The Grand Tour of Ireland is easy-to-navigate, with multiple stops for travelers to learn more about the must-sees and lesser-known diversions of its fascinating counties.

The car rental and hotel stays are included in this package, along with a bunch of other travel essentials that will help make this trip easy and unforgettable.

14 days | 12 nights

Format

• Self-guided tour

Trip Highlights

• Destinations that include planned activities and/or overnight stays.
• Ireland
• Dublin 
• Cork 
• Killarney 
• Limerick
• Galway 
• Sligo 
• Donegal
• United Kingdom
• Londonderry 
• Belfast

Inclusions

• Round-trip flight to Dublin (if Flight & Hotel package option is chosen)
• 12 nights of comfort accommodation (combination of 3-star, 4-star hotels and traditional B&B’s)
• 12 Irish breakfasts
• 12-day car rental per category selected
• Collision Damage Waiver, Theft Protection, Third Party Liability, Unlimited Mileage, location service charges, tax
• Earn extra Aeroplan® points per member on this tour

Itinerary

Day 1 | Depart Canada

• Fly to Dublin.

Day 2 | Welcome to Dublin

• Pick up your car at the airport and make your way to your hotel in the city center. The remainder of the day is yours to explore at your own leisure.

Day 3 | Dublin – Cork

• On your way to Cork, experience Kilkenny’s heritage with historic buildings such as Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower, Rothe House, Shee Alms House, the Black Abbey and St. Mary's Cathedral. On arrival in Cork, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of your evening.
• (Approximately 260 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 4 | Cork – Killarney

• Before leaving Cork, explore the English Market in the heart of Cork City’s commercial centre, known to have all kinds of imported food and delicacies. Alternatively, visit the Titanic Experience in Cobh to learn more about the last 123 passengers who boarded the ship before continuing on to County Kerry.
• (Approximately 90 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 5 | Ring of Kerry, Sightseeing

• Depart for the town of Killarney for a walk through Killarney National Park and onward to the Ring of Kerry Tour. The Ring of Kerry brings you along the Atlantic coast filled with quiet valleys and idyllic spots. Above all, the tour gives insight into the ancient heritage of Ireland—see the Iron Age forts and ogham stones, old monasteries, and a landscape carved out of rock by the last Ice Age.
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 6 | Dingle Peninsula – Clare or Limerick

• The Dingle Peninsula offers sandy beaches safe for swimming, walking routes for all abilities, a thriving Gaelic community, talented craftspeople, and some of the best surfing in Ireland. Before you arrive in Limerick, pass by the village of Adare and visit Desmond Castle.
• (Approximately 150 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 7 | Limerick – Galway

• On the way to Galway, cross the Burren region and the Cliffs of Moher. At the mouth of Galway Bay, see a picturesque and lively city with a wonderful avant-garde culture featuring a fascinating juxtaposition of new and ancient architecture. Galway is compact enough for you to roam at your leisure.
• (Approximately 110 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 8 | Connemara, Sightseeing

• Discover the wild and romantic side of Ireland in Connemara. Bewitchingly hidden between mountains and lakes and surrounded by rhododendron lies the gothic Kylemore Abbey. Afterwards, visit Connemara National Park at the foot of Diamond Hill.
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 9 | Galway – Sligo or Donegal

• On your way to Sligo, visit the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, one of the largest Stone Age cemeteries in Europe. Each tomb is numbered to facilitate the visitor and the central tomb has been restored, so visitors can see inside the 5,000 year old chamber. From there, continue onto Donegal.
• (Approximately 140 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 10 | Sightseeing Donegal

• Take on the Slieve League Cliffs, Europe's highest sea cliffs that delivers a spectacular view of the coast or opt for the rugged terrain of Glenveagh National Park known for its scenic mountains, lakes, glens, and woods. The visitor centre offers exhibitions and an audio-visual show.
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 11 | Donegal – Derry

• Travel towards Derry and roam within its historic walls for a chance to take in this lively, colourful and preserved city, which boasts shopping, pubs and cafes.
• (Approximately 80 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 12 | Derry – Belfast or Antrim

• En route to Belfast, visit the Giant’s Causeway and its new visitor centre, both of which explore the mythology, landscape, and history of the region. Another option is the Old Bushmills Distillery, which features a short film on the history and production of Irish whiskey, followed by a 20-minute tour and whiskey tasting.
• (Approximately 75 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 13 | Belfast or Antrim Area - Dublin

• Depart for Dublin and visit the Boyne Valley, arguably the most historic region of the whole island. Check out important Irish monuments like Newgrange, Knowth or Loughcrew Cairns, Neolithic tombs, dating back to nearly 2500 B.C.
• (Approximately 110 km)
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 14 | Return to Canada

• After breakfast, return your rental car at the airport and board your flight back to Canada.
• Meal(s): Breakfast

Accommodations

• The hotels listed below are presented as examples for your reference only. Hotel accommodation details will be communicated to you or your travel agent prior to departure.

Comfort Accommodation

•  Dublin: The Plaza Hotel (or similar)
•  Cork: B&B Hotel Cork (or similar)
•  Killarney: The River Island Hotel (or similar)
•  Limerick: B&B Hotel Limerick (or similar)
•  Galway: Hotel Shearwater (or similar)
•  Donegal: B&B Hotel Donegal (or similar)
•  Londonderry: The Waterfoot Hotel (or similar)
•  Belfast: Adair Arms Hotel (or similar)

Departure Dates

• April 1, 2026 - October 31, 2026

Not included:

• Meals, unless specified
• Gasoline, parking fees, toll fees, parking tickets
• Additional driver fees, GPS, access waiver, Super Hertz Coverage
• Car upgrades, additional insurance coverage, additional rental nights, late drop off fees, cross border fees, damage to tires, damaged wheels, lost keys
• Booster seats, baby seats, luggage racks
• Fuel, and tank must be returned full
• Gratuities
• Local city taxes (payable in Euro at destination)
• Porterage

Activities

• The sequence of the itinerary may be altered for reasons beyond the supplier’s control, such as accommodation availability, weather, national events, strikes, etc.

Transportation

• When booking your Fly & Drive, the first name added on the file is considered as the principle driver of the vehicle. Modifications or change of name to principle driver name will incur fees.
• Car Rental:
• Economy manual car rental (ECMN) Opel Corsa or similar 
• Compact manual car rental (CCMN) Ford Focus or similar 
• Economy automatic car rental (ECAN) VW Up or similar 
• Compact automatic car rental (CCAN) Ford Focus or similar 
• Standard automatic car rental (SDAR) Skoda Octavia or similar 
• Above refers to HERTZ standard categories.
• Inclusions:
• Collision Damage Waiver
• Theft Protection
• Third Party Liability
• Unlimited Mileage
• Location service charges
• Tax

Important Note

• The sequence of the itinerary could vary, including the number of nights in each city and or county. Overnight stays could be confirmed on the final itinerary in the actual cities listed and or cities or towns in the general areas or counties.
• Kilometres are estimated, depending on the routes that drivers decide to navigate (main roads vs. scenic roads).