2019 Mystical Ireland - 8 Days/7 Nights

2019 MYSTICAL IRELAND - 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS / 13 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 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 the 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 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 & WESTPORT
Travel through the rugged countryside of Donegal, renowned for heathery hills, sheep, and the many tweeds made from their wool. Tour Donegal Castle built by the O’Donnell Chieftain in the 15th 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, which overlooks the ocean and contains a wealth of interesting 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 the evening feasting at a medieval-style banquet in a castle.
(B, D)

Day 8: TOUR ENDS IN BUNRATTY
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Immerse yourself in the life, work and times of St. Patrick, the iconic patron saint of Ireland.

• Discover the colorful histories of Belfast, Derry, Westport, and Waterford on walking tours with local guides.

Trip Highlights:

• 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.
• Donegal Castle

  Donegal Castle

  Built by the O'Donnell chieftain in the 15th century, beside the River Eske, the Castle has extensive 17th century additions by Sir Basil Brooke. The Castle is furnished throughout and includes Persian rugs and French tapestries. Information panels chronicle the history of the Castle owners from the O'Donnell chieftains to the Brooke family.
• 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.
• 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.
• Dublin Castle
• St Patrick’s Centre

Dining Experiences:

• 7 Breakfasts and 6 Dinners including dinner in the drawing room of Westport Hosue and a festive medieval castle banquet

Hotels:

• IE-MEA-CNO | Gormanstown, outside Dublin (1 nights)
• NI-ANT-HBE | Belfast (2 nights)
• NI-DER-CIT | Derry (1 night)
• IE-MAY-WES | Westport (2 nights)
• IE-CLA-BCA | Bunratty (1 night)