Taste of Iceland & Ireland 9 Days / 8 Nights/13 Meals
Day 1: Reykjavik & Perlan Observation Desk
Meet 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
Reykjavik & The Blue Lagoon SpaEnjoy 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: Depart from Shannon
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
- 8 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
- Cliffs of Moher
