Type: Beer Tasting, Driving Tour, Free Time, Historic Buildings
Length: 8.5 Hours
Walking: Medium
Mobility: Folding wheelchair OK, some sites may be inaccessible (advance notice required)
Guide: Licensed Guide
Language: English

Dublin Shore Excursion - This tour gives you the very best of Dublin. You enjoy city driving tour with visits to Trinity College, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the famous Guinness Storehouse to sample the beer. Free time is also included for you to have lunch in a typical Irish pub.

Your private guide will meet you at the pier and you will start with a driving tour which allows you to see the main sights including the famous Doors of Dublin, the River Liffey, the Customs House, O'Connell Street, the GPO (General Post office), the Four Courts, and the city's Georgian area, including Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square, St. Stephen's Green, and Leinster House (National Parliament Building).

Your first stop is Trinity College, which along with the Old Library building, make up Ireland's oldest university. Today it houses one of Ireland's most illustrious books, the 9th century Book of Kells, an exquisite and lavishly decorated copy of the first four gospels in Latin. Even after such a long time, the grandeur and aura of this historical book has not diminished and is considered one of the major tourist attractions in Dublin.

Before viewing the famous book visitors pass through an excellent exhibition based on the book of Kells and other important writings from Ireland's monasteries. You'll see the 'long room' built in 1745. Once the principal library of the University, it now contains over twenty thousand books and manuscripts with some of the Trinity's oldest volumes. Brian Boru's harp, said to be the oldest harp in Ireland is on display along with a copy of the Proclamation of the Republic, or 1916 Proclamation, one of the most important documents in Irish history.

Next you visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, Ireland's largest church and the National Cathedral of Ireland which is built on the site where St. Patrick supposedly made his first Irish converts to Christianity in the 5th century. The cathedral was damaged during Cromwell's invasion of Ireland in the 17th century. The Guinness family (of brewery fame) restored the structure in the 19th century.

St Patrick's is Gothic style and adorned with funeral monuments in its splendid interior. Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, was dean of St. Patrick's and is buried here. The Chancel is flanked by ornate stained-glass windows, and next to the Altar are spectacular choir stalls, once used by the knights of St Patrick. The massive west towers house a large array of bells whose ringing tones have become part of the very character of Dublin.

Next is free time for you to enjoy lunch in a typical Irish pub (meal not included) and do a short amount of shopping if you wish.

Your final stop is at one of the world's most famous breweries, which has been on this site since Arthur Guinness founded it in 1759. The Guinness Storehouse is home of the famous black beer with the distinctive creamy head, it is the high point of any brew lover's trip to Dublin. You'll learn its dramatic history that began over 250 years ago and ends in Gravity, the sky bar, where you'll enjoy a complementary pint of Guinness, and an astonishing view of Dublin as well.

After your Irish explorations you return to the pier.