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Irish Spirit 7 & 8 Day Tour
Tour Highlights
- Traditional Show & Dinner in Dublin
- Book of Kells at Trinity College
- Ring of Kerry & Connemara
- Cliffs of Moher
- Catamaran Cruise
- Kiss the Blarney Stone
Day 1: Dublin Tour & Trinity College
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 your group and a local guide for an introductory look around central Dublin. See fashionable shopping areas around Grafton and Nassau Streets, view Dublin’s famous elegant Georgian squares with imposing townhouses and pause at the evocative figures at the Famine Memorial. Walk through the campus of Trinity College to the Old Library to view the illuminated manuscript of the 8th century Book of Kells and learn how monks created this and other masterpieces. Back at your hotel meet with your guide and travel companions for a welcome drink and discuss your itinerary.
Day 2: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the midlands of Ireland, pausing for photos at the stately Rock of Cashel. Continue your drive south to visit Blarney Castle and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Also shop at the Blarney Woollen Mills for quality Irish-made souvenirs or take a walk around the village green. Drive into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more rugged to the town of Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes and mountains. Check in to your downtown hotel and relax before dinner. Afterwards check out the many “singing” pubs around town. (B, D)
Day 3: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
View the highlights of Ireland’s natural scenery on the famous 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 attractive village of Sneem and also at Moll’s Gap to view the Three Lakes of Killarney. Enjoy some free time to browse around Killarney before dining in your hotel. (B, D)
Day 4: Cliffs of Moher & Irish Farm Life
Drive north and travel through the outskirts of Limerick to reach Bunratty Village. Have some free time to shop or visit Durty Nelly’s before heading to the coast of County Clare to view the Cliffs of Moher rising to heights of almost 700 feet above the churning Atlantic swells. 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 to Rathbaun Farm. See traditional farming methods and vintage farm machinery as well as lots of cute farmyard animals roaming freely. Sample some home-baked scones with tea or coffee. Take a short orientation tour of Galway city before checking in to your hotel. (B, D)
Day 5: Connemara & Catamaran Cruise
Today explore another of Ireland’s famous scenic regions, Connemara. Here the constantly-changing cloud formations give granite hills, sparkling lakes and peat bogs an added dimension. Travel alongside Galway Bay to Spiddal, where most locals speak the Irish language, and on to Leenane and Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord. Take a short catamaran cruise to see pristine mountain areas (Mar 18 – Oct 28 departures). You can see traces of pre-Famine fields on the hilly slopes and also thriving salmon and mussel farming. Drive to Clifden and stop for a look around the attractive town. At Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory watch skilled craftsmen cut the crystal and learn about the symbolism of the motifs before returning to Galway for leisure time before dinner. (B, D)
Day 6: Guinness Storehouse & Irish Evening
This morning drive across to the east coast to reach Dublin once again and check in to a different hotel, located on the north side of the city. Visit the Guinness Storehouse to learn about this legendary black stout which has been brewed for over 250 years. Learn about how it is created and then sample a pint of creamy draft Guinness in the rooftop bar where you can enjoy great views of central Dublin. Finish up your tour at an Irish pub with a hearty dinner and an Irish coffee followed by a lively show of traditional music, songs and step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 7: Depart for Home or Extra Day in Dublin
For those of you booked on our 7-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 8-day tour, spend an additional day in Dublin with an independent Dublin open-top bus tour pass (valid for 24 hours).
