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 dinner and drink — Irish style! (Welcome Dinner)
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 — Killarney (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 Killarney and its beautiful lakes, where we will spend the next two nights. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 6 - Ring of Kerry Excursion A day of spectacular scenery on this full day excursion 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 Killarney and our hotel for the night. This evening why not enjoy a delicious Irish dinner in a traditional restaurant" (Full Breakfast)
Day 7 - Killarney — Limerick — Galway — Sligo 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 free time for lunch, before we travel into Yeats country pausing in Drumcliff to see the poet's grave before finally arriving at our Sligo hotel for dinner and overnight. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 8 - Sligo — Londonderry/Derry (2 nights) We drive through County Donegal 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 Giant's Causeway. Here we stop to see the basalt columns rising from the sea before we make our way back to Londonderry/Derry for the night. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 10 - Londonderry/Derry — Belfast — Glasgow (2 ) 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 After breakfast our day begins with an orientation tour showing us this city's highlights including a visit to St Mungo's Cathedral, views of the City Hall and George Square and to the former ship-building area on the river Clyde. We will also see some of the 9,000 artefacts and works of Art including paintings by Degas and Cezanne, left to the city by Sir William Burrell in the Burrell Collection. The afternoon is at leisure. This evening why not join in a delicious Burns supper, which can be organised by your Tour Director. (Full Breakfast)
Day 12 - Glasgow — Fort William — Isle of Skye — Kyle of Lochalsh 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 — Grantown on Spey 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 pretty village of Grantown on the River Spey. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 14 - Scottish Highlands (Grantown on Spey) — 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 Our guided sightseeing tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle and views of Holyrood House and 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. On your final evening, why not enjoy a traditional Scottish night out" (Full Breakfast)
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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