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16 Days Best of Ireland & Scotland Tour Package
Duration: 16 Days / 15 Nights
Priced From: $2,850 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Apr - Oct
An opportunity to explore Ireland’s fantastic castles and plunging cliffs, plus the Scotland’s renowned highlands and ancient ruins. Visit the noble cities of Dublin and Edinburgh, and sample local cuisine and whisky.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart USA
Overnight flight to Dublin
Day 2 - Arrive Dublin (2 nights)
Welcome to Dublin and Ireland. After check-in the remainder of your day is at leisure to perhaps admire the elegant architecture of this great city. This evening, you’ll meet with your Tour Director and fellow traveling companions for a Welcome Drink.
Hotel: Trinity Capital
Day 3 - Dublin sightseeing & at leisure
After a hearty Irish breakfast, our sightseeing tour with a local guide takes in this ‘fair city’s’ highlights. We’ll see Phoenix Park and Dublin Castle and enjoy views of St. Patrick’s Cathedral - and our highlight will be a visit of Trinity College so that we can admire the ancient Book of Kells. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore further. (Full breakfast)
Day 4 - Dublin – Kildare – Waterford
Today’s first stop is a visit to the Irish Stud Farm at Kildare. With a guide we will enjoy a walking tour of the Stud and see some of the country’s finest thoroughbreds. We will also visit the Japanese Garden – designed by a Japanese landscape artist at the turn of the last century. Next off to the coast of this Emerald Isle and to the seaside resort of Waterford where we see the 12th century Reginald’s Tower and stop to visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: The Belfry
Day 5 - Waterford – Blarney – Tralee (2 nights)
This morning’s drive takes us along the scenic coast via the fishing village of Youghal where Moby Dick was filmed, and through the city of Cork to Blarney where we visit the castle in order to kiss the stone and acquire ‘the gift of the gab’! Finally, we drive north to Tralee. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: Ballygarry House
Day 6 - Ring of Kerry excursion
Not only spectacular scenery today but also a Hidden Treasure will be revealed to us by our Tour Director as we tour the Ring of Kerry. Plunging cliffs, glassy lakes, granite mountains and jagged coastlines regale us as our trip passes Killorglin (of Puck Fair fame), Daniel O’Connell’s Cahirciveen, Waterville and Moll’s Gap before returning to Tralee and our hotel for the night. (Full Breakfast)
Day 7 - Tralee – Limerick – Galway – Castlebar
This morning after breakfast we drive to Limerick where the film ‘Angela’s Ashes’ was set and where we see St. Mary’s Cathedral, King John’s Castle and the Treaty Stone. From here we visit the magnificent Cliffs of Moher and drive across the mysterious limestone landscape known as the Burren, before continuing to beautiful Galway Bay. Then we head north to Castlebar and our hotel for dinner and overnight. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: Days Hotel Castlebar
Day 8 - Castlebar – Londonderry (2 nights)
First we see Yeats’ grave in Drumcliff before crossing the border into Northern Ireland and along the shores of Lough Erne to Enniskillen in Ireland’s lake district. Then up to Omagh where we stop to visit the Ulster-American Folk Park. Next via Strabane we soon reach Londonderry/Derry where a walking tour with a local guide takes us to the city walls, some of the best-preserved in Europe. We also see the 17th century St. Columb’s Cathedral with its tower before heading to the Derry Craft
Village and on to the quay where Irish emigrants sailed to the New World. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: City Hotel
Day 9 - Giant's Causeway excursion
Our day begins with a drive along the beautiful Antrim coast road as we make our way to the Giants Causeway. Here we stop to see the basalt columns rising from the sea before we make our way back to Londonderry for the night. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Day 10 - Londonderry – Belfast – Glasgow (2 nights)
Today’s drive takes us to the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast. Here our sightseeing tour shows us Stormont Castle, the City Chambers and Queen’s University before heading to the port of Larne where we board our ferry for the sea crossing to Cairnryan in Scotland. Then we drive through Ayrshire where we stop in Alloway to see the great poet Robbie Burn’s cottage before arriving in Scotland’s commercial capital, Glasgow, for a leisurely two-night stay. Tonight we will enjoy a typical
Glaswegian Highlight Dinner in a characteristic local restaurant. (Full breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Hotel: Jurys Inn Glasgow
Day 11 - Glasgow orientation & at leisure
Another Hidden Treasure is revealed today by your Tour Director. But first our orientation tour includes a visit to St. Mungo’s Cathedral and views of the City Chambers and George Square. Later we visit the Burrell Collection where some 9,000 artefacts and works of art are on view. Then time at leisure and maybe join a Burns supper tonight? (Full Breakfast)
Day 12 - Glasgow – Fort William – Isle of Skye
We drive along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond then through Glencoe, where we will be able to take pictures of the site of the famous 1692 massacre. Then along the shores of Loch Linnhe in the shadow of Ben Nevis and over the sea to Skye, made famous by Bonnie Prince Charlie. We spend the night and have dinner on this beautiful isle. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: Tongadale
Day 13 - Isle of Skye – Loch Ness – Inverness – Culloden – Scottish Highlands
Through Glen Shiel to the banks of Loch Ness where we can look out for the famous monster! The Loch Ness Monster is one of the best known cryptids, alleged animals, in the world and the first sighting was reported in 1933. Past the ruins of Urquhart Castle and romantic scenery, we reach Inverness. Then we continue to visit the battlefield of Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by Butcher Cumberland and to the ski resort of Aviemore. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Hotel: Macdonald Highland Resort
Day 14 - Scottish Highlands – Pitlochry – Edinburgh (2 nights)
This morning we travel through the Cairngorm Mountains to reach Blair Castle and Pitlochry, renowned for salmon fishing. Then we stop in St. Andrews to see the ecclesiastical ruins and to take a picture at the 18th hole of the famous golf course. Recently Prince William attended St. Andrews University, making it world renowned. Then through the Kingdom of Fife to the Forth Bridge where we cross the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh. (Full breakfast)
Hotel: Marriott
Day 15 - Edinburgh sightseeing & at leisure
After breakfast our guided sightseeing tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle and views of Holyrood House and Arthur’s Seat at either end of the Royal Mile. We also see Princes Street and see the new Scottish Parliament before free time – perhaps to take an excursion to the Rosslyn Chapel, long associated with the Knight Templars and the Freemasons, this pretty church has come to notoriety through the popular ‘Da Vinci Code’. During the Edinburgh Festival in August, tickets for the spectacular Edinburgh Tattoo are included. Tonight we enjoy a Farewell Dinner together with our Tour Director and fellow-traveling companions. (Full breakfast / Farewell dinner)
Day 16 - Edinburgh – USA
It is time to bid farewell to your Tour Director and new-found friends as our tour comes to an end and we return home with happy memories. (Full breakfast)
Highlights:
Dublin
Kildare
Waterford
Blarney
Limerick
Tralee
Isle of Skye
Galway
Drumcliff
Omagh
Londonderry/Derry
Giant's Causeway
Belfast
Glasgow
Glencoe
Culloden
St. Andrews
Edinburgh
Save time, money and stress!
For reservations: Fill out the vacation planner to be contacted by our Ireland Vacation specialist
Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
10/10
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