2020 Evergreen Ireland North– 7 Days / 6 Nights / 9 Meals
Day 1: Dublin Panoramic Tour | Welcome Drink
Your tour begins at 2:00 PM at your hotel. Enjoy an orientation tour of Dublin, a city known for its literary heritage, Georgian architecture, famed pubs, and the wit of its people. See the capital city's sights including Trinity College, St. Stephen's Green, the River Liffey and more. Return to your hotel for a welcome drink with your group before free time for dinner on your own.
Day 2: Sean's Bar | Galway Walking Tour
Proceed to Athlone for a CIE Exclusive, a visit to Sean's Bar, Ireland's oldest pub dating back to 900 AD. Choose a creamy Irish coffee or another drink and raise your glass as visitors have for centuries. Travel on to Galway for a walking tour of this buzzing city on the River Corrib. There’s much to see in the city that’s been chosen the European Capital of Culture for 2020: the medieval streetscape, Eyre Square, the Spanish Arch. Take some time to explore on your own – listen to the buskers (street musicians), stop into a pub, or explore the many small shops that line the main street.
(B)
Day 3: Donegal | Sheepdog Demonstration
Journey on through rugged scenery and arrive in Donegal, a town established around a Viking harbor and today known for handcrafted tweeds and woolens. Spend some free time enjoying lunch and perhaps exploring the shops around the center of town (known to locals as “The Diamond”). Travel on to County Sligo to view an amazing demonstration of highly-skilled dogs herding sheep at their owner’s command.
(B, D)
Day 4: Derry Walking Tour | Giant's Causeway | Crosskeys Inn
Take a walking tour of Derry and view the Old City whose fortification walls date back to the 17th century. Proceed on to the Giant's Causeway, impressive sea cliffs and hexagonal basalt column formations along the Atlantic. Take some time for lunch at this awe-inspiring place before experiencing an exhibition about its history. Enjoy dinner with your group at the oldest thatched pub in Ireland dating to 1654, the Crosskeys Inn, which is also one of Ireland’s most famous traditional music pubs.
(B, D)
Day 5: Belfast Panoramic Tour | Titanic Belfast
Take a panoramic tour of Belfast, a port city rich in history, with a dynamic arts scene. Its wealth of architectural heritage includes the imposing City Hall, built in 1906 in a classical Renaissance style, and the Parliament Buildings at Stormont, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which arose out of the 1990s peace process. Visit Titanic Belfast to discover the role Belfast ship-builders played in the history of the ill-fated ocean-liner.
(B)
Day 6: Carlingford | The Merry Ploughboy
Travel to the charming historic town of Carlingford on the Cooley Peninsula, famous for its beautiful views, oyster farms, and medieval church. You'll have some free time for lunch on your own. Return to Dublin for a lively evening of dinner and traditional Irish entertainment at the Merry Ploughboy pub.
(B, D)
Day 7: Tour Ends in Dublin
Your tour ends in Dublin after breakfast.
(B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
Authentic Local Experiences
- Cozy up by the turf fire under the thatched roof of Crosskeys Inn. This atmospheric, stone-walled pub, a CIE Tours exclusive, dates back to 1654.
- Sip a creamy Irish coffee in Ireland’s oldest pub, Sean’s Bar in Athlone, dating back to 900 AD, in a CIE Exclusive.
Dining Experiences
- 6 breakfasts (B) and 3 dinners (D) including a lively farewell dinner with traditional entertainment at The Merry Ploughboy and Crosskeys Inn
Trip Highlights
- Titanic Belfast
- The Merry Ploughboy Pub
- Galway Walking Tour
- Sheepherding Demonstration
- Derry Walking Tour
- Giant's Causeway
Hotels - 6 Nights
IE-DUB-APL | Dublin (1 night)IE-GAL-GBA | Galway (1 night)IE-DON-RHL | Letterkenny (1 night)NI-BEL-ACM | Belfast (2 nights)IE-DUB-APL | Dublin (1 night)