Ireland & Northern Ireland

Depart Detroit for an overnight flight to Dublin.

Arrive in Dublin and meet your local guide. Enjoy an orientation tour of the city and check in to your hotel early afternoon. Overnight Dublin. (D)

Full Irish breakfast each morning of the tour. Depart from your hotel for a tour of the capital city, Dublin. Enjoy stops at St. Patrick’s Cathedral as well as Trinity College. Stroll through the famous Library and view the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrow which have been described as “the most beautiful books in the world.” Lunch is on your own at the Guinness Storehouse followed by a tour and tasting. After lunch, enjoy some free time. Enjoy dinner and an Irish Show at Taylors Three Rock or Merry Ploughboy Pub. Overnight in Dublin. (B,D)

Today leave Dublin and transfer southwards through the midland county of Kildare to Kilkenny. Visit Kilkenny Castle: “A 12th century castle remodeled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands which was the principal seat of the Butler Family, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde. Travel onto Waterford and visit the House of Waterford Crystal: The Visitor Centre is a true center of excellence boasting a splendid new showroom where the many prestigious pieces presented to presidents, sports stars and celebrities are showcased. Dinner & overnight in Waterford (B,D)

First stop this morning is Cobh Heritage Centre: See a dramatic exhibition of the origins, history and legacy of Cobh, a unique Irish port town, which recalls the many historic events associated with the town. Relive the dramas of the ill-fated Lusitania and the Titanic which called at Queenstown – her last port of call. Then onwards through the countryside of County Waterford and Cork to Blarney Castle. This historic Castle is situated near Cork in the village of Blarney and is world famous for the Blarney Stone, which has the traditional power of conferring eloquence on all who kiss it. Dinner and overnight in Killarney. (B,D)

Enjoy a day of splendid scenery as you wind along the Ring of Kerry. It is said to contain some of the most magnificent scenery in Ireland. Pass through the small towns and villages of in the heart of the black mountains and visit a local farm for a sheepdog & sheepshearing demonstration. Tonight enjoy a traditional dinner at the Bunratty Mediaeval Banquet. Overnight in Limerick. (B,D)

This morning visit the town of Ennis with a guided city tour. The town’s name “Ennis” comes from the Irish word “Inis”, meaning “island”. It refers to the island formed in the middle of the River Fergus where the Ennis Friary was built. While Ennis has a rich history that you can easily see through its preserved sites, it’s also a very modern town that embraces the present and the future, too. Continue on to the Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s top attractions. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as the Twelve Pins, and the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara. Overnight in Galway. (B,D)

Take a city tour through the narrow streets of Ireland’s third largest city. See the Cathedral, Lynch’s Castle and the Spanish Arch. Enjoy a visit to Galway Crystal. The afternoon is free to enjoy the city at your leisure browsing its many shops. Overnight in Galway (B,D)

At Glengowla you will find lots to do- an Underground Mine Tour, Sheep Herding and Traditional Irish Turf Cutting Demonstrations. All at the one destination.Head to an area bordered by the arid and rocky coastline of Galway Bay, Connemara National Park. Covering 7,000 acres, it is world famous for its lakes, rivers, bogs and mountains. The picturesque Connemara has a natural charm with it’s abundant wildlife and pretty villages, where Gaelic is still the spoken language. As the afternoon approaches stop at the spectacular Kylemore Abbey and Garden which was built in 1868 as a romantic gift. Overnight in Sligo. (B,D)

Sligo is a bustling town on the north west coast and the countryside around the town is magnificent. Picturesque hills slope along the coast line. Visit Drumcliffe: a monastic settlement and also the burial place of the famous Irish poet W.B Yeats. Continue on to the city of Derry for a city tour & check into your hotel. (B,D)

Today leave Sligo and travel toward Northern Ireland to the Giants Causeway: The ancients believed that this spectacular rock formation was the work of the giant Finn McCool, the Ulster warrior and commander of the king of Ireland’s armies. After walking on the Causeway, visit Bushmills Distillery for a tour and tasting. Continue on to Belfast & check into your hotel. (B,D)

Enjoy a panoramic City Tour with a visit to the Titanic Museum Experience: Housed in an iconic, 6-floor building, this state-of-the-art visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic, from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her famous sinking in the Atlantic Ocean. Free time in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Belfast. (B,D)

Travel southwards today and enjoy a tour of the Boyne Valley. Continue to Mellifont Abbey - the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland founded in 1142 by St Malachy of Armagh, its most unusual feature is the octagonal lavabo. The Visitor Centre houses an interesting exhibition which includes fragments of carved stone masonry recovered from the Abbey during excavation. Then onwards to the majestic Hill of Tara. Famous as the Seat of the High Kings of Ireland, the Hill of Tara has been an important site since the late Stone Age. Tara was a political and religious center as early Christianity spread in Ireland. The site still retains its air of mysticism. Overnight in County Meath. (B,D)

Transfer to Dublin Airport and bid farewell to the Emerald Isle. Arrive back in the states early afternoon. (B)