2019 Taste of Ireland (Tour C) 5 Days / 4 Nights / 8 MEALS
Day 1: Dublin & Merry Ploughboy Pub
Your tour starts at 2:00 PM from the hotel lobby with a local guide for a tour of ancient and modern Dublin. Drive through the main streets to see historic buildings such as Trinity College; rows of Georgian houses with colorfully painted doorways; and the new buildings around the Financial Centre beside the River Liffey. Take a guided tour through parts of Dublin Castle, which was the seat of power and government for many centuries and today plays a leading role in European Union activities. Return to your hotel for a welcome drink with your group. In the evening, head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with popular Irish songs and intricate step-dancing.
(D)
Day 2: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the
midlands of Ireland, which has many mixed
farms. Stop for photos of the stately ruins
on the Rock of Cashel, rising high above
the surrounding plain. Continue your drive
south and, just a few miles outside Cork, visit
Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of
Eloquence.” Visit the Blarney Woollen Mills
where you can find quality Irish made goods
of all types, conveniently displayed under one
roof. Drive through Macroom, built around
a fine castle, and into County Kerry where
the scenery becomes more mountainous.
Arrive in Killarney, picturesquely set beside
lakes with Ireland’s highest mountains, the
Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, forming a backdrop.
Check in to your hotel and relax before
dinner.
(B, D)
Day 3: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Today embark on Ireland’s most popular
scenic drive of 100 miles – the Ring of Kerry.
This winding route reveals breathtaking
views of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks as well as the
scenic coast of beaches and cliffs. As you
travel along, there will be plenty of stops
for photos at the best vantage points. After
a casual lunch in a cozy restaurant you’ll
continue your scenic drive. Cross to Valentia
Island by bridge where you’ll visit the Skellig
Experience. Learn about the off-shore island
of Skellig Michael where early Christian
monks lived in austere conditions and how
it was used as one of the locations for the film “Star Wars VII.” Pause for a stroll around
Sneem, with its brightly painted houses, and
again at Moll’s Gap for panoramic views of
Ireland’s highest mountains and deep valleys.
Get a taste of farm life with a sheepdog
demonstration of herding flocks, and see
different breeds of sheep. Return to Killarney
and enjoy a free evening for independent
dining or exploring the many pubs in the
town.
(B, L)
Day 4: Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet
Leave Killarney and drive north to Tarbert for
a 20-minute ferry ride across the wide River
Shannon Estuary. Your tour continues along
the coast of County Clare to the Cliffs of
Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone that
reaches almost 700 feet above the Atlantic
Ocean. Drive past Lahinch Golf Course, one
of Ireland’s most famous, and through the
marketing town of Ennis to Bunratty. Check
into Bunratty Castle Hotel, which is located
close to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. In
the evening head to Bunratty or Knappogue
Castle for a medieval-style feast of excellent
dishes and plenty of wine. During and after
the meal the lords and ladies will serenade
you with song and harp music evocative of
the Middle Ages. (Please note that January departures may offer a different dining experience.)
(B, D)
Day 5: Tour Ends in Shannon
Your tour ends after breakfast today.
(B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
Authentic Local Experiences
- See some of Ireland's most spectacular coastline, mountain and forest vistas as you take the scenic drive along the Ring of Kerry.
- Discover the historic heart of Dublin - Dublin Castle - one of the most important buildings in Irish history.
Dining Experiences
- 4 breakfasts (B),1 lunch (L) and 3 dinners (D)including a night at the Merry Ploughboy Pub for dinner and a traditional show, and a medieval castle banquet
Trip Highlights
- Blarney Castle
- Cliffs of Moher
- Dublin Castle
- Ring of Kerry
- Sheepdog Demonstration
- Skellig Experience
