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An Irish Festive Retreat

  • Ireland
    •
  • OVERVIEW
  • ITINERARY
  • HIGHLIGHTS


itinerary Map

An Irish Festive Retreat

6 Days

The charms of the Emerald Isle make for the perfect festive retreat. Spend Christmas cosied up in a lavish Regency mansion, surrounded by open-wood fires, traditional decorations and warm Irish hospitality.

Start your trip with a night in what is largely considered to be the best hotel in Dublin, and end it in County Clare, home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole country. In between enjoy festive traditions, excellent food and luxury service. Along the way, you will have a chance to encounter Irish culture and customs at their best as you are welcomed affectionately for the holidays.

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ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS



Your exclusive programme courtesy of Dream Escape will be tailored to your preferences and could include:

  • Tutored wine tasting in the atmospheric cellar of a 19th century mansion.

 

  • Relax in chauffeur-driven transportation throughout your trip, allowing you to keep out the winter chill and travel in style and comfort.

 

  • Enjoy an evening of Irish music and dance for you to both watch and take part in.

 

  • On Christmas Day, you can visit a local church for a traditional Christmas service.

 

  • Marvel at the grace and speed of Ireland’s finest birds of prey during a falconry experience.

 

  • Ride in a horse-drawn carriage around the rolling hills, follies and ancient grottoes of the 614-acre estate.
  • Upon arrival, you will be treated to a panoramic tour around Ireland’s most vibrant and atmospheric city, Dublin.

 

  • Surrounded by over 5,000 books in a historic library, enjoy mulled wine and mince pies next to a roaring fire on Christmas Eve.

 

  • Be guided on a private walk through the karst, rocky landscape of the Burren, an unmissable natural wonder.

 

The accommodation for your stay will be some of the finest in Ireland. From an understated listed building in Dublin, to an historic castle that offers modern-day luxury.

The main event will of course be the magnificent Ballyfin. A long-admired property, during its extensive restoration all the original Romantic features and detailing were retained while scope for contemporary opulence was added.

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HIGHLIGHTS

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HIGHLIGHTS

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THINGS TO DO

PRIVATE WALKING TOUR OF THE BURREN

The Burren is a karst landscape made up of an extraordinarily rich geological, botanical and archaeological heritage, and is of international significance with parts of the region classed as a National Park. This limestone plateau resembles a lunar landscape; in the spring and summer months, great colour abounds against the stark landscape. It will be brought to life by a local walking guide, sharing both knowledge and passion.

FALCONRY

Experience first-hand the art of falconry. Known as the “sport of kings”, this is a wonderful opportunity to see magnificent birds of prey up close. Often including Falcons, Owls, Hawks and Eagles; in full flight, they are spectacular.

DUBLIN HIGHLIGHTS

The wide boulevard of O’Connell Street, passing the General Post Office, scene of the 1916 Easter Rising and birthplace of the Irish Nation.

PLACES VISITED

DUBLIN

Dublin is steeped in history, with Viking, medieval and Georgian influences all having left their marks. Since the time of the Vikings, Dublin has been the principal gateway to the Emerald Isle. The medieval city, with its intimate knots of small alleys and broad streets south of the river, was developed in Norman times around St Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle, and later came to symbolise British rule in Ireland. The 18th century was the “Age of Elegance”, a time of relative prosperity when the Irish gentry set about remodelling the city into one of elegance, replete with graceful terraces, wrought-iron balconies and fanlight doorways. The city became Ireland’s capital with the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1937, and today is regarded as one of the liveliest and most atmospheric in Europe.

THE BURREN

The Burren is truly is a special place full of wonder, beauty and discovery. It is a karst landscape made up of an extraordinarily rich geological, botanical and archaeological heritage with parts of the region classed as a National Park. This limestone plateau resembles a lunar landscape; in the spring and summer months, great colour abounds against the stark landscape. Ruined forts and castles and numerous prehistoric sites dot the landscape; the region has been aptly described as ‘one vast memorial to bygone cultures’.

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