Day 1 - Sat: Depart U.S. for Scotland
Depart U.S. on your overnight flight to Glasgow.
Day 2 - Sun: Glasgow Highlights
Land in Glasgow Airport where you'll meet your CIE Tours driver/guide or representative. Take a group transfer to your hotel, departing at 8:00 am, 10:00 am or 12:00 noon. If you arrive later than noon, you must transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 3:00 pm set out on a coach tour to discover the main attractions of Glasgow, a city that flourished in Victorian times due to the shipbuilding industry on the River Clyde. Drive around George Square with its ornate City Chambers and nearby Glasgow Cathedral. Visit the Museum of Transport to view collections of cars, buses and bicycles, many invented in Scotland. Back at your hotel, join your fellow travelers for a welcome drink before dinner. (D)
Day 3 - Mon: Loch Lomond & Loch Ness Cruise
Depart Glasgow and drive alongside the famous Loch Lomond, renowned in song and also for unsurpassed beauty of the lake and mountains. Travel across the haunting Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, notorious for the Campbell massacre of the Clan Macdonald in 1692. Continue through Fort William and stop at Spean Bridge Woollen Mills, which offer a good selection of quality Scottish goods. At Fort Augustus embark on a short cruise on Loch Ness to admire enchanting scenic views and perhaps spot the famous monster. Motor alongside the loch and through Inverness. Continue to Nairn where your hotel was a favorite summer residence of Charlie Chaplin. (B, D)
Day 4 - Thu: Culloden Battlefield
Visit the newly-opened Culloden Visitor Centre to learn about the Battle of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by the British army in 1746 in a fierce combat that lasted just one hour. The Scottish defeat changed the traditional way of Highland clan life forever. Drive south through the majestic peaks of the Grampian Mountains and the gentle countryside of Perthshire to Edinburgh and check in to your hotel. In the evening attend a Scottish cabaret where you dine on local specialties, including the famous haggis, and enjoy traditional entertainment. (B, D)
Day 5 - Wed: Edinburgh City Tour & Castle
This morning an Edinburgh city guide will point out the principal sights of this interesting capital city. Drive along the bustling Princes Street and through the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian New Town. See the compact medieval section along the Royal Mile where some houses reach 11 stories tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the city center and contains the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone. The balance of the day is free for further sightseeing, shopping and dining. On August 08, 15 and 22 departures enjoy the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 6 - Thu: Larne Ferry & Drive to Dublin
This morning depart Edinburgh after breakfast and drive south through part of the Southern Uplands and along the coastline. At Cairnryan take a ferry ride across the narrow channel between Scotland and Ireland to Larne, just outside Belfast. Drive south to Dublin and check into your hotel where the evening is at leisure for independent dining. (B)
Day 7 - Fri: Viking Dublin & Taylor's Three Rock Pub
This morning join your fellow travelers and a local guide for a tour of central Dublin in the company of a local guide. Pass Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is housed; Dail Eireann, where the government meets; and rows of Georgian houses with gaily-colored doorways. Stop at Dublin Castle for a guided tour through the elegant State Apartments, which are filled with elaborate Waterford Crystal chandeliers and furnishings. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure or use your open-top bus voucher to explore the city on your own. In the evening drive to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for a great dinner of Irish specialties, which is followed by a lively show of traditional Irish songs and intricate step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 8 - Sat: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the center of Ireland, stopping to view the stately church ruins atop the Rock of Cashel. Continue your drive south to visit Blarney Castle and kiss the famous "Stone of Eloquence." Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills where you can find quality Irish-made goods. Drive into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous to Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes and mountains. Check into your downtown hotel and relax before dinner. Afterwards you may like to head to a "singing pub." (B, D)
Day 9 - Sun: Ring of Kerry & Muckross Gardens
Today embark on the Ring of Kerry drive - a winding route with breathtaking sights of mountains and coastal views. Stop near the Gap of Dunloe to see Essence of Kerry, an audio-visual presentation. As you travel, there will be plenty of stops for photos. Drive through Cahirciveen and Waterville and stop to walk around Sneem, where brightly-painted houses are grouped around the central green. Pause at Moll's Gap for stunning views and stop for a guided walk around Muckross Gardens on the shores of Muckross Lake before returning to Killarney in time to relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 10 - Mon: Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle
Drive to Tarbert for a ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary. Continue to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of limestone that reaches 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Drive to Bunratty to check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, located very close to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. If you wish, you may visit the Folk Park, have a drink in the 200-year-old Durty Nelly's Pub or shop at the Bunratty Mills. In the evening head to Bunratty Castle for a memorable medieval-style feast. During and after the meal the lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative of the Middle Ages. (B, D)
Day 11 - Tue: Irish National Stud & Dublin
Drive through the outskirts of Limerick and through the midland region of Ireland to Kildare. Here visit the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens. You can learn about horse breeding and see some of the valuable animals before touring the lovely Japanese Gardens, considered the best in Europe. Drive to the north side of Dublin city and you are free this evening for independent activities and dining. (B)
Day 12 - Wed: Depart from Dublin Airport
As your hotel is convenient to Dublin Airport, a hotel shuttle service will transfer you to the airport terminal. After check-in, you'll have time to shop at the duty-free stores before U.S. Immigration pre-clearance and boarding your flight for the journey home. (B)
B=Breakfast, CB=Continental Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner |
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