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Irish Adventure 8 & 9 Day Coach Tour
Tour Highlights
- Traditional Dinner & Irish Show
- Cliffs of Moher
- Dunbrody Famine Ship
- Walking Tours of Waterford & Derry
- Giant’s Causeway
- Panoramic Belfast Tour
Day 1: Dublin Tour & Book of Kells
Your tour starts at Dublin Airport with a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If you arrive later than noon, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:00 pm join a local guide for a half-day guided tour of Dublin to see elegant Georgian squares with brightly-painted doors, O’Connell Street and the evocative statues of the Famine Memorial. Visit Trinity College’s campus and the Old Library to view the illuminated manuscript of the Book of Kells. You are free to dine independently this evening and your tour director will assist with suggestions.
Day 2: 6th Century Glendalough & Waterford
This morning leave Dublin to see the delightful scenery of the Wicklow Mountains on the way to Glendalough. Learn about St. Kevin’s 6th century monastery in the Glendalough Visitor Centre and walk through the site to see its round tower, church ruins and Celtic crosses. Continue your drive south to New Ross where a walk through the reconstructed 19th century Dunbrody Famine Ship demonstrates the harsh conditions that emigrants endured. Drive to Waterford and check in to your city centre hotel. In the evening enjoy a welcome drink and a briefing on your tour and, after dinner, take a brief walking tour around the narrow streets of the historic city centre with a local guide. (B, D)
Day 3: Waterford Crystal & Titanic Walk
Visit the House of Waterford Crystal to learn about glass blowing and cutting and see one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Travel along the south coast via Dungarvan to the port town of Cobh, the last scheduled stop of the Titanic. A walking tour will reveal many of the places associated with emigrants as they left Ireland for better lives overseas. Drive through the outskirts of Cork city to reach the Blarney Woollen Mills, which stocks excellent Irish products. While Blarney Castle is not included in your tour, you will have time to kiss the “Stone of Eloquence” on your own. Then journey west through rugged countryside to Killarney and settle in to your centrally-located hotel. (B, D)
Day 4: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Enjoy the highlights of Ireland’s natural scenery on the Ring of Kerry route. The road winds between the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks Mountains on one side and the Atlantic coastline on the other. Drive through Killorglin and Cahirciveen to cross by bridge to Valencia Island. Visit the Skellig Experience to learn about the rocky islands off the end of the peninsula where monks lived in early Christian times. Today the islands form a protected bird sanctuary. Stop in the colourful village of Sneem and also at Moll’s Gap to view the Three Lakes of Killarney. Enjoy some free time in Killarney before dining in your hotel. (B, D)
Day 5: Flying Boat Museum & Cliffs of Moher
Drive north through Listowel to Foynes to visit the Flying Boat Museum, which recalls the early days of air travel, during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. Travel through the outskirts of Limerick and have a look around Bunratty Village before heading to the coast of County Clare. View the Cliffs of Moher rising to heights of almost 700 feet above the wild Atlantic swells and walk along the top of the cliffs to O’Brien’s Tower for great views. Drive through the Burren and around the shores of Galway Bay. Take a short orientation tour of central Galway before checking in to your hotel. (B, D)
Day 6: Yeats’s Grave & Derry Walk
Head north to visit the pilgrimage town of Knock, one of the world’s leading shrines. See the church where villagers saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1879. Travel through County Sligo and stop to view W. B. Yeats’s grave in Drumcliffe Churchyard, in the shadow of Ben Bulben Mountain. Follow the shoreline of Donegal Bay to Donegal town and past the lovely Blue Stack Mountains to Derry. On arrival in Derry take a brief drive around the city, including the Bogside area, with a local guide before walking along part of the medieval walls, which date from 1613 AD and encircle the old city centre. (B, D)
Day 7: Giant’s Causeway & Irish Show
Today explore the northern coastline, stopping for photos at the sprawling ruins of Dunluce Castle. Visit the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Drive to Belfast for a panoramic tour around Victorian buildings, the Harland & Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built, and the Falls Road and Shankill residential areas. Continue south to check in to your hotel on the north side of Dublin city. A short drive will bring you to a popular Irish pub for a farewell dinner and entertaining traditional Irish songs and step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 8: Depart for Home or Extra Day in Dublin
For clients booked on our 8-day tour, complimentary group transfers are provided to Dublin Airport to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. (B)
If you have booked our 9-day tour, spend an additional night in Dublin and enjoy an independent Dublin open-top bus tour pass (valid for 24 hours), a visit to Guinness or Jameson to sample a pint or a shot.
