Taste of Scotland and Ireland Tour
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Day 1 - Glasgow Highlights
Land in Glasgow Airport and take a group transfer to your hotel, departing at 8:00 am, 10:00 am or 12:00 noon. If you arrive later than noon, you must transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:30 pm set out on a coach tour to discover the main attractions of Glasgow, a city that flourished in Victorian times due to shipbuilding on the River Clyde. Drive around George Square with its ornate City Chambers and nearby Glasgow Cathedral. Visit extensive collections in Kelvinqrove Art Gallery and Museum, originally opened in 1901 and recently refurbished. Join your fellow travelers for a welcome drink before dinner. (D)
Day 2 - Loch Lomond & Loch Ness Cruise
Depart Glasgow and travel alongside the famous Loch Lomond, renowned in song for its unsurpassed beauty. Travel across the haunting Rannoch Moor and through the deep valley of Glencoe, notorious for the Campbell massacre of the Clan Macdonald in 1692. Continue through Fort William and stop at the Spean Bridge Woollen Mills, which offers a good selection of quality Scottish goods. At Fort Augustus embark on a short cruise on Loch Ness to admire enchanting views and keep an eye out for “Nessie.” Continue to Nairn where your hotel was a favorite summer residence of Charlie Chaplin. This evening a Scottish Highland cabaret will feature haggis and other traditional foods with a show including bagpipe music, song and dance. (B, D)
Day 3 - Culloden Battlefield & Whisky Tasting
Visit the Culloden Visitor Centre to learn about the Battle of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by the British army in 1746, changing the traditional way of Highland clan life forever. Drive south through the Grampian Mountains to visit Blair Athol Distillery to see how whisky is distilled and sample some. Continue south to Edinburgh and check in to your hotel, set in lovely grounds and golf course a few miles from the city. In the evening dine in the Heights Restaurant, a rooftop eatery affording panoramic views of Edinburgh Castle. Then head down to street level for a fun walking tour with a local guide to discover the haunts of Edinburgh's eccentric characters. (B, D)
Day 4 - Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
This morning an Edinburgh city guide will point out the principal sights of this interesting capital city. Drive along the bustling Princes Street and through the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian New Town. See the compact medieval section along the Royal Mile where some houses reach 11 stories tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the city and contains the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone. The balance of the day is free for further sightseeing, shopping and dining. On July 31 to August 21 departures, seats are reserved for the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 5 - Belfast Tour & Dublin
Depart Edinburgh early this morning and drive south through Ayrshire and along the coast. At Cairnryan take a ferry ride to Larne, just outside Belfast. Take a panoramic tour around Belfast's city center including Victorian buildings, the Harland and Wolff Shipyards, where the Titanic was built and areas around the Shankill and Falls Road. Drive south to Dublin and check in to your hotel, located in the Georgian section of the city, where the evening is at leisure for independent dining. (B)
Day 6 - Viking Dublin & Taylor's Three Rock Pub
This morning tour central Dublin in the company of a local guide. Pass Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is housed; Dail Eireann, where the government meets; and rows of Georgian houses with gaily-colored doorways. Walk through the campus of Trinity College to view the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the gospels dating from the 8th century. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure or use your vouchers for an independent open-top bus tour and a visit to Guinness or Jameson. In the evening drive to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for a great dinner of Irish specialties, which is followed by a lively show of Irish songs and step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 7 - Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the center of Ireland, stopping to view the stately Rock of Cashel. Continue your drive south to visit Blarney Castle and kiss the famous "Stone of Eloquence." Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills where you can find quality Irish-made goods. Drive into the mountainous countryside of County Kerry to Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes and mountains. Check in to your downtown hotel and relax before dinner. Afterwards you may like to explore some of Killarney's famous "singing pubs." (B, D)
Day 8 - Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Today embark on the Ring of Kerry drive - a winding route with breathtaking sights of mountains and coastal views. Meet a local farmer for a taste of farm life with a sheepdog demonstration of herding flocks. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig Experience which describes the austere lives of early Christian monks on the nearby islands. Drive through Waterville and stop in Sneem to admire brightly-painted houses. Pause at Moll's Gap for stunning views before returning to Killarney in time to relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 9 - Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle
Drive to Tarbert for a ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary. Continue to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of limestone that reaches 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Drive to Bunratty to check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, close to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. If you wish, you may visit the Folk Park, have a drink in the 200-year-old Durty Nelly's Pub or shop at the Bunratty Mills. In the evening head to Bunratty Castle for a memorable medieval-style feast. Throughout the banquet the lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative of the Middle Ages. (B, D
Day 10 - Galway Extension
Drive to Rathbaun Farm to see traditional farming methods and cute farmyard animals roaming freely. Sample some home-baked scones with tea or coffee and take a panoramic tour around Galway. Drive to Dublin and check into a different hotel and you are free for independent activities and dining. (B)
Day 11 - Tour Ends Dublin Airport
Use your taxi transfer to reach Dublin Airport in time to check in for your flight home. (B) B: Breakfast; D: Dinner