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Day 1: Dublin Tour & Book of Kells
Arrive at Dublin Airport and proceed through immigration and pick up your baggage. Go to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall where personnel will arrange a group transfer to your hotel, located near Trinity College, between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If you arrive later than noon, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:00 pm join a local guide for a half-day guided tour of Dublin to see elegant Georgian squares with colourful doorways, O’Connell Street and the evocative statues of the Famine Memorial. Visit Trinity College’s campus and the Old Library to view the illuminated manuscript of the Book of Kells. Back at your hotel, enjoy a welcome drink and a briefing on your tour. You are free to dine independently this evening.
Day 2: 6th Century Glendalough & Waterford Walk
This morning leave Dublin to see the delightful scenery of the Wicklow Mountains on the way to Glendalough. Learn about St. Kevin’s 6th century monastery in the Glendalough Visitor Centre and walk through the site to see its round tower, church ruins and Celtic crosses. Continue your drive south to Dunbrody where a walk through a reconstructed Famine Ship will demonstrate the harsh conditions that emigrants endured during the 19th century. Drive to Waterford and check in to your city centre hotel. Before dinner take a brief walking tour around the narrow streets of the historic city centre with a local guide. (B,D)
Day 3: Titanic Walk & Blarney
Travel along the south coast via Dungarvan to the port town of Cobh, the last scheduled stop of the Titanic. A walking tour will reveal many of the places associated with emigrants as they left Ireland to head to the New Worlds. Drive through the outskirts of Cork city to get to the Blarney Woollen Mills, which stocks an excellent range of Irish goods all under one roof. While Blarney Castle is not included in your tour, you will have time to kiss the “Stone of Eloquence” on your own. Then journey west through rugged countryside to Killarney, widely celebrated for its setting overlooking lakes and mountains. Settle in to your centrally-located hotel or walk around the town. (B,D)
Day 4: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Enjoy the highlights of Ireland’s natural scenery on the Ring of Kerry route. The road winds between the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks Mountains on one side and the Atlantic coastline on the other. Start by viewing the Essence of Kerry audio visual show at the Gap of Dunloe and then drive through Killorglin and Cahirciveen to cross by bridge to Valencia Island. Visit the Skellig Experience to learn about the rocky islands off the end of the peninsula where monks lived in early Christian times. Today the islands form a protected bird sanctuary. Stop in the colourful village of Sneem and also at Moll’s Gap to view the Three Lakes of Killarney. Enjoy some free time in Killarney before dining in your hotel. (B,D)
Day 5: Flying Boat Museum & Cliffs of Moher
Drive north through Listowel to Foynes to visit the Flying Boat Museum, which recalls the early days of air travel, during the 1930’s and early 1940’s, when Pan Am Clippers from the United States and Europe landed here. Travel through the outskirts of Limerick and have a look around Bunratty Village before heading to the coast of County Clare. View the Cliffs of Moher rising to heights of almost 700 feet above the churning Atlantic swells and walk along the top of the cliffs to O’Brien’s Tower for great views. Drive through the Burren and around the shores of Galway Bay. Take a short orientation tour around central Galway before checking in to your hotel. (B,D)
Day 6: Yeats’ Grave & Derry Walk
Head north to visit the pilgrimage town of Knock, one of the world’s leading shrines. See the church where villagers saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1879. Travel through County Sligo and stop to view W. B. Yeats’ grave in Drumcliffe Churchyard, in the shadow of Ben Bulben Mountain. Follow the shoreline of Donegal Bay to Donegal town and past the lovely Blue Stack Mountains to Derry. On arrival in Derry take a brief drive around the city, including the Bogside area, before meeting a local guide for a walking tour of the medieval walls, which date from 1613 AD and encircle the old city centre. (B,D)
Day 7: Giant’s Causeway & Abbey Tavern
Today explore the north coastline, stopping for photos at the sprawling ruins of Dunluce Castle. Visit the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Continue south to experience wonderful views of mountains, valleys and bays along the “Nine Glens of Antrim.” Take a drive around Belfast to see Victorian buildings, the Harland & Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built, and the Falls Road and Shankill residential areas. Continue south to check in to another hotel in Dublin. This evening drive to the popular Abbey Tavern for a hearty dinner and an evening of entertaining traditional Irish songs and step-dancing. (B,D)
Day 8: Leisure Day in Dublin or Depart for Home
For clients booked on our 8-day tour, complimentary group transfers are provided to Dublin Airport to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. If you have booked our 9-day tour you may plan out your day in Dublin as you wish, using your independent Dublin open-top bus tour pass to get around (valid for 24 hours) and visit to Guinness or Jameson for a tour and a complimentary drink. In the evening you are free to choose from the many restaurants near your hotel and in the Temple Bar area. (B)
Day 9: Depart Ireland
Today take a taxi transfer to Dublin Airport allowing plenty of time to reach the airport and for check-in formalities. End of services. (B)
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