Top Ireland Historical Tours

Explore Ireland’s beautiful Burren region and discover top natural landmarks, including the Cliffs of Moher, with ease on this day tour from Galway. Travel through the Burren’s rugged landscapes without having to tackle the winding roads yourself and discover the 16th-century Dunguaire Castle and Aillwee Cave. Explore walking trails on top of the mighty Cliffs of Moher at your leisure and enjoy panoramic views over the coastal scenery.

See some of the best of Dublin on this group tour, where your guide takes you to see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, and much more that you might not find on a self-guided tour. Get your cameras ready to take photos at the Molly Malone Statue, and enjoy skip-the-line entry to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The tour is available in English and Spanish.

Explore Galway city with a local guide, who will make sure you see all the famous landmarks in town, but show you some hidden ones you may not find if you were on a self-guided tour. Wear comfortable shoes, since you’ll be covering a bit of ground as you travel between points of interest. Start in Eyre Square, learn about the Browne Doorway, check out statues, castles, churches, and much more along the way.

Explore Kilkenny, the medieval capital of Ireland, on this comprehensive 2-hour walking tour. Admire historic landmarks including Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral, and the Black Abbey; stroll down the Medieval Mile and learn all about the city’s fascinating history from your certified guide; and discover the local neighborhoods that many travelers miss.

Learn about historic Dublin hauntings and the city’s spooky supernatural lore during this walking ghost tour around town. A local guide helps you safely navigate Dublin with ease, from Temple Bar to Dublin Castle to Christ Church Cathedral and more. Hear about a side of the city most tourists never see, while listening to some of the area’s best ghost stories.

Explore Killarney National Park the traditional way, by horse and carriage, which is known locally as a “Killarney jaunting car.” You’ll ride in the carriage with woollen blankets to keep you warm on cooler days, and enjoy a scenic route around the Muckross Park Estate to the historic Muckross Abbey. Even better: The experience is private, so you’ll ride with just your personal group.

This small-group walking tour is a time-saving way to see Dublin’s highlights without researching routes or attractions. Follow a guide to discover key architecture, historic landmarks, and lesser-known spots you might miss if exploring alone. Visit the grounds of Dublin Castle, Trinity College, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Book of Kells exhibition, with admission included to save time in ticket lines.

Explore Ireland beyond the capital city with this Wicklow and Glendalough driving tour. Skip the hassle of a rental car and admire the scenery as you drive south to see County Wicklow’s beautiful lakes, forests, and mountains. Visit landscapes from popular films including Braveheart, such as the monastic ruins and Celtic crosses at Glendalough.

Journey from Dublin to Northern Ireland's most legendary landscapes on this comprehensive day trip to Belfast, Dunluce Castle, and the Giant's Causeway. Crossing the border into Northern Ireland can feel daunting when you're unfamiliar with routes and timings, but this guided coach tour handles all the logistics. Explore Belfast's vibrant culture, enjoy a 70-minute optional walking tour, visit Dunluce Castle with entrance included, and marvel at the UNESCO-listed Giant's Causeway.

Discover the highlights of Ireland's oldest national park—and enjoy a one-of-a-kind way to explore—on this private horse and carriage tour. Pick from multiple departure times throughout the day, meet your guide at St. Mary's Cathedral in Killarney, and hop aboard. During your tour, you'll see lakes and mountains, will explore routes that are closed to cars, and can even go for a tour of the 15th-century Ross Castle (additional expense).

Explore Killarney at your own pace and avoid the stress of planning when you book a hop-on, hop-off bus pass. In addition to navigating for you, your bus driver provides useful background information about each stop on the bus route, including Ross Castle, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House, Aghadoe Viewing Point, and the city center.

Cobh is best known as an early stop on the RMS Titanic’s fateful voyage in 1912, but there’s a lot more to its history than just that one event. Uncover some on this short tour of the central city. Visit a number of locations where the history of the Irish Republic was written by Cobh volunteers: safe houses and prisons, barracks and sites where raging battles took place. Discover this often-unspoken side of the city with the help of your guide, a local historian.

