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

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 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: Stratford-upon-Avon & Liverpool
Drive through the Cotswolds, a quintessentially English region with gently rolling hills, colorful gardens, and honey-colored stone buildings; stop for a visit in one of its charming towns or villages. Visit Stratford-upon-Avon for some free time to stroll the streets where Shakespeare once walked. Travel on to Liverpool for time to enjoy this vibrant city independently. You might visit the Royal Albert Docks to see the waterfront and its many museums or visit the Cavern Club to see where the Beatles got their start. Dine as you wish.
(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 7 – 21 will instead experience The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, with free time for dinner on your own prior to the event).
(B, D*) 

Day 7: Glasgow City Tour & Ferry to Belfast
Travel to Glasgow for a city tour and then some time to explore this thriving cultural hub. Then, travel through scenic countryside for a short ferry ride to Ireland and arrive at 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 Dunloeat Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner. Proceed on to the spectacular beauty and charm of the Dingle Peninsula, famed as the setting for “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far and Away.” Visit a sheep farm for a demonstration by highly skilled sheepdogs, 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 guided 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 7 – 21 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.

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. 

Trip Highlights:

• Blarney Castle 
• Cliffs of Moher
• Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
• Glyde Inn Irish Entertainment 
• Irish Night in Killarney
• Roman Baths
• Scotch Whisky Experience*
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• Titanic Belfast
• Tower of London 
• Windsor Castle
   

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 Hotel, near Edinburgh (2)
• AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast, Belfast (1)
• The Croke Park Hotel, Dublin (2)
• Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney (2)
• Salthill Hotel, Galway (1)
• Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney, Dublin (1)