2019 Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way 13 days/12 night

Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way 13 Days / 12 Nights / 24 Meals

Day 1: Shannon Arrival & Cliffs of Moher
Tour begins 2:00 PM at your Ennis hotel. See the spectacular Cliffs of Moher. Join your group for a welcome drink before dinner.
(D)

Day 2: Connemara & Galway
Journey through Connemara for sweeping views of boglands and misty mountains. Tour Galway with a local guide to see the narrow streets, medieval city walls, and Lynch’s Castle. Continue to Westport, built in 1780, with shops and traditional pubs, many with live music.
(B, D)

Day 3: Achill Island & Westport House
Tour Westport before departing for Achill Island. The island is accessible by bridge, with wonderful views along the way. See the Deserted Village, 100 stone cottages abandoned in the famine of the 1840s. Stop in Keel for lunch. Return to Westport to tour the 18th century Westport House and enjoy a glass of beer or wine. The evening is free for independent activities and dining.
(B, L)

Day 4: Country Life & Sligo Food Trail
Immerse yourself in Irish history at the Museum of Country Life. Drive through Counties Mayo and Sligo, and around Donegal Bay. Experience the Sligo Food Trail, where you will have a foraging adventure with a tasting to follow. Continue to Stranorlar for the evening.
(B, D)

Day 5: Grand Atlantic Drive & Glenveagh Castle
Experience the glorious Grand Atlantic Drive, which winds around the coastline through Downings and Rosapenna. Travel to Glenveagh National Park where Captain Adair evicted 225 tenants to build Glenveagh Castle in 1870. Travel to Derry and join a local guide for a walking tour of the medieval city walls, the Diamond, and St. Columb’s Cathedral. Return to Stranorlar with time to relax before dinner.
(B, D)

Day 6: Giant’s Causeway & Titanic Belfast
Drive along the north coast to explore the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed more than 60 million years ago. Drive along the scenic coastal Nine Glens of Antrim route to Belfast. Visit Titanic Belfast to see the history and the heritage of the ill-fated Titanic.
(B, D)

Day 7: Belfast Panoramic Tour & Down Cathedral
Take a Belfast panoramic tour and visit Down Cathedral, the historical burial place of St Patrick. Proceed to lunch at the Glyde Inn near Dundalk.
(B, L)

Day 8: Dublin Tour & Abbey Tavern
Tour Dublin, St. Stephen’s Green, and shopping around Nassau Street. Cross the River Liffey to O’Connell Street and the General Post Office. Visit Dublin Liberties Distillery to discover traditional whiskey making in the historic district. The afternoon is free for exploring independently on a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Use your voucher to visit your choice of one of Dublin’s top attractions: Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or the General Post Office Museum. In the evening, head out for a traditional Irish dinner and entertainment at the Abbey Tavern.
(B, D)

Day 9: Blarney Castle & West Cork
Drive through farmland and arrive at Blarney Castle to kiss the “Stone of Eloquence” and walk the grounds. Shop for quality Irish goods at Blarney Woollen Mills. Travel along the scenic County Cork coast to explore Kinsale, then on to Rosscarbery to your hotel.
(B, D)

Day 10: Jaunting Car & Dingle
Enjoy a free morning to explore before an artisan lunch at Heather’s Restaurant in the foothills of the McGillycuddy Reeks. Journey along the coast through Bantry and Kenmare to Killarney. Enjoy a horse-drawn jaunting car ride to view Ross Castle set on Killarney’s largest lake, Lough Leane. Drive along the Dingle Peninsula and stop at the South Pole Inn for an Irish coffee before continuing to Dingle, where you can explore before dinner at your hotel.
(B, L, D)

Day 11: Sheep Herding & Dingle Bay Cruise
Discover the Dingle Peninsula with heathery mountains and sandy beaches. Drive to Slea Head to watch skilled dogs round up sheep. Embark on a short cruise around Dingle Harbor and Bay for panoramic views of the Ring of Kerry. Your afternoon is free for exploring Dingle.
(B)

Day 12: Foynes & Medieval Banquet
Visit history-rich Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, then Bunratty Folk Park to see traditional cottages. For dinner enjoy a medieval-style feast in an authentic Irish castle.
(B, D)

Day 13: Tour Ends at Shannon
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Authentic Local Experiences

• Spend a day exploring Achill Island, with its soaring cliffs, windswept beaches, rich heritage and deserted boglands.
• Get a taste of the Sligo Food Trail with a foraging adventure, followed by a tasting of the wild edibles you find.

