Tripology

Commercial Flight

Fly transatlantic overnight to Dublin, Ireland.

Food and Dining

Dinner is served and in-flight entertainment is provided.

Hotel

Welcome to Dublin! Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel.

Sightseeing

At 2 p.m. your voyage of discovery begins on a city tour with a local guide that brings to life Dublin’s architectural treasures and history stretching back more than 1,000 years. Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1190, tour Dublin’s beautiful Georgian squares, walk the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College to its famed library and see its truly unique world treasure – the 8th century Book of Kells.

Nightlife

Back at your hotel, enjoy dinner followed by lively Dublin nightlife at leisure.

Sightseeing

Drive through the Curragh, the heart of Ireland’s equestrian country, and view the Rock of Cashel, an impressive pre-Christian settlement. The dramatic limestone rock, crowned with secular and religious buildings, dominates the flat countryside for miles around.

Bus

Travel on to County Cork to visit Blarney Castle with its magical stone that gives the gift of eloquence for a kiss.

Arts, Crafts and Antiques

There is time to stop at Blarney Woollen Mills to shop for Waterford crystal and other handicrafts before continuing on to bustling Killarney.

Sightseeing

The town on the lakes is famous for its lively pubs and open, cheerful atmosphere, full of what the Irish call “craic!”

Sightseeing

Travel the road that winds around the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula, better known as “The Ring of Kerry.” It is undoubtedly one of the most magical places in all Ireland. Here mountains, valleys, lakes and sea blend into a landscape that is often breathtaking beyond words.

Relaxation

Later, back in Killarney, the balance of the day is at leisure.

This morning cross the Shannon estuary by ferry and enter County Clare.

Sightseeing

Stop for a walk along the Cliffs of Moher, rising approximately 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic waves.

Sightseeing

Then travel north across the Burren, a suddenly stark and barren landscape. Drop in for afternoon tea at Rathbaun Farm and meet a Galway farming family as they carry out their everyday chores. Watch as the farmer shears a sheep and maneuvers his flock with the help of his dog.

Sightseeing

Next, on to tour Galway, "City of the Tribes," including lovely Galway Cathedral.

Relaxation

The rest of your day is free.

Sightseeing

In the west of Ireland, the starkly beautiful mountains of Galway and Mayo drop down to the coast. Little whitewashed cottages are scattered over a land of mountains, brooks and rivers.

Sightseeing

Visit Kylemore Abbey, a castellated neo-Gothic mansion, occupied by the Irish Benedictine community of nuns who came from Ypres after World War I.

Relaxation

The balance of the evening is free.

Sightseeing

Today experience Connemara, a land of rocky mountains, sparkling brooks and rushing rivers.

Sightseeing

Then, drive on to Cong, a village with a deliberate old-world feel, and the setting for The Quiet Man, filmed here in the 1950s and starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Cong is also where you enter into the grounds of majestic Ashford Castle.

Adventure

Ashford Castle provides a romantic backdrop in superior surrounds, offering guests both relaxation and comfort. There are many opportunities to explore the vast estate with fishing on Lough Corrib, equestrian pursuits, golf, falconry and trail walking. Or simply relax in the castle’s luxurious interiors and enjoy your favorite novel or pamper yourself at the Spa.

Food and Dining

Dining at Ashford Castle ranks among the finest culinary experiences in the world. Creative cooking, an inspired use of seasonal ingredients and an innovative menu await you at dinner tonight.

Food and Dining

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning and perhaps a stroll on the estate.

Shopping

Then cross the midlands to Dublin where the balance of the day is free for independent activities and maybe some last minute shopping.

After your Irish Breakfast, travel to Dublin Airport for last minute duty-free shopping before boarding your flight home-taking all your treasured memories of the Emerald Isle.