Coach and bus tours of Ireland are a popular choice, often looping out from Dublin through Kilkenny, Killarney and Galway. If you'd prefer a more personal experience, small-group tours carry fewer guests and can reach places that larger coaches can't. Globus Scenic Ireland is a 13-day small-group tour for up to 18 guests that circles the whole island, including Northern Ireland. Highlights include Kylemore Abbey, a working sheep farm near Galway and the gardens of Garinish Island.

 

Rail is another option. Ireland's train network links Dublin with Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast, so getting between cities is simple, and some tours combine trains with other transport to reach the countryside. Intrepid Travel's Northern & Southern Ireland is a nine-day small-group trip that uses trains, buses, ferries and private vehicles in both the Republic and Northern Ireland, including a day trip to the Aran Islands.

 

Whether you prefer the ease of a coach tour, the flexibility of a small group or a mix of road and rail, your RACV travel agent can help you find the style that best suits your interests and pace.

 

A five- or seven-day tour of Ireland usually focuses on the south and west, with stops such as Killarney, the Ring of Kerry and the Cliffs of Moher. It's a good fit if you're short on time or adding Ireland to a longer holiday in Europe.

 

With nine or 10 days, you can see more of the country at a comfortable pace. Costsaver's nine-day Irish Wonder tour, for example, travels from Dublin to Blarney and Killarney, up the west coast through Connemara and Donegal, then across to Derry and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

 

Tours of 12 days or more let you slow down and add extra experiences along the way. For example, the Bunnik 12-day A Tale of Two Irelands is a small-group tour for up to 16 guests that explores both the Republic and Northern Ireland, with visits to gardens such as the Kilkenny Castle Rose Garden and a cruise on the River Shannon and Lough Derg.

 

If you'd like to combine Ireland with Scotland or England, you'll need more time. Britain and Ireland tours usually run from around 12 days to three weeks or more, depending on how much of each country you want to see.

 

Summer, from June to August, brings the warmest weather and the longest days, giving you more daylight for sightseeing. It's the busiest time of year, with the most tour departures, but popular sights can be crowded and prices are often higher.

 

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October) are a good balance for many travellers. Gardens and countryside are green and in bloom in spring, while autumn brings changing colours, and both seasons tend to be quieter than summer. Visiting in March also means you could be in Ireland for St Patrick's Day celebrations on 17 March. Plenty of guided tours run through spring and autumn, including small-group options from Globus such as the seven-day Introduction to Ireland, which loops from Dublin to the west coast and back.

 

Winter, from November to February, is cooler with shorter days, but it's the quietest time to visit, and cosy pubs and city sightseeing make it a rewarding time to go. Some tours also operate through the colder months. For travellers aged 18 to 35, Contiki runs its eight-day Ireland in a Week year-round, including winter, with a visit to the Giant's Causeway and the option to explore Kilkenny by bike.

 

In the south-east, medieval Kilkenny is home to Kilkenny Castle, and Waterford is known for its crystal, which you can see being made on a workshop tour at the House of Waterford Crystal. In County Cork, visitors head to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone, and the harbour town of Cobh was the Titanic's last port of call and the departure point for millions of people leaving Ireland.

 

Around Limerick, you can stroll past the thatched cottages on Adare's main street and tour the well-preserved Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. On the west coast, Galway is a small, lively city known for its traditional pubs and live music, and a base for visiting Kylemore Abbey in Connemara or taking a ferry to the Aran Islands.

 

In Northern Ireland, highlights include the Giant's Causeway, Derry's 17th-century city walls and Belfast, where the Titanic was built and you can learn its story at Titanic Belfast.

 

Many tours take in several of these places. Focus on Ireland with Trafalgar, a seven-day round trip from Dublin, includes the Book of Kells, Cobh and Galway, while Enchanting Ireland by Insight Vacations spends eight days visiting Kylemore Abbey, the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle and Kilkenny Castle.

