The Valley of Kings: Boyne Valley - Private Tour

There are few areas in Ireland, if not Europe, that are so steeped in history and intrigue as the Boyne Valley. Embark on a journey through history, culture, and breathtaking scenery with a private guide, and explore some of the most popular highlights of the Boyne Valley.

On your private full-day tour, you will:

• Explore Newgrange, considered to be one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world, older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt;

• Find yourself in awe at the truly bizarre and unexplained on a guided tour of Newgrange and the Knowth Neolithic passage tombs;

• Immerse yourself in the religious history of Ireland, which saw one of its most significant moments at the Battle of the Boyne;

• Visit the interactive museum of the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre, and learn about the impact it had on Irish history, culture, and identity;

• After a short drive, discover Monasterboice, a 5th-century monastic settlement where you will see some of the finest examples of Celtic high crosses and early Christian gravestones in Ireland;

• Enjoy a traditional Irish pub lunch, a great opportunity to try some authentic Irish dishes like Irish stew or fish and chips;

• Stop at Trim Castle, an impressive 12th-century medieval fortress used as a filming location for movies such as Braveheart and The Tudors;

• Enjoy an easy journey back to Dublin, with drop off at your hotel or somewhere central of your choosing.

First, you will be picked up from your accommodation by your guide in a private car and taken on a short drive to the world-famous Neolithic site of Newgrange. Older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza, this ancient site consists of enormous circular mounds flanked by a ring of heaped stones. Most impressive of all is the underground stone passageway, leading to some interior rooms that historians today remain unable to fully explain. In between visiting the nearby visitor centre and taking in the view, your guide will regale you with the myths and legends surrounding the area.

Your guide will then take you to the infamous battleground of the Battle of the Boyne—one of the definitive and most symbolic battles in Irish history. It saw the Catholic James II pitted against the Protestant William III. The latter’s victory goes some way to explaining the subsequent strength of Protestant belief in Ireland and is to this day used as a rallying cry on both sides during religious disputes.