Biking in Ireland. Photo © Brian Morrison / Tourism Ireland

Bikes & Ballads: A Cycling Tour on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Ireland

Places Visited

Ennis, Kilkee, Doolin, Galway...

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Suggested Duration

10 Days

Travel a fantastic stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way’s more than 1,550 miles on the Cliff Coast during your unforgettable Ireland cycling tour. Blend beauty, tradition, activity, and luxury on a custom-tailored exploration featuring ocean spray, puffins, bottlenose dolphins, and quiet villages. Traverse ancient limestone paths and plateaus decorated with blossoming flora. Discover historic, isolated fortresses and, opulent palaces rising out of dense woodlands. You will have an immersive ride featuring...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Cycle to the walking trails traveling alongside the marvelous Cliffs of Moher for fabulous views of the dramatic landscape
  • Meet with a private artisan craftsperson in the town of Roundstone, who produces traditional Irish musical instruments to protect the particular sound
  • Traverse the sensational scenic route of the Sky Road outside of Clifden, a place of traditional music, gorgeous scenery, and unforgettable views
  • Witness the marvelous 19th-century architecture of Kylemore Abbey, which was once an opulent palace overlooking a reflective lake
  • Delight in the scenery of the Loop Peninsula where you can dig your toes into powdery sand or view dolphins leaping from the Atlantic Ocean
  • Discover the remarkable limestone cliffs and breathtaking ancient ruins decorating Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands
  • Relish an exciting and inspiring cycling excursion across the Wild Atlantic Way while staying in luxurious accommodations

Detailed Description

The distinctive undulating landscape of Ireland calls to an active lifestyle, especially cyclists eager to discover the marvelous hills, valleys, and coastline along the Wild Atlantic Way. Your 10-day Ireland cycling tour features the breathtaking natural scenery, ancient culture, and charming towns that make Ireland such a desirable destination. With over 140 hidden sites to uncover and 160 specific destinations scattered across the coastline, you can bask in the inspiring views, listen to the Gaelic language, and discover the continued cultural traditions during your private Ireland tour.

The adventure begins with your arrival at Galway Airport. Your private transfer escorts you to the town of Ennis and the comforts of a stunning hotel situated inside a refurbished castle. The splendors of your cycling expedition begin in the morning when you mount your bike and discover the back roads crisscrossing the landscapes around the Cliff Coast, one of the six regions making up the Wild Atlantic Way. The entire western Atlantic spreads from the Inishowen Peninsula in the north to County Cork in the south. You cycle in an arc, stopping in small towns and villages hidden by mountain foothills that offer spectacular panoramas of magnificent cliffs.

Lakes, streams, woodlands, and unique limestone configurations shape the majesty of the Irish landscape. Spend time searching for ancient ruins and prehistoric sites on Inishmore Island. Indulge in the cosmopolitan and medieval ambiance of Galway, and visit a private perfumery in Burren after witnessing the unusual topography. Whether walking through the Victorian gardens of Kylemore Abbey or traversing the Sky Road, your cycling tour offers the grace and grandeur of slow tourism, allowing you to indulge in Ireland’s natural allure.

Starting Price

$6,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.85 stars based on 486 reviews.

Ireland Tour Review: Kilkenny, Kinsale, Galway, Forty Foot,...

We had a wonderful trip. Everything was executed flawlessly, which made it so easy and relaxing for us. The hotels that were chosen were great. Our driver/guide was amazing and the perfect companion.

The only advice I would give is to include driving times on the itinerary so we would know how far things were from each other. But I would 100% recommend Zicasso's travel company to anyone traveling to Ireland. I can’t wait to go again!

Reviewed By Katie M.

Ireland Tour Review: Off-the-Beaten-Path Sites, History,...

This was our first time booking a trip through Zicasso and we were very happy with the experience. We were connected with an exceptional agent in Ireland who knew all the great, off-the-beaten-path sites. Our accommodations were beyond our expectations. Each driver we had was friendly and knowledgeable.

Reviewed By Holly F.

England, Scotland, Ireland Vacation Review: History, Local...

We had an exceptional experience with the team at Zicasso's travel company, particularly our agent. She listened to our hopes and needs for a very complex trip, and created a journey that exceeded our expectations in every way.

Reviewed By Lorraine M.

Ireland Travel Review: Private Driver, 1 Week

Words cannot describe how thankful we are to Zicasso's travel company. Our agent and her team put together an itinerary that hit everything we wanted to see, plus the things we didn’t know we needed to see.

They handled everything from the hotel reservations to entrance tickets and dinner reservations, and were readily available throughout our trip to make sure everything went smoothly.

The best part of our entire trip though, was our wonderful driver. He never missed a beat, was incredibly knowledgeable and kind, and went out of his way over and over again to make sure we had the best time possible. It’s not easy traveling with a group of nine people with ages ranging from 27 to 75, but our travel company made it easy and unforgettable.

It was a trip of a lifetime and our agent and driver exceeded our expectations. Highest of recommendations. 

Reviewed By Sarah M.

Ireland Vacation Review: Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Kerry,...

The trip was fantastic! We had a great driver. He gave us great restaurant recommendations. We were busy the whole trip, a positive in our book.

The hotels were also nice and met expectations. Some rooms were a tad warm, but we were traveling in July.

Some of our tickets were only for six people rather than the seven we booked for. Also, the last hotel tried to charge us extra for a third person in the room. We are not sure who was responsible for that issue, but it did throw a curveball before leaving that hotel.

Although our driver for the last two days did a good job, we did not appreciate losing our first driver.

Reviewed By Desiree K.

Ireland Tour Review: Cliffs of Moher, Boat Tour, 6 Days

It was a great trip and Zicasso's travel company did a great job.

Reviewed By Babak K.

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