Deluxe & castle hotels with private bath/shower for 8 nights
8 full Irish breakfasts (B)
7 dinners (D) including, dinner and traditional Irish music and cancing at The Irish House Party, Killeen House Restaurant in Killarney, Farewell dinner in Ritz Carlton Hotel, 4 table d'hote dinners
Welcome get-together drink
Whiskey tasting and tour of Old Jameson Distillery
Dublin sightseeing tour with your tour director
Sightseeing tour around Viking Dublin with your tour director
Walking tour of Georgian Dublin
Tea and scones at an Irish farmhouse with sheepdog display
Horse-drawn jaunting car ride in Killarney
Ferry ride across the River Shannon
Catamaran cruise of Killary Fjord
"The Quiet Man" walking tour of Cong
Visits and admissions to National Gallery, Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens, Muckross House & Gardens, Gallarus Oratory, Cliffs of Moher and Powerscourt Gardens
All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
Booking
To book this tour or request more details please use the enquiry form below or Call Us Toll Free on 1800 727 2024.
Bed & Breakfast
Deluxe & Castle Hotels - 10 Day Coach Tour Experience elegance and luxury at some of Ireland's top hotels on our 5-star tour. Stay in historic Ashford Castles and top hotels in Killarney and Dublin. The sightseeing program provides leisure time and your guide will ensure that your vacation is supreme in every way.
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Dublin
Board your aircraft and fly through the night. Relax with inflight meals and entertainment as you cross the Atlantic to Ireland.
Day 2: Viking Dublin & Whiskey Tasting Land at Dublin Airport where you pass through immigration and customs controls. 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 take a short panoramic tour around the ancient parts of Dublin where the Vikings first settled over 1,000 years ago. Pass St.Patrick's and Christchurch Cathedrals and visit the Old Jameson Distillery to learn about Irish whiskey production. Enjoy a sample before returning to your hotel. In the evening meet with your tour director and fellow travelers and discuss your trip over a welcome drink. The evening is free for independent dining, either in your hotel or your tour director can help with suggestions for restaurants in the area.
Day 3: Dublin Walk & National Gallery
This morning drive around Dublin's famous Georgian squares and streets to see elegant houses with colorful doorways. Learn more about the area and history of Dublin with a special guide on a gentle stroll through one of the parks and past some of the row houses. End your morning with a tour to see works of prominent Irish artists. The afternoon is at leisure to explore museums and art galleries or use your tour voucher. In the evening head to The Irish House Party for dinner and a special show with live traditional music with all-Ireland champion musicians and dancers. The music is interspersed with stories about Dublin and its unique characters. (B, D)
Day 4: National Stud & Sheep Farm Visit
View the green countryside as you leave Dublin behind. Tour the Irish National Stud to learn about horse breeding and the pricey world od racing. See some of the magnificient animals as you walk around the stables. In the same grounds take a walk around the Japanese Gardens, laid out to represent the "Life of Man" from cradle to grave. Continue your drive south and stop at a farmhouse to sample home-made scones with tea and watch sheep dogs help their owner to round up a flock. Stop in the picturesque village of Adare to view cozy thatched cottages that line the main street and on Killarney, famous for its scenic location. Check into your hotel for a 3-night stay and enjoy a superb dinner in the fine restaurant. (B, D)
Day 5: Jaunting Car Ride & Ring of Kerry Take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car ride through the Killarney National Park to view Ross Castle, set on the shores of Lough Leane with the mountains forming a backdrop. Drive to the delightful town of Kenmare where traditional buildings are gaily painted and enhanced with flowers. Travel up through Moll's Gap, a wonderful vantage point on the Ring of Kerry and stop at Ladies' View. Tour Muckross House, a delightful 19th century furnished mansion on the shores of Muckross Lake while the guide tells you about the influential owners and visitors and take a walk around the charming gardens. This evening savor delicious cuisine and friendly atmosphere at award-winning Killeen House Restaurant, a few miles outside the town. (B, D)
Day 6: Dingle Peninsula Tour See some of the glorious scenery for which this region is renowned and made famous by such movies as "Ryan's Daughter" and "Far & Away." See the long, sandy streches of Inch Strand and admire views across the bay to the Iveragh Peninsula. Make a brief stop in the charming town of Dingle before continuing to the western-most tip of the peninsula. See behiven huts where early Christian monks lived and visit Gallarus Oratory, dating from the 8th century. It was built without mortar using vaulting techniques developed by Neolithic tomb-makers. On the return stop for some free time in Dingleand drive up the Conor Pass for panoramic views before returning to Killarney. Enjoy dinner in the hotel restaurant once more. (B, D)
Day 7: Cliffs of Moher & Ashford Castle
Depart Killarney and take a short ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary on the way to visit the Cliffs of Moher, majestic walls of rock, which extend five miles along the coast. Journey through part of the Burren Country, a unique region of rounded limestone hills where many rare wildflowers thrive in sheltered crevices. Travel into Galway for a brief tour of the city center and enjoy some free time to browse around on your own. Continue your drive north to Cong for a 2-night stay in the famous Ashford Castle Hotel. Arrive in time to explore the grounds, go riding or play some golf before dinner. Afterwards you may like to listen to some music in the Dungeon Bar. (B, D)
Day 8: Connemara & "Quiet Man" Walk
This morning drive through part of Connemara. This region of low hills, lakes and open bogland is impossibly harsh for farming but visually stunning. Admire sweeping views as you travel via Maam Cross and along the picturesque Inagh Valley to Leenane. This village was the location for the movie of "The Field". Embark on a catamaran cruise aboard the "Connemara Lady" around Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord. You can see remains of houses and potato patches abandoned during the 1840's Famine as well as stunning scenery of unspoiled hills. Return to the village of Cong, famous as the location for the 1952 movie of "The Quiet Man". Take a short walking tour to see some of the places that appeared in the movie and then enjoy some free time in the afternoon. (B, D)
Day 9: Powerscourt Gardens & Farewell Dinner
This morning travel eastwards across the center of Ireland to Powerscourt, a lovely area set in Wicklow Mountains and just south of Dublin city. Check into the luxurious Ritz Carlton resort, set in the grounds of Powerscourt Estate. In the afternoon take a guided tour around Powerscourt Gardens, first laid out in 1731. See the formal Italianate section, a walled garden, fish pond, cascades, grottos and terraces. Enjoy the great location and lovely facilities of your hotel before sitting down to a farewell dinner in the Gordon Ramsay Restaurant. (B, D)
Day 10: Depart Dublin for Home
Complimentary group transfers are provided to Dublin Airport to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. 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)
All tours are based on two people sharing one room. Guests who wish to have a single room will pay an additional single room supplement. For details on the single room supplement that applies to this tour please check with your Ireland guide.
"It has been a pleasure working with you and your company. I really appreciate your professionalism, tourism expertise, and your patience and willingness in helping me enjoy a great vacation. Rest assured, when I visit Ireland again (and I will), you will be the first person I call. I will also refer you to people I know who may travel the same path." -- Mak
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