Day 9: Depart for Home
Take a taxi transfer to Dublin Airport on final day. (B)
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES
- Group transfers at start and end of tour
- Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
- Dublin open-top bus tour with complimentary visit and a drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery (9-day tour)
- Professional tour director throughout
- Superior & first class hotels with private bath/shower for 7 or 8 nights
- Full Irish breakfast daily (B) except Day 1
- 6 dinners (D) including:
- Dinner and traditional show in Dublin
- 5 table d’hote dinners
- Welcome get-together drink
- Tour of Dublin with a local guide
- “Titanic” walking tour of Cobh
- Walking tours of Waterford and Derry with local guides
- Belfast panoramic drive
- Visits and admissions to Book of Kells at Trinity College, Glendalough Visitor Centre, Dunbrody Famine Ship, House of Waterford Crystal, Blarney Woollen Mills, Skellig Experience, Foynes Flying Boat Museum, Cliffs of Moher, Knock Shrine, W. B. Yeats’ Grave and Giant’s Causeway
- Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
- All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
YOUR HOTELS
Stay at the following (or similar):
- Maldron Hotel, Cardiff Lane, Dublin (1 night)
- Dooley’s Hotel, Waterford (1 night)
- International Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
- Ardilaun Hotel, Galway (1 night)
- Everglades Hotel, Derry (1 night)
- Croke Park Hotel, Dublin (1 or 2 nights)
Please see departure dates and prices below (all prices are USD)
Tour starts Tour ends 8 Day 9 Day Dublin Dublin* Mon Feb 18 Mon Feb 25 998 1148 Mon Feb 25 Mon Mar 04 998 1148 Mon Mar 04 Mon Mar 11 1058 1198 Mon Mar 11 Mon Mar 18 1058 1198 Mon Mar 18 Mon Mar 25 1058 1198 Mon Mar 25 Mon Apr 01 1058 1198 Wed Mar 27 Wed Apr 03 1146 1286 Mon Apr 01 Mon Apr 08 1228 1376 Wed Apr 03 Wed Apr 10 1228 1376 Mon Apr 08 Mon Apr 15 1228 1376 Wed Apr 10 Wed Apr 17 1228 1376 Mon Apr 15 Mon Apr 22 1228 1376 Wed Apr 17 Wed Apr 24 1228 1376 Mon Apr 22 Mon Apr 29 1228 1376 Wed Apr 24 Wed May 01 1368 1538 Mon Apr 29 Mon May 06 1368 1538 Wed May 01 Wed May 08 1498 1688 Mon May 06 Mon May 13 1498 1688 Wed May 08 Wed May 15 1498 1688 Mon May 13 Mon May 20 1498 1688 Wed May 15 Wed May 22 1498 1688 Mon May 20 Mon May 27 1498 1688 Wed May 22 Wed May 29 1498 1688 Mon May 27 Mon Jun 03 1498 1688 Wed May 29 Wed Jun 05 1498 1688 Mon Jun 03 Mon Jun 10 1498 1688 Wed Jun 05 Wed Jun 12 1498 1688 Mon Jun 10 Mon Jun 17 1498 1688 Wed Jun 12 Wed Jun 19 1498 1688 Mon Jun 17 Mon Jun 24 1498 1688 Wed Jun 19 Wed Jun 26 1498 1688 Mon Jun 24 Mon Jul 01 1498 1688 Wed Jun 26 Wed Jul 03 1498 1688 Mon Jul 01 Mon Jul 08 1498 1688 Wed Jul 03 Wed Jul 10 1498 1688 Mon Jul 08 Mon Jul 15 1498 1688 Wed Jul 10 Wed Jul 17 1498 1688 Mon Jul 15 Mon Jul 22 1498 1688 Wed Jul 17 Wed Jul 24 1498 1688 Mon Jul 22 Mon Jul 29 1498 1688 Wed Jul 24 Wed Jul 31 1498 1688 Mon Jul 29 Mon Aug 05 1498 1688 Wed Jul 31 Wed Aug 07 1498 1688 Mon Aug 05 Mon Aug 12 1498 1688 Wed Aug 07 Wed Aug 14 1498 1688 Mon Aug 12 Mon Aug 19 1498 1688 Wed Aug 14 Wed Aug 21 1498 1688 Mon Aug 19 Mon Aug 26 1498 1688 Wed Aug 21 Wed Aug 28 1498 1688 Mon Aug 26 Mon Sep 02 1498 1688 Wed Aug 28 Wed Sep 04 1498 1688 Mon Sep 02 Mon Sep 09 1498 1688 Wed Sep 04 Wed Sep 11 1498 1688 Mon Sep 09 Mon Sep 16 1498 1688 Wed Sep 11 Wed Sep 18 1498 1688 Mon Sep 16 Mon Sep 23 1498 1688 Wed Sep 18 Wed Sep 25 1498 1688 Mon Sep 23 Mon Sep 30 1498 1688 Wed Sep 25 Wed Oct 02 1498 1688 Mon Sep 30 Mon Oct 07 1498 1688 Wed Oct 02 Wed Oct 09 1368 1538 Mon Oct 07 Mon Oct 14 1368 1538 Wed Oct 09 Wed Oct 16 1368 1538 Mon Oct 14 Mon Oct 21 1228 1376 Wed Oct 16 Wed Oct 23 1228 1376 Mon Oct 21 Mon Oct 28 1228 1376 Wed Oct 23 Wed Oct 30 1228 1376 Mon Oct 28 Mon Nov 04 1228 1376 Wed Oct 30 Wed Nov 06 1228 1376 Mon Nov 04 Mon Nov 11 1048 1198 Wed Nov 06 Wed Nov 13 1048 1198 Mon Nov 11 Mon Nov 18 1048 1198 Mon Nov 18 Mon Nov 25 1048 1198 Mon Nov 25 Mon Dec 02 1048 1198 Mon Dec 02 Mon Dec 09 998 1148 Mon Dec 09 Mon Dec 16 998 1148 * 9 day tour returns from Dublin one day later than shown above Single room supplement: 8 day $398, 9 day $428