This is a private day tour from Dublin that takes in three of Ireland’s most iconic sites in a single long arc. You travel in your own air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi, snacks and bottled water on board, so the drive across the midlands and into clare becomes part of the day. The route covers Trim Castle in County Meath, the Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic coast, and the Burren limestone landscape, all within eight to ten hours.
Because the tour is entirely private, the pace is yours. Parking at each site is handled, nobody’s rushing your group back to a coach, and the vehicle waits while you explore. The main extras to budget for are the entry tickets at Trim Castle (€5 per person) and the Cliffs of Moher (€7 per person). The Burren is free.
What’s Included
Private transportation
WiFi on board
Bottled water
Snacks
Air-conditioned vehicle
Parking fees
What’s Not Included
Entry ticket to Trim Castle (€5 per person)
Entry ticket to the Cliffs of Moher (€7 per person)
Burren National Park admission (free entry)
Itinerary
Trim Castle - Ireland’s largest Anglo-Norman fortification, built from around 1173 by Hugh de Lacy and his successors. Internal walkways let you look down over the old great hall and appreciate the scale of the curtain walls. Mel Gibson filmed Braveheart here in 1994. (60 min)
Cliffs of Moher - Fourteen kilometres of Atlantic cliff face rising to 214 metres. Walk both directions along the cliff path, take in O’Brien’s Tower (built in 1835), and visit the underground visitor experience covering the local geology and seabird colonies. (120 min)
Burren National Park - A limestone karst landscape in northwest Clare where flat grey pavements shelter an unlikely mix of Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine wildflowers in their cracks. Spring gentians, mountain avens and rare orchids all grow here. A short guided walk covers the natural and cultural history. (75 min)
Good to Know
Private tour - just your group in the vehicle
Specialised infant seats available on request
Service animals are welcome
Prams and strollers can be accommodated
Suitable for all fitness levels
Free cancellation available
Local Tips
Buy Trim Castle tickets at the gate. Queues are rare outside busy summer weekends. After your visit, walk to the River Boyne and look back at the keep from the far bank - you’ll also see the Yellow Steeple, a ruined medieval tower that most visitors miss from inside the grounds.
The cliff path runs both directions from the visitor centre. The northern stretch toward Hag’s Head is less crowded and catches the Atlantic light better. Liscannor is a short drive south of the car park, with Vaughan’s Anchor Inn on the main street for a proper lunch stop.
The Burren rewards slow looking. The limestone pavements look bare until you crouch at the cracks and spot the wildflowers inside. Your guide will point out the gentians and orchids. If you’re returning to stay, Ballyvaughan on the northern edge is the base village, with Corkscrew Hill climbing south into the clare limestone behind it.
Bring a layer for the cliff walk. Atlantic conditions change quickly and the clifftop is exposed even on a warm day.
Nearby on IrelandMe
Liscannor - the working pier village at the Hag’s Head end of the Cliffs of Moher coastal path, where John Philip Holland, inventor of the modern submarine, was born in 1841
Doolin - three hamlets on the Clare coast with trad music sessions most nights; Gus O’Connor’s pub has been running since 1832
Ballyvaughan - the main village on the northern Burren edge where the limestone landscape meets Galway Bay
