Ireland · GUIDED
Good guided tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
A 2-hour guided walk through Dublin Castle, Christ Church, Temple Bar, bridges and Trinity College with free-entry stops and great stories.
“Interesting and illuminating tour. Friendly and knowledgeable guide. Enjoyable 2 hours in Dublin City Centre.”
Dublin to Glendalough, Wicklow Mountains, and Kilkenny in one full day with guided ruins, valley walks, mountain views, and medieval streets.
“best if you can find a day with good weather. gerry was a great guide who explained so much to us about the sites we saw and about ireland. engaging, informative and entertaining”
Fast-track Book of Kells at Trinity, Dublin Castle exterior history, and a Molly Malone singalong in about 2.5 guided hours.
“Our tour guide was exellcent, very knowledgable and passionate. However, things I wish I knew before the tour: - No tour guide allowed inside Book of Kells experience and the Dublin Castle. Our guide had to do all the talking before the entrance (which is outdoors and could feel very cold after standing still for >10 min) - St Patrick's Cathedral has organized tour for public for free. You don't necessarily need a tour guide. Same with Book of Kells, there's audio tours available.”
Prebook a small-group Dublin guided tour at the Little Museum of Dublin, with admission included and hilarious local storytelling.
“Very enjoyable hour at this little (albeit spread over three floors) museum as Sean, our guide, took us through a few hundred thousand years of Irish history complete with corny jokes and even some dancing. I believe you have the option to walk around on your own but don’t. You’ll miss all the fun.”
Full-day Galway tour to the Wild Atlantic Way, Burren stone country, and the Cliffs of Moher, with guide stops and visitor entry.
“Our tour guide Paddy was excellent with his knowledge of the area and tales from his childhood made it so entertaining. Vincent, our driver was amazing. He drove that big bus on narrow roads like a pro. We enjoyed the two hours at the Cliffs of Moher, which was an informative and beautiful stop. We saw the puffins flying from the cliffs. On the way back we drove along the Galway bay. Drove through the rocky landscape of the Burren. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and would recommend it to others. May 2025Read more”
Guided Jameson and Guinness tour in Dublin with tastings, timed skip-the-line entry, and a Gravity Bar pint with 360-degree views.
“Fergus was an amazing tour guide. Very patient and paid attention to everyone's needs in the group. By far our favorite guide on any tour we've done. 12/10 tour”
Dublin day trip to Rock of Cashel, Cork, and Blarney Castle, with time in each place, included entrances, and a smooth group schedule.
“Brian was a fantastic tour guide! His vast knowledge of Irish history and the way he mixed in personal stories of his time growing up in Ireland made it a really amazing experience. The locations we stopped at were also lovely, especially Blarney. Overall, highly recommend this experience to any looking for a nice day trip.”
Hop on and off Dublin on a double-decker with live English commentary, 25-plus stops, and optional walking and night tours for 48- or 72-hour tickets.
“We enjoyed the big bus tour and recommend it as a way to become familiar with the city. As we were limited on time though, we didn't get off at any stops but rather rode the bus and listened to the driver's narration for the loop through the city (between 1.5-2 hrs long). The tracking of the bus on the app worked well.”
Guided tour of Waterford Crystal in Waterford: see wooden mold making, the 1300-degree furnace, then browse a massive showroom.
“Beautiful place.easy parking Regular tours very well done Terrifc experience New found respect and beauty of each crystal creation and craftsmanship input”
Self-guided admission to St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin with multilingual audio, interactive Discovery Space, and brass rubbing.
“It was spectacular and a value rich experience to enjoy.”
From Galway, a guided day trip to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, with stops in Kinvara, ancient sites, Doolin, and Atlantic views.
“Garry is one of the best tour guide you can ever afford to have. The trip was literally amazing!”
Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin, a one-hour guided tour with tasting, from Dublin whiskey history to grain-to-glass process.
“The distillery tour was great. Our guide was very good and funny and provided a lot of great information. Well worth the money.”
A half-day Big Bus Tours trip from Dublin to Howth Summit, with a guided cliff walk, village time, and chances to spot seabirds.
“Jeff, the tour guide, was excellent. He had interesting information delivered in a wonderful style. He made the trip a pleasure! And it was lovely to do the short walk along the hills, as well as see the town of Howth.”
Guided Ring of Kerry day trip from Cork with Killorglin, Waterville, Dingle Bay views, Killarney National Park sights, and Friar’s Glenn waterfall.
“Kilarney National Park was awesome. And Kevin the Guide was really fun”
Guided climb of Carrauntoohil near Killarney, steep off-trail route with local geology stories. Fit hikers only, 7 to 8 hours.
“The highlight of my trip to Ireland! Pierce was an excellent guide, kept us going at a good pace while making sure everyone was still ok. The routes were gorgeous. Definitely too challenging for me if I hadn't had a guide! Worth every penny to feel like I was on a journey with the Fellowship in Lord of the Rings.”
Every kind of Irish day out, and the best of each.
