First, I would like to say that the Best of Ireland 12-day tour we took from October 12-24, 2025, was really fantastic. The itinerary was perfect for the opportunity to see all the “must see” sights in Ireland. The start of the tour in Belfast is a wise choice; it gave us the opportunity to end the trip in Dublin after seeing to country which gave a better perspective of the history of the island.

The hotels were perfect in that they were located in the cities which made it possible to explore around the towns then have dinner and drinks.

Finally, and most important, our tour guide and driver, David Grey, was absolutely wonderful.

I cannot say enough kind words and accolades about David. The tour would not have been as memorable without his sense of humor, great insights and his general caring of us as guests in his country. It was an honor and a privilege to get to know David. David took the time to get to know all his guests and would ask us what our interests and needs were.

David also stopped at a few places not on the itinerary which allowed us a better insight into the country. It was great to see the bridge from the John Wayne movie, The Quiet Man, and visiting St. Brigid’s Well in Liscannor was memorable.

I mentioned to David in passing how I would like to try some poteen after having a drink in Kilkenny. David went out of his way to obtain some local poteen for all the tour guests to have a toast after our memorable Italian dinner. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

My husband and I toured southern Ireland and Scotland. It was a celebration of our 30th anniversary. I know many have mentioned David Grey but he was amazing His flexbility , knowledge and overall character made the trip. We also enjoyed the Scotland driver- Ian who had a wonderful personality . The group dinner selections did not disappoint. Amazing food . We felt like we saw so much of both countries and enjoyed having it all planned where to go .

I’m quite pleased with my first experience with David McGuffin tour company. The itinerary was spot on - from sites (expected tourist highlights to less known treasures) to hotels (especially Barr Na Straide) & restaurants (Rinuccini❣️) to planned time balanced with free time. And our guide David Grey was THE BEST! David is respectful, thorough, flexible, & a wealth of knowledge and all the while just being plain fun. As my late mother would say, “he’s a keeper.”

The trip to Ireland was just GREAT. David McGuffin Exploring Europe really provides a very nice itinerary and very comfortable everything, very nice hotels, great food, highlighted places and experiences. The part I liked best was David the personal full time tour guide, he was exceptional. The company took care of all of the details like where to go, where to stay, all attraction payments, the beautiful motorcoach. All we had to do is relax and enjoy. And what a great group of people. It couldn't have been better!

Have you seen photos or videos of the rolling green fields and rugged seaside cliffs of Ireland, and wondered whether they could be that beautiful in real life? Well, they really are! And the Best of Ireland tour offered a nice balance between larger cities (Belfast and Dublin) on the one hand and smaller cities, towns, and countryside on the other hand.
My wife and I had traveled previously with David himself on tours in Italy and Croatia, so this was our first McGuffin tour with other guides. Aidan, Ambrose and Dave were each special in their own way, and each one was flexible in consulting the group and adjusting the itinerary to our preferences.
As usual with David’s tours, the driving and the visits to various destinations with our guides were supplemented by free time built into the schedule. This allowed us to do some exploration on our own. For example, listening to live music in Dingle pubs on back-to-back evenings was a treat that was among the trip’s highlights. It’s also nice that some dinners were included in the tour price, and others were left to us so that we could choose a restaurant ourselves.
David McGuffin has offered tours to Ireland for a long time, and his knowledge of the island resulted in a tour that our group really enjoyed. Highly recommended.