Blarney Castle, Kinsale & Cork City Centre
Description
Overview of your Cork tour: Did you know that the Blarney Castle originally dates from before the 12th Century? It has beautiful stone fortifications, accessible rooms and battlements, and it's surrounded with gorgeous extensive gardens which in and of themselves present various attractions such as several natural rock formations. At the top of the castle lies the Stone of Eloquence - better known as the Blarney Stone. Here, you'll be able to hang upside down over a sheer drop to kiss the stone (which is said to give you the gift of eloquence). There are paths touring the grounds that lead to the Blarney House, which overlooks a nearby lake. Enjoy an idyllic day in the beautiful Blarney village and venture exploring the Blarney Castle and its grounds, before returning to Cork City for further exploration of our culture!
Tour Options
Itinerary
- The tour will start with you being picked up at an agreed upon location. - We'll then enjoy a short drive to the village of Blarney. - On arrival, we'll marvel at the beautiful Blarney Castle views as I tell you about its history. - We'll continue to explore the beautiful Castle gardens and grounds. - Later, you'll have the opportunity to kiss the Blarney Stone!
- Next, we'll visit the Woolen Mills, where I'll share some of its extensive history and point out Irish based products for purchase.
- Afterwards, we'll return to Cork City where you'll experience some of it's history through my guidance. - On arrival, we'll visit the English Market. - We'll then go to St. Fin Barre's Cathedral. - Next, we'll pass by the Cork City Gaol. - We'll continue towards The Bells of Shandon. - We'd also enjoy the older streets of Cork which cannot be reached by larger coaches. - At last, you'll be driven back to your accomodation. This itinerary could be customized upon request.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please contact me for more specific details on pickup location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(23)
Val is a gem. He knows the area as only a local can and obviously loves the place and his job. He took my wife and I to the usual stops but also added some very special ones. You won’t be sorry you booked Val.
Thank you so much for your 5 star review it means a lot to me I'm glad you enjoyed the day and the weather went our way i enjoyed showing you Cork enjoy the rest of your holiday regards Val
We had a wonderful experience with Val Calnan Tours. From the very beginning, Val was incredibly easy to contact, quick to respond, and exceptionally helpful throughout the entire process. When I accidentally canceled our booking, he went above and beyond to get everything rebooked for us without any hassle. He patiently answered all of my questions and made sure we understood everything we needed to know before our excursion. Our tour with guide Trevor Foley was fantastic. Trevor safely shuttled us to and from the port while sharing interesting facts, local history, and pointing out landmarks along the way. He was personable, friendly, and made the entire day enjoyable from start to finish. We visited Blarney Castle, the Woollen Mill, Cork, and Old Head at Ballymackean, which was absolutely stunning. For lunch, Trevor recommended The Speckled Door. It was great! Don't sleep on the apple crumble. It was easily the best dessert we've had so far. The itinerary was perfect, and Trevor made sure we had plenty of time to enjoy each stop while keeping everything relaxed and stress-free. This was an unforgettable day and we would not hesitate to book with Val Calnan Tours or tour with Trevor again in the future. Highly recommend! Thank you for a great day!
Experience was amazing and the guides were even better. John was a wealth of knowledge and Val was hands on with each detail. Great suggestions and they were a wealth of knowledge. My siblings and parents had a great time.
Thank you ever so much it means a lot to know you had a good time cheers val
Val is very friendly and knows the area well! We rode around in his BMW which was very comfortable. I would highly recommend a private tour with Val! You will be so glad that you did!
Thank you so much for your five review hope you enjoyed your trip to cork we were so lucky with the westher cheers Val
10/5 so much fun and information. Great information. Clean, reliable, bougie transportation. On time, great driver, wonderful information and entertaining. I would highly recommend booking Val!
Thank you for your 5 star review hope you enjoyed your day everything went great other than the Irish weather but we drove on it did not stop us cheers Val 👍
Visiting cork over the Christmas holidays a hotel Val found for us, Val gave us a great day in Kinsale and Blarney he sorted a lovely lunch for us in a county pub. A great guide and very pleasant.
Thank so much for your kind review,hope you enjoyed your stay in Cork. Kind Regards Val
Great day on our tour at Blarney Castle. Beautiful grounds. I would urge that people who tour castle to be in physically good shape as the stairs are steep and narrow
Thank you so much a greay day was had by al 👍
Val is a fantastic guy. We had a wonderful tour. Very knowledgeable and accomodating. Great craic and all round lovely day. I would highly recommend him.
Thank you you so much means a lot 👍
After docking in Cobh from our cruise, we enquired into visiting Blarney Castle. Val Calnan was recommended to us for a tour to the castle and the beautiful grounds on which it sits. Val was so knowledgeable about the area and history (quite the character). We truly had a wonderful time. The Blarney woolen mills was my personal favorite for some great shopping. Well worth the price between six of us. The castle grounds are beautiful.
Thank you so much we had so much fun 🤣
Val picked us up from Cobh and proceeded to give us a very comprehensive tour of Blarney Castle and the beautiful town surrounding it. Wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this local guide.
Thank you so much 👍
