2021 Scottish & Irish Dream - 13 Days/12 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 and creative cultural scene. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, housing one of Europe's finest collections. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group at the hotel, then you are free to explore the city and dine as your wish.

Day 2: Loch Lomond Cruise | Inveraray Castle
Embark on a short cruise of Loch Lomond with views of Highland peaks. Stroll through Inveraray before touringInveraray Castle, which you may recognize from the 'Downton Abbey' series. Drive through Glencoe, considered one of Scotland's most beautiful places, continue on to 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. Walk around the serene moorland to see monuments commemorating the troops. Immerse yourself in farm life at a local farm as you watch dogs herd sheep. Travel 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 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'. See the famous Royal and Ancient Clubhouse and the Old Course on a panoramic drive. 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 the narrow lanes and medieval townhouses of the Royal Mile to the elegant mansions and streets of the 200-year-old Georgian 'New Town'. 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 ship yards in 1912. In Dublin, check out local pubs or restaurants for an independent dinner
(B)

Day 9: Dublin | Merry Ploughboy Pub
Explore Dublin independently on a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour, and choose one of four top attractions to visit with your included voucher: Guinness Storehouse, GPO Museum, Teelings Distillery or EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. At 2:00pm meet your Irish Guide/Driver and tour group in the hotel lobby. Take a panoramic tour of the city and then a guided tour of Dublin Castle. This evening enjoy a traditional Irish dinner and show at the Merry Ploughboy Pub.
(B, D)

Day 10: Blarney Castle | Killarney
Head for Blarney Castle today, stopping for a photo opportunity at the Rock of Cashel along the way. Climb the winding staircase to kiss the famed Blarney Stone, which legend says will give you the gift of the gab. Drive through Macroom, built around a fine old castle, and into county Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes with Ireland's highest mountains, Macgillycuddy's Reeks, forming a backdrop. Check in to your hotel and relax before dinner.
(B, D)

Day 11: Ring of Kerry | Skellig Experience
Take the Ring of Kerry drive - a winding route with awesome mountain and coastline views. Stop off in the beautiful Gap of Dunloe to visit our CIE Tours preferred shopping partner Moriarty's. Enjoy lunch before crossing to Valentia Island and the Skellig Experience, which describes nearby islands. Watch a demonstration of highly skilled dogs herding flocks of sheep. Spend the evening in Killarney
(B, L)

Day 12: Cliffs of Moher | Medieval Castle Banquet
Take a ferry across the River Shannon estuary and visit the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone that reaches high above the Atlantic. Check in to Bunratty Castle Hotel, relax and enjoy free time before heading out for a memorable medieval-style feast complete with songs and harp music evocative of the Middle Ages.
(B, D)

Day 13: Tour Ends in Shannon
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Expect an unforgettable evening of music, ceremony, theatre and dance with reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 1- 22 departures.
• Sample a "wee dram" as you explore whiskey making at Blair Athol Distillery.
• Visit a traditional farm to see Sheepdog Demonstrate their skills at herding sheep

Trip Highlights:

• Edinburgh Castle

  Blarney Castle

  Built nearly 600 years ago by one of Ireland's greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, this stronghold has been attracting attention ever since. Millions have flocked to Blarney to kiss the legendary Stone of Eloquence, found at the top of the tower, making it one of Ireland's greatest treasures.
• Inveraray Castle

  Cliffs of Moher

  One of Ireland's top visitor attractions, the cliffs are 700 feet high and extend for 5 miles over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland and one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay and Connemara. The cliffs are home to major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds.
• St Andrews

  Edinburgh Castle

  The rock on which today's castle stands has been a stronghold for over 3000 years and Edinburgh Castle has dominated its surroundings for centuries. See the 12th century St. Margaret's Chapel, the monumental great hall of James IV, opened in 1511, the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny.
• Scottish Evening*

  Inveraray Castle

  Inveraray Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Clan Campbell and the iconic, must-see visitor attraction on the West Coast of Scotland.
• Titanic Belfast

  Isle of Skye

  The Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in Scotland's Inner Hebrides. The island is dominated by the Cuillin Hills and is often referred to as the “Misty Isle”. It is associated with Bonnie Prince Charlie who fled there after the Battle of Culloden.
• Irish Night in Dublin

  Skellig Experience

  You can experience many aspects of those offshore Skellig islands while remaining on the dry land, in a custom built, stone clad, grass roofed, prize winning building located right on the waterfront beside the Valentia Island bridge at Valentia, County Kerry!
• Blarney 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.
• Cliffs of Moher
• Medieval Castle Banquet
• Dublin Castle
• Ring of Kerry
• Skellig Experience

Dining Experiences:

      12 Breakfasts (B), 1 Lunches (L) and 8 Dinners (D)

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

Hotels - 12 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 night) +
• Norton House Hotel | near Edinburgh (2 nights) +
• Clayton Hotel Ballsbirdge | Dublin (2 nights) +
• Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney (2 nights)
• Bunratty Castle Hotel | Bunratty (1 night)

+ Or alternate hotel of similar quality