ESCORTED
11 days Dublin/Dublin
This in-depth tour takes you from the thriving capital city of Dublin to the glens of Wicklow, Killarney’s mystical lakes, timeless Connemara, and the wilderness of Donegal.
- Airport transfers on days 2 and 12
- Twin-bedded rooms in hotels listed or similar; hotel taxes, service charges and tips for baggage handling
- 10 breakfasts (B), 1 afternoon tea (AT) at Rathbaun Farm and 7 three-course dinners with choice of entree and coffee (D) as indicated in the itinerary including a Welcome Dinner
- Services of a professional Irish Tour Director
- Private luxury motorcoach with air – conditioning, extra leg room and emergency washroom
- Complete sightseeing program as detailed in the itinerary, including:
St. Patrick’s Cathedral; Trinity College Library; Glendalough; Waterford Crystal Factory and Showrooms; Blarney Castle; Ring of Kerry; Cliffs of Moher; Rathbaun Farm; Kylemore Abbey; Glenveagh National Park; Knowth - Inside visits and special features as shown in bold in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable
- Portfolio of travel documents
GROUP AIRPORT TRANSFERS
ARRIVAL transfers at Dublin Airport will operate at 7 a.m., 9:30 a.m. & 12 noon
RETURN transfers from the last Dublin hotel will depart the hotel at 6 a.m., 8 a.m.& 10 a.m.
DUBLIN – Radisson St. Helen’s (DLX)
CORK – Montenotte Hotel Cork (SF)
KILLARNEY – Killarney Avenue (SF) or Killarney Towers (SF)
CONNEMARA – Connemara Coast (SF)
DONEGAL – Great Northern Hotel (SF) in Bundoran
DUBLIN – Jurys Croke Park (SF)
ITINERARY
Day 1, Sat. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.
Day 2, Sun. ARRIVE IN DUBLIN, IRELAND. at Dublin
Welcome to Dublin! Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel. Spend the afternoon relaxing. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your traveling companions. (D)
Day 3, Mon. TOUR HISTORIC DUBLIN. at Dublin
See Georgian squares and pass Christ Church on your way to stately St. Patrick’s Cathedral. On to the seat of learning at the heart of Dublin – Trinity College. Walk across the cobbled squares to the old library and see one of Ireland’s greatest treasures – the 8th century Book of Kells. Spend the rest of your day exploring the city’s shops, galleries and museums or relax in a café or pub. (B)
Day 4, Tue. DUBLIN / GLENDALOUGH / WATERFORD / CORK. at Cork
Travel through the serene Wicklow Mountains to the monastic ruins at Glendalough. On to the ancient town of Waterford with its colorful terrace houses, cafés and bars overlooking the quayside. At the Waterford Crystal Factory, watch master craftsmen at work in the centuries-old tradition of glass cutting and engraving, then stroll through the splendid showrooms. On to Cork, the largest city on Ireland’s south coast. (B,D)
Day 5, Wed. CORK / BLARNEY / KILLARNEY. at Killarney
Your first stop today is Blarney Castle with its magical stone that gives the gift of eloquence for a kiss. Stroll across to the Blarney Woollen Mills to shop for fine Irish knitwear and handicrafts. Then on to Killarney, famous for its cheerful atmosphere and what the Irish call “craic!” – Gaelic for fun. (B)
Day 6, Thu. THE RING OF KERRY. at Killarney
Journey along the road that winds around the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula, better known as The Ring of Kerry. This is one of the most beautiful and magical places in Ireland. Here mountains, valleys, lakes and sea blend into a landscape that is often breathtaking beyond words. After dinner, you are free to stroll through Killarney town. (B,D)
Day 7, Fri. KILLARNEY / CLIFFS OF MOHER / GALWAY / CONNEMARA. at Connemara
This morning cross the Shannon estuary by ferry and enter County Clare. Stop for a walk along the Cliffs of Moher, rising approximately 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic waves. Then travel north across the Burren, a suddenly stark and barren landscape. Drop in for afternoon tea at Rathbaun Farm and meet an Irish farming family as they carry out their everyday chores. Watch as the farmer shears a sheep and maneuvers his flock with the help of his dog. Next, on to tour Galway, “City of the Tribes,” including lovely Galway Cathedral. The balance of your day is at leisure. (B,AT,D)
Day 8, Sat. CONNEMARA EXCURSION. at Connemara
In the west of Ireland, the starkly beautiful mountains of Galway and Mayo drop down to the coast. Little whitewashed cottages are scattered over a land of mountains, brooks and rivers. Visit Kylemore Abbey, a castellated neo-Gothic mansion, occupied by the Irish Benedictine community of nuns who came from Ypres after World War I. (B,D)
Day 9, Sun. CONNEMARA / SLIGO / DONEGAL. at Donegal
First stop is the Shrine at Knock, a place of modern pilgrimage for millions. In 1879, the figures of Mary, St. Joseph and St. John are reported to have miraculously appeared here in a vision to 15 local people. In County Sligo, bid your own farewell to W.B. Yeats, Ireland’s great poet at Drumcliff churchyard. Then continue on to Bundoran on Donegal Bay, in the heart of picturesque Donegal. (B,D)
Day 10, Mon. GLENVEAGH NATIONAL PARK EXCURSION. at Donegal
Travel north to Glenveagh National Park. Covering nearly 40,000 acres, the Park is Ireland’s largest. It encompasses scenic lakes, forested hills, and majestic mountains, including the two highest peaks in Donegal. This is also home to the largest herd of red deer in Ireland. Board minibuses for the trip to Glenveagh Castle, a 19th-century mansion. You may want to take a guided tour of the sumptuous interior or stroll through the formal gardens and rhododendron woods or along one of the many trails. (B,D)
Day 11, Tue. DONEGAL / DUBLIN. at Dublin
Today, travel south. From the Heritage Centre at ancient Bru-na-Boinne, visit the Neolithic tombs at Knowth which predate the pyramids by 1000 years. (Some tours may substitute this with a visit to the historic Hill of Tara.) This peaceful place contrasts the final destination of your tour – Dublin. (B)
Day 12, Wed. DEPART DUBLIN. at Dublin
Your homebound flight arrives the same. day. (B)
