Touring Ireland By Coach  

Ireland is a fantastic place to visit, with its stunning scenery, bustling towns and incredible hospitality. The country is also just the right size for touring by coach, as I recently had the pleasure to discover.

There is so much about the country that is just too good to miss. From kissing the Blarney Stone to experiencing the famous craic in the pubs of Dublin and Galway. Ireland has a vibrancy that puts other nations to shame.

When I started planning my trip I'd found that it was difficult to decide which part of the country to visit. There seemed to be some many sights to see that it was difficult to narrow my search.

I was, of course, keen to find out about Dublin but I also wanted to see the west coast too. One option that I'd considered was to drive round the island but the stress of making my way using a hire car and of having to find accommodation in the various towns and cities made me decide against this option.

A friend mentioned that it was possible to tour Ireland by coach but I was initially less than keen on the idea. My idea of coaching holidays was based on childhood experiences of old, slow moving holidays.

Fortunately I allowed myself to be converted by the undoubted advantages of a coaching holiday. With transport and accommodation included within the cost, I was able to sit back and relax during the trip.

The price of the holiday also included access to a local guide, who also acted as a trouble-shooter for the tour operator. Her knowledge of the country and its customs added a great deal of value to the holiday.

As for the tour itself, I opted for an itinerary that was fast paced and took in many of the major sights.

Dublin was as good as I'd hoped - the Guinness Storehouse provides an excellent experience for those who love the famous drink, while there are plenty of pubs playing traditional Irish music.

The scenery on the west coast is more spectacular than it is possible to put into words. The Ring of Kerry, the landscape of the Burren and The Cliffs of Moher are all major tourist attractions and it is not difficult to see why.

A trip to Ireland is not to be missed.

About the Author

If you are interested in coaching holidays to Ireland then read more of Keith Barrett's other travel articles. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.