Dublin: Glendalough & City Highlights Shore Tour

Glendalough & Dublin in One Day: What Cruise Passengers Actually See

You're picked up from the cruise terminal in a luxury van and driven through Dublin's main sights (Trinity, O'Connell Street, Temple Bar, the cathedrals), then south to Glendalough's 6th-century monastery and the Wicklow Mountains. The tour runs roughly eight hours and returns you to the dock at least an hour before your ship leaves. Professional guide, small group, all transport and WiFi included. Timing adjusts to your liner's schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Dublin and Glendalough Highlights

• Meet guide at Dublin cruise terminal
• Panoramic tour of Dublin city sights
• Drive through Wicklow countryside
• Visit Glendalough monastic site
• Return via Wicklow Mountains scenery
• Explore Dublin landmarks and shopping
• Return to dockside before departure

The experience

The minivan pulls up to the cruise terminal right on time, but your guide is holding a sign with a name that's not quite yours: close enough that you know it's meant for you. That's the first thing that happens on a small-group shore tour: the small chaos of recognition, the quick laugh, and then you're in a luxury Mercedes van heading out of Dublin with maybe ten other people who've also got the same four-hour window before the ship leaves. The guide runs through the day's plan as you drive: Trinity College, O'Connell Street, the GPO, Ha'Penny Bridge, and then south into County Wicklow to Glendalough, the valley of two lakes where St. Kevin's monastery has been standing since the 6th century. It's a lot to fit in, and the timing depends entirely on when your liner docked and when it's leaving again. That's the thing about a shore excursion that nobody quite explains until you're already booked.

The drive into Wicklow takes you through rolling hills and babbling brooks, the kind of landscape that Hollywood used for P.S. I Love You and Braveheart, and your guide points out why: it's green in a way that doesn't photograph right, and the light changes every few minutes. Then you're at Glendalough itself, standing in front of Ireland's finest round tower, and there's the legend about St. Kevin's cross. If you can touch your hands around it, you'll be married within a year. Some people try. The monastic site is quiet even when the tour group is there, and you get time to walk around, not rushed through. The stoppage time shifts based on your ship's schedule, so some days you get longer here than others.

On the way back to Dublin, you pass through the Wicklow Mountains proper, and if you're into photography or just into looking at things, this is where you stop noticing the time. Rolling turf hills, lakes, the kind of postcard Ireland that feels almost too neat until you're actually standing in it. Then it's lunch or a refreshment stop, depending on how the morning ran, and then back into the city for the Dublin highlights: Temple Bar, Molly Malone, Christchurch Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grafton Street for shopping if you want it. The whole thing wraps up roughly eight hours after you left the port, with the guide making sure you're back at the dockside at least an hour before your ship departs. That's the non-negotiable part. Everything else (how long you spend at Glendalough, whether you stop twice in the mountains or once) shifts around that one fixed point.

Book early if you're going May through September. Multiple cruise ships dock in Dublin during peak season, and these small-group tours sell out weeks ahead. You'll need to provide your ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time at booking, and leave a contact number the guide can reach you on during the day. The van has WiFi, air-conditioning, and seats for a real small group, not a coach full of fifty people. Starting time is 8am or thirty minutes after your scheduled arrival, whichever is later.

What’s included

• Professional guide.
• small-group transport in a luxury Mercedes van with air-conditioning.
• collection from and return to Dublin cruise ship terminal.
• complimentary wireless internet.
• panoramic tour of Dublin including Trinity College, O'Connell Street, GPO, Ha'Penny Bridge, Temple Bar, Molly Malone statue, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
• visit to Glendalough monastery in the Wicklow Mountains.
• approximately eight hours on tour with timing adjusted to your ship's arrival and departure schedule.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (under 13)

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.Operator's directions: “Your van will highly likely be a Black Mercedes- Benz Sprinter with "Elegant Irish Tours" written on the side in silver.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Paddywagon Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you're docking in Dublin and want to see both the city and the countryside without arranging your own transport or timing. The guide handles the schedule around your ship's departure, which is what makes a full day inland possible in the time you have.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (under 13).

What happens if my ship arrives late?

The tour starts 30 minutes after your scheduled arrival time, so the itinerary shifts to fit. The only fixed point is your return to the dock at least one hour before departure.

Is lunch included?

A lunch or refreshment stop is built into the day, but the meal itself is not included. You'll have time and options to eat during the tour.

How many people are in the group?

It's a small-group tour, typically under twelve passengers, traveling in a luxury Mercedes van.

Can I do this tour if I'm not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll spend time walking around Glendalough and Dublin's streets, but there's no climbing or strenuous hiking required.

What if my ship leaves earlier than expected?

Tell your guide at booking and during the tour. The itinerary is adjusted to guarantee you're back at the dock before departure, even if that means fewer stops or shorter time at each site.

Is there WiFi on the van?

Yes, complimentary wireless internet is available throughout the tour.

Do I need to book in advance?

During peak season (May 1–September 30), these tours sell out well ahead. Advance booking is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment.

What do I need to provide at booking?

Your ship name, docking time, disembarkation time, re-boarding time, and a contact number the guide can reach you on during the tour.