 

If you'd like a more active holiday, G Adventures offers small-group tours of up to 16 travellers that include guided walks and hikes, such as coastal trails on the Dingle Peninsula and a walk to Torc Waterfall in Killarney National Park. If you'd prefer a relaxed pace, look for tours that spend two or more nights in each place, with fewer early starts and long days on the road. Albatross Tours, for example, offers a 15-day Ireland tour that stays two or three nights in each of its bases, including Dublin, Killarney, Galway and Belfast, with free time built in.

 

Accommodation can also shape your trip, from country guesthouses and city hotels to resorts and castle stays. For a more luxurious holiday, APT offers a small-group Ireland tour for no more than 24 guests, with a stay in a five-star castle hotel, a visit to a boutique whiskey distillery and an exclusive Celtic music concert at the Killarney School of Music. If food is high on your list, some of Collette's Ireland tours include time in Kinsale, often called Ireland's gourmet capital.

 

Ireland is also a popular choice for solo travellers and features among RACV's best solo travel destinations for women, thanks to its friendly locals and English-speaking culture. A group tour is an easy way to travel solo, with company along the way, transport organised for you and the option of your own room on many tours. 

 

If you're not sure which tour is right for you, an RACV travel agent can help you compare options and find a package that suits your interests and budget.

 

Ireland and Scotland tours are a popular choice. The Cosmos 12-day Highlights of Ireland & Scotland travels from Dublin to Edinburgh, taking in the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher and the Giant's Causeway before crossing to Scotland for Loch Lomond, Loch Ness and the Highlands. If you're short on time, the nine-day Best of Scotland and Ireland runs in the other direction, from Edinburgh to Dublin.

 

With Trafalgar, the 12-day Ireland and Scotland Adventure journeys from Dublin to Edinburgh via the Ring of Kerry, the Giant's Causeway, Glencoe and St Andrews, while the 14-day Best of Ireland & Scotland includes a cruise on Loch Ness and a whisky tasting at a Highland distillery.

 

Britain and Ireland tours that also take in England and Wales often start and finish in London. Globus offers several small-group options, from the 10-day Essential Britain & Ireland, which visits Stonehenge, Bath, York and Edinburgh, to the 24-day Britain & Ireland in Depth, which adds the Isle of Skye, the Cliffs of Moher and the Giant's Causeway. Selected July and August departures on some of these tours include tickets to the iconic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

 

 

If you'd like to combine Ireland with a European river cruise, Scenic offers luxury holidays that pair a guided land tour with a river cruise. For example, Majestic Britain & Ireland with Normandy and Gems of the Seine starts with a 20-day tour from Dublin, visiting the Ring of Kerry, Galway and Belfast's Titanic Museum before continuing through Scotland and England. It then finishes with an 11-day cruise along the Seine through Normandy to Paris. Inclusions feature luxury hotels on land, butler service on board, a choice of included excursions and exclusive experiences such as a falconry display at Scotland's Scone Castle and a classical concert at Château de La Roche-Guyon.

 

Travelmarvel's Idyllic Ireland with European Gems pairs a small-group Ireland tour of up to 24 guests with a 14-night river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, travelling through Germany, Austria and Hungary. Highlights in Ireland include a whiskey tasting at Dublin's Teeling Distillery, a medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle and a traditional music session by the fire in Doolin.

 

Combining a land tour with a river cruise is a good way to see more of Europe in one trip.

 

Many Ireland tours also spend time in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom and has its own entry rules. Australians visiting the UK as tourists for less than six months need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which is applied for online before departure. So if your tour includes Belfast or the Giant's Causeway, or carries on to Scotland, England or Wales, you'll need one. Travellers with dual Australian-Irish or Australian-British citizenship aren't eligible for an ETA and will need to use their Irish or British passport for the UK leg.

 

Before you book, make sure your passport has a blank page and isn't close to expiring, as many countries expect at least six months' validity. Rules can change, so speak to your RACV travel agent when you book and check the latest advice on Smartraveller before you go.