Looking to visit Ireland anytime soon? A guided tour is the way to go. The Wild Atlantic Way, one of the most beautiful parts of the Emerald Isle, is more than 1,500 miles alone. Add to that all the winding country roads in between, and you’ll realize that road-tripping around Ireland is no easy task. Spend less time driving and more time enjoying on a Globus Ireland tour in 2023.
I recently spent 8 days on Globus’s “Green with Envy” Ireland tour and had an amazing experience. Over the past year, I’ve gotten really into group travel, ranging from wellness retreats to guided group tours. After all, traveling is all about the people, and the fellow travelers on my Globus tour of Ireland made it the special trip that it was. The tour exceeded all my expectations and brought me to local places I otherwise wouldn’t have seen on my own.
The Globus Ireland itinerary covered a mix of well-known and lesser-known destinations. This included Dublin, Galway, and Westport. In between, we explored rugged cliffs, historic estates, and idyllic islands, and still had time to enjoy the local pub scene, where moments are counted in pints of Guinness rather than minutes.
This was one of Globus’ choice tours, which offers more customization and flexibility than traditional tours. In addition to having all the benefits of a guided bus tour, we also got to choose from a selection of curated excursions. This included scenic bike rides, food tours, island excursions, and an Irish cabaret.
If you’re looking for a fun and flexible itinerary that covers the best of Ireland, keep reading. Here are 10 reasons to take a Globus Ireland tour in 2023.
1. Globus’s Ireland itinerary is top notch
Though Ireland isn’t a big country size-wise, it’s jam-packed with unique sights and attractions that you won’t find anywhere else.
Sure, it isn’t possible to see everything in just 8 days, but I felt that our tour gave us a solid overview of Ireland and covered many of the best spots.
Visiting Dublin and Galway gave me a glimpse of city life, while Westport and Inis Mór showed me what life is like in the Irish countryside.
As a history lover, it was cool to see grand estates like Kylemore Abbey and the Westport House. We also spent days exploring Ireland’s rugged Western Coast, including the famous Cliffs of Moher and Achill Island. And along the way, we visited several amazing distilleries and pubs, including the oldest pub in Ireland. The experiences and excursions were varied, which made this the incredible trip that it was.
By the end of the tour, I felt that I had seen the best of the Emerald Isle. As such, this is one of the top reasons to do a Globus Ireland tour.
2. The logistics are taken care of for you
This is one of the main benefits of taking a guided tour, and Globus really goes above and beyond to make everything easy.
After booking the flights and tour, all you have to do is show up and everything else is taken care of for you. No need to research hotels, restaurants, and things to do in each destination. No need to do any trip planning whatsoever. Each experience and excursion was fully planned and communicated in advance, so I could spend more time being present and taking in my surroundings.
In addition to organizing all the activities and excursions, Globus also made the check-in process at hotels as easy as possible. Our guide checked us in and handed us our room keys right after stepping off the bus. Now that’s service!
Trip planning can be a total hassle, so it was really nice not having to worry about all the logistical details of the vacation.
3. You’ll have a knowledgeable local tour guide
With many tour companies, it’s not uncommon to be led by a tour guide from your native country. There are so many tours in Europe led by American guides, which may feel more comfortable for some.
However, in doing so, you’ll feel more disconnected from the local place that you’re visiting. Globus’s “Green With Envy Ireland” tour is led by Helen Lee, a local from the Galway area. She brought a unique area of expertise to the trip.
Throughout the journey, Helen shared fascinating stories about the places we visited. She was always prepared with fun facts and answered our questions with a sense of humor that is so quintessentially Irish.
Helen was also super organized and on top of everything. From coordinating our excursions and hotel stays to making sure we were all having a good time, Helen was truly the mother of the group who looked after everybody. For the entirety of the trip, I knew I was in good hands.
4. Choices, choices, and more choices
Aside from the high level of quality and service, what sets Globus apart from its competitors is its new style of “Choice Touring.” Basically, this gives customers a broad palette of experiences and excursions to choose from based on individual tastes and preferences. So, not everyone in the tour group is doing the same activities day in and day out.
