2020 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
Take a walking tour of Westport before 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: Foraging Adventure & Stranorlar
Drive through County Mayo to Sligo where you will venture into the woods on a Food Foraging Trail. You'll identify nutritious plants that grow wild in the Irish landscape. Some of these are used for medicinal purposes, while others are quite tasty - as you'll discover in a tasting after your adventure. Continue on 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 & Nine Glens of Antrim
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 as you proceed on to Belfast.
(B, D)
Day 7: Belfast Panoramic Tour & Titanic Belfast
Take a Belfast panoramic tour and see the Victorian buildings, imposing City Hall and Donegall Square. Visit Titanic Belfast and learn about the ill-fated liner in the city where it was created. Proceed to lunch at the Glyde Inn before continuing on to Dublin.
(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 Teeling Distillery to discover traditional whiskey making in a historic area of Dublin. The afternoon is free for exploring independently on the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. Use your voucher to visit your choice of one of Dublin’s top attractions: Guinness Storehouse, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or GPO Witness History. 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” or walk the grounds. Travel along the scenic County Cork coast to explore Kinsale, then on to Rosscarbery to your hotel.
(B, D)
Day 10: Jaunting Car & South Pole Inn
Travel through Bantry and Kenmare before arriving in Heather's Restaurant, in the foothills of the MacGillycuddy Reeks, for an artisan lunch. Enjoy a horse-drawn jaunting car ride to Ross Castle and Killarney Estate. 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: Sheepdog Demonstration & 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 tour 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 (B), 3 lunches (L) and 9 dinners (D) including Abbey Tavern traditional Irish dinner and show, and a festive medieval castle banquet.
Trip Highlights
- Cliffs of Moher
- Grand Atlantic Drive
- Giant's Causeway
- Jaunting Car Ride in Killarney
- Sheepdog Demonstrations
- Sligo Food Trail
- Titanic Belfast
- Westport House