Irish Classic 12 & 13 Day Coach Tour

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Tour Highlights

• Traditional Irish evening in Dublin
• Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet
• St. Patrick’s Burial Site
• Giant’s Causeway
• Achill Island Tour
• Historic Derry & Waterford Walks
• Jaunting Car Ride

Day 1: Arrive Ireland & Dublin Sightseeing

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 enjoy a tour of Dublin. Visit Dublin Castle’s State Apartments where a guide will relate events from Irish history as you walk through gracious Georgian chambers. In the evening meet your fellow travellers over a welcome drink and your tour director will help you choose a restaurant to dine independently.

Day 2: St. Patrick Centre & Belfast

Drive north past the Mourne Mountains to visit Down Cathedral and see the reputed burial place of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, marked by a huge boulder. Then learn about his life and times in the nearby St. Patrick Centre. Visit the Stately mansion of Castle Ward then drive to Belfast and check in to your hotel in the centre of this thriving city. Enjoy some free time to look around on your own. The imposing City Hall is within easy walking distance and the ornate Victorian pub, Crown Liquor Saloon, is just across the street. (B, D)

Day 3: Belfast & Titanic Quarter

See Belfast’s Victorian buildings, the Harland and Wolff Shipyards, where the Titanic was built, the Shankill and Falls Road.

Visit Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, newly opened for 2012, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the building of the famous liner. Your afternoon is free for personal sightseeing

Day 4: Giants Causeway & Derry

Drive north along the “Nine Glens of Antrim,” for lovely views of mountains, valleys and coastline. Stop at the Giant’s Causeway, hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity which have spawned legends about the mythical giant, Finn McCool. Continue to Derry and join a local guide for a short walk around the city centre and its medieval walls and learn about the city’s long history. (B, D)

Day 5: Donegal & Westport

Travel through the rugged countryside of Donegal to visit Triona design for demonstrations of spinning and knitting and an Irish Coffee. Pause at the grave of W.B Yeats. Travel through Counties Sligo and Mayo to your hotel in the centre of Westport, an attractive estate town, which was laid out in 1780. (B, D)

Day 6: Achill Island & Westport House

After a late breakfast travel around Clew Bay to Achill Island, joined to the mainland by bridge. Follow the Atlantic Drive to capture wonderful views of steeply-sloped mountains plunging into the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Near Slievemore see the Deserted Village, the remains of nearly 100 stone cottages abandoned around the time of the 1840’s Famine. Return to Westport to tour the Stately Westport House. (B, D)

Day 7: Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Medieval Banquet

Travel to Galway City for a panoramic tour and free time. Drive through the limestone hills of the Burren to view the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a pre-Christian burial site. Walk along the majestic Cliffs of Moher, a rocky wall that rises nearly 700 feet above the foaming Atlantic Ocean. At Bunratty check in to your hotel, right beside 15th century Bunratty Castle, the Bunratty Folk Park and Durty Nelly’s Pub. Head to Bunratty Castle for a jolly medieval-style dinner where the lords and ladies serenade you­. (B, D)

Day 8: Flying Boat Museum & Dingle Peninsula

Drive through the outskirts of Limerick and alongside the River Shannon to visit Foynes Flying Boat Museum. During the 1930’s and early 1940’s, Pan Am Clippers from the United States and Europe landed here and the museum’s memorabilia recreates this era. Journey into County Kerry and along the Dingle Peninsula for glorious scenic views. Stop in the town of Dingle before going up the Connor Pass for more panoramas. Then head to your hotel in the centre of Killarney. (B, D)

Day 9: Jaunting Car Ride & Moll’s Gap

Take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car ride to Ross Castle for views of Lough Leane, Killarney’s largest lake. Drive to the delightful town of Kenmare where gaily-painted buildings are enhanced with flowers. Enjoy mountain views at Moll’s Gap and continue along part of the Ring of Kerry, pausing at Ladies’ View. Return to Killarney in time to allow you some leisure time before dinner. (B, D)

Day 10: Cobh Heritage & Traditional Music Session

Travel through the mountains of Kerry and make a brief stop at the Blarney Woollen Mills. Next visit Cobh Heritage Centre, located in the old train station through which all emigrants passed when travelling to the new worlds. Displays show the many hardships that travellers endured. Drive to Dungarvan to the Marine Bar for a creamy Irish coffee and an informal traditional music session. Continue to Waterford, check in to your hotel and join a local guide for a stroll around the historic city centre. (B, D)

Day 11: Medieval Kilkenny & National Stud

Visit the Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre to see how molten glass is blown into shapes before being cut by hand by experts and view priceless trophies. Stop in Kilkenny for a look around the prosperous medieval trading city where narrow streets still follow ancient routes. Visit the Irish National Stud to learn about the valuable horse breeding industry. Walk through the Japanese Gardens, which symbolize the “Life of Man” through plants and rocks. Then head to Dun Laoghaire on the outskirts of Dublin. Check in to Royal Marine Hotel. This evening’s destination is a typical Irish Pub for dinner and an evening of song and dance. (B, D)

Day 12: Depart Dublin Airport or extra day in Dublin

For those booked on the 12 day tour group transfers to Dublin Airport will be arranged.

For those on the 13 Day tour, spend an additional day in Dublin with an individual Dublin open top bus tour pass with a visit to either Guinness or Jameson (valid for 24 hours) (B)

Day 13: Homeward bound

A voucher is provided for Independent transfers to the Airport (B).

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES

• Transfers on arrival and departure
• Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
• Dublin open-top bus tour with complimentary visit and a drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery. (13 day tour only)
• Services of a professional Irish tour director
• Superior first class hotels with private bath/shower for 11 or 12 nights
• Full Irish breakfasts (B) except Day 1
• 10 dinners (D) including:

-              Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment at a Dublin Pub

-              Medieval banquet and entertainment at Bunratty Castle

-              8 table d’hôte dinners

• Welcome get-together drink
• Tours of Dublin and Belfast
• Walking tours of Derry and Waterford with local guides
• Day tour to Achill Island
• Horse-drawn jaunting car ride in Killarney
• Irish coffee and music session at the Marine Bar in Dungarvan
• Visits and admissions to Dublin Castle, Down Cathedral, St. Patrick Centre, Castle Ward, Titanic Quarter, Giant’s Causeway, Triona design, W.B Yeats grave, Westport house, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Cliffs of Moher, Foynes Flying Boat Museum,  Blarney Woollen Mills, Cobh Heritage Centre, Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre and Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens
• 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):

• Conrad Hilton Hotel, Dublin  (1 nights)
• Europa Hotel, Belfast  (2 night)
• City Hotel, Derry  (1 night)
• Hotel Westport, Westport  (2 nights)
• Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty (1 night)
• Killarney Plaza Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
• Granville Hotel, Waterford  (1 night)
• Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire (1 or 2 nights)

Departure Date                               End Date                                                 Per Person 

Irish Classic 13 Day Tour

Departure Date                                     End Date                                         Per Person