Day 1: Dublin Panoramic Tour | Welcome Drink
Your tour begins at 2:00 PM at your hotel. Enjoy a panoramic 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 guided walking tour of this buzzing city on the River Corrib. There’s much to see in the city that was 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. Dine independently this evening.
(B)
Day 3: Donegal | Sheepdog Demonstration
Travel on to County Sligo to view an amazing demonstration of highly-skilled dogs herding sheep at their owner’s command. Journey on through rugged scenery and arrive in Donegal, a town established around a Viking harbor and today known for handcrafted tweeds and woolens. Visit our CIE Tours preferred shopping partner Triona Design. Take some free time for lunch and to discover the charm of this lively town. Head on to Letterkenny, where you will spend the night.
(B, D)
Day 4: Derry Walking Tour | Giant's Causeway | Crosskeys Inn
Take a guided walking tour of historic Derry, viewing the Old City, with its fortification walls dating back to the 17th century. Proceed on to the Giant’s Causeway, impressive sea cliffs and hexagonal basalt column formations along the Atlantic, which folklore says was built by the legendary Finn MacCool. Experience this awe-inspiring natural spectacle and take in an exhibition about its history. Enjoy dinner with your group at the oldest thatched pub in Ireland dating to 1654, the Crosskeys Inn. A CIE Tours exclusive venue, it’s 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. Explore the town independently, with time to see some of the historic sites and browse the shops. 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
(B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
CIE Tours Exclusives:
- 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, a CIE Exclusive.
Dining Experiences:
- 6 breakfasts (B) and 3 dinners (D)
Trip Highlights:
- Irish Night in Dublin
- Titanic Belfast
- Sean's Bar in Athone - CIE Tours Exclusive
- Galway Walking Tour
- Sheepdog Demonstration
- Derry Walking Tour
- Giant's Causeway
- Crosskeys Inn Irish Night - CIE Tours Exclusive
Hotels - 6 Nights:
- Academy Plaza Hotel | Dublin (1 night)
- Galway Bay Hotel | Galway (1 night)
- Station House Hotel | Letterkenny (1 night)
- AC Hotel by Marriott | Belfast (2 nights)
- Academy Plaza Hotel | Dublin (1 night)