Kinsale & Blarney Castle Private Shore Tour
Tour Highlights- Kiss The World Famous Blarney Stone
- Explore The Amazing Blarney Castle & Gardens
- Shop/Dine At The Iconic Woolen Mills
- Driving Tour Through Cork City
- See Castles, Forts, Towers, Cathedrals And Amazing Scenery
- Free Time For Lunch & Exploring In The Charming Village Of Kinsale
- Visit The Spectacular St. Colemans Cathedral
- Your Private Tour Starts/Finishes From Your Ship
- Enjoy All The Benefits Of Hiring Your Own Driver In Cork
What's included- We Can Book All Your Attractions For You
- A Flexible Departure Time & Itinerary To Suit You
- Your Own Experienced & Fun Local Driver/Guide
- A Modern Luxury Air-Conditioned Mini Bus
- The Flexibility to Adapt the Tour To Suit You
Cobh to Kinsale
Your Private Shore Tour departs from your ship at a time that suits you, first heading for the village of Blarney where it'll be time to "Pucker up" as you get your chance to Kiss the legendary Blarney Stone and receive 7 years of eloquence (The gift of extraordinary flattery). The Castle visit includes the breathtaking gardens of Blarney Estate.
After your Castle visit, take a short stroll to Blarney Woolen Mills, the worlds largest Irish gift shop which comes complete with a restaurant serving delicious homemade dishes. Perhaps you might fancy a visit to Christy's Irish Bar for a creamy pint of stout and a bowl of Blarney beef stew.
After our visit to Blarney, we will enjoy a panoramic driving tour through Cork city centre taking in famous landmarks such as The Shandon Bells and The English Market and learning all about the fearsome Vikings and Anglo-Normans in Cork.
Find out how ships once sailed down the main streets of our city centre and why Cork is Ireland's capital of abstinence. With a population of 210,000 people, Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and is also known as "The Real Capital of Ireland".
Kinsale To Cobh
The next leg of our trip will be through picturesque rolling Irish countryside as we meander our way to the charming village of Kinsale.
En route, we will stop to The 17th century Charles Fort for a 15 minute photo-op to capture the stunning views and learn of the fascinating history of this majestic fort.
Shortly afterwards we will reach the charming village of Kinsale, dubbed "Ireland's Gourmet Capital". Perfect for lunch! There are lots of pubs, restaurants and craft/gift shops dotted around the winding streets of Kinsale, where you will enjoy free time to explore and enjoy lunch/drinks at one of the many fine local establishments
Then we'll make our way back to your ship after a great day inspired by the beauty of Cork.
Blarney Castle
Built-in 1446 Blarney Castle was the third castle on the site. Dermot McCarthy the King of Munster commissioned the building over six hundred years ago since then millions of visitors have flocked to one of Ireland greatest treasures.
Most visitors come to kiss the stone but most leave knowing the stone is only a small part of it. The Castle itself is visually stunning and has so much history to tell.
Legend has it that King Robert gave half of the Stone of Scone to McCarthy the King of Munster as a thank you for his support in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1,314.
This, now known as the Blarney Stone, was incorporated in the battlements where it can now be kissed for the "gift of the gab".
Kinsale
Originally a medieval fishing port, historic Kinsale (from the Irish, Ceann tSaile – ‘Head of the Sea’) is one of the most picturesque, popular and historic towns on the south-west coast of Ireland.
Kinsale has a beautiful setting with a long waterfront, a yacht-filled harbour, many narrow winding streets and brightly painted galleries, shops and houses.
Not only does Kinsale claim to be one of the most picturesque and oldest towns in Ireland, it is also internationally famous for the quality of its restaurants. It has been hailed as ‘The Gourmet Capital of Ireland’, with no shortage of cafés, pubs and restaurants to suit everyone's taste and budget.
Charles Fort
One of the best-known historical attractions in Kinsale is Charles Fort. Charles Fort is one of the finest surviving examples of a 17th Century star-shaped fort, and much of the original construction remains. Constructed in 1682 and garrisoned by the British Army until 1922. The fort has two enormous bastions overlooking the estuary, and three facing inland. Within its walls were all the barracks and ancillary facilities to support the fort’s garrison. The fort continued in military use until 1922.
