Port
Galway, Ireland
Activity Level
Moderate
Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$219.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
8 Hours
Meals Included
Meals included
Depart from the pier in Galway and drive via Oughterard and Maam Cross into the magnificent Connemara countryside. The rugged landscape of Connemara offers beautiful and contrasting scenery. Majestic mountains rise steeply from an earth of contrasting rock and boglands, with many lakes and rivers. Artists from all over the world come to paint this landscape with its ever-changing light.
Your first stop today is at Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden. The abbey was originally built in 1868 and is now home to Irish Benedictine nuns. Nestled at the base of Duchruach Mountain on the northern shore of Lough Pollacappul in the heart of the Connemara Mountains, it is regarded as one of Ireland's most romantic buildings. The nuns have always used the garden with a deep desire to restore it to its former glory. Restoration began in September 1996 and, today, the formal flower garden is quite beautiful. Two glasshouses have been reinstated, and the kitchen garden is once again productive, if not entirely weed-free. Every year, the standard of gardening gets closer to Victorian perfection.
Journey through the wild countryside to Clifden and stop for lunch. Known as the Capital of Connemara, Clifden has become one of Ireland's most sought-after vacation destinations. Visitors and local people mingle, giving the town an enjoyable cosmopolitan flavor.
After lunch, you'll have some free time for independent exploration.
Journey through Recess, Derryneen and Maam Cross. Watch the ever-changing landscape of this truly wondrous place, from the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-rich Roundstone Bog to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean.
By the time you arrive back in Galway, you'll know why Connemara is regarded as the Emerald of Ireland.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes.