Hafen
Galway

OVERVIEW

Discover the majestic beauty of the Connemara region, highlighted by a stop in Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Garden, a remarkable estate restored to its Victorian Era splendor. As you will discover while touring, Benedictine nuns have owned the property for nearly 100 years. Now restored to its original glory, the lakeside abbey boasts dozens of bedrooms and an abundance of Victoria Era innovations. The walled garden has also been meticulously restored using seed varieties from the 1800s so it reflects the appearance of an authentic Victorian garden. Divided in two by a mountain stream, the sprawling garden contains herbs, vegetables, fruit trees and heated glass houses that mirror the ones that were once here. Continuing on, you will soon arrive in coastal Clifden, the unofficial capital of Connemara. It is a serene setting bordered by bogs, the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Bens mountains. Following lunch in Clifden, you will enjoy free time to browse the shops.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Drive through the immensely scenic and mountainous Connemara region.
• Tour an abbey and gardens that have been restored to their Victoria Era splendor.
• Enjoy free time shopping and browsing through the lovely seaside town of Clifden.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Visit a traditional farm and pause for photos of a 16th-century castle and a contemporary cathedral, all of which offer a historical perspective of Galway. A meandering drive through the gorgeous countryside will bring you to the centuries-old Rathbasun Farm. While savoring fresh-baked scones and hot tea, you will learn how the Connolly family farms the land and raises sheep for shearing. You might also hand-fed the lambs and watch a sheepdog demonstrate its herding skills. Nearby, you will find Dunguaire Castle, which was built in 1520 on a rocky outcrop overlooking Galway Bay. The setting is inspirational, one reason Irish literary figures such as W.B. Yeats and George Bernard Shaw often met here. Galway Cathedral, the last stone church built in Ireland, is another architectural treasure. The design is considered eclectic as it features an Italianate dome, a Romanesque stone interior, a Byzantine tower and Gothic rose windows.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Gain an understanding of traditional agricultural practices at a centuries-old farm.
• Behold the beauty of a 16th-century castle that attracted some of Ireland’s literary giants.
• Admire the architecture of a somewhat modern cathedral with historical features.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Explore key locations featured in the classic film The Quiet Man, which was shot in and around the village of Cong. Despite its intriguing, centuries-old past, Cong is perhaps best known as the primary location for the 1952 film that Academy Award-winner John Ford directed. The romantic comedy starred John Wayne and Irish-born Maureen O’Hara, who shot several memorable scenes in a Cong cottage that is now in ruins. To commemorate the film, the Quiet Man Cong Cottage was constructed as an exact replica of the original and filled with memorabilia from the movie. It makes for a wonderful stop during free time in Cong, as do other film locations such as the Danaher farmhouse, Reverend Playfair’s home and Pat Cohan’s Bar. Film buffs will also enjoy seeing the Ashford Castle Hotel, another backdrop for the movie. Although a hotel since 1939, the castle dates to the 13th century.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Visit key settings in Cong for the Academy Award-winning film The Quiet Man.
• Browse a replica of the cottage where John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara lived in the film.
• View other movie locations such as the Danaher farmhouse and Pat Cohan’s Bar.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Admire the staggering natural beauty at the Cliffs of Moher and throughout The Burren, a picturesque region where you will explore a prehistoric Ice-Age cave. How appropriate that The Burren is named for an Irish word meaning “rocky place,” as it features huge terraces of exposed limestone. At the rugged Cliffs of Moher on the western lip of Ireland, you will behold one of the country’s most stunning natural viewpoints. Stretching five miles along the ocean, the vertical cliffs tower 700 feet above the sea. You will discover fascinating details about the geology and history of the cliffs through a virtual reality tour in the visitor center. Later, you will explore the world beneath The Burren by visiting Aillwee Cave, which melting water from the Ice Age carved out of the limestone mountain. You can expect to walk over bridged chasms, past peculiar stalactites and stalagmites, and perhaps even see an underground waterfall.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Behold some of most spectacularly scenic parts of western Ireland, including The Burren.
• Take in the views from the Cliffs of Moher, which tower hundreds of feet above the sea.
• Explore Aillwee Cave and learn about its creation following the Ice Age.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Behold western Ireland’s rugged landscape above and below the surface by driving through The Burren and exploring the depths of Aillwee Cave. The Burren reflects an Irish word for “rocky place” and true to its name the region is covered with exposed limestone terraces. However, The Burren isn’t barren. The majority of Ireland’s indigenous plants flourish there, making the landscape look like an endless rock garden. It is hauntingly beautiful, especially when the flowers are in bloom. The Burren is also home to Aillwee Cave, which melting water from the Ice Age carved out of the limestone mountain. A sheepherder discovered the cave in 1940 while his dog was chasing rabbits, and the caverns have since become one of western Ireland’s most enthralling attractions. As you meander through the winding passages, you can expect to walk over bridged chasms, see oddly shaped stalactite and stalagmite formations, and view the bones of an extinct species of bear.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Behold some of most spectacularly scenic parts of western Ireland, especially The Burren.
• Learn about The Burren’s formation and surprisingly abundant flora.
• Explore Aillwee Cave and learn about its creation following the Ice Age.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy perhaps the most stunning views in Ireland from atop the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, which rise precipitously 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. On the way, you will pass through The Burren, where you will behold huge terraces of exposed limestone that the sea covered millions of years ago. Even so, more than 70% of Ireland’s native plant species are found here; the reason The Burren is known as “fertile rock.” Hard to imagine, but the Cliffs of Moher may be even more spectacular, as they stretch for five miles along the ocean. The cliffs are named after a fort that was destroyed here during the Napoleonic wars, as “Mothar” is Gaelic for “the ruin of a fort.” If it is a clear day, you should be able to spot the ruggedly beautiful Aran Islands to the northwest. At the visitor center, you might take a virtual reality tour that depicts life at the edge of the cliffs.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Behold some of most spectacularly scenic parts of western Ireland, including The Burren.
• Take in the views from the Cliffs of Moher, which tower hundreds of feet above the sea.
• Delve into the history and geology of the cliffs at the visitor center.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.