Your driver will pick you up from your hotel in Dublin on the morning of your tour and you’ll make your way to Newgrange, a prehistoric passage tomb that predates Stonehenge in England and the Egyptian pyramids. Access to the monument is by bus and official tour only, and your driver will take you to the visitor center where you can join a shared guided tour.
Newgrange dates back to the Neolithic period (approximately 3200 BC), but archaeologists are unsure of its purpose. The huge circular mound is ringed by a stone circle, and the entrance to its inner chamber was blocked by a massive and intricately decorated boulder.
Inside, a long, narrow passage leads to a central chamber that’s aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice, when light floods in through a shaft above the entrance to illuminate the inner chamber. It’s thought the site might have been some sort of astronomical calendar or a royal burial site, or have some ritual significance. These theories are discussed in the exhibition at the visitor center, which also has displays on what life might have been like in Neolithic times and Newgrange’s prominent position in Irish folklore.
There’ll be time for lunch either in the café at Newgrange or at the village of Slane, close to your next stop. The Hill of Slane is situated just outside the village and offers commanding views over the surrounding landscape.
You’ll meet a local guide here and walk the short distance to the top of the hill, where you’ll find the ruins of a Christian church and friary, including an early Gothic tower. There are several stories associated with the ruins here, and both are interesting to explore, not least to find the numerous carvings of monsters that are dotted about the friary’s ruins.
Your final stop is a visit to the ruins of an early Christian monastery at Monasterboice. The site is known for its atmospheric graveyard, intricately carved Christian crosses and 28 m (92 ft) tall round tower. You’ll meet another local guide here, who’ll explain all about the history of the site and point out some of the best carvings on the crosses, which are among the finest in Ireland. At the end of your time here, you’ll return to Dublin with your private driver.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Ireland specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Behind-the-scenes tour of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Explore behind the scenes at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin's most celebrated church. Learn about the history and legends of this monumental structure, see where Jonathon Swift once preached and walk along the roof for sweeping views over the city.
Fabulous food trail
A chance to enjoy incredible food and a lively cultural experience, this food trail through Dublin's streets takes you off the beaten track to meet artisan bakers, cheesemongers and chocolatiers on a quest to learn about the contemporary Irish food scene.
Hiking in Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains
Explore the highly impressive monastic ruins of Glendalough and the glorious Wicklow mountains in which they are set on this full-day tour from Dublin which also includes a stop at the James Joyce Museum in Sandycove tower.
Literary pub crawl around Dublin
Explore Dublin's rich literary heritage on this highly entertaining and informative tour. Your guides are a team of enthusiastic actors who introduce you to the city's most famous writers and the pubs they gathered in to discuss their work.
Rebellion walking trail
Learn about the history of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland and the eventual formation of the Free State on this highly engaging and informative tour that brings the political, economic and social situation of the time to vivid life.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
