Day 1
FLIGHT TO DUBLIN, IRELAND:
Today we travel to the Charlotte
Airport where we board our overnight
flight across the Atlantic to the jewel
of Western Europe, Ireland. We are
about to begin an exciting journey in this
emerald isle with its myths and beauty.Day 2
ARRIVE DUBLIN • THE BOOK OF
KELLS:
We arrive in Dublin and are
transferred to our hotel. This afternoon
we begin our afternoon tour of Dublin
where we see 18th century Georgian
houses with brightly painted doors,
tranquil parks, and wide O’Connell
Street. We take a stroll through Trinity
College’s campus in the center of the city
and view the priceless 9th-century Book
of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the
four Gospels. Tonight we join our fellow
travelers for a delicious dinner. (D)Day 3
GLENDALOUGH • DUNBRODY •
WATERFORD:
After breakfast,
we enjoy the delightful scenery of the
Wicklow Mountains on the way to 6th
century Glendalough, a stunning example
of Ireland’s beauty. We explore the
remains of one of the most important
monastic sites in Ireland, founded by
St. Kevin in the 6th century. We walk
through the deep valley to view the
picturesque ruins of a round tower,
churches, and Celtic crosses. We head
southeast to the Dunbrody Famine Ship,
an authentic reproduction of an 1840’s
vessel that brought desperate Irish
emigrants fleeing famine to the New
World. We then continue on to our hotel
in Waterford, where before dinner we
take a gentle guided stroll around the
narrow streets of this historic city. (B, D)Day 4
WATERFORD CRYSTAL • COBH •
BLARNEY CASTLE:
Today we witness
the creation of crystal masterpieces
during our visit to the House of
Waterford Crystal. We then travel to
Cobh for our guided walking tour of this
harbor town, which was the last port of
call for the Titanic in 1912 and was also
the main point of embarkation for Irish
emigrants between 1848 and 1960. We
proceed to Blarney, to visit Blarney Castle
and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence”
or explore the tranquil gardens. We
journey west through rugged countryside
for a delicious meal and two night stay in
Killarney. (B, D)Day 5
RING OF KERRY • KILLARNEY:
Discover
the beauty of this Emerald Isle as
our drive takes us through scenery of
plunging cliffs and spectacular lakes,
between granite mountains and endless
beaches on our tour of the Ring of Kerry,
Ireland’s most scenic coastal drive. We
will have plenty of photo stops along
the way. We stop for lunch, take a
stroll around Sneem and enjoy amazing
panoramic views at Moll’s Gap. We
have the evening at leisure to enjoy a
delicious meal at one of Killarney’s many
restaurants. (B, L)Day 6
CLIFFS OF MOHER • GALWAY:
Today
we embark on a ferry ride across
the River Shannon Estuary. We then take
a scenic drive along the coast of County
Clare to view the Cliffs of Moher, which
soar almost 700 feet above churning
Atlantic swells. You may walk along the
top of the cliffs to O’Brien’s Tower for
great views of Galway Bay and the Aran
Islands. We then head to Galway to join
a local guide for a brief stroll through
the twisting streets of the old city before
spending some time on our own. (B, D)Day 7
KNOCK • SHEEPDOGS • DONEGAL •
DERRY:
After breakfast, we visit the
pilgrimage town of Knock to see one
of the world’s leading Catholic shrines.
Here we see the church where villagers
saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1879.
We immerse ourselves in Irish farm life
during a visit to an authentic working
farm to watch trained sheepdogs round
up mountain sheep. We stop at Donegal
to enjoy some free time in this charming
town. We meet our local guide in Derry
to discover the history of this ancient city
that retains its fortified medieval walls
dating from 1613. (B, D)Day 8
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY • TITANIC
BELFAST:
Today we explore the
northern coastline and the Giant’s
Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns
formed by volcanic activity over 60
million years ago. We visit Titanic Belfast
to learn about the ill-fated ship through
state-of-the-art displays. We see the
docks where the famous liner was built
just over a century ago. We then stop
at the Glyde Inn for our farewell dinner
with Irish specialties and entertainment
featuring traditional Irish music and
songs. (B, D)Day 9
DEPART DUBLIN:
Today we bid
farewell to the lovely land
of Ireland, departing Dublin
International Airport for our
return flight to America. (B)