Leave no stone unturned on this journey through Ireland. Start your vacation in Limerick, head to the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, and visit Rathbaun Farm, where you’ll see a farmer shear a sheep and use a sheep dog to move his flock. Stop at the fishing village of Clifden, visit Kylemore Abbey, experience the rugged Atlantic Coast of Donegal, and visit awe-inspiring Giant’s Causeway. Learn about life in Northern Ireland from your Local Guide in Derry and spend the night in Belfast.

In the “Fair City” of Dublin, enjoy an orientation drive that includes O’Connell Street, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and a visit to Trinity College with its Book of Kells. Travel south through the Wicklow Mountains, pausing at Ballyknocken House for an entertaining baking demonstration, coffee, and scones. Next up: Kilkenny, the House of Waterford Crystal, Blarney, Cork, and the lush, tropical garden on Garinish Island. Spend two nights in the popular resort town of Killarney with an excursion to the Blasket Island Centre on Dingle Peninsula. Your marvellous vacation ends back in Limerick.

Day 1 Arrive in Shannon, Ireland–Limerick
After checking into your hotel, free time to relax and perhaps enjoy the hotel’s leisure amenities or explore the city. This evening, a special Irish welcome: enjoy a traditional Irish night, a fun ceili in the setting of a village barn with dinner, wine, and entertainment all included. (Dinner)

Day 2 Limerick–Cliffs of Moher–Galway–Clifden
Drive to the CLIFFS OF MOHER, rising 668 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, and savor the breathtaking panorama of the Clare coast. Next, a special treat: at RATHBAUN FARM, watch the farmer shear a sheep and maneuver a flock with the help of a sheep dog, then, enjoy your morning coffee. In Galway, hear about the infamous Lynch Stone, commemorating the day Mayor James Lynch Fitzstephen hanged his son for murder. Call at the Joyce family’s MARBLE WORKSHOP before spending the night at Clifden, a small fishing town in the far west. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 Clifden–Knock–Drumcliff–Bundoran
Visit KYLEMORE ABBEY this morning, the massive castle acquired by Benedictine nuns, and see the restored house, church, and gardens. Pause at Westport before continuing on to Knock, a village that attracts pilgrims from all over the world. On the way to the resort of Bundoran, stop at Drumcliff on Sligo Bay to visit the grave of native son and poet W.B. Yeats. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 4 Bundoran. Donegal Excursion
Enjoy the attraction of this remote part of Ireland for a day dedicated to wild and beautiful county Donegal. Visit the ancient town of the same name, founded by the Danish Vikings and home of the O’Donnell Clan. Later, call on the BELLEEK POTTERY, renowned for its exquisite cream-colored Parian china. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5 Bundoran–Derry, Northern Ireland–Giant’s Causeway–Belfast
A rich string of Northern Ireland attractions awaits you today. In Derry, walk the city walls in the company of a Local Guide. After lunch, pass Dunluce Castle before visiting awe-inspiring GIANT’S CAUSEWAY. Arrive in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s seat of government, and visit the fascinating brand-new TITANIC EXHIBITION. Learn all about the building of the largest passenger steam ship, its maiden voyage, and the tragic night of April 14, 1912. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 6 Belfast–Knowth, Ireland–Dublin
This morning, drive in the lee of the Mountains of Mourne back into the Irish Republic. At Bru na Boinne (Palace of the Boyne), one of the world’s most important archaeological landscapes, visit KNOWTH, where your guide explains the fascinating passage-grave dating from the Bronze Age. For a first taste of the Irish capital, join an optional cabaret evening with dinner and entertainment. (Breakfast)

Day 7 Dublin
An orientation drive in the “Fair City” includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then, a highlight visit to Oscar Wilde’s TRINITY COLLEGE, famous for the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells and the magnificent Old Library. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight, maybe take in an optional dinner outing to the Guinness Storehouse. (Breakfast)

Day 8 Dublin–Kilkenny–Waterford
Vistas of the Wicklow Mountains unfold as you head for a special visit to BALLYKNOCKEN HOUSE, a typical Irish family-run farm guesthouse. Your host will present an entertaining BAKING DEMONSTRATION, and then serve coffee and scones fresh from the oven. Travel on to the pretty county town of Kilkenny, and then to Waterford for a guided tour of the HOUSE OF WATERFORD CRYSTAL. Before dinner you may want to join an optional excursion to a local pub. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 9 Waterford–Blarney