This lively and action-packed tour hardly needs any introduction. We have chosen Dublin, Kilkenny, Killarney and Clifden as being great bases to enjoy and explore. Pubs are the social centers where entire families come to socialize, play music, dance or discuss events of the day. Each day discover the fun attractions and scenic highlights of Ireland and in the evenings enjoy many special dinners with entertainment in traditional pub settings.
Day 1 - Depart USA
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 - Arrive in Dublin, Ireland
Welcome to Dublin! Spend the afternoon relaxing or travel to the Guinness Storehouse and discover what goes into making a pint of Guinness. Hear how it has traveled to 150 countries and how the famous brew has been advertised over the years. The journey ends on the roof in the Gravity Bar with a pint. Tonight, have a Welcome Drink at a traditional Irish pub.
Day 3 - Dublin
Pass Christ Church on the way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then on to the seat of learning at the heart of Dublin – Trinity College. Walk across the cobbled squares to the old library and see one of Ireland’s greatest treasures – the famed 8th century Book of Kells. Your Tour Director will also reveal a hidden treasure. Spend the rest of your day exploring the city on your own. This evening, join the “Dublin Literary Pub Crawl.” You are transported away from everyday life to the richness of Ireland’s famous writers, including Joyce, O’Casey, Yeats and Behan. Each group is led by actors on a trail from pub to pub – no props, no lights, no make-up, just the voice and personality of the actor. Nothing like it exists anywhere else in the world. (B)
Day 4 - Dublin / Galway
Depart Dublin and travel through the midlands to Locke’s Distillery in Kilbeggan. Established in 1757, Locke’s is the oldest licensed pot-still distillery in the world. Now open as a museum, guided tours follow the process from the grinding of the grain to the casking of the final product. Learn about the lives and the working conditions of the people who toiled here. At the end of the tour, you are treated to a complimentary sample of six-year-old Lockes Irish Whiskey. Then, on to Rathbaun Farm for afternoon tea and to see an Irish farming family carrying out their everyday chores. End the day in Galway. (B,AT,D)
Day 5 - Connemara Excursion
In the west of Ireland, the starkly beautiful mountains of Galway and Mayo drop down the coast. Visit Kylemore Abbey, a castellated neo-Gothic mansion, occupied by the Irish Benedictine community of nuns who came from Ypres after World War I. Return to Galway for a city tour and a visit to Galway Cathedral. (B)
Day 6 - Galway / Cliffs of Moher / Killarney
Heading south, drive through the Burren, a lunar-like area petrified in carboniferous limestone. Stop at the Cliffs of Moher, one of the outstanding features of County Clare. Moving on, cross the wide Shannon Estuary on the Tarbert Ferry and visit the Flying Boat Museum at Foynes, location of the refueling point for Pan Am’s Flying Boat, the Yankee Clipper, from 1939-1945. Foynes is also the birthplace of Irish Coffee. There is time to sample the famous beverage before continuing to Killarney. (B,D)
Day 7 - The Ring of Kerry
Travel the road that winds around the beautiful Ring of Kerry. Stop off half way round “The Ring” for a pub lunch. Later, take a jaunting car ride along the lake to the 19th century Muckross House and Folk Museum. (B,L)
Day 8 - Killarney / Blarney / Kilkenny
Your first stop today is in the village of Blarney. There is time to browse through Blarney Woolen Mills to shop for Irish knitwear and crafts. Don’t miss Blarney Castle with its magical stone that gives the gift of eloquence for a kiss. Then on to Kilkenny. Walk with a local guide for an introduction to the medieval city. Stop in at Langton’s Bar, known throughout Ireland, having won the award of “National Pub of the Year” a record four times along with “Super Pub of the Year.” (B)
Day 9 - Kilkenny / Dublin
Travel through Ireland’s horse country to The Irish National Stud. A guided tour shows you the stallion boxes, foaling unit and museum. Return to Dublin with some time for last minute shopping. Tonight enjoy a traditional Irish evening with dinner, song and dance. (B,FD)
Day 10 - Depart Dublin
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)
B=Breakfast, D=Dinner
Hotels on this tour
Alexander Hotel or The Burlington, Dublin
Jurys Inn, Galway
Killarney Towers, Killarney
Pembroke Hotel, Kilkenny
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