husband and daughter did make their way to the rooftop. The narrow staircase leading to the top of the castle was giving me anxiety. The Blarney grounds, however, are stunning. Gardens galore. The castle sits on over 60 acres and is stunning. The rose gardens, poison gardens (my fave), fern garden, wow!

The Rock of Cashel, from the 12th century, was where St. Patrick was said to have converted King Aenghus to Christianity. The remains are well preserved, there is a cemetery on site and the views from the castle go on for days.

Last stop on this tour is Cork. We had just enough time to grab lunch at a little pub. I had the best gluten free beet risotto. This tour lasts 12 hours and is approximately $90 per person.

If you’re interested in learning more check out The Emerald Isle Dublin, Ireland – Destination Unparalleled Beauty and Eating in Ireland with Celiac for all of my favorite celiac safe restaurants around Ireland.

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