Best of Ireland & Scotland
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to Dublin
Day 2 - Arrive Dublin (2 nights) On arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel. After check-in the remainder of your day is at leisure to perhaps admire the elegant architecture of this great city. This evening, you'll meet with your Tour Director and fellow travelling companions for a Welcome Drink.
Day 3 - Dublin sightseeing & at leisure After a hearty Irish breakfast, our sightseeing tour with a local guide takes in this 'fair city's' highlights. We - ll see Phoenix Park and enjoy views of Dublin Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral - and our highlight will be a visit of Trinity College so that we can admire the ancient Book of Kells. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore further. (Full Breakfast)
Day 4 - Dublin — Kildare — Waterford Today's first stop is a visit to the Irish Stud Farm at Kildare. With a guide we will enjoy a walking tour of the Stud and see some of the country's finest thoroughbreds. We will also visit the Japanese gardens — designed by a Japanese landscape artist at the turn of the last century. Next off to the coast of this Emerald Isle and to the seaside resort of Waterford where we see the 12th century Reginald's Tower and stop to visit the Waterford Crystal showrooms. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 5 - Waterford — Blarney — Kenmare (2 nights) This morning's drive takes us along the scenic coast via the fishing village of Youghal where Moby Dick was filmed and through the city of Cork to Blarney, where we visit the castle in order to kiss the stone and acquire 'the gift of the gab'! Finally, we drive north to Kenmare where we will spend the next two nights. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 6 - Ring of Kerry Excursion Not only spectacular scenery today but also a Hidden Treasure will be revealed to us by our Tour Director as we tour the 'Ring of Kerry'. Plunging cliffs, glassy lakes, granite mountains and jagged coastlines regale us as our trip passes Killorglin (of Puck Fair fame), Daniel O'Connell's Cahirciveen, the fishing village of Waterville and Moll's Gap before returning to Kenmare and our hotel for the night. (Full Breakfast)
Day 7 - Kenmare — Limerick — Galway — Ballina North via Limerick where the film 'Angela's Ashes' was set and where we see St. Mary's Cathedral, King John's Castle and the Treaty Stone. From here we visit the Cliffs of Moher and drive across the scenic area known as the Burren to Galway Bay where an orientation includes the city's highlights. Then we head north to Ballina and our hotel for dinner and overnight. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 8 - Ballina — Londonderry — Letterkenny (2 nights) First we see Yeats" grave in Drumcliff before crossing the border into Northern Ireland and along the shores of Lough Erne to Enniskillen in Ireland's lake district. Then up to Omagh where we stop to visit the Ulster-American Folk Park. Next via Strabane we soon reach Londonderry/Derry where a walking tour with a local guide takes us to the city walls, some of the best-preserved in Europe. We also visit the 17th century St. Columb's Cathedral with its tower before heading to the Derry Craft Village and on to the quay where Irish emigrants sailed to the New World. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 9 - Giant's Causeway Excursion Our day begins with a drive along beautiful Antrim Coast road as we make our way to Giants Causeway. Here we stop to see the basalt columns rising from the sea before we make our way back to Letterkenny for the night. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 10 - Letterkenny — Belfast — Glasgow (2 nights) Today's drive takes us to the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast. Here our sightseeing tour shows us Stormont Castle, the City Hall and Queen's University before heading to the port of Larne, where we board our ferry for the sea crossing to Stranraer in Scotland. Then we drive through Ayrshire, where we stop in Alloway to see the great poet Robbie Burn's cottage, before arriving in Scotland's commercial capital, Glasgow for a leisurely two-night stay. Tonight we will enjoy a typical Glaswegian dinner in a characteristic restaurant. (Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 11 - Glasgow orientation & at leisure Another Hidden Treasure is revealed today by your Tour Director. But first our orientation tour includes a visit to St Mungo's Cathedral and views of the City Chambers and George Square. Later we visit the Burrell Collection, where some 9,000 artefacts and works of art are on view. Then time at leisure and maybe join a Burns Supper tonight" (Full Breakfast)
Day 12 - Glasgow — Fort William — Isle of Skye We drive along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, then through Glencoe, site of the famous massacre. Then along the shores of Loch Linnhe in the shadow of Ben Nevis and over the sea to Skye, made famous by Bonnie Prince Charlie. We spend the night and have dinner on this beautiful isle. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 13 - Isle of Skye — Loch Ness — Inverness — Culloden — Scottish Highlands (Aviemore) Through Glen Shiel to the banks of Loch Ness where we can look out for the famous monster! Past the ruins of Urquhart Castle and romantic scenery, we reach Inverness. Then we continue to visit the battlefield of Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by Butcher Cumberland, to the ski resort of Aviemore. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 14 - Scottish Highlands (Aviemore) — Pitlochry — Edinburgh (2 nights) Through the Cairngorm Mountains to visit a whisky distillery before seeing Blair Castle and Pitlochry. Then we stop in St. Andrews to see the ecclesiastical ruins and to take a picture at the 18th hole of the famous golf course. Then through the Kingdom of Fife to the Forth Bridge where we cross the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh. (Full Breakfast)
Day 15 - Edinburgh sightseeing & at leisure After breakfast our guided sightseeing tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle and views of Holyrood House and Arthur's seat at either end of the Royal Mile. We also visit Princes Street and see the new Scottish Parliament before free time — perhaps to take an excursion to the Rosslyn Chapel, long associated with the Knight Templars and the Freemasons, this pretty church has come to notoriety through the popular "Da Vinci Code". Tonight we enjoy a Farewell Dinner together with our Tour Director and fellow travelling companions. (Full Breakfast / Farewell Dinner)
Day 16 - Edinburgh — USA After breakfast it's time to bid farewell to new-found friends as Trafalgar transfers you to the airport for your return flight to America. (Full Breakfast)
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