Ireland is one of Europe’s most beautiful countries and surprisingly, one of its up and coming gourmet destinations. Well known for its castles, dramatic coastal scenery, misty lakes and soothing landscapes, Ireland is less known for its gastronomic treasures. So it will be a pleasant revelation to discover that West Cork for example, is a culinary Mecca of sorts, and apart from some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland, it is also home to many passionate artisan food producers like Ummera (organic smokehouse) and Gubbeen (superb cheese and charcuterie producer). Dublin, Ireland’s lively capital, boasts some fabulous Michelin starred chefs whose restaurants we enthusiastically feature in our tours. These include Chapter One, Thornton´s, Guilbaud´s and L´Ecrivain. And the entire country, with its abundance of ports and quaint fishing towns, is known for great fish and seafood.

You’ll find ultra fresh crab claws from Castletownbere; Dublin bay prawns; Dundrum bay mussels; Galway oysters; king scallops from West Cork; and plenty of Irish salmon smoked at small, high end smokehouses like Frank Hederman´s Belvelly in Cobh (the last port the Titanic stopped in), the Woodcock Smokery in darling Castletownsend and of course Anthony Creswell´s aforementioned Ummera. Fantastic Irish seafood hotspots you can look forward to on this tour include Fishy Fishy in Kinsale and Cavistons in Sandycove (Dublin). For cheese lovers, Ireland offers a tantalizing array of excellent farmhouse cheeses like Milleens Cheese from the striking Beara Peninsula, Ardrahan from Kanturk in County Cork, Durrus from the absolutely gorgeous same-named hamlet in West Cork, Gubbeen´s mouthwatering smoked cheeses, St. Tola Goats cheese from Inagh (near the unusual Burren region in County Claire) and the delicious Cashel Blue cheeses from Tipperary.

We have designed this gourmet tour of Ireland for our discerning private clients, and as always on our tours, you’ll have your own private driver (which will be much appreciated on the hairbend turns and winding roads of West Cork and Kerry!) and comfortable Mercedes for the duration of the tour. You’ll stay in very charming and luxurious hotels, including a stylishly converted mansion in Dublin; epicurean goddess Darina Allen´s family owned Ballymaloe House in East Cork; the delightful Bantry House in West Cork with its captivating waterfront location and gardens; and a historic manor in Kenmare. Your last night will be at a sumptuous hotel on the historic Powerscourt estate and gardens, where you will enjoy dinner at Gordon Ramsey’s swanky restaurant.

Experiences you can look forward to on this tour include: your own private cooking class with a very charming and sophisticated chef at his private restored Irish cottage; a private whiskey connoisseurs tasting in Midleton; a VIP wine tasting of top wines from around the world (Australia, France, Spain, etc) by descendants of the Irish “wine geese”; and dining at some of Ireland’s most cherished restaurants such as the mythical Café Paradiso. If you are looking for a relaxing and luxurious vacation in Ireland, with some unforgettable culinary adventures, then contact us for more information on this tour.