2026 Taste of Britain & Ireland - 14 Days/13 Nights

Day 1: London Tour & Tower of London

Your tour departs from your hotel at 2:00 PM on 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 iconic attractions at your own speed, as you please, with your choice of routes on a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Your evening is free to continue exploring and dining independently. (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 King’s official residences. See the grandeur of the State Apartments, ceremonial rooms still used by the Royal Family today. Spend free time in Windsor 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, and walk through the house where he was born. Travel on to Liverpool and spend the evening independently exploring its rich pop-music history. (B)

Day 5: Lake District & Windermere Cruise

Travel through the Lake District, a region that has inspired numerous painters and writers, including William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. Cruise along Lake Windermere to admire the stunning scenery of wooded isles and neighboring mountains. Spend free time in a traditional Lakeland village. Pass through Gretna Green, just over the Scottish border, on your way to your hotel outside Edinburgh, where you’ll enjoy a free evening. (B)

Day 6: Edinburgh Castle, City Tour & Scotch Whisky Experience*

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. Enjoy an evening of storytelling and whisky tasting at the Scotch Whisky Experience. (Departures from August 1 – 15 will instead experience The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.) (B, D*)

Day 7: Glasgow City Tour & Ferry to Belfast

Travel to Glasgow for a city tour, with free time to explore. Proceed to the harbor at Cairnryan for a short ferry ride to Ireland, and your Belfast hotel. (B, D)

Day 8: Titanic Belfast & The Glyde Inn

Visit Titanic Belfast for a fascinating look at the building of the doomed ocean liner, which was crafted right in the city’s dockyards. Next, take a panoramic tour of this historic city. Visit the Glyde Inn for an early dinner with entertainment, before continuing on to Dublin. (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, Jameson Distillery Bow St. Experience, 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: Sheepdog Demonstration, Dingle & Kate Kearney’s Cottage

Find a souvenir in the scenic Gap of Dunloe at Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner. Visit a sheep farm for a demonstration by highly skilled sheepdogs. Proceed on to the spectacular beauty and charm of the Dingle Peninsula, famed as the setting for "Ryan’s Daughter" and "Far and Away" then 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 & Galway

Visit Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, which recalls the early days of air travel. Take a ferry across the River Shannon to 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: Dalkey & Fitzpatrick Castle Stay

Take a walking tour of the historic heart of Galway. Head east to Dublin for a stroll around Dalkey, an exclusive seaside suburb that’s 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 tour ends after breakfast. (B)

Authentic Local Experiences:

• August 1 - 15 departures will have reserved seats for the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. All other departures will have a special storytelling and whisky-tasting evening at the Scotch Whisky Experience.
• 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
• Roman Baths
• Scotch Whisky Experience*
• Cliffs of Moher
• Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
• Shakespeare's Birthplace
• Glyde Inn Irish Night
• Blarney Castle
• Irish Night in Killarney
• Titanic Belfast
• Tower of London

*Not on August 1 - 15 departures

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 London | Victoria, London (2)
• Bailbrook House Hotel | Bath (1)
• Delta Hotels by Marriott Liverpool City Centre | Liverpool (1)
• Macdonald Houstoun House | near Edinburgh (2)
• AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast | Belfast (1)
• The Croke Park Hotel | Dublin (2)
• Gleneagle Hotel | Killarney (2)
• The Galmont Hotel & Spa | Galway (1)
• Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney | Dublin (1)