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From Castles to Countryside: My 7-Day Guided Tour of Ireland

Lisa S.

Updated: Jul 8, 2024

After 16 months of planning, I have just returned home from my second “Travel with Lisa” adventure of 2024. My group of 12 spent 10 days in Ireland, 7 of which were on a guided tour with Trafalgar. 


My last coach tour was as a teenager, with a marching band, after my freshman year of high school.


Needless to say, that’s been a while! Therefore, I was both eager and a bit nervous to give it a try. After all, I’m a cruise girl, and a coach tour is completely different than cruising.


Scenic view of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, showcasing dramatic cliffs with lush green tops and deep blue ocean waters below.

While I loved the experience overall, there were a few aspects that weren’t my favorite. Here’s a rundown for you:


What I Loved

A gravel path winds through a colorful flower garden.

The Country of Ireland


The countryside is beautiful, the people are welcoming, and the towns are charming. Being on a coach tour gave us more time to interact with the friendly people and see some of the smaller places we may have missed on a cruise.


A smiling couple standing together on a well-manicured lawn with a scenic backdrop of trees, hills, and a distant body of water.

Not having to think!


Sure, I spent hours and hours poring over promotional materials to find just the right tour for my group. However, once the tour began, I could relax and fully enjoy. No having to figure out where to go or when to be there, or how to drive on the opposite side of the road. John, our intrepid bus driver, would get us where we needed to be.


A woman in a blue sweater feeding a brown horse over a wooden fence in a green field with trees in the background.

Unexpected Delights


I was intimately aware of all of the stops we’d be making on our tour. After all, I had spent weeks poring over various itineraries to find just the right fit, and I loved what Trafalgar had to offer. 


However, even with that preparation, I was pleasantly surprised on every stop of our tour. From hearing the story of an oyster farmer’s struggles when starting out, to seeing the foals at the Irish National Stud, each visit gave us insight into the life and culture of the Irish in a refreshing way.


A group of people taking a photo in a scenic view of Kylemore Abbey, a Gothic Revival-style mansion, set against the backdrop of the Connemara Mountains in County Galway, Ireland.

Our Tour Director and Local Guides


As I alluded to above, it was the people of Ireland and their stories which brought each destination to life. Trafalgar had us experience top notch destinations, but each site visit was enhanced by a fabulous local guide. I never would have learned so much if touring on my own.


Additionally, our tour director was a witty, delightful fountain of knowledge, regaling us with stories of both the country and her youth. Mhairi kept us entertained on our drives, and somehow made even the most disinterested among us intrigued by the history of the Emerald Isle.


A photo of the facade of a red pub named The Temple Bar in Dublin, Ireland. The pub sign features gold lettering and a harp.

Hand-picked Accommodations


There are plenty of places to stay in Ireland, but I wanted to enjoy unique venues that enhanced our stay in the country. This Castles & Manors tour provided just that. Each property was historic in some way, many dating back several hundred years. From the Lodge at Ashford Castle to the beautiful Great Southern in Killarney, we were well taken care of in gorgeous venues with top notch service. 


Group of people posing for a photo

The Coach Itself


We toured the country on a modern bus with comfortable, reclining seats and in-seat chargers. It seems like a simple thing, but being comfortable on the coach, with the easy ability to charge my phone, really contributed to having a positive experience.


Group of people posing for a photo while eating

The Camaraderie of the Group


We were on a small group tour, of only 20 guests. 12 of them were my group, so there were 8 “others” among us. Within 24 hours we all started to get to know one another and within 48 we were all just one big group. We shared many laughs together, created new friendships, and look forward to traveling together again in the future. It really was delightful to come together in this way through the shared joy of travel.


A set of luggage, including hard-shell and soft-sided suitcases, in a variety of colors.

Aspects That Weren’t My Favorite


A lot of time on the bus


I knew this would be the case, so I’m not surprised, but this tour really had a lot of time on the bus. After all, we were making a circle tour of Ireland, so we had to get from place to place. Had we been in a car, we would have had much time in that, too. It’s simply the nature of fully seeing a country. I would have loved less time getting from place to place, but it was worth it to see so much of The Emerald Isle.


Time Limits 


There were a couple of times when I would have really liked a few more minutes at a site, either to soak in more of the information or to shop. However, we had a schedule to stick to, so we needed to move on. Again, this isn’t a complaint, but something to be aware of when choosing on a guided tour. 


Packing and Unpacking


As I mentioned before, I’m a cruise girl. I love getting on a ship, unpacking once, and waking up in a new destination each morning. I definitely missed that on this tour. We stayed in 6 different properties over the course of 9 nights, so it was a lot of moving around. I never got that “settled in” feeling, but I definitely got more efficient as the week went on! (And it was nice to not have to personally schlep my suitcase around, as porterage was included with the tour.)



Overall, I had 10 fabulous days in Ireland on a vacation that will stay in my heart forever.


Along with enjoying the gorgeous, welcoming country, I learned much about guided tours, which will help me know if it’s a good fit for my clients in the future.


If you’re considering a guided tour, I’d love to help you weigh the options. Feel free to click here to set up a time to chat. I’ll look forward to it!


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