2020 Scottish & Irish Gold - 16 Days/15 Nights

2020 SCOTTISH & IRISH GOLD - 16 DAYS / 15 NIGHTS / 27 MEALS

Day 1: GLASGOW CITY TOUR
Tour begins at 2:30 PM at your Glasgow hotel. Set out on a tour of central Glasgow’s highlights including red sandstone Victorian buildings, delightful parks, Glasgow Cathedral, and the River Clyde, once important for shipbuilding. Visit the extensive and varied art collections in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Join your group for a welcome drink at the hotel and enjoy a free evening for independent dining and exploration.


Day 2: LOCH LOMOND & INVERARAY CASTLE
Embark on a short cruise of Loch Lomond to appreciate the beauty of this famous loch and admire panoramic views. Browse around the town of Inveraray and have lunch on your own before taking a guided tour of Inveraray Castle, featured in “Downton Abbey”. Journey across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, often considered one of Scotland’s most spectacular and beautiful places. Continue to Ballachulish on the shore of Loch Leven.
(B, D)

Day 3: Isle of Skye & Loch Ness
Travel on the scenic "Road to the Isles", stopping for photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. Ferry to the Isle of Skye to visit Armadale Castle, taking some free time for lunch. Back on the mainland, travel along the shores of Loch Ness. End the day at your hotel in Nairn, a lovely manor house set on spacious grounds near the North Sea.
(B, D)

Day 4: CULLODEN BATTLEFIELD & SHEEPDOG TRIALS
A short distance from Nairn is the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre where the British government forces defeated the army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, popularly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Walk around the moorland and the visitor center. Continue through majestic Highland scenery to a local farm for a demonstration of trained dogs herding sheep. Travel through the high peaks of the Grampian Mountains to your gracious manor-style hotel near Pitlochry.
(B, D)

Day 5: BLAIR CASTLE & WHISKY TASTING
Visit Blair Castle, home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Delve into the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and how Queen Victoria's famous stay led to the creation of Europe's only private army, the Atholl Highlanders. Go behind the scenes at Blair Athol Distillery for a tour and sample of the finished product. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the gardens, hotel museum, or browsing around Pitlochry.
(B, D)

Day 6: GLAMIS CASTLE & ST ANDREWS
Travel through lush countryside to visit Glamis Castle, the legendary setting of “Macbeth” and childhood home of the late Queen Mother. This majestic building is filled with priceless artifacts and furnishings. Head to St Andrews, the “Home of Golf,” to see the famous Royal and Ancient Clubhouse and the Old Course. Enjoy free time to browse around the medieval town. In Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, enjoy a traditional Scottish evening with dinner, haggis, bagpipes, kilts, and Highland dancing.
(B, D)

Day 7: EDINBURGH CASTLE & CITY TOUR
Explore Edinburgh to compare and contrast the wide streets and elegant mansions of the Georgian 200-year-old “New Town” with the narrow lanes and medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle with its splendid views of the city. The rest of the day is free for independent exploring, shopping, and dining. August 2 – 23 departures enjoy the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)

Day 8: TITANIC BELFAST & DUN LAOGHAIRE
Say farewell to your Scottish guide and embark on a ferry ride to Belfast with lunch provided onboard. Visit Titanic Belfast, a state-of-the-art attraction that will immerse you in the full story of the ill-fated ocean liner, built in the nearby ship yards in 1912. Head to your hotel in the seaside town of Dun Laoghaire near Dublin and enjoy a free evening in this bustling seaside town. .
(B, L)

Day 9: SEAN’S BAR & GALWAY CITY TOUR
Head to Athlone for a CIE Tours Exclusive experience at Sean’s Bar, the oldest bar in Europe; Sean’s Bar has been serving customers since 900 AD. Take a guided walking tour through the beautiful harbor city of Galway to view its iconic 18th-century Eyre Square and the surrounding stone-clad buildings and medieval winding lanes. Enjoy some free time to explore Galway on your own, then join your fellow travelers for dinner at your hotel.
(B, D)

Day 10: CONNEMARA CATAMARAN CRUISE & KYELMORE ABBEY
Explore scenic Connemara to admire how constantly-changing cloud formations give granite hills, sparkling lakes and peat bogs an added dimension. Take a short catamaran cruise of Killary Harbour, a 9-mile fjord (seasonal). Head to Kylemore Abbey to see elegant rooms and the charming church, set beside a tranquil lake. Visit the Victorian Walled Gardens and enjoy a casual lunch. Return to Galway where the evening is free to explore the city.
(B, L)

