(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip
Dublin, Ireland

(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip

Outty Ranking 52 3.7 · 26 traveler reviews8 hoursFrom $125
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Outty Ranking

52/100

Worth a Look. Our proprietary evaluation. How we score

Traveler rating

3.7/5

Based on 26 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

Quick answer

Is (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip worth booking?

(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip is a 8-hour experience in Dublin, Ireland, from $125 per person. It scores 52 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 3.7/5 rating across 26 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.

Outty Ranking
52 / 100
Rating
3.7/5 (26)
Duration
8 hours
From
$125 per person

You will be collected in style by a luxury minivan from Dublin cruise ship terminal to join this small-group shore excursion. Your guide will begin the day with a panoramic tour of Dublin City, pointing out highlights such as Trinity College, O'Connell Street, the GPO, Molly Malone, River Liffey, Ha'Penny Bridge, Christchurch Cathedral, and St Patrick's Cathedral. You shall then continue south of Dublin to the nearby Wicklow Mountains. Here you will visit Glendalough. Your guides are considered Ireland's finest to inspire you on your journey. GUEST ADVICE: During peak- season (May 1st - September 30th) multiple cruise ships are expected at the major ports on a daily basis. This small group tour tends to sell- out well ahead of departure for most dates within this period. Accordingly, we recommend advance reservation where possible, to avoid disappointment.

What you get

    About this experience

    You will be collected in style by a luxury minivan from Dublin cruise ship terminal to join this small-group shore excursion. Your guide will begin the day with a panoramic tour of Dublin City, pointing out highlights such as Trinity College, O'Connell Street, the GPO, Molly Malone, River Liffey, Ha'Penny Bridge, Christchurch Cathedral, and St Patrick's Cathedral. You shall then continue south of Dublin to the nearby Wicklow Mountains. Here you will visit Glendalough. Your guides are considered Ireland's finest to inspire you on your journey. GUEST ADVICE: During peak- season (May 1st - September 30th) multiple cruise ships are expected at the major ports on a daily basis. This small group tour tends to sell- out well ahead of departure for most dates within this period. Accordingly, we recommend advance reservation where possible, to avoid disappointment.

    What's included

    Included

    • Professional Friendly Guide
    • Small Group Tour
    • Collection to and from the port
    • Complimentary wireless internet
    • Transport by luxury Mercedes van
    • Full air-conditioning

    Not included

    • Gratuities
    • Lunch

    What you'll see and do

    1. Dublin

      We will collect you in style in a small group tour van. Your guide shall be waiting with a sign (Elegant Irish Tours) ready to take you off on your marvelous journey. We shall greet and meet and then inform you of the highlights of the day, the various options for lunch and some of the greatshops where you can purchase Irish arts and crafts as we drive off on this tripthat shall provide memories to last a lifetime.

      Pass by without stopping

    2. Glendalough Monastic Settlement

      We begin our tour by taking the lovely little drive through county Wicklow knows also as the garden of Ireland. With its rolling hills, babbling brooks and romantic glens one can easily understand how this landscape was a highlight and feature of both Hollywood blockbusters P.S. I love you and Braveheart. Then it's onward to Glendalough known as the valley of two lakes, famed by St. Kevin's monastery dating back to the 6th century. The monastic site has Ireland's finest round tower and you can even try and touch your hands around St. Kevin's cross, as legend has it you shall then be married within a year. A truly wonderful place to visit! **stoppage time depends on the schedule of your liners arrival/departure**

      Pass by without stopping

    3. Wicklow Mountains National Park

      As we return from Glendalough to the city we will pass by some of Wicklow's finest mountains. With magnificent lakes and rolling turf hills, commonly used as a source of energy in historic Ireland. This area is every photographer's dream and symbolizes the picture postcard images that make Ireland unique. **stoppage time depends on the schedule of your liners arrival/departure**

      Pass by without stopping

    4. Temple Bar

      After lunch or a refreshment stop, if our departure has been later, we shall inspire you with the sites of Dublin's fair City. Highlights shall include O'Connell Street, the H'Penny bridge, the Temple Bar, Molly Malone statue, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Christchurch Cathedral, Trinity College and of course time to enjoy some shopping on Grafton Street - home to all our finest traditional luxury stores. **stoppage time depends on the schedule of your liners arrival/departure**

      Pass by without stopping

    5. Dublin

      We structure each tour to make sure you are back at least 1 hour before departure. The service ends back at the dockside after approximately 8 hours on tour. If the boat is leaving earlier we will amend the itinerary as necessary.