Explore the Wild Atlantic Way without the hassle of organizing logistics or renting a car, thanks to this full-day tour. Venture out from Galway onboard a coach, and admire the scenery as you travel through the limestone landscape of the Burren to the village of Doolin. There, take the express ferry to Inisheer, the smallest and most traditional of the Aran Islands. Discover a 10th-century castle ruin, a sunken church, a shipwreck, and a peaceful beach, with the option to explore on foot, by bike, or pony and trap (own expense). Afterward, the ferry continues beneath the towering Cliffs of Moher for a unique vantage point from on the water, before returning to Doolin. Choose whether to tuck into a traditional Irish pub meal (own expense), before heading the top of the cliffs to catch sweeping Atlantic views.

Combine two of Ireland’s most dramatic natural wonders—and leave all the driving and navigation to someone else—on this full-day tour from Limerick. Walk along the Cliffs of Moher, which tower 702 feet (214 meters) over the Atlantic coast, then explore the otherworldly landscape of the Burren as you drive the Wild Atlantic Way. That’s not all: You’ll also visit the medieval Bunratty Castle and the quaint Liscannor fishing village for lunch (own expense).

Maximize your time on land in Ireland on a full-day shore excursion. From Cork Harbour, travel through the Irish countryside to the 13th-century Blarney Castle. Kiss the world-renowned Blarney Stone for good luck, if you like. Return to Cork for a coach tour of the city’s sights; visit the charming town of Kinsale, and make a brief stop in Cobh, famous as the departure point of the Titanic.

Enjoy traveling hassle-free around the scenic Ring of Kerry on this full-day tour. While you sit back and focus on the scenery and snapping frame-worthy photos, your guide/driver takes you around Ireland's famous County Kerry, from Killarney National Park to Waterville Beach and beyond. You'll drive the Skellig Ring, catch the salt from the Wild Atlantic Way, and have a day experiencing the best of the Emerald Isle.

Discover the best of Cork and Tipperary, without the hassle of driving, on this day tour from Dublin. Visit the area's highlights, including the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle and Gardens, with your guide, and enjoy free time to explore Cork at leisure. and follow in time-honored tradition by kissing the Blarney Stone. Top off the trip with tax-free shopping in the Blarney Woolen Mills before returning to Dublin.

Discover Killarney National Park at your leisure with a half-day self-guided bike tour. Pick-up your bike rental and a map guiding the way to popular park landmarks including Muckross House and Gardens, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall, and Muckross Traditional Farms. Enjoy maximum flexibility to explore the countryside at your pace with this self-guided bike tour.

Many Cork travelers visit the Blarney Stone on a day trip, but they might miss out on its history and skip other things to do nearby. This guided tour covers it all, giving you the lowdown on the stone and its “gift of the gab” powers to those who kiss it, a visit to Blarney village, and entry to the 15th-century Blarney Castle and Gardens, too.

Capture the wild spirit of the Ring of Kerry on an exhilarating full-day tour of the region’s natural highlights from Cork. Travel through the magical landscapes of Kerry and visit an array of quaint villages, blissful beaches, and sweeping valleys. Admire the colorful houses and ancient traditions of Sneem Village; absorb the coastal splendor of Dingle Bay; and gaze at magnificent views of mountains, lakes, and valleys in Killarney National Park. Receive an interesting introduction to the history and culture of Ireland from your expert guide on this enriching tour.

Explore St Patrick’s Cathedral and learn more about its history with tickets to enter the building and see it first-hand. From its famous gothic architecture to its connection to the writer Jonathan Swift, there’s over 800 years worth of history to learn about from the audioguide you can carry with you as you look around.

Avoid the crowds and explore Irish history in peace on this Book of Kells and Dublin Castle exterior tour. Visit the Trinity College Library, home to the famous Book of Kells—widely considered among the most important of all Ireland’s ancient treasures. Listen as your guide brings medieval Ireland to life, shedding light on the Book of Kells’ profound historical significance. Afterward, enjoy a guided walking tour around Dublin Castle’s mighty exterior. Visit the gardens and yards, and learn of the castle’s role as court, fortress, treasury, and jail.

Get a fuller experience of Killarney than would be possible with a single form of transportation on this combination tour by boat and jaunting car. Sail across Lough Lein in a glass-covered boat then hop aboard a jaunting car to travel through Killarney National Park, to places inaccessible by motor vehicle.