2019 Jewels of Ireland - 15 Days/14 Nights

2019 Jewels of Ireland 15 Days / 14 Nights / 25 Meals

Day 1: Russborough House & Dublin
Tour begins 2:00 PM at your Dublin hotel. Head to Blessington for a guided tour around Russborough House, a Palladian mansion filled with interesting treasures, works of art, and early photographic collections. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently this evening.

Day 2: Dublin Castle & Dublin Tour
Tour central Dublin. Take a guided tour of Dublin Castle, the seat of power and government for many centuries, and see the State Apartments. Your afternoon is free to enjoy 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 the General Post Office Museum. Later, head to Taylors Three Rock for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show.
(B, D)

Day 3: Blarney Castle & Kinsale Walk
Travel to Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or walk through the gardens. Treat yourself to Irish-made goods at the Blarney Woollen Mills. Head south to Kinsale, an old fishing town now renowned for sailing and gourmet food. Join a local guide for a short walk around Kinsale's historic streets.
(B, D)

Day 4: West Cork Coastal Drive & Killarney
Journey along the rugged western coastline of Cork via Clonakilty and Skibbereen, passing picturesque coves and beaches. Travel to Killarney for some free time and a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park to view Ross Castle and Killarney Estate. Enjoy dinner at your hotel and a free evening in Killarney.
(B, D)

Day 5: Scenic Dingle Peninsula & Blasket Centre
Explore the Slea Head Drive and embark on a scenic boat trip of Dingle Harbour and Bay to view the heathery mountains, sandy beaches, and green landscapes of the Dingle Peninsula. Visit the Blasket Centre in Dunquin to learn about the offshore Blasket Islands. Enjoy some free time in Dingle and visit the South Pole Inn before continuing to Killarney for a free evening and independent dining.
(B)

Day 6: Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet
Visit the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, which recalls air travel in the 1930s and 1940s. Drive to the Cliffs of Moher, soaring 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Travel inland to Ennis. Head out to a medieval-style banquet in an authentic Irish castle with traditional songs and stories.
(B, D)

Day 7: Sheepdog Trials & Galway
Travel through the rounded limestone hills of the Burren to Caherconnell and watch skilled dogs round up sheep. Stop in a charming Burren village to explore independently. Head to Galway for a guided walking tour around the central attractions - the narrow streets, the medieval city walls, and Lynch's Castle. Enjoy free time to explore before dinner.
(B, D)

Day 8: Connemara Catamaran Cruise & Homestead Visit
Drive through Connemara to Leenane for a catamaran cruise of Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord. At Dan O'Hara's Homestead, experience farm life and see Connemara ponies, donkeys, and chickens. Savor a farmhouse lunch before heading to Standun in Spiddal for an Irish coffee and a talk on Irish crafts. Spend a free evening in Galway.
(B, L)

Day 9: Belleek Pottery & Donegal Castle
Travel north through County Mayo. In County Fermanagh, visit Belleek Pottery to see craftspeople create the renowned fine china. Head to Donegal Castle before departing for your hotel for dinner.
(B, D)

Day 10: Slieve League Cliffs & Glengesh Pass
Enjoy a coastal drive to view Europe's highest sea cliffs at Slieve League. There enjoy traditional tea and scones before continuing through Glencolmcille to the majestic Glengesh Pass to Ardara. Visit Triona Design for demonstrations of spinning, weaving, and knitting. Enjoy some free time to explore before returning to the hotel for dinner.
(B, D)

Day 11: Derry Walk & Giant's Causeway
Meet with a local guide for a walking tour to see Derry's medieval walls, the Diamond, and St. Columb's Cathedral. Explore the Giant's Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed over 60 million years ago. Travel along the scenic Nine Glens of Antrim before arriving in Belfast.
(B, D)

Day 12: Titanic Belfast & Cabra Castle
Tour Belfast and see a city filled with grand Victorian buildings. Visit Titanic Belfast and discover the city's rich maritime history including the shipyards where the RMS Titanic was built in 1912. Visit Hillsborough Castle, the residence of the Secretary of State of Northern Ireland. Drive to Kingscourt to Cabra Castle Hotel, built in 1760, and enjoy free time. After dinner, enjoy a lively step-dancing display.
(B, D)

Day 13: Neolithic Tombs & Farewell Dinner
Visit Brú na Bóinne to learn about the 5,000-year-old burial tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. Head to your hotel before enjoying your farewell dinner.
(B, D)

Day 14: Independent Dublin Sightseeing
Enjoy your day in Dublin 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, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or the General Post Office Museum. In the evening, dine at one of the many restaurants or pubs that Dublin has to offer.
(B)

Day 15: Depart Dublin for Home
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

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Authentic Local Experiences:

• Enjoy an Irish coffee at the South Pole Inn where you’ll learn about Tom Crean, an Irish explorer who bravely journeyed to Antarctica.
• Relax as you take in a special step-dancing display at the Cabra Castle Hotel.

Dining Experiences:

• 14 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L)) and 10 dinners (D) including Taylors Three Rock and a medieval castle banquet.

Trip Highlights:

• Blasket Centre

  Blasket Centre

  The Blasket Centre on the mainland in Dún Chaoin on the tip of the Dingle Peninsula is a fascinating heritage centre/museum honouring the unique community who lived on the remote Blasket Islands until their evacuation in 1953. The Blasket Centre tells the story of island life, subsistence fishing and farming,
• Brú na Bóinne

  Brú na Bóinne

  This attraction interprets the 5,000-year-old Neolithic tombs of Newgrange or Knowth. The extensive exhibition includes a full scale replica of the chamber at Newgrange as well as a full model of one of the smaller tombs at Knowth.
• Dingle Bay Cruise
  
  

  Dingle Bay Cruise

• Donegal Castle

  Donegal Castle

  Built by the O'Donnell chieftain in the 15th century, beside the River Eske, the Castle has extensive 17th century additions by Sir Basil Brooke. The Castle is furnished throughout and includes Persian rugs and French tapestries. Information panels chronicle the history of the Castle owners from the O'Donnell chieftains to the Brooke family.
• 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.
• Slieve League Cliffs

  Slieve League Cliffs

  These are the highest sea cliffs in Europe where an almost sheer drop of 2,000 feet separates the Atlantic Ocean from the highest point of the cliffs. Enjoy amazing views of relatively unknown and unspoiled nature.
• 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.
• Hillsborough Castle

Hotels:

• IE-DUB-GHD | Dublin (2)
• IE-COR-ACT | Kinsale (1)
• IE-KER-CAH | Killarney (2)
• IE-CLA-TGA | Ennis (1)
• IE-GAL-GBA | Salthill (2)
• IE-DON-MPA l | Donegal (2)
• NI-BEL-RAD | Belfast (1)
• IE-CAV-CCA | Kingscourt (1)
• IE-MEA-KHG | Trim,Co. Meath (1)
• IE-DUB-JCP | Dublin (1)