2019 Irish & British Focus - 11 days/10 nights

2019 Irish & British Focus 11 Days / 10 Nights / 17 Meals

Day 1: Dublin
Tour begins 2:00 PM at your Dublin hotel. Enjoy a guided visit to EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. In the evening, enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently.

Day 2: Dublin Tour & Taylors Three Rock
Tour Dublin with a local guide to see spacious Georgian squares and streets, landmark public buildings, and graceful townhouses. Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The afternoon is free to explore on your own. Head to Taylors Three Rock Pub for dinner followed by a show with Irish music and dance.
(B, D)

Day 3: Clonmacnoise & Galway
Journey across rolling pastures to visit the ancient Monastic site of Clonmacnoise. Head to Galway for a relaxing cruise on beautiful Lough Corrib, and savor an Irish coffee as you watch an Irish dancing demonstration. Enjoy free time before dinner to browse the specialty stores, cafés, and pubs in the lively city of Galway.
(B, D)

Day 4: Cliffs of Moher & Tralee
Stop at Rathbaun Farm to watch trained dogs herd sheep and enjoy tea with scones. Travel through the distinctive landscape of the Burren to view the Cliffs of Moher, soaring high above the Atlantic Ocean. Ferry across the River Shannon Estuary and head to Tralee.
(B, D)

Day 5: Killarney & Ring of Kerry
Take a scenic jaunting car ride through part of the Killarney National Park. Explore and have a pub lunch in Kenmare. Visit Muckross Schoolhouse to partake in traditional Irish country life with butter churning and soda bread making. Travel along part of the Ring of Kerry to view spectacular mountain scenery at Moll’s Gap and Ladies’ View. Enjoy a free evening back in Tralee.
(B, L)

Day 6: Blarney Castle & Waterford
Visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or stroll the gardens. Shop for Irish-made goods at Blarney Woollen Mills, and then travel along the coast to Waterford to witness the creation of crystal masterpieces at the House of Waterford Crystal. After dinner, take a gentle walking tour of Waterford with a local guide.
(B, D)

Day 7: South Wales & Cardiff
Ferry from Rosslare to Pembroke Dock in South Wales. Journey through the countryside to Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Tour Cardiff Castle, built in Roman times and transformed into an elaborate Gothic-style residence in the 19th century. Enjoy a fun Welsh evening with dinner and entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 8: Roman Baths & Stonehenge
Take a panoramic drive around Cardiff. Visit Bath, the city known for its natural, mineral-rich hot springs and tour the Roman Baths, popular 2,000 years ago. On Salisbury Plain, view the prehistoric circle of vast stone monoliths at Stonehenge. Continue to London for dinner on your own.
(B)

Day 9: London Tour & Tower of London
Tour London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Visit the Tower of London to see the fortress, the Beefeaters in their distinctive uniforms, the ravens, and the Crown Jewels. The afternoon and evening are free to explore and dine on your own.
(B)

Day 10: London Sightseeing
Enjoy a day of sightseeing in London with your voucher for a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Your free time in London will be followed by a delicious farewell dinner at your hotel.
(B, D)

Day 11: Tour Ends in London
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Step into the past at Muckross Schoolhouse, where students brought sod to keep the fires burning. Enjoy a butter and soda bread-making demonstration.
• Sit down to a dinner of Welsh specialties followed by a lively show with singing, storytelling and traditional music.

Trip Highlights:

• Blarney 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.
• Cardiff Castle

  Cardiff Castle

  Cardiff Castle is one of Wales’ leading heritage attractions and a site of international significance. Located within beautiful parklands at the heart of the capital, Cardiff Castle’s walls and fairytale towers conceal 2,000 years of history.
• Cliffs of Moher

  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.
• EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum

  EPIC Ireland

  EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is an interactive experience located in Dublin’s Docklands. It will inspire and guide you on a journey to discover the stories of Irish emigration around the world, from early times to the modern day.
• Roman Baths

  Roman Baths

  Around Britain’s only hot springs, the Romans built the finest religious spa in northern Europe. This great temple and bathing complex still flows with natural hot water. See extensive remains and a Roman museum of international significance as well as the 18th century Regency influence
• St. Patrick's Cathedral

  St. Patrick's Cathedral

  Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1191, is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland. With its 43-metre spire, St. Patrick's is the tallest church in Ireland and the largest.
• Stonehenge

  Stonehenge

  Stonehenge is probably the most important prehistoric monument in Britain. The circle of vast monoliths date from about 3,100 B.C. and are built from bluestone, sarson and Welsh sandstone. It is aligned with the summer solstice and is believed to have been built for lunar and solar worship.
• Tower of London

  Tower of London

  Founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England, the tower has played an important part in English history for the past millennium. See the White Tower, dating from 1078, view the priceless Crown Jewels and learn about all the monarchs associated with the Tower.

Dining Experiences:

• 10 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L) and 6 dinners (D) including Taylors Three Rock Pub dinner and show, and a lively Welsh evening in Cardiff Castle

Hotels:

• IE-DUB-HPA | Dublin (2 nights)
• IE-GAL-MEY | Galway (1 night)
• IE-KER-FPO | Tralee (2 nights)
• IE-WAT-FIT | Waterford (1 night)
• GB-CDI-RAD | Cardiff (1 night)
• GB-LON-MER | London (3 nights)