In Westport, I chose to explore Achill Island while others opted to ride e-bikes and learned how to bake traditional Irish soda bread. In Galway, I did a food tour while others did a walking tour around the city center. During the last day in Dublin, I decided to do a literary pub crawl while others went to an Irish cabaret performance.
It’s not easy for tour companies to arrange curated excursions like these with a big group, but Globus was able to handle it with ease and finesse. I think that offering more curated choices is the future of the touring industry, and it’s cool to see Globus leading the charge.
5. It’s nice not having to drive or navigate
While I enjoy renting a car and exploring places on my own, it was nice not having to worry about getting around Ireland.
The whole process of renting (and returning) a car, having to fill up the gas tank, and finding parking in busy areas can be a hassle. Taking a guided bus tour with Globus allows you to relax and focus on sightseeing rather than driving. A win-win for sure!
Moreover, Ireland is more spread out than you’d expect. Sure, it’s dwarfed by the US, but when you’re crisscrossing Ireland’s rugged, windswept coasts you’ll be happy you aren’t the one behind the wheel. As it turns out, the internet service outside of the major cities and towns isn’t very good—especially in the more remote areas of Ireland. So, I’m glad that I didn’t have to drive and rely on GPS to get around.
6. There’s plenty of free time
One of the nice parts about traveling with Globus is that they give you lots of free time. Sure, some days are jam-packed with activities, but they also provide many opportunities to go out and do your own exploring.
On some days of the Globus Ireland itinerary, we had mornings or afternoons off from the group to do our own thing. In addition, there were several days where we could do dinners on our own and nights out.
While I loved traveling with the group, it was nice to have some freedom and flexibility as well. In my opinion, Globus gave us an optimal amount of time between organized and leisure activities.
7. They bring you to amazing photo spots
On some tours, it’s a quick in and out as far as photos are concerned. The itineraries are often so crammed with activities that you’re only allowed a couple of minutes at a popular photo spot before moving on. Thankfully, Globus not only brought us to some amazing photo spots, but also encouraged us to take our time to get the right shot.
Our bus driver, Jurgen, went out of his way to make sure we got the right shot; sometimes even bringing us down narrow roads where buses usually don’t go. On Achill Island, which most operators don’t cover in their Ireland tour itineraries, he pulled over in many breathtaking locations that were difficult to get to, so we could enjoy the best vistas imaginable. Photographers would love this trip!
8. Globus’ Ireland tour offers immense value for the price you pay
At just $2,329 per person for an 8-day tour of Ireland, the price point with Globus is unbeatable.
Their Green With Envy Choice Tour covers 14 meals, including 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 5 dinners. It also includes 7 nights in a cozy and upscale hotel in a central location. Not to mention that all the unique activities, attractions, and entrance fees are included in the rate, such as the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, and Guinness Storehouse. And of course, all the transportation was taken care of, including to hard-to-reach places like Achill Island and the Aran Islands.
As far as value goes, the tour of Ireland with Globus is easily among the best.
9. The people really make the vacation
While I enjoy traveling solo and as a couple, group travel is really what excites me. Globus Journeys attracts a certain kind of traveler: particularly someone who is open-minded, fun, and outgoing. This really made the vacation into something special.
Through the Globus Ireland tour, there were lots of opportunities for group bonding. From distillery and pub tours to group dinners and excursions, every moment on the trip was so enriching. We all shared so many great stories and laughs together. I will cherish these memories forever.
10. You’ll gain new perspectives on a Globus tour of Ireland
Group touring is all about meeting new people and learning from them. Our tour group was comprised of Americans, Canadians, Brits, and an Australian – each with a unique lens with which they view the world.
Throughout the Ireland tour, we all shared so many stories and perspectives, which absolutely added to the experience of the trip. In addition, we gained fascinating insights from our Tour Director Helen, so it wasn’t only about visiting beautiful places.
From the tour guide and fellow travelers to the locals we met along the way, it was amazing learning so much on this trip. I felt stimulated throughout and would definitely do this Ireland tour again in a heartbeat.
Doing a Tour to Ireland with Globus in 2023
Hope you enjoyed reading this round-up of the top reasons to go on a guided Ireland tour with Globus Journeys! Have you been on a tour to Ireland before? Let me know how your experience went, either in the comments below or on Insta. Happy Travels! -Jon
