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 • TRINITY COLLEGE
• 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
SHEEPDOG DEMONSTRATION •
DONEGAL • DERRY:
After breakfast,
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)