Dining Experiences

• 12 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 9 dinners including Abbey Tavern traditional Irish dinner and show, and a festive medieval castle banquet

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.

• Down Cathedral
  
  

  Down Cathedral

  Down Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is a Church of Ireland cathedral located in the town of Downpatrick in Northern Ireland. It stands on Cathedral Hill overlooking the town.

• 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.

• 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 Herding Demonstrations
  
  

  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.

• Sligo Food Trail
• 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.

Hotels - 12 Nights

• Old Ground Hotel | Ennis (1)
  
  

  Old Ground Hotel | Ennis | 4*

  A long-established, traditional hotel where the warmth of a country house blends with the style of a contemporary hotel. Enjoy traditional decor and blazing fires in the public spaces. The elegant dining room and Town Hall Bistro are renowned for excellent cuisine. Guest rooms offer every amenity for a comfortable stay. Located in the center of the charming market town of Ennis and within easy walking distance of shops, cafes and pubs. Shannon Airport is 15 miles away. Hotel parking.

• Hotel Westport | Westport (2)
  
  

  Hotel Westport | Westport | 4*

  This modern property offers everything for a relaxing stay and is extremely peaceful as it is surrounded by woodlands. The open plan restaurant offers great Irish breakfasts and excellent dining. Enjoy a beverage in the Maple Bar and use the extensive spa and leisure facilities. All guest rooms are spacious with plenty of amenities.

• Kee's Hotel | Stranorlar (2)
  
  

  Kees Hotel | Stranorlar | 3*

  Established in 1845, this historic hotel is now in its fourth generation of family ownership and a frequent winner of CIE Tours’ Awards of Excellence for the best 3-star hotel. Experience a genuine welcome in a setting of antique furnishings and glowing turf fires, award-winning food, comfortable guest rooms, leisure center and friendly staff. Located halfway between Donegal town and Derry and ideally positioned for touring scenic County Donegal. Hotel parking.

• Stormont Hotel | Belfast (1)
  
  

  Stormont Hotel | Belfast | 4*

  The 4 star Hastings Stormont Hotel Belfast is located just minutes away from Belfast City Centre, adjacent to Stormont Castle and overlooking the beautiful grounds of the Stormont Estate making it an ideal base for business or leisure. In addition to an excellent reputation for professionalism and exceptional hospitality, this luxurious Hotel boasts superb facilities to assure the ultimate in comfort and style and the friendly and professional staff will ensure you have everything you need and much more during your stay.

• Ashling Hotel | Dublin (2)
  
  

  Ashling Hotel | Dublin | 4*

  This contemporary property offers 225 spacious and well-equipped guest rooms as well as stylish, modern restaurants, bar and public spaces. The hotel offers a wide range of services and amenities. Located on the north bank of the River Liffey near Phoenix Park, the hotel is well placed for exploring Dublin. It’s a 20-minute walk to the city center and Temple Bar or just 5 minutes by Luas tram which stops close to the hotel. Hotel parking.

• Celtic Ross Hotel | Rosscarbery (1)
  
  

  Celtic Ross Hotel | Rosscarbery | 3*

  This modern family-owned hotel is set right on the West Cork coastline on the Wild Atlantic Way. 66 comfortable bedrooms, many with seaviews over Rosscarbery Bay, offer great facilities. The Kingfisher Bar & Bistro focuses on dishes featuring seasonal and local produce while the extensive Leisure Centre features a pool, steam room, sauna and gym.

• Dingle Skellig Hotel | Dingle (2)
  
  

  Dingle Skellig Hotel | Dingle | 4*

  This modern hotel offers guest rooms in elegant color combinations with all facilities. Dine in the Coastguard Restaurant with panoramic views of Dingle Bay. Enjoy shoreline walks as well as extensive leisure facilities including the award-winning spa. On the outskirts of the compact town of Dingle on the shores of Dingle Bay. Within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants and bars. Great base for touring the Dingle Peninsula. Hotel parking.

• The Inn at Dromoland | Newmarket-on-Fergus (1)
  
  

  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.