2022 Taste of Britain & Ireland - 14 Days/13 Nights

Day 1: London Tour | Tower of London
Your tour begins at 2:00 PM at your London hotel. Take a panoramic tour of central London to see famous landmarks including Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Visit the historic Tower of London to view the Crown Jewels. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently.

Day 2: Independent Sightseeing in London
Discover London’s attractions on your own with an open-top, Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Enjoy a choice of routes and walking tours. The evening is free to explore and dine on your own.
(B)

Day 3: Windsor Castle | Bath
Take a panoramic tour of Windsor before visiting Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and one of the Queen’s official residences. See the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel, the site of Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle. Spend some free time there before traveling on to the beautiful city of Bath. Founded by the Romans and rich in elegant Georgian architecture, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tour the Roman Baths to discover why these hot springs have been popular since ancient times.
(B, D)

Day 4: Cotswolds Drive | Shakespeare’s Birthplace | Liverpool
Take in the Cotswolds, a quintessentially English region with gently rolling hills, colorful gardens, and honey-colored stone buildings. Stop in one of its many charming old market towns or traditional villages. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to see an exhibition about his life and work, before walking through the house where he was born. Travel on to Liverpool and spend the evening exploring its rich pop-music history with dinner on your own.
(B)

Day 5: Lake District & Scottish Evening*
Travel through the Lake District, a region that inspired Beatrix Potter’s children’s books. Embark on a cruise along Lake Windermere. Spend some free time in a traditional lakeland village. Pass through Gretna Green, just over the Scottish border. Enjoy a traditional Scottish evening with entertainment. August 5 – 19 departures enjoy an evening free to dine independently.
(B,D*)
* Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner.

Day 6: Edinburgh Castle | City Tour
Explore central Edinburgh on a panoramic tour; discover the Royal Mile, with its closely clustered medieval houses, and the 200-year-old New Town, with its elegant Georgian homes. Tour Edinburgh Castle to see the Crown Jewels of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. The rest of the day is free to explore and dine on your own. On August 5 – 19 departures, experience the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
(B)

Day 7: Glasgow City Tour | Ferry to Belfast
Travel to Glasgow for a city tour, then take some free time to explore. Proceed to the harbor at Cairnryan for a short ferry ride to Ireland, and then to your Belfast hotel.
(B, D)

Day 8: Titanic Belfast | The Glyde Inn
¬¬¬Take some time this morning to explore central Belfast on your own. Then learn all about Belfast’s shipbuilding history and the ill-fated RMS Titanic at Titanic Belfast where you can experience the history of this ocean liner through interactive displays. In the evening, stop at The Glyde Inn for a drink and dinner with entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 9: Independent Sightseeing in Dublin
Tour Dublin independently, on the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Use your voucher to visit your choice of one of Dublin’s top attractions: Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or The GPO Museum. You are free to dine as you wish this evening.
(B)

Day 10: Blarney Castle | Killarney
Visit Blarney Castle and kiss the famous stone. Then travel on to Macroom and into the mountainous scenery toward Killarney. After dinner at your hotel you might want to check out one of Killarney’s many pubs offering traditional music.
(B, D)

Day 11: Dingle Peninsula | Irish Night
Head to the beautiful Gap of Dunloe for a stop at Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner. Proceed on to the spectacular beauty and charm of the Dingle Peninsula, famed as settings for “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far and Away”. Take some free time to explore Dingle town. Later, go to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for an Irish night featuring dinner and traditional entertainment.
(B, D)

Day 12: Flying Boat Museum | Cliffs of Moher
Visit Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, which recalls the early days of air travel. Foynes is the home of Irish coffee, so you’ll learn how to make one and enjoy a sample. Take a ferry across the River Shannon, and drive to visit the Cliffs of Moher. Admire the limestone landscape of the Burren as you travel to vibrant Galway, where you’ll take a panoramic tour of the city center before dinner at your hotel.
(B, D)

Day 13: Sheepdog Demonstration | Fitzpatrick Castle Stay
Set out on a walking tour of Galway City with a local guide. Travel to a traditional farm to watch trained dogs herd sheep; enjoy tea and scones. Head east to Dublin; stroll around Dalkey, an exclusive seaside suburb home to such luminaries as singers Bono and Enya and the late writer Maeve Binchy. Enjoy a farewell dinner at your elegant castle hotel.
(B, D)

Day 14: Tour Ends in Dublin
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Expect an unforgettable evening of music, ceremony, theater, and dance with reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 5 - 19 departures.
• Discover how a small Irish village played a pivotal role in establishing commercial transatlantic passenger flights at the Foynes Flying Boat Museum.

Trip Highlights:

• Windsor Castle

  British Music Experience

  The British Music Experience is the newest addition to Liverpool's colourful music offering, moving to its permanent home in the first-class passenger lounge of the iconic Cunard Building.
• Roman Baths
  Blair Athol Distillery Blair Athol Distillery is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. After enjoying a leisurely conducted tour, you can mull over the distinctive character of the finished article as you sip your dram of Blair Athol 12 Year Old.
• Scottish Evening*
• Cliffs of Moher
• Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
• Shakespeare's Birthplace
• Glyde Inn Irish Night
• 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.

• Irish Night in Killarney
• 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.
• 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:

• 13 breakfasts (B) and 8 dinners (D)

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

Hotels:

• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel | Victoria, London (2 nights)
• Bailbrook House Hotel  Bath (1 night)
• Hilton Liverpool City Centre | Liverpool (1 night)
• Malmaison Hotel | Edinburgh (2 nights)
• AC Hotel by Marriott | Belfast (1 nights)
• The Croke Park Hotel | Dublin (2 nights)
• The Brehon Hotel | Killarney (2 nights)
• The Hardiman Hotel | Galway (1 night)
• Fitzpatricks Castle Hotel Killiney | Dublin (1 night)