Discover Ireland by Train: The Highlights of the Emerald Isle (2026)

starting at 4.530 €

Your trip to the Emerald Isle begins with a flight from Frankfurt to Dublin, where you’ll be greeted at the airport and escorted to your comfortable hotel in the city center. Today, you’ll tour the Guinness Brewery, enjoy your first drink on Irish soil, and sample the dark, bitter beer that has made it world-famous. You’ll get to know your fellow travelers over dinner together. (MA)

After a hearty breakfast, join your German-speaking tour guide on a discovery tour of the Irish capital. Here you’ll encounter St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and visit the country’s largest cathedral. Trinity College, Ireland’s most famous university, not only boasts a 400-year history but also houses legendary treasures such as the Book of Kells in its library. You’ll have the unique opportunity to view this 1,200-year-old, incredibly opulently illustrated manuscript. You’ll linger in elegant settings from the Georgian era and listen to the verses of Dublin’s literary figures before enjoying further moments of leisure and relaxation over a stylish five o’clock tea. (FT)

A tricky challenge for crossword fans: The clue is an Irish city with four letters, and the first letter is a C. In the south of Ireland, you’ll find two possible answers: Cork and Cobh. Today, you’ll take an Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) train from Dublin to Cork, Ireland’s second-largest city. Just outside Cork lies the charming little town of Cobh, which delights visitors with its colorful Victorian cottages, an oversized cathedral, and a picturesque harbor. Cobh owed its former importance to the wave of emigration to America. Legendary ships such as the Titanic and the RMS Lusitania once sailed these waters. Your tour guide will be happy to share exciting anecdotes and insightful details about this history. At Jameson Whiskey, you’ll then delve deep into the whiskey-making process and taste Ireland’s “water of life” right at the source. (FMA)

Today, too, you’ll start your day with a relaxing train ride: the journey takes you from Cork to Killarney. Here, your bus will be waiting to take you on a tour of the Ring of Kerry, undoubtedly one of the world’s most breathtaking roads. A whopping 180 km of dramatic cliffs, rolling dunes, coves, lakes, and picturesque villages lie ahead—look forward to a truly unique scenic route. (FMA)

Do you remember what a humorous short poem with the rhyme scheme aabba is called? Here’s a hint: Today you’ll visit the city of the same name on the River Shannon. Limerick delights visitors with its historic center on King’s Island, where imposing 13th- and 14th-century buildings dominate the landscape. Just outside the city, you’ll visit Bunratty Castle and the Folk Park. Particularly impressive here are the 14th-century castle and the lovingly designed open-air museum, where you can experience what rural life was like in the 19th century. Our suggestion for your travel journal: Why not round off the day with a limerick you’ve written yourself? (FA)

A stunning view of the Aran Islands and across the endless expanse of the Atlantic awaits you from the sheer cliffs, which rise up to 200 m high, and along the 8 km-long Cliffs of Moher trail. You’ll admire the breathtaking Irish landscape and stroll through fascinating exhibits at the visitor center, accompanied by the roar of the Atlantic waves. Colorful facades and narrow alleys characterize the picturesque market town of Ennis, which invites you to linger. You’ll wrap up this exciting day with a visit to a shepherd who will demonstrate how his herding dogs work, before boarding the train to Galway in the late afternoon. (FMA)

In the Connemara region, a landscape of breathtaking wildness awaits you, with bizarrely shaped mountains and idyllic lakes. Today’s bus tour from Galway to Westport takes you from one highlight to the next. You’ll visit the vast estate of Kylemore Abbey, built by the Manchester merchant Mitchel Henry. Take a leisurely stroll through the well-tended gardens. Then it’s on to Killary Harbor. The drive there alone offers dramatic views. Just imagine what you’ll experience on the boat ride along the 14-kilometer-long fjord! Tonight you’ll stay at an idyllically located hotel in Westport. (FA)

This morning, you’ll take the train back to Dublin, traveling across the country. Your tour guide will say goodbye to you at Dublin Airport, and you’ll fly back to Frankfurt. (B)