|
Day 1 – Thu: Flight
to Dublin
Board your overnight flight to Dublin. Relax with inflight
entertainment and meal service as you cross the Atlantic.
Day 2 – Fri: Book
of Kells & Guinness
Arrive in Dublin Airport, complete immigration formalities
and pick up your luggage. Go to the
CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall to arrange a group transfer
to your hotel between 7:00 am
and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later, you will need
to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:00 pm tour
Dublin’s city center with a local guide to see the stately
public
buildings, gracious Georgian townhouses and parks. Visit Trinity
College to view the magnificently
illuminated manuscript of the 8th century Book of Kells and
a presentation on its creation.
Finish your tour at the Guinness Storehouse to see how this
famous black brew is created
and sample a creamy pint in the rooftop bar overlooking Dublin.
This evening meet your
fellow travelers over a welcome drink and dine independently.
Day 3 – Sat: Birr
Castle Gardens & Galway Bay
Leave Dublin and drive west through the center of Ireland
to the heritage town of Birr. Visit the
100-acre gardens of Birr Castle, which have over 1,000 species
of shrubs and trees set out in
various styles of gardens. Also see the great telescope which
was built in 1845 by the third
Earl of Rosse and was the largest in the world for over 75
years. Arrive in Galway and see the
principal points of interest before checking into your hotel
overlooking Galway Bay. The afternoon
is free for independent activities. (B, D)
Day 4 – Sun: Connemara
& “The Quiet Man” Tour
Travel through the Connemara region renowned for its open
landscape with constantly-changing
skies and colors. Drive along Galway Bay and stop in the village
of Spiddal where the Irish
language is still spoken. Continue to Maam Cross and past
the Maamturk Mountains. Sheep
wander freely and you will see tracts of bogland where people
cut turf for fuel. Then drive to Cong
for a brief walking tour around this village, which was made
famous by the filming of “The Quiet
Man” in 1952. Return to Galway in time to enjoy some
of the facilities at your hotel. (B, D)
Day 5 – Mon: Cliffs
of Moher & Killarney
Drive to the coast to view the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, which
rise to almost 700 feet above the
wild Atlantic breakers and stretch along the coast for five
miles. Then head south for a short
ferry ride across the River Shannon. Stop in the charming
village of Listowel for a stroll around
before continuing through the mountainous countryside to Killarney.
Take a look around
this bustling and compact town before checking into your country
home and meeting your Irish
family. In the evening drive to the Gap of Dunloe to Kate
Kearney’s Cottage for dinner. Afterwards
sit back and enjoy traditional Irish entertainment with popular
songs, dances and a lot of
laughs. (B, D)
Day 6 – Tue: Ring
of Kerry & Skelligs
Admire breathtaking vistas of mountains, cliffs and beaches
on Ireland’s most popular drive – the
100-mile Ring of Kerry. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge
to visit the Skellig Experience, which
describes the way of life of early Christian monks who built
their monastery on one of the offshore
islands. Learn about traditional farming and fishing methods
of later inhabitants. Enjoy a pub lunch in the westernmost
part of the peninsula and a number of stops will allow you
to marvel at the spectacular scenery. Take a brief walk around
the colorful village of Sneem and pause at Moll’s Gap
for stunning views of the Lakes of Killarney. Return to Killarney
where the evening is free. (B, L)
Day 7 – Wed: Blarney
& Titanic Walk
Leaving Killarney, head to the Blarney Woollen Mills where
you can find excellent Irish-made
merchandise. You will have time to walk around the village
green or, if you feel energetic, you
may like to climb Blarney Castle on your own to kiss the “Stone
of Eloquence.” Drive through
the outskirts of Cork to the harbor town of Cobh, the last
port of call for the Titanic. Take a walk
around this picturesque waterside town and the dockside with
a local historian to see places
relating to the Titanic’s last stop. Travel east through
the coastal towns of Youghal and
Dungarvan and on to Waterford to meet and dine with your next
host family. (B, D)
Day 8 – Thu: Waterford
Crystal & Shindig
Tour the Waterford Crystal Factory to watch craftspeople transform
molten glass into elegant
hand-cut crystal. See magnificent trophies and a huge selection
of crystal on display in the
showrooms. Head north to Kilkenny, a medieval city with a
huge castle dominating the center.
Take time for a stroll through the narrow streets with many
old buildings or beside the river.
Continue into the metropolitan area of Dublin to your centrally-located
hotel once again. In the
evening attend a “Shindig” at the Old Jameson
Distillery. See whiskey-making processes as
you tour the distillery before sitting down to a dinner of
Irish specialties, followed by a festive
entertainment program. (B, D)
Day 9 – Fri: Return
to the U.S. from Dublin
For those booked on our 9-day tour, complimentary group transfers
are provided to Dublin Airport
to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. After check-in,
you’ll have time to shop at the
duty-free stores before U.S. Immigration preclearance and
boarding your flight for the journey
home. If you have booked our 10-day tour, spend an additional
night in Dublin with an
independent Dublin sightseeing tour pass (valid for 24 hours)
and a taxi transfer to Dublin Airport
on final day. (B)
|
Ireland
Vacations Information:
