2019 Irish Classic - 13 Days/12 Nights

2019 Irish Classic 13 Days / 12 Nights / 22 Meals

Day 1: Arrival & Dublin Castle
Tour begins 2:00 PM at your hotel in County Meath, a short drive from Dublin Airport. Tour Dublin to see elegant Georgian townhouses, pass St. Stephen’s Green and Trinity College, and cross the River Liffey to drive along O’Connell Street. Take a guided tour through Dublin Castle, the seat of power and government for many centuries and visit the renowned State Apartments. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group and before dinner.
(D)

Day 2: St. Patrick’s Grave & Crumlin Road Gaol
Visit Down Cathedral where St. Patrick’s historical burial site is marked by a huge boulder. Immerse yourself in his work, life, and times in the nearby St. Patrick Centre. Explore Crumlin Road Gaol and see what prison life was like through the ages. Head to central Belfast for some time to relax before dinner at your hotel.
(B, D)

Day 3: Titanic Belfast & Walking Tour
Tour central Belfast to see Victorian buildings, the imposing City Hall in Donegall Square, and the shipyards where RMS Titanic was built in 1912. Visit Titanic Belfast to learn about this ill-fated liner. In the afternoon, join a local guide for a walking tour of Belfast before spending time on your own.
(B)

Day 4: Giant’s Causeway & Derry Walk
Drive north along the Nine Glens of Antrim for views of mountains, valleys, and coastline. This scenic region is one of the locations for “Game of Thrones.” Explore the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity 60 million years ago. Stop for photos at the ruins of Dunluce Castle, and in Derry join a local guide for a short walking tour around the defensive walls that encircle the compact old city.
(B, D)

Day 5: Donegal Castle & Westport
Travel through the rugged countryside of Donegal, renowned for heathery hills, sheep and the many tweeds made from their wool. Stop in Donegal town for a tour of Donegal Castle, built by the O’Donnell chieftain in the 15th century and expanded in the 17th century. Drive around Donegal Bay and through Counties Sligo and Mayo. Head to Westport for a gentle walking tour of this historic town.
(B, D)

Day 6: Sheep Herding & Westport House
Enjoy views of the pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick and stop in the beautiful village of Leenane. Head to a local farm to watch skilled dogs herding sheep. View Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord. Enjoy a drink before taking a guided tour of Westport House, an 18th-century home complete with its original contents, including portraits, furniture, silver, and porcelain. Enjoy dinner in Westport House.
(B,D)

Day 7: Galway & Cliffs of Moher
Travel to Galway for some free time to explore the city. Head out to see the majestic Cliffs of Moher, which soar 700 feet above the Atlantic. Enjoy an evening at a medieval-style banquet in an authentic Irish castle.
(B, D)

Day 8: Literary Tea with Scones & Dingle Peninsula
Travel the outskirts of Limerick and along the River Shannon into County Kerry. Sample tea and scones in the family pub of one of Ireland’s greatest playwrights, John B. Keane. Journey along the Dingle Peninsula to Slea Head for glorious scenic views of hills and coastline. Stop in Dingle for refreshment or a look around before heading to Killarney.
(B, D)

Day 9: Killarney’s Lakes & Jaunting Car Ride
Enjoy a scenic traditional horse-drawn jaunting car ride for views of Lough Leane, Killarney’s largest lake. Head to Kenmare for a look around and a casual lunch. Travel along part of the Ring of Kerry to view spectacular mountain scenery at Moll’s Gap and at Ladies View. Return to Killarney where the evening is free for independent dining and perhaps a visit to a local pub with live music.
(B, L)

Day 10: Blarney Castle & Waterford
Visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or stroll the lovely gardens. Treat yourself to Irish goods at the Blarney Woollen Mills. In Dungarvan, enjoy an Irish coffee and traditional music at the Marine Bar. Continue to Waterford where a local guide will lead a stroll around the historic port city.
(B, D)

Day 11: Waterford & Dunbrody’s Famine Ship
Witness the creation of crystal masterpieces at the House of Waterford Crystal. In New Ross explore the Dunbrody Famine Ship which transported people to North America during the 1840’s Famine. In Dublin, enjoy dinner at Taylors Three Rock Pub with traditional Irish songs and step-dancing.
(B, D)

Day 12: Dublin Sightseeing
Enjoy your day in 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 General Post Offi ce Museum. In the evening, dine at one of the many restaurants or pubs that Dun Loaghaire has to offer.
(B)

Day 13: Tour Ends In Dublin
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

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Authentic Local Experiences:

• Visit the iconic John B Keane’s Pub in the heart of Listowel. See where he penned some of his most famous works sitting by a blazing fire in a room behind the bar.
• Sip a creamy Irish coffee as you enjoy a music session at the Marine Bar in Dungarvan.
• Discover the colorful histories of Belfast, Derry, Westport, and Waterford on walking tours with local guides.

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.
• 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.
• Crumlin Road Gaol

  Crumlin Road Gaol

  HMP Belfast, also known as Crumlin Road Gaol, is a former prison situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the only Victorian era prison remaining in Northern Ireland since 1996. It is affectionately known as the Crum.
• Down Cathedral

  Down Cathedral

  This has been a religious site since around 750 A.D. The site has been used by Augustinian and Benedictine monks, attacked several times by Vikings, was the burial place of St Patrick and is now a Church of Ireland Cathedral.
• Dunbrody Famine Ship

  Dunbrody Famine Ship

  The present ship is a reconstruction of the Dunbrody, built in Quebec in 1845. The original was a 458 tonne three-masted barque, designed to carry cargo but adapted to carry passengers desperate to escape harrowing conditions during the Famine years.
• Giant's Causeway

  Giant's Causeway

  The Giant's Causeway, renowned for its hexagonal basalt columns, was created from a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago. It is Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Ireland's most popular visitor attractions. It is steeped in myth and legend, especially about the mighty giant, Finn McCool.
• 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.
• Westport House

  Westport House

  This stately mansion was designed by Richard Cassels in 1731. Today visitors can see 30 elegant rooms filled with family portraits and priceless furnishings, silver and porcelain. The house is enhanced with lovely gardens overlooking Clew Bay.

Dining Experiences:

• 12 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch(L) and 9 dinners(D) including dinner in the drawing room of Westport House, a medieval-style banquet in a castle, and Taylors Three Rock traditional Irish dinner and show.

Hotels:

• IE-MEA-CNO | Meath (1)
• NI-ANT-HBE | Belfast (2)
• NI-DER-CIT | Derry (1)
• IE-MAY-WES | Westport (2)
• IE-CLA-BCAl | Bunratty (1)
• IE-KER-KPL | Killarney (2)
• IE-WAT-GRH | Waterford (1)
• IE-DUB-RMA ,Dun Laoghaire | Dublin (2)