2019 Taste of Iceland & Ireland 10 Days

Taste of Iceland & Ireland 10 Days / 9 Nights / 14 Meals

Day 1: Reykjavik & Hallgrimskirkja
Reykjavik & Perlan Observation DeckMeet your guide at 2:00 PM to take a city sightseeing tour and begin exploring Iceland’s 1000-year-old history in its beautiful capital city. You’ll be charmed by its mix of modern and traditional architecture and the beautiful brightly colored rooftops. Stop for photos outside Hallgrimskirkja, a Lutheran church, the largest in Iceland – a stunning landmark looming above the city. You'll also visit the Perlan Observation Deck, which offers magnificent 360° views of Reykjavik and its surroundings - mountain, glacier, and volcano vistas on the horizon will be a taste of what is to come on your journey. Dine independently this evening.

Day 2: Thingvellir National Park & Gullfoss
Head out on the famed Golden Circle, starting with the spectacular Thingvellir National Park, a meeting place of old Icelandic clans. It is also where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet above ground. Journey to the Secret Lagoon: smaller and more intimate than the Blue Lagoon, it’s where savvy travelers go to enjoy the Icelandic spa experience. Don't forget your swimsuit! Enjoy a tasty lunch in the greenhouse of Fridheimar Tomato Farm. Then it’s on to the Strokkur Geysir, which erupts every 10 minutes. Stop at Gullfoss Waterfall, one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Iceland with two separate drops and the largest falls in all of Europe in terms of water volume. Return to Reykjavik for an evening at leisure and dinner on your own.
(B, L)

Day 3: Reykjavik & The Blue Lagoon Spa
Enjoy a free day in the capital city Reykjavik and explore on your own some of the city’s historic places. In the evening, travel to the Blue Lagoon, a large man-made lake surrounded by a lava field which is also a geothermal spa. One of the 25 wonders of the world, you can also see the midnight sun in summer or perhaps the Northern Lights in winter, weather permitting, as you share in a farewell drink and lagoon entry with your group. (B)

Day 4: Independent Sightseeing in Dublin
Fly to Dublin. Enjoy your afternoon with an independent Dublin Hop-on, Hop-Off 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. Dine independently this evening.
(B)

Day 5: Dublin & Merry Ploughboy Pub
Enjoy the morning exploring Dublin with the included vouchers. Meet your guide at 2:00 PM in the hotel lobby when all participants join 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 get-together with your tour group and a welcome drink. In the evening head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a great dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with popular Irish songs and intricate step-dancing.
(B, D)

Day 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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 market 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 9: Dublin Extension via Galway
Drive north to Galway city for a panoramic tour, and take some time to look around the city before traveling out along the famous Galway Bay to Spiddal, where the locals still speak the Irish language. Then drive across the rugged boglands of Connemara to Moycullen to visit the Connemara Marble Factory. See how locally quarried marble is made into attractive products, and enjoy tea and scones. Travel across the country to Dublin. Spend the final night of your tour independently exploring the pubs in the lively Temple Bar area, or experiencing one of Dublin’s fine restaurants.
(B)

Day 10: Depart from Dublin
Tour ends after breakfast today.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

The flight between Iceland and Ireland is included in the price of this tour

Authentic Local Experiences

• See some of Ireland’s most scenic landscapes on the famous Ring of Kerry drive.
• Tour the famed Golden Circle, Iceland’s most popular tourist route, for a wonderful introduction to Iceland’s beauty and heritage.
• You may see the NorthernLights from September to April – Iceland is one of the best places in the world to spot this beautiful solar phenomenon.

Dining Experiences

• 9 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L) including lunch at Fridheimar Tomato Farm in Iceland, and 3 dinners (D) including a medieval castle banquet in Ireland.

Trip Highlights

• Gullfoss Waterfall
• The Blue Lagoon
• Strokkur Geysir
• Reykjavik City Tour
• Northern Lights (September – April)
• 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.

• 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.

• Ring of Kerry
  
  

  Ring of Kerry

  One of Ireland’s most popular circular drives around the Iveragh Peninsula, starting and ending in Killarney. The 100-mile route of ever-changing scenery of mountains and shoreline combined with varying weather conditions ensures splendid views.

Hotels - 9 Nights

• Fosshotel Reykjavik | Reykjavik(3)
• Clayton Hotel | Dublin (2)
  
  

  Clayton Hotel | Dublin | 4*

  This hotel was once a Masonic School and still retains many striking original features to give it a unique charm. Standard rooms are tastefully decorated and boast a fresh and warm feeling. The Brasserie Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with fresh, seasonal and sustainable produce. Tom’s Bar is a great place to relax with a drink or a snack.

• Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney (2 )
  
  

  Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney | 4*

  This modern hotel provides guests with 182 rooms that are comfortable and include satellite TV and video facilities. An excellent restaurant serves great Irish breakfasts and carvery dinners while the choice of bars offer live music most nights. Enjoy a strenuous workout or leisurely dip in the pool in the extensive leisure center. Located in the center of Killarney town within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, pubs and the Killarney National Park. Hotel parking.

• Bunratty Castle Hotel | Bunratty (1)
  
  

  Bunratty Castle Hotel | Bunratty | 4*

  This hotel is named for the famous Bunratty Castle, just across the road. Originally a Georgian mansion, the hotel offers the perfect place to relax in a traditional atmosphere and decor. All guest rooms are spacious and equipped with everything for a comfortable stay. The traditional pub is a great place for a drink or casual food. Only 8 miles from Shannon Airport, the hotel is within easy walking distance of Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Durty Nelly's Pub and shops at the Bunratty Village Mills. Hotel parking.

• Academy Plaza Hotel | Dublin (1)
  
  

  Academy Plaza Hotel | Dublin | 3*

  A block from the city centre's vibrant O'Connell Street, this relaxed hotel is an 11-minute walk from Trinity College and a 13-minute walk from the Temple Bar nightlife district. Warm rooms feature free WiFi and flat-screen TVs, as well as work desks, laptop safes, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. Some rooms add sofas.