2020 Best of Ireland South (Tour B) - 7 Days/6 Nights

Best of Ireland South (Tour B) 7 Days / 6 Nights / 11 meals

Day 1: Independent Touring in Dublin
Tour begins at 2:00 PM at your Dublin hotel. Enjoy your day with an independent Dublin open-top bus tour and a visit to one of Dublin’s top attractions -- Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or GPO Witness History. This bustling city has plenty of museums, shops, and parks you may also enjoy visiting. Your after-hours visit is a CIE Tours Exclusive - you'll enjoy a welcome drink there with your group before dinner..

Day 2: Dublin Tour & Book of Kells
Enjoy a free morning in Dublin for further independent sightseeing with the included vouchers. Meet your guide at 2:00 PM in the hotel lobby and set off on an orientation tour of Dublin city center. Enjoy a walking tour of Trinity College with a local guide. Proceed on to view the Book of Kells, the famous 9th-century illuminated manuscript that contains four Gospels. Next, visit the Little Museum of Dublin; located in a Georgian townhouse, it tells the fascinating story of the city. In the evening, enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dinner.
(B, D)

Day 3: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Relax and enjoy the farmlands of the picturesque midlands. Get a taste of farm life at a nearby sheep farm. Enjoy scones with tea and watch trained dogs herd sheep. Visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or explore the tranquil gardens. Travel through Macroom and into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in the charming town of Killarney.
(B, D)

Day 4: Dingle Peninsula & Traditional Irish Dinner
Discover the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous in the movies “Ryan's Daughter” and “Far & Away,” which showcased the wonderful scenery found here. Travel to Slea Head at the westernmost tip of the peninsula for awesome views of the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy an evening of traditional Irish entertainment over dinner.
(B, D)

Day 5: Jaunting Car Ride & Limerick Panoramic Tour
Take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car through the Killarney National Park to tour the scenic Ross Castle and Kenmare Estate. Head to the village of Adare, famous for its main street lined with thatched cottages and colorful gardens. Proceed to Limerick and take a panoramic tour.
(B, D)

Day 6: Cliffs of Moher & Galway
Travel along the coast of County Clare to view the Cliffs of Moher, which soar almost 700 feet above churning Atlantic swells. Walk along the top of the cliffs to O’Brien’s Tower for great views of Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. Take a guided walking tour of the old city of Galway. In the evening, head out for a medieval-style feast, where lords and ladies will serenade you with music and songs from days of yore.
(B, D)

Day 7: Tour ends in Shannon
Your tour ends after breakfast today.

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

All components of this tour (hotels, visits and attractions) for 2020 itineraries are subject to change until finalized in September 2019.

Authentic Local Experiences

• Stop in Adare – well-known for being one of Ireland’s prettiest villages – and see its charming streets and thatched cottages.
• Discover the rich history of Dublin’s Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.
• Gain a fascinating and quirky perspective on the Irish capital's rich history in a CIE Tours Exclusive: an after-hours visit to the Little Museum of Dublin, accompanied by a welcome drink.

Dining Experiences

• 6 breakfasts (B) and 5 dinners (D) including a lively medieval castle banquet, plus tea and scones at a sheep farm.

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.

• Trinity College and Book of Kells
  
  

  Trinity College Book of Kells

  Visitors walk through the city-center campus of Trinity College to view this world-famous 9th century gospel manuscript housed in the magnificent Old Library. See the ’Turning Darkness into Light’ exhibition, the Book of Kells and other related manuscripts in the Treasury and the magnificent 18th century Long Room.

• Little Museum of Dublin
• 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.

• Dingle Peninsula
  
  

  Dingle Peninsula & Cruise

  The Dingle Peninsula stretches 30 miles into the Atlantic Ocean from Ireland’s south-west coast and is dominated by the Slieve Mish Mountains and Mount Brandon, Ireland’s second highest peak. The steep sea-cliffs and sandy beaches provide spectacular views.

• Jaunting car ride in Killarney
  
  

  Jaunting car ride in Killarney

  Drive through part of the extensive Killarney National Park at a leisurely pace to enjoy wonderful lake and mountain views and stop for photos. All the while your driver entertains you with local folklore and history of the area.

• Sheepdog Demonstration
  
  

  Sheepdog Demonstration

  Sheep farming is an important part of country life and watch a farmer with his working dogs control a flock of sheep. See how agile dogs obey various commands to round up sheep, especially useful in mountainous regions.

Hotels

• Talbot Hotel Stillorgan | Dublin (2)
  
  

  Talbot Hotel Stillorgan | Dublin | 4*

  This hotel offers 150 air-conditioned, modern guest rooms with all conveniences for a comfortable stay. Enjoy the award-winning restaurant for breakfasts and dinners while the bar provides a place to relax with a drink or casual meal. Keep up your exercise program in the White Pebble Day Spa and gym. Located on Stillorgan Road on the south side of Dublin city, this hotel is 4 miles from the city center. Served by frequent city bus services and taxis.

• Scotts Hotel | Killarney (2)
  
  

  Scotts Hotel | Killarney | 4*

  The hotel offers 105 spacious guest rooms featuring free Wi-Fi, private bathroom, tea/coffee- making facilities and flat-screen TV. Soft and crisp duvets, snug throws, soft natural daylight and rich furnishings combine to create a sense of relaxation. Dine in the elegant Courtyard Restaurant or enjoy a casual snack in the relaxed, spacious Scotts Bar, where live music is performed at weekends. The family-run hotel is located in the center of Killarney town.

• The Inn at Dromoland | Newmarket-on-Fergus (2)
  
  

  The Inn at Dromoland
  Newmarket-on-Fergus | 3*

  Fully refurbished in 2014, the Inn at Dromoland features well-appointed bedrooms, a landmark Gastro Pub called Shannigan’s, a fully equipped health and fitness club, indoor swimming pool, tennis courts and complimentary WIFI. The hotel is just 10 minutes’ drive from Shannon Airport and situated on the beautiful 450-acre Dromoland Castle Estate, just a short walk to the iconic Dromoland Castle Hotel.