2020 Mystical Ireland - 8 Days/7 Nights

2020 MYSTICAL IRELAND - 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS / 12 MEALS

Day 1: ARRIVAL & DUBLIN CASTLE
Tour begins 2:00 PM at your Dublin hotel. Take a panoramic tour of Dublin, seeing such sights as elegant Georgian townhouses, St. Stephen’s Green and the River Liffey. Visit Dublin Castle, the seat of power and government in Ireland for many centuries. Take a guided tour through the castle and see the State Apartments, used today for official functions and presidential inaugurations. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently.


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 the ill-fated liner, which was built in the city. 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.” Stop for photos at the ruins of Dunluce Castle. Explore the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity 60 million years ago. 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 Drive around Donegal Bay and through Counties Sligo and Mayo. Head to Westport for a walking tour of this historic town with a local guide, and enjoy dinner in your hotel
(B, D)

Day 6: SHEEP HERDING & WESTPORT HOUSE
Enjoy views of the pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick and stop in the beautiful town of Leenane. Head to a local farm to watch skilled dogs herd 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. Have dinner in Westport this evening
(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: 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, and Westport 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.
• 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

Dining Experiences:

• 7 breakfasts (B) and 5 dinners (D) including a medieval-style banquet in a castle.

Hotels:

• IE-DUB-HYA | 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)