See the Emerald Isle for a wee bit of green

The Deal

With spring around the corner, it’s time to plan your European escape. This season, we recommend a trip to Ireland. While you can certainly indulge in plenty of Guinness this side of the Atlantic, why not zip across the pond for a taste of the real thing? We found a handful of terrific packages on the enchanted Emerald Isle for spring and summer departures, all priced for a wee bit of green. Indeed, a fly & drive fling with B&B stays starts at just $779! So why not enjoy the perfect pint in Ireland for just a few shamrocks?

 
Sample Irish Heritage for $1990
Want to sample the Irish heritage on an escorted tour? Lynott Tours offers an eight-day package priced at just $1990 for spring departures. This cost covers with air from New York, first-class lodging, and a slew of other inclusions. It’s valid for three April departures; the price goes up to $2259 for later trips. In addition to six nights’ accommodation, it comes with daily breakfast and dinner; all transfers; and a variety of tours and activities. Highlights include a medieval banquet in a 15^th-century castle; jaunting horse-drawn ride in Killarney; and visits to Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle and Waterford Crystal Factory.

 
Royal Treat in Ireland for $2299
For a veritable royal treat, we recommend a deluxe package that features sojourns at Ireland’s castles and manors along the way. Brian Moore International Tours offers an eight-night holiday now priced at just $2299 for peak-season summer departures. The cost covers lodging at superior and deluxe manor or castle hotels with full Irish breakfast daily; eight dinners; and a variety of sightseeing tours, with entrance fees. Some of the attractions you’ll take in include Killarney National Park, Dingle Peninsula, Blarney, Kilkenny Castle, Dublin’s Trinity College, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, and Connemara.

 
Fly & Drive in Ireland from $779
Prefer to savor the beauty of the Emerald Isle at your own pace? Virgin Vacations has a fantastic special. Their fly & drive deal starts at just $779 based on two people traveling, for spring departures between March 31 and April 29. Included is roundtrip airfare from New York to Dublin (or your preferred getaway at low extra cost) and a seven-day Hertz car rental with unlimited mileage and tax. Later departures, between May 16 and June 30, go up in price to $1209. Want to depart during the summer? This will cost you a still very affordable $1269.

The Dollars

The rates above are listed per person, based on double occupancy. In the case of the Lynott Tours package and the Virgin Vacations special, it’s the roundtrip airfare that makes the prices such great value. In itself, flying to Ireland could cost more than the quoted package costs. As for the castles and manors tour, the value comes from all the inclusions it features – these unique sojourns are super-pricey if you were to book them independently.

The Catch

Watch those pints of Guinness!

Booking Details

For the Irish heritage tour, check out www.lynotttours.com or call 1-800-221-2474 and mention ShermansTravel.
 

 For the castles and manors of Ireland tour, go to www.bmit.com or call 1-800-982-2299 and mention ShermansTravel.

For the Ireland fly & drive, visit www.virgin-vacations.com or call 1-800-937-8474 and mention ShermansTravel.