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Cork City & Blarney: Explore Castle & Gardens
4.8
20 Ratings
Cork
Discover Cork City’s hidden gems and Blarney Castle’s magic with a passionate guide. Enjoy history, storytelling, and traditional music on this private taxi tour.
Discover Cork City’s hidden gems and Blarney Castle’s magic with a passionate guide. Enjoy history, storytelling, and traditional music on this private taxi tour.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Blarney Castle & Gardens - Explore the renowned Blarney Castle, kiss the Blarney Stone to receive the gift of eloquence, and unwind in the stunning castle grounds.
- Blarney Woollen Mills - Enjoy shopping at the largest “Irish” store in the world.
- St. Anne’s Church - Ring the iconic Shandon Bells in the belfry and take in breathtaking…
- Blarney Castle & Gardens - Explore the renowned Blarney Castle, kiss the Blarney Stone to receive the gift of eloquence, and unwind in the stunning castle grounds.
- Blarney Woollen Mills - Enjoy shopping at the largest “Irish” store in the world.
- St. Anne’s Church - Ring the iconic Shandon Bells in the belfry and take in breathtaking views of Cork City.
- The English Market - One of Europe’s oldest markets, famously visited by Queen Elizabeth II in 2011.
- University College Cork (UCC) - Discover the historic university, established in 1845 as one of the three Queen’s Universities in Belfast, Cork, and Galway.
- Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral - Admire the exquisite Gothic architecture built between 1864 and 1879, a religious site with origins dating back to the 6th century, a must-see during your visit to Cork.
- The Lough - A picturesque city lake with an island at its center, surrounded by diverse wildlife including ducks, geese, swans, and birds.
What's Included
- USB outlet in back of vehicle for charging (bring your own cable)
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- USB outlet in back of vehicle for charging (bring your own cable)
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
- Snacks
- Snacks
Additional Information
On the Cork City and Blarney tour, explore the renowned Blarney Castle, where visitors can kiss the legendary Blarney Stone. Following this, enjoy a private guided tour of the breathtaking Blarney grounds and gardens, a feature that distinguishes this tour from others. Next, proceed to Cork City to visit the English Market and St. Finbarr’s Cathedral….
On the Cork City and Blarney tour, explore the renowned Blarney Castle, where visitors can kiss the legendary Blarney Stone. Following this, enjoy a private guided tour of the breathtaking Blarney grounds and gardens, a feature that distinguishes this tour from others. Next, proceed to Cork City to visit the English Market and St. Finbarr’s Cathedral. Learn about Cork’s rich history from a tour guide whose enthusiasm for this beautiful area is evident through captivating storytelling and traditional music as the tour winds through the city and county. Multi-day tours are available upon request. This tour has been honored with the Viator Badge of Excellence award.
- Travel time is included in the total tour duration.
- Up to 7 people can be taken comfortably in my new Ford Transit Custom.
Location
National Monument - Cork
Grand Parade
Its easy to find next to the river and 2 minute walk from Patrick street (the main street in Cork City). I will be waiting there at the agreed time in a black Ford Transit Custom 8 passenger vehicle, it's a new air conditioned minibus.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(20 Ratings)
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Robert_b
Jul 12, 2025
Informative - Sean is a great guide and gives a lot of history if both Cork and Ireland. We saw lots of sites and he got us to y
The Barney stone early and we avoided the normal 2 hour wait
Review provided by Viator
Amy_s
Jun 4, 2025
Highly recommend - Sean was great. He got us on the road early to beat the rush to kiss the Blarney Stone, which was the best advice. It saved us two hours of waiting. He was very knowledgeable and funny, played us a few historical songs, and was very accommodating. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Kerry_b
May 29, 2025
Charmed By Blarney! ☘️ - IWe had an amazing time on the excursion with Sean! His enthusiasm, knowledge, and great sense of humor made the entire day unforgettable. Each stop was well-planned and offered a unique slice of Irish culture and history.
Blarney Castle & Gardens was absolutely magical. Sean gave us just the right amount of time to explore, kiss the Blarney Stone, and enjoy the stunning grounds. Blarney Woollen Mills, is the perfect place for picking up quality souvenirs.
St. Anne’s Church was another highlight—ringing the Shandon Bells and seeing panoramic views of Cork City was something we will never forget. And finishing up at the English Market, where Sean shared some fun facts (including Queen Elizabeth II’s visit!), was the perfect end to a delightful tour. Sean also walked us down to a really great pub called Clancy’s and made sure that we got a table for lunch.
Sean’s passion for Irish heritage really shone through, and his engaging commentary brought each location to life. Highly recommend this excursion and especially Sean as your guide. Thanks Sean for sharing your stories & music! ☘️
Review provided by Viator
Sharon_n
May 27, 2025
Sean is engaging,... - Sean is engaging, knowledgeable and provides history when talking about Cork. He has spent his life there so has extra incite & knows the area well. He’s and excellent driver & made sure we got the most out of our time. I highly recommend Sean Houlihan for a delightful and personalized experience.
Review provided by Viator
Federicapw7214ea
Oct 9, 2024
Fantastic experience - The tour was a fantastic experience, through beautiful scenic places in the countryside of County Cork. Sean is truly an expert with incredible in-depth knowledge of all places visited, and he’ll share with you many interesting anecdotes from start to finish. He is also extremely helpful and flexible. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Doreen_h
Sep 18, 2024
A wonderful visit with an excellent guide! - We loved this whole day! We enjoyed Blarney Castle, shopping in the woolen mills, seeing the city, and visiting the Middleton Distillery. Sean is a fabulous guide. He helped us arrange the day with clear communication prior to our trip. He gave us spot-on suggestions, and kept us on schedule so that we could see all that we had planned. He made our trip extra special by sharing historical and cultural stories and music. This was a perfect day from start to finish.
Review provided by Viator
Curtis_b
Sep 18, 2024
Great experience with a great guide! - Sean was a great guide and even though it was rainy in the morning, he made the tour interesting and knowledgeable. He even made some changes mid tour due to the rain to give us better experiences elsewhere. I highly recommend booking this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Gary_t
Sep 6, 2024
Would not hesitate to book again - Highly recommended. If you wish to visit Blarney Castle and kiss the stone you must get there before the tour buses and crowds arrive. Our guide picked us up and got us there in time for very short 30 minute queue. When we left the area the line looked to be 1 1/2-2 hour queue. Continued visiting other sites with great information provided by our guide.
Review provided by Viator
Jill_k
Aug 10, 2024
Excellent history of area - Driver was superb and very accommodating! He was able to share lots of local history with us. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Kathleen_p
Aug 2, 2024
Great tour! - Sean is great - had private tour and he make changes to accommodate our interests. He filled us with so much history and interesting tips about Ireland. Would go again!
Review provided by Viator
