Waterford, Wicklow Mountains & Suir Valley Rail - JG Explorer

We catch the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin where our tour manager joins us. We continue onwards to our hotel in Wicklow, our base for the next four nights.

Today we make our way to the town of Wexford which sits at the mouth of the picturesque River Slaney and is home to plenty of historic delights. The well-preserved West Gate Tower is the only remaining ancient gateway to the town and the beautiful ruined Selskar Abbey stands on the site where the first Anglo-Irish peace treaty was signed. Wander through the narrow streets, enjoy true Irish hospitality in the many bars and restaurants, or sit back and revel in the relaxed atmosphere of this delightful town.

We head into the Wicklow Mountains National Park, which covers 20,000 hectares of stunning mountain scenery with vast sweeps of heather-clad moorland, hills, bogland, deep glacial valleys and lakes. The mountains are also home to a variety of wildlife habitats.

Afterwards, we continue on to the beautiful Powerscourt Gardens, set against the backdrop of the breathtaking Sugarloaf Mountain and boasting a wonderful blend of striking terraces, fine statuary, ornamental lakes and a wide variety of trees. Designed from 1731 onwards and stretching over 47 acres, the estate includes formal walled gardens, distinctive Italian and Japanese gardens and the Pepperpot Tower, modelled on a pepper pot from Lord Powerscourt’s dining table!

We start the day with a scenic heritage train journey on the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway, taking in the panoramic views as we travel along the picturesque banks of the River Suir and the beautiful Suir Valley.

We continue on to the thriving maritime city of Waterford, where we visit the House of Waterford Crystal. Our guided tour takes us through the home of the world-famous Waterford Crystal’s manufacturing facility where we learn how the stunning crystal is made, including demonstrations from the Master craftsmen using the traditional methods of mouth blowing, hand finishing, sculpting and engraving.

Checking out of our hotel, we travel to Dublin where we spend an afternoon at leisure. There are plenty of historic sites, architectural splendours and iconic monuments to see from the oldest, Dublin Castle, to one of the newest, the Spire of Dublin. Or you may like to experience one of Dublin’s traditional pubs – there are 1,000 lining the city’s cobbled streets! We also have the option to join a locally guided tour of the city before spending the night in our hotel in the Dublin area.

We check out of our hotel very early to catch the ferry back to Holyhead; therefore a voucher will be provided to enjoy breakfast on board. On arrival in Holyhead, we continue our journey home.

Due to ferry times, coach pickup times may be very early in the morning.

We fly to Dublin airport where our coach and tour manager joins us. We continue onwards to our hotel in Wicklow, our base for the next four nights.

Today we make our way to the town of Wexford which sits at the mouth of the picturesque River Slaney and is home to plenty of historic delights. The well-preserved West Gate Tower is the only remaining ancient gateway to the town and the beautiful ruined Selskar Abbey stands on the site where the first Anglo-Irish peace treaty was signed. Wander through the narrow streets, enjoy true Irish hospitality in the many bars and restaurants, or sit back and revel in the relaxed atmosphere of this delightful town.

We head into the Wicklow Mountains National Park, which covers 20,000 hectares of stunning mountain scenery with vast sweeps of heather-clad moorland, hills, bogland, deep glacial valleys and lakes. The mountains are also home to a variety of wildlife habitats.

Afterwards, we continue on to the beautiful Powerscourt Gardens, set against the backdrop of the breathtaking Sugarloaf Mountain and boasting a wonderful blend of striking terraces, fine statuary, ornamental lakes and a wide variety of trees. Designed from 1731 onwards and stretching over 47 acres, the estate includes formal walled gardens, distinctive Italian and Japanese gardens and the Pepperpot Tower, modelled on a pepper pot from Lord Powerscourt’s dining table!

We start the day with a scenic heritage train journey on the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway, taking in the panoramic views as we travel along the picturesque banks of the River Suir and the beautiful Suir Valley.

We continue on to the thriving maritime city of Waterford, where we visit the House of Waterford Crystal. Our guided tour takes us through the home of the world-famous Waterford Crystal’s manufacturing facility where we learn how the stunning crystal is made, including demonstrations from the Master craftsmen using the traditional methods of mouth blowing, hand finishing, sculpting and engraving.

Checking out of our hotel, we travel to Dublin where we spend an afternoon at leisure. There are plenty of historic sites, architectural splendours and iconic monuments to see from the oldest, Dublin Castle, to one of the newest, the Spire of Dublin. Or you may like to experience one of Dublin’s traditional pubs – there are 1,000 lining the city’s cobbled streets! We also have the option to join a locally guided tour of the city before spending the night in our hotel in the Dublin area.

We transfer to Dublin airport for our return flight home.