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Kinsale Boat Tour: Historic Views and Insights
4.6
14 Ratings
Kinsale
Discover Kinsale’s charm on a 50-minute cruise. Explore historic sites, enjoy stunning views, and hear captivating stories. Book your adventure today.
Discover Kinsale’s charm on a 50-minute cruise. Explore historic sites, enjoy stunning views, and hear captivating stories. Book your adventure today.
Duration:
50 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Kinsale - As the journey begins from the quay, be sure to notice the bustling yacht marina and take in the charming former fishing village of Scilly. The boat stays close to the shore, providing excellent chances to see seals, otters, herons, cormorants, terns, and a variety of vibrant flora and fauna.
- Charles Fort - Prepare to be amazed by…
- Kinsale - As the journey begins from the quay, be sure to notice the bustling yacht marina and take in the charming former fishing village of Scilly. The boat stays close to the shore, providing excellent chances to see seals, otters, herons, cormorants, terns, and a variety of vibrant flora and fauna.
- Charles Fort - Prepare to be amazed by the stunning views of Charles Fort, constructed in the late 1600s to bolster the harbour’s defenses. Imagine the incredible effort required to build this fort, stone by stone, long before the advent of modern machinery. Once housing a garrison until 1920, Charles Fort is now an OPW heritage site, offering daily guided tours. Viewing its magnificence from the water adds a new dimension to its rich history!
- Old Head of Kinsale - As the journey continues, enjoy sweeping views of The Old Head of Kinsale before heading towards the harbour’s entrance.
- James Fort - Opposite stands James Fort, erected in 1603 after the Battle of Kinsale to protect against invasions. The sight of these two forts facing each other vividly recalls the town’s storied past.
- Kinsale Beach - The tour also passes by Dock Beach before heading towards the historic Ringrone Castle, with origins dating back to the 13th century. Once a stronghold of the Anglo-Norman De Courcey family, this castle boasts a lineage that spans centuries. Did you know the current Lord Kingsale is the 36th Baron, residing in New Zealand?
- River Bandon - Before concluding the tour, enjoy a serene cruise up the Bandon River, passing three marinas: a private marina, a fisherman’s marina, and the yacht marina. Envision the picturesque scene of various boats and yachts gently swaying in the water, with the beautiful town of Kinsale as a backdrop. This journey truly offers one of the best experiences in Kinsale!
What's Included
- 50 minute Kinsale Cruise
- Upper Outdoor Seating
- Indoor Heated Lounge
- Bar / Café Facilities
- Toilet Facilities
- 50 minute Kinsale Cruise
- Upper Outdoor Seating
- Indoor Heated Lounge
- Bar / Café Facilities
- Toilet Facilities
What's Not Included
- Refreshments & Snacks ( can be purchased onboard)
- Parking ( Car Park & On-street options available)
- Refreshments & Snacks ( can be purchased onboard)
- Parking ( Car Park & On-street options available)
Additional Information
Discover Kinsale in a whole new way with our exclusive boat tour! This journey blends vibrant culture, intriguing insights, relaxation, and stunning scenery that is simply unmissable. Kinsale’s extraordinary historic landmarks provide a distinctive perspective from the water, enabling you to fully appreciate the area’s beauty and importance. The lively…
Discover Kinsale in a whole new way with our exclusive boat tour! This journey blends vibrant culture, intriguing insights, relaxation, and stunning scenery that is simply unmissable. Kinsale’s extraordinary historic landmarks provide a distinctive perspective from the water, enabling you to fully appreciate the area’s beauty and importance. The lively commentary offers enthralling tales and legends, deepening your appreciation of how this delightful town has transformed over the years.
- Boarding begins 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Passengers should arrive at least 15 minutes before the departure time to ensure smooth check-in and boarding.
- Please be advised due to the limited nature of Viator’s pricing schedules and the inability to allow individual pricing and group pricing in one product, we are unable to offer discounted group pricing and student ticket options on this platform.
Location
Kinsale Harbour Cruises
Our departure point for the Harbour Cruise can be found 300 meters along the quay near Actons Hotel. It's a short walk from Kinsale Tourist Office along the quayside.
Eircode: P17 HN81
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(14 Ratings)
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Paulinebu3595ur
Jul 14, 2025
A wonderful experience - The Conna community care group went so we had a private sailing, from booking with Daniel to the cruise itself everything was perfect,so easy to organize.The views were lovely and the information given was easy to hear and understand.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michal
Jul 10, 2025
Good cruise - Nice trip with many information shared from speakers. Ship is clean, sofas are comfortable. Toilet on board is a big plus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour67108666652
Jul 10, 2025
A Perfect Way to See Kinsale! - We really enjoyed our harbor tour! It was so beautiful and relaxing. The views are amazing. We highly recommend this tour!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer_t
Jun 16, 2025
Great short informative harbor cruise. - Great short informative harbor cruise. Gorgeous even with lots of mist the day we went. Great little cruise for the money too.
Review provided by Viator
Th254
Jun 15, 2025
Perfect tour of the harbor in Kinsale! - Amazing tour of the Kinsale Harbor with a great recording of the historic sites you travel past during the 50 minute tour. Highly suggest!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louisec487
Jun 14, 2025
Fabulous trip - A fabulous hour around Kinsale harbour . Comfortable boat & amazing views. Informative information about kinsale & it's history
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aliceoc4
Jul 6, 2025
Nice way to spend an hour in Kinsale - The weather was so good which was unexpected and really added to the whole experience. Views amazing. Left on time. Comfortable seating on top deck. Good commentary explaining the different places we passed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julie_e
Jun 24, 2025
Harbour Tour Kinsale - The harbour tour was a nice relaxing experience. You got to see the city from a unique perspective. You also got a good view of several ancient ruins.
Review provided by Viator
John_p
Jul 14, 2025
Lovely to be on the water, but… - This is a great opportunity to be on the water. However … that’s a fancy but :) ….the boat ride is narrated by recording; and, while they continually offer in the recording to ask any additional questions of the captain, it’s a bit awkward to enter the pilot housing and ask. The narrated bits would be better if they were broken up some. It’s a LOT of information. Moreover, without wildlife, as our boat was, it’s more scenic than anything else. It was great to see the forts from the water though and the person manning the bar was very helpful.
Review provided by Viator
Sonja_w
Jun 18, 2025
Unspectacular boat trip - Nothing really interesting seen. We sat at the top of the captain's seat. There was no speaker there, so we didn't hear anything unwound from the tape.
Review provided by Viator