Day 11: SHEEPDOGS, CLIFFS & TRADITIONAL IRISH NIGHT
Travel south around Galway Bay and through the Burren, a region of rounded limestone hills that has a curious lunar-like appearance. Immerse yourself in farm life and watch trained sheepdogs obey their owner as they direct sheep through various obstacles. View the Cliffs of Moher, which rise almost 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic surf. Embark on a memorable ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary and head to Killarney. The evening concludes with a traditional Irish night featuring a lively show with dinner.
(B, D)

Day 12: JAUNTING CAR & RING OF KERRY
Take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car through Killarney National Park to scenic Ross Castle, set on the shores of Lough Leane. Set out on Ireland’s most popular scenic drive – the Ring of Kerry – with plenty of stops for photo opportunities. Savor a light lunch and take a break in the colorful village of Sneem. Return to Killarney for an evening on your own.
(B, L)

Day 13: BLARNEY CASTLE & TRADITIONAL MUSIC SESSION
Drive through the mountains into rich farming country on the way to Blarney Castle. Kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or explore the tranquil gardens. Travel along the coast to the Marine Bar in Dungarvan for some traditional music. Continue to Waterford to witness the creation of crystal masterpieces during your visit to the House of Waterford Crystal.
(B, D)

Day 14: WATERFORD WALK & KILKENNY
In the morning join a local guide for a walking tour through the narrow streets of the old city to discover Waterford’s long history and some of its colorful characters. Later, stop in Kilkenny for a look around the compact city center and have lunch on your own. Partake in the Smithwick’s Experience and enjoy a tasting paddle of their famous ales. Travel to Dublin and in the evening head to Cleaver East, a popular Dublin restaurant for a glass of wine and dinner.
(B, D)

Day 15: INDEPENDENT DAY IN DUBLIN
Enjoy an independent Dublin Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour and a visit to one of Dublin’s top attractions -- Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or GPO Witness History
(B)

Day 16: TOUR ENDS IN DUBLIN
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

All components of this tour (hotels, visits and attractions) for 2020 itineraries are subject to change until finalized in September 2019.

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Reserved seats at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo August 2 – 23 departures.
• Mill the malt, stir the mash and smell the hops on a tour of Smithwick’s Experience, telling the story of the popular brewery in the heart of Kilkenny since 1710
• Local guides will impart historic facts and local lore on walking tours of Dublin’s Trinity College, Galway?and Waterford.

Trip Highlights:

• Culloden Battlefield

  Clonmacnoise Monastic Site

  This great monastery was founded in 548 by St Ciaran and was a great centre of learning in medieval times. Many manuscripts were written there. Today see three high crosses and the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches and two round towers set on a mound beside the River Shannon.
• Glamis Castle

  Culloden Battlefield

  This is the site of the last land battle within the UK, in which King George II’s troops defeated Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Jacobite supporters in 1746; around 1200 people were reputedly killed. The Visitor Centre, opened in 2008, includes exhibitions, restaurant, shop and a landscaped roof platform for views over the battlefield.
• St Andrews

  Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

  The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. It reopened in 2006 after a three-year refurbishment and since then has been one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions.
• Edinburgh Castle

  St Andrews

  Golf has been played on the Links at St Andrews since around 1400 AD and the Old Course is renowned throughout the world as the Home of Golf. By the 19th century it was part of the way of life for many local people and golf. Golf still plays a major part in the culture and economy of St Andrews today.
• Titanic Belfast

  Titanic Belfast

  Opened in April 2012 to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of this iconic ship, this new visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic from conception and construction right through the maiden voyage and tragic ending.
• Blarney Castle
• House of Waterford Crystal

Dining Experiences:

• 15 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L) and 9 dinners (D) including a festive Scottish evening in Edinburgh, a traditional Irish Night in Killarney, and Cleaver East in Dublin.

Hotels:

• GB-GLA-HIL | Glasgow (1) *
• GB-ARY-ISL | Ballachulish (1) *
• GB-NAI-NEW | Nairn (1) *
• GB-PES-ATH | Pitlochry (2) *
• GB-EDI-HOL | Edinburgh (2) *
• IE-DUB-RMA | Dun Laoghaire, Dublin (1)
• IE-GAL-RSA | Galway (2)
• IE-KER-TMA | Killarney (2)
• IE-WAT-GRH | Waterford (1)
• IE-DUB-BUR | Dublin (2)