Day 8: Homeward bound
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 (8-day tour only)
- Professional tour director throughout
- First class hotels with private bath/shower for 6 or 7 nights
- Full Irish breakfast daily (B)
- 5 dinners (D) including:
- Dinner and traditional show in Dublin
- 4 table d’hote dinners
- Welcome get-together drink
- Tour of Dublin with a local guide
- Tea & scones at Rathbaun Farm
- Catamaran cruise of Killary Fjord (Mar 18 – Oct 28 departures)
- Visit and a pint at Guinness Storehouse
- Visits and admissions to Book of Kells at Trinity College, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Skellig Experience, Cliffs of Moher and Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory
- 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):
- Ashling Hotel, Dublin (1 night)
- Killarney Towers Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
- Westwood Hotel, Galway (2 nights)
- Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin (1 or 2 nights)
Tour starts Tour ends 8 Days 9 Days Dublin Dublin* Sat Feb 09 Sat Feb 16 998 1138 Sat Feb 16 Sat Feb 23 998 1138 Sat Feb 23 Sat Mar 02 998 1138 Sat Mar 02 Sat Mar 09 1078 1218 Sat Mar 09 Sat Mar 16 1078 1218 Sat Mar 16 Sat Mar 23 1078 1218 Sat Mar 23 Sat Mar 30 1078 1218 Thu Mar 28 Thu Apr 04 1078 1218 Sat Mar 30 Sat Apr 06 1078 1218 Thu Apr 04 Thu Apr 11 1219 1359 Sat Apr 06 Sat Apr 13 1219 1359 Thu Apr 11 Thu Apr 18 1219 1359 Sat Apr 13 Sat Apr 20 1219 1359 Thu Apr 18 Thu Apr 25 1219 1359 Sat Apr 20 Sat Apr 27 1219 1359 Thu Apr 25 Thu May 02 1346 1478 Sat Apr 27 Sat May 04 1346 1478 Thu May 02 Thu May 09 1468 1608 Sat May 04 Sat May 11 1468 1608 Thu May 09 Thu May 16 1468 1608 Sat May 11 Sat May 18 1468 1608 Thu May 16 Thu May 23 1468 1608 Sat May 18 Sat May 25 1468 1608 Thu May 23 Thu May 30 1468 1608 Sat May 25 Sat Jun 01 1468 1608 Thu May 30 Thu Jun 06 1468 1608 Sat Jun 01 Sat Jun 08 1468 1608 Thu Jun 06 Thu Jun 13 1468 1608 Sat Jun 08 Sat Jun 15 1468 1608 Thu Jun 13 Thu Jun 20 1468 1608 Sat Jun 15 Sat Jun 22 1468 1608 Thu Jun 20 Thu Jun 27 1468 1608 Sat Jun 22 Sat Jun 29 1468 1608 Thu Jun 27 Thu Jul 04 1468 1608 Sat Jun 29 Sat Jul 06 1468 1608 Thu Jul 04 Thu Jul 11 1468 1608 Sat Jul 06 Sat Jul 13 1468 1608 Thu Jul 11 Thu Jul 18 1468 1608 Sat Jul 13 Sat Jul 20 1468 1608 Thu Jul 18 Thu Jul 25 1468 1608 Sat Jul 20 Sat Jul 27 1468 1608 Thu Jul 25 Thu Aug 01 1468 1608 Sat Jul 27 Sat Aug 03 1468 1608 Thu Aug 01 Thu Aug 08 1468 1608 Sat Aug 03 Sat Aug 10 1468 1608 Thu Aug 08 Thu Aug 15 1468 1608 Sat Aug 10 Sat Aug 17 1468 1608 Thu Aug 15 Thu Aug 22 1468 1608 Sat Aug 17 Sat Aug 24 1468 1608 Thu Aug 22 Thu Aug 29 1468 1608 Sat Aug 24 Sat Aug 31 1468 1608 Thu Aug 29 Thu Sep 05 1468 1608 Sat Aug 31 Sat Sep 07 1468 1608 Thu Sep 05 Thu Sep 12 1468 1608 Sat Sep 07 Sat Sep 14 1468 1608 Thu Sep 12 Thu Sep 19 1468 1608 Sat Sep 14 Sat Sep 21 1468 1608 Thu Sep 19 Thu Sep 26 1468 1608 Sat Sep 21 Sat Sep 28 1468 1608 Thu Sep 26 Thu Oct 03 1468 1608 Sat Sep 28 Sat Oct 05 1362 1512 Thu Oct 03 Thu Oct 10 1362 1512 Sat Oct 05 Sat Oct 12 1256 1416 Thu Oct 10 Thu Oct 17 1256 1416 Sat Oct 12 Sat Oct 19 1256 1416 Thu Oct 17 Thu Oct 24 1256 1416 Sat Oct 19 Sat Oct 26 1256 1416 Thu Oct 24 Thu Oct 31 1256 1416 Sat Oct 26 Sat Nov 02 1256 1416 Thu Oct 31 Thu Nov 07 1256 1416 Sat Nov 02 Sat Nov 09 1158 1298 Thu Nov 07 Thu Nov 14 1158 1298 Sat Nov 09 Sat Nov 16 1058 1198 Thu Nov 14 Thu Nov 21 1058 1198 Sat Nov 16 Sat Nov 23 1058 1198 Thu Nov 21 Thu Nov 28 1058 1198 Sat Nov 23 Sat Nov 30 1058 1198 Sat Nov 30 Sat Dec 07 1058 1198 Sat Dec 07 Sat Dec 14 998 1138 Sat Dec 14 Sat Dec 21 998 1138 * 9 day tour returns from Dublin one day later than shown above Single room supplement: 8 day $437, 9 day $498