2021 Scottish & Irish Gold - 16 Days/15 Nights

Day 1: Glasgow City Tour | Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
Your tour begins at 2:30 PM at your hotel. Set out on a panoramic tour of the highlights of Glasgow, a city built on industry but now known for its stunning Victorian architecture, a creative cultural scene and thriving restaurants and nightlife. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, housing one of Europe's finest art collections, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Titian and Dali. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group and then the evening is yours to explore and dine as your wish


Day 2: Loch Lomond | Inveraray Castle
Embark on a cruise of Loch Lomond for views of highland peaks. Stroll through Inveraray before taking a guided tour of Inveraray Castle, featured in 'Downton Abbey'. Drive through Glencoe, considered on of Scotland's most spectacular and beautiful places, and then on to your hotel in Ballachulish on the shores 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. 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
Visit the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre to learn about the historic battle and stroll around the moorland and the visitor centre. Continue through majestic Highland scenery to a local farm for a demonstration of trained dogs herding sheep. Spend the evening in a 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. Go behind the scenes at Blair Athol Distillery for a tour and sample of the finished product. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the hotel gardens and museum, or browsing around Pitlochry town.
(B, D)

Day 6: Glamis Castle | St. Andrews | Scottish Evening*
Visit Glamis Castle, the legendary setting of 'Macbeth'. Head to St Andrews, the 'Home of Golf'. Enjoy a traditional Scottish evening with dinner and entertainment. August 1 - 22 departures enjoy an evening free to dine independently
(B, D*)

Day 7: Edinburgh Castle | City Tour
Take a panoramic tour of Edinburgh, from its medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile to the 200-year-old 'New Town' area. 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 1 - 22 departures attend the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)

Day 8: Titanic Belfast | Dublin
Say farewell to your Scottish guide and embark on a ferry ride to Belfast. 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 shipyards in 1912. Head to your hotel in the seaside suburb of Dun Laoghaire near Dublin where you will meet your Irish driver/guide, and enjoy a free evening in this charming harbor town
(B)

Day 9: Sean's Bar | Galway Walking Tour
Head to Athlone for a welcome drink at Sean's Bar, the oldest bar in Europe and a CIE Tours Exclusive venue. Take a guided walking tour through the beautiful harbor city of Galway to view its stone-clad buildings and medieval winding lands. 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 | Kylemore Abbey
Explore scenic Connemara. 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 and the Victorian walled gardens. Return to Galway where the evening is free to explore and dine independently.
(B)

Day 11: Sheepdog Demonstration | Cliffs of Moher | Traditional Irish Night
Travel south around Galway Bay and through the Burren. Watch trained sheepdogs as they direct sheep through various obstacles. Visit the Cliffs of Moher, which rise almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Surf. Embark on a 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 Highlights
Take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car through Killarney National Park to scenic Ross Castle. See the highlights of Ireland's most popular scenic drive, the Ring of Kerry, and take a break in the colorful village of Kenmare. In the beautiful Gap of Dunloe, stop in to Moriarty's , a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner. Return to Killarney for an evening on your own.
(B)

Day 13: Blarney Castle | Traditional Music Session
Drive through the mountains into rich farming country on the way to Blarney Castle. Climb the winding staircase to kiss the famous stone, or just explore the tranquil gardens. Travel along the coast to the Marine Bar in Dungarvan, a CIE Tours Exclusive venue, for some traditional music. Continue to Waterford, where you'll witness the creation of sparkling masterpieces as you visit the House of Waterford Crystal, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner
(B, D)

Day 14: Waterford Walk | Kilkenny | Dublin Restaurant Dinner
Join a local guide for a walking tour through the historic streets of Waterford. Next, stop in Kilkenny, renowned for its medieval heritage. Take a look around the compact city center before visiting the Smithwick's Experience for a tour and tasting of their famous ales. Travel to Dublin, where you'll head to a popular restaurant for a glass of wine and your farewell 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 Museum
(B)

Day 16: Tour ends in Dublin
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Reserved seats at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo August 1 - 22 departures.
• Raise a glass at Sean's Bar in Athlone.  Welcoming the thirsty since 900AD, it's in the Guinness Book of Records as Europe's oldest pub
• Hear traditional music as you sip a drink at the Marine Bar in Dungarvan.  This lively pub owned by musician Christy O'Neill, dates back nearly 300 years.

Trip Highlights:

• Edinburgh Castle

  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.
• Inveraray 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.
• Scottish Evening*

  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.
• Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

  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.
• Sean's Bar Athlone - CIE Tours Exclusive
• Irish Night in Killarney
• Cliffs of Moher
• Marine Bar Dungarvan - CIE Tours Exclusive
• House of Waterford Crystal
• Kylemore Abbey & Gardens
• Dublin Restaurant Dinner

Dining Experiences:

• 15 breakfasts (B) and 9 dinners (D) 

* Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner

Hotels - 15 Nights:

• Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor | Glasgow (1 night)
• Isles of Glencoe or Ballachulish Hotel | Ballachulish (1 night) +
• Muthu Newton Hotel | Nairn (1 night) +
• Atholl Palace Hotel | Pitlochry (2 nights) +
• Norton House Hotel & Spa  | near Edinburgh (2 nights) +
• Royal Marine Hotel | Dun Laoghaire, Dublin (1 night)
• The Galmont Hotel & Spa  | Galway (2 nights)
• Great Southern Hotel | Killarney (2 nights)
• Granville Hotel | Waterford (1 night)
• Clayton Hotel Burlington Road  | Dublin (2 nights)