Sights and Sounds of Ireland


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Detailed Trip Description

Tour the whole of Ireland. Experience her vibrant cities, natural wonders and visit ancient and historical sites. Meet the people who make Ireland one of the most vibrant, warm and inviting countries on earth. This leisurely paced tour starts and ends in Dublin offering travelers the opportunity to visit and explore some of the main areas Ireland is famous for both north and south. Enjoy visits to Belfast, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Cork and Waterford along with all major sightseeing that is included in your itinerary. This tour is perfectly designed to see all of Ireland at a comfortable pace.


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Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - On the Plane

 
Depart USA.
Commercial Flight

Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

On the Plane Commercial Flight picture

Day 2 - Dublin

 
Arrive in Dublin, Ireland.

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

Dublin  picture
Sightseeing

Spend the afternoon relaxing or travel a short distance and visit the beautiful 18th century Anglo-Irish Powerscourt Gardens.

Food and Dining

This evening, get to know your fellow travelers over a Welcome Drink at your hotel.


Day 3 - Dublin

 
Sightseeing

Glimpse Viking and medieval times as you pass by Christ Church to St. Patrick's Cathedral, a legacy of religious power from the 12th century.

Dublin Sightseeing picture
Sightseeing

On to the seat of learning at the heart of Dublin, Trinity College. Walk across the cobbled squares to the Old Library and see the famed 8th century Book of Kells.

Sightseeing

Spend the rest of your day exploring the city on your own.


Day 4 - Belfast

 
Dublin / Belfast.
Historical and Educational Tours

Leaving Dublin, travel to Belfast where you will enjoy a living history tour with a local guide.

Sightseeing

See the landmarks that have played their part in the city’s colorful development.

Shopping

The balance of the day is free to explore on your own, shop or simply relax.


Day 5 - Derry

 
Belfast / Glens Of Antrim / Derry.
Sightseeing

This morning explore the white cliffs and wide idyllic bays of North Antrim.

Sightseeing

Visit the Giant's Causeway and walk on top of this volcanic formation, sometimes referred to as the "eighth wonder of the world."

Sightseeing

On your way to Derry, wind your way through the sheltered Nine Glens, whose woodlands and seaside villages are still rich in legend and folklore.


Day 6 - Derry

 
Sightseeing

While in Derry, one of the longest continuously inhabited places in Ireland join your local guide on a walking tour of the city walls. They date from 1613 and make Derry the only city in Ireland completely encircled by walls.

Sightseeing

Then visit the Ulster American Folk Park, celebrating Ireland's links with America.


Day 7 - Derry

 
Derry / Connemara.
Sightseeing

Stop in County Sligo to bid farewell to W.B. Yeats, Ireland's great poet, at quiet Drumcliff churchyard where his simple tombstone reads: "Cast a cold eye, On life, on Death / Horseman, pass by!"

Sightseeing

Next, visit the Victorian mansion, Clonalis House, ancestral home of the O'Conors, descendants of the last High Kings of Ireland.

Sightseeing

Continue on to medieval Galway, the “City of the Tribes." Tour the city and visit impressive Galway Cathedral before heading out to your hotel on the coast.


Day 8 - Ireland

 
Connemara.
Sightseeing

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

Sightseeing

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

Sightseeing

Travel through bogland and villages to the Connemara Marble Factory and learn of the origin and uses of the area's splendid marble.

Food and Dining

Tonight, local entertainers liven up the evening after dinner at your hotel.


Day 9 - Killarney

 
Connemara / Cliffs Of Moher/ Killarney.
Sightseeing

Drop in at Rathbaun Farm for morning coffee and meet an Irish farming family as they carry out their daily chores.

Sightseeing

Continue West across the Burren, a suddenly stark and barren landscape dotted with extraordinary flora before continuing to the Cliffs of Moher, rising approximately 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic waves.

Later, take the Tarbert ferry across the Shannon estuary and continue your journey to the lively town of Killarney.


Day 10 - Killarney

 
The Ring Of Kerry.
Sightseeing

A truly scenic day. Take the road that winds around the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula, better known as “The Ring of Kerry." Here mountains, valleys, lakes and sea blend into a breathtaking landscape.

Optional
Sightseeing

Before returning to your hotel, why not take an optional jaunting car ride?


Day 11 - Waterford

 
Killarney / Blarney Castle / Waterford.
Sightseeing

This morning, travel to 15th century Blarney Castle with its magical stone that gives the gift of eloquence for a kiss.

Shopping

Stroll across to Blarney Woollen Mills to shop for fine knitwear and handicrafts.

Sightseeing

Then on to the seaport town of Waterford with its colorful houses overlooking the mile long quayside. Visit the impressive Waterford Crystal Factory and watch master craftsmen at work in the centuries-old tradition of glass cutting and engraving, then stroll through the splendid showrooms.


Day 12 - Dublin

 
Waterford / Glendalough / Dublin.
Sightseeing

This morning enjoy a walking tour of Waterford, where your guide brings the city's fascinating history alive.

Bus

Then, travel through the Wicklow Mountains to the monastic ruins at Glendalough, founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century.

Relaxation

Finally, continue on to Dublin, where the balance of the day is at leisure.


Day 13 - Dublin

 
Depart Dublin.

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to the USA.


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