Craft Your Own Celtic Tales with Brendan Vacations

Your Celtic story—whether it’s a romance or a chronicle of your family’s ancestry—can unfold any way you dream it.

Imagine exploring the Scottish Highlands and islands, cruising along the craggy coastline and through its pastoral countryside. Maybe you dream of sampling the progressive food scene in Dublin with a few pub crawls along the way. Or perhaps you’re drawn to rural village life among the locals.

With trusted AAA tour partner Brendan Vacations, travelers can explore Ireland or Scotland with thoughtfully curated tours and immersive experiences. Brendan’s dedicated Celtic travel experts, based in the heart of Dublin, create handcrafted itineraries guided by deep local relationships and insights. Through these longstanding relationships, you can rest assured that whether you choose a luxury hotel, a bed and breakfast, a castle, or a manor, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable and restful stay.

From adventures for the whole family to intimate, high-end luxury experiences, Brendan Vacations offers something for everyone. What inspires you to travel?

Do you dream of making your visit a luxury experience?

Private tours and tastings. Exceptional dining experiences. Impeccable service and attention to every detail. Your intimate and exclusive Celtic journey is carefully designed by local experts committed to pampering you.

Your luxury options can include:

• A viewing of the basalt columns of Giant’s Causeway at sunrise with a personal guide.

• An exclusive meet-and-greet with the head greenskeeper at Blarney Castle & Gardens.

• A luxury cruise along the River Shannon.

• A Jameson whiskey mixology master class and tour, a Guinness sampling and tour, an 18-course tasting menu at the country retreat Cliff at Lyons’ Michelin starred restaurant, or a cellar wine tasting at Ashford Castle.

Bring the entire family along for a Celtic journey.

Customized family-friendly vacations for the entire clan are carefully tailored by Celtic experts who believe that families who travel together grow together.

From hidden gems to must-see sights, top family activities include:

• A visit to Ireland’s oldest falconry school at Ashford Castle. Surrounded by mystical woodlands, you can get up close and personal with majestic birds of prey as they soar from the sky to perch on your arm.

• A lesson in the ancient Celtic sport of hurling from locals.

• A chance to experience a full-day tour of multiple filming locations from the HBO hit series, Game of Thrones.

• A guided exploration of the Wild Atlantic Way on horseback. The journey takes you through picture-perfect seascapes, secluded beaches and majestic mountain ranges.

Play some rounds at a few of the world’s most legendary courses.

Take a swing at some of the world’s best courses in Ireland and Scotland. Brendan handles your tee times, transportation, accommodations and activities between rounds. Traveling with nongolfers? Local experts can help plan activities for them too.

You can say you’ve played at the world’s oldest—dating back to the 12th century—and most iconic golf courses in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Top experiences include:

• Elegant accommodations and top-ranked courses at the Old Course Hotel, a must-stay property appealing to both golfers and nongolfers.

• A championship course paired with an 18th-century mansion, decadent cuisines and an idyllic view of Loch Lomond at The Cameron House Golf Course.

Study your family’s heritage and delve into your ancestry.

More than 120 million people trace their heritage back to the Celtic isles. But famine and lack of work caused millions of people to leave Ireland for new beginnings elsewhere around the globe.

You can delve into your family’s Irish or Scottish heritage with personalized trips that will help you reconnect with your ancestral roots. Led by expert genealogists and local specialists, you can uncover family stories, discover the neighborhoods of your ancestors and have a better understanding of your heritage. Custom and self-guided itineraries can include visits to family tombs and homesteads or meetings with distant relatives.

Favorite experiences to help you turn back the pages of your own Celtic story include:

• A VIP tour with the curator of EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum. You can book a genealogy consultation, complete with a family history report.

• A trip to Trinity College in Dublin’s City Center. A national treasure, this spectacular library holds more than 200,000 books, including the Book of Kells, a 9th-century medieval masterpiece that provides unique insight into Ireland’s rich history.

Celebrate your love down the Isles.

Your Celtic love story is crafted, page by page, with Brendan. From romantic proposals to unforgettable destination weddings to extraordinary honeymoons, anniversaries and more, each story is matched to your own personal narrative.

Whether you’re traveling with your loved one to start a new chapter, to celebrate a milestone or to create new memories, local Celtic experts excel at helping you execute those special moments.

Imagine a marriage proposal 17 stories above Dublin from Croke Park’s Skyline, a rooftop walkway that’s the city’s highest open-view platform. Or how about a wedding at an Irish or Scottish castle that dates to medieval times. You could plan the ultimate honeymoon vacation with slow strolls through medieval streets and centuries-old castles, then toast your love with pints of Guinness alongside the locals at a neighborhood pub. Or mark a special anniversary with a romantic luxury cruise along the River Shannon or past the Cliffs of Moher.

A few romantic options to bring you closer together:

• Share some plates during a food tour of Dublin or Galway. Sample traditional Irish fare or meet with artisanal producers and restaurateurs and hear the stories behind their products. Or meet a local host in her cozy 18th-century cottage, as she shares her knowledge of making buttermilk, jam and traditional Irish bread. You can even roll up your sleeves and lend a hand.

• Hold hands and cuddle while nestled in a traditional horse and carriage tour of Killarney, while learning about the town’s history and legends.

• Paddle side by side in kayaks through the intricate sea caves of Dingle, a small port town with abundant character and charm.

Choose your own travel style.

Brendan offers a few different travel options that match the way you like to travel. Whether you choose to go by car, rail or private chauffeur, Brendan experts can assist with reservations and help guide your journey.

By car: Adventurous, independent travelers can curate their own Celtic experience at their own pace when they’re behind the wheel. Brendan experts are there to assist with car rentals and lodging reservations. They can also help create a customized itinerary of activities.

 By rail: Take in the picturesque countryside and rugged, windswept shores by train. Rail excursions include time to explore independently, with a friendly Brendan host in each city to offer expert advice on what to see, where to dine and how to absorb local culture.

Private chauffeur: The most intimate and personal of travel styles, these fully customizable hand-crafted vacations begin with a personal chauffeur and the finest accommodations. And, as always, expert guidance is at your beck and call every step of the way.