      Pass by without stopping

    Where it starts and ends

    Meeting point

    Dublin

    Your van will highly likely be a Black Mercedes- Benz Sprinter with "Elegant Irish Tours" written on the side in silver. The tour representative will also have the passenger name(s) supplied above on a clipboard along with the corresponding BID code.

    Hotel pickup

    Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 30 minutes before departure.

    Ends at

    Your van will highly likely be a Black Mercedes- Benz Sprinter with "Elegant Irish Tours" written on the side in silver. The tour representative will also have the passenger name(s) supplied above on a clipboard along with the corresponding BID code.

    Before you book

    Cancellation
    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
    Languages
    en
    Ticket
    Mobile Only
    Runs on
    Every day
    Group size
    Up to 15 travelers per booking
    Operated by
    Paddywagon Tours

    Know before you go

    • Specialized infant seats are available
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • At time of booking, cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
    • Our tour starting time is 8:00am, or 30 minutes after your scheduled arrival.
    • It is very important to leave a number which will be contactable during the tour.

    Photos

    Elegant, (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day TripGlendalough, (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip, photo 4(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip, photo 5(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip, photo 6(Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip, photo 7

    What travelers are saying

    Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 26 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.

    The guide

    6 mentions

    Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    Knowledge and storytelling

    3 mentions

    Reviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.

    Small groups

    3 mentions

    The group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.

    Photo opportunities

    2 mentions

    The views and photo stops come up again and again.

    Organization

    2 mentions

    Pickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.

    Food and drink

    2 mentions

    The tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.

    Traveler reviews

    26 verified traveler reviews for (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

    5 star
    12
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    laurahV7717VI · August 2026

    Interesting day… Albeit a little bit scary

    We had mixed feelings about our tour with Elegant Irish Tours . Our driver, Daren, was friendly, somewhat funny and entertaining, and he took us to some interesting places that we enjoyed seeing. Unfortunately, there were several issues that made the day much less enjoyable than we had hoped. Communication before the tour was poor. We were arriving by tender from our cruise ship and had explained that getting to the meeting point at the exact stated time might be impossible. We were also not allowed to have the driver’s phone number, which made coordinating our arrival much more stressful than it needed to be. To their credit, they did wait for us. Our biggest concern was the driving. Daren drove extremely fast, and honestly, we felt nervous and unsafe for much of the day. Although we arrived everywhere without incident, it was difficult to relax and enjoy the scenery when we were so uncomfortable with the speed At one point, we were also dropped off at a lake and left there for about an hour and a half, which felt like a lot of wasted time on a private/small-group tour. There were some enjoyable moments and Daren had a pleasant personality, but overall the poor communication, excessive driving speed, and the way the day was organized made this a disappointing experience for us.

    via Tripadvisor

    Kim_D · June 2026

    Glasgow tour

    James was great had a nice day . It’s seems a little on the pricy side but he does pick up at port which many don’t . Saw the town the Glasgow cathedral and a museum . It was my request to head back a little early as I didn’t want to miss the ship . He is dressed in his Scottish clothing which is great and special .

    via Viator

    PeterW_M · May 2026

    This was an excellent...

    This was an excellent excursion and we would certainly do it again. We went all around Liverpool and saw a lot of interesting things.

    via Viator

    Richard_S · September 2025

    Excellent tour of the...

    Excellent tour of the Irish countryside outside Dublin. Our driver/guide was extremely knowledgeable about Irish history and was (rightfully) proud of his country.

    via Viator

    yager73 · September 2025

    Can’t get much worse

    Let me start with the warning we received at booking; that if we didn’t show up on time from our ship we would be left. We got up early to get off the ship asap. We were on time and that’s when our problems started. First, we were informed that the small group tour that we paid extra for wasn’t going to happen because the bus broke down BUT we can get on the large group bus with everyone else who paid much less. Then instead of leaving people behind like we were warned we sat, and sat, and sat for 2 hours!!!!!! Finally our tour guide decided to leave and started the drive to Glenoalough. Our driver/ guide told us all about incidental things but nothing about the history or at all educational about where we were going and why it was important. We arrived and were told we had an hour and 15 minutes but still no information about where we were why it was important to the history of the site. The welcome center wasn’t much better because everything cost to get any information. With that being said it was truly beautiful and worth a drive up there. That was as good as the day got. From there, we started the drive back to Dublin. Our guide again babbled about nothing and told us his political views. He attempted to make a shopping stop (not on the tour) for just one person on the bus. He pulled into a car park (parking lot) that he couldn’t fit the bus and was a dead end. He had to back out and work to get us out of there for 15 minutes before he got us turned around and decided stopping for just one person to go shopping off the tour schedule was not a good idea. All of us had still not eaten since before 7 if we got a chance to eat at all! He then drove around Dublin in circles, talking about different sites to see but really showing us nothing and then dropped us off and gave us an hour and 15 minutes to eat lunch and sight see. All the places he told us to walk to were way too far with the time that we had left once we were able to obtain some food around 2 PM. Please remember this is after our day started by arriving at the bus at 7:30. Lunchtime took an hour and we walked to a shop just across the street in the hour we had left. Then it took us one hour to fight traffic to back to the cruise ship and that was our day. I would never recommend this tour and would encourage you to find your own way up to the mountains to check out the Glen and then rent E bikes so you can explore Dublin on your own. Way better use of your time and money. Those were just the highlights of our nightmare of a day on what was supposed to be a small group tour.

    via Tripadvisor

    Good to know

    Duration
    8 hours
    Free cancellation
    Up to 24h before
    Minimum age to book
    All ages
    Availability
    Bookable today
    Runs on
    Every day
    Hotel pickup
    Available for selected locations
    Booked in 30 days
    9
    Verdict
    Worth a Look

    Who runs this experience

    Operated by Paddywagon Tours, who run 24 experiences we rank across 4 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 63.0.

    See everything Paddywagon Tours runs

    Why this scores 52

    The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.

    Traveler sentiment (30% weight)39
    Review evidence (18% weight)40
    Booking momentum (14% weight)32
    Value for money (12% weight)100
    Listing quality (10% weight)85
    Local standing (8% weight)0
    Booking flexibility (8% weight)100

    (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip: questions travelers ask

    Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Dublin.

    How much does (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip cost?

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    Prices start at $125 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Dublin usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.

    How long does (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip take?

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    Plan for about 8 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Dublin is not rushed.

    Is (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip worth it?

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    It holds an Outty Ranking of 52 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3.7/5 across 26 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Dublin, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.

    Can I cancel or reschedule (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip?

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    Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.

    Is (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip suitable for kids and families?

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    Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 8-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.

    How far in advance should I book (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip?

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    Around 9 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Dublin can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.

    What should I bring or wear?

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    Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Dublin and add a light layer if any part of the 8-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.

    Where does (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip start and how do I get there?

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    The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Dublin within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.

    What are the best things to do in Dublin?

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    On Outty we rank every Dublin experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Dublin to Belfast Titanic Dunluce Castle Giants Causeway Tour, Dublin to Belfast Black Cab: Dunluce Castle and Giant's Causeway, Dublin to Cliffs of Moher, including Wild Atlantic Way and Galway. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.

    When is the best time to visit Dublin?

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    Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.

    How many days do you need in Dublin?

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    Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.

    Do I book through Outty or through the operator?

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    Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.

    What is included in (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip?

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    Included: Professional Friendly Guide; Small Group Tour; Collection to and from the port; Complimentary wireless internet; and Transport by luxury Mercedes van. Not included: Gratuities; and Lunch. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.

    Does (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip include hotel pickup?

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    Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 3 listed pickup locations in and around Dublin. Be ready about 30 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.

    What languages is (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip offered in?

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    It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.

    Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip?

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    Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.

    Is (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip wheelchair or stroller accessible?

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    The operator notes: Specialized infant seats are available. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.

    What happens to (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip if the weather is bad?

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    It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Dublin. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

    What do travelers say about (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip?

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    Across 26 reviews averaging 3.7 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, small groups. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

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