Ireland Explorer Escorted Vacation

Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day at leisure. Enjoy dinner at your hotel tonight. (D)

Today, depart Dublin for County Kerry, stopping en route at Blarney for a visit to Blarney Castle, famous for the legendary Stone of Eloquence. Indulge in some shopping at Blarney Woollen Mills, the largest quality craft shop in Ireland. (B) 

Today, enjoy a superb tour of the Iveragh Peninsula which will give you the opportunity to discover the Ring of Kerry. Take in spectacular scenery such as mountains, peat, bogs, lakes, and magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean. Leaving Killarney pass through Killorglin, famous for its Puck Fair, then on to Glenbeigh where the cliff road affords panoramic views of the Dingle Peninsula and Dingle Bay. Arrive at the sea town of Waterville. Continue to Sneem Village, famous for its brightly colored houses, before arriving back in Killarney. Along the Ring of Kerry stop at a local farm for a sheepdog demonstration.(B)

In the morning, travel to Tarbert and take a short boat ride across the Shannon River to Killimer. Drive along the coast to the majestic Cliffs of Moher for a sublime view stretching to the Aran Islands and the mountains in Connemara. Tour the limestone landscape of the Burren, rugged and yet blessed with the most diverse flora in Ireland. Continue to Limerick. We recommend an optional medieval banquet dinner at Bunratty Castle. (B)

In the morning, depart for Galway City and visit the impressive Galway Cathedral. Embark on a leisurely cruise along the Corrib River, enjoying Irish coffee and scones as you drift past castles and monuments to picturesque Lough Corrib. Enjoy dinner at your hotel tonight. (B,D)

Today, travel through wild, romantic Connemara, a land of shimmering lakes, soaring mountains, and tiny hidden villages. You will have some time at leisure in scenic Connemara National Park and then visit tranquil Kylemore Abbey, originally a castle, with a miniature Gothic cathedral and Victorian walled garden.Next you will visit a bodhrán maker (traditional Irish drum). Roundstone Music and Crafts is located in a former Franciscan monastery inRoundstone, in the heart of Connemara.(B)

Continue towards Sligo via Belleek and visit the Belleek Pottery Factory for a behind-the-scenes view of the art of pottery making. Continue on to Derry City. Upon arrival,enjoy a walking tour of the Walled City of Derry. Founded in the 6th century by St. Columba, Derry is the 2nd largest city & port of Northern Ireland. Continue to Donegal for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

In the morning, depart for Belfast along the craggy Antrim coast. En route, visit the legendary Giant's Causeway, an impressive stretch of shoreline covered with basalt pillars of varying heights. The Causeway was formed more than 60 million years ago when red hot lava erupted onto the surface of the earth and was cooled by the sea to form the columns which make up the Giant's Causeway. Legend tells a different story however. Next, stop at the Dark Hedges. This beautiful avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century.(B) 

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of Belfast, including the leaning Albert Memorial Clock Tower, the Opera House, City Hall, the Crown Bar, Queens University, the Botanic Gardens, the Harland & Wolfe Shipyard, where the Titanic was built and launched in 1912, and Shankill & Falls Road. Visit the Titanic Belfast Experience, where you will re-live the story of the doomed liner from its construction to its tragic end. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

This morning depart Belfast and travel to Dublin. En route visit Slane Distillery. There could be no finer setting in which to discover the nature of whiskey than Ireland’s mythical Boyne Valley. Housed within the 250-year-old stables of the iconic Slane Castle Estate, the guided distillery tour uncovers a history like no other. The new state of the art working distillery pays homage to the resilient nature of Ireland's heritage. Continue to Dublin. We recommend an optional evening entertainment at Taylor's Three Rock. (B)

After breakfast, enjoy an orientation tour of Dublin and see the General Post Office on the city’s main thoroughfare O’Connell Street, the Custom House along the quays, Merrion Square, where Oscar Wilde’s House can still be found, and Grafton Street and its quality shops. Visit Epic The Irish Emigration Museum. This is a state-of-the-art interactive experience located in the beautiful vaults of the 1820 Custom House Quarter building in Dublin’s Docklands, the original departure point for so many of Ireland’s emigrants.The afternoon is at leisure.(B)

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Dublin airport for your return flight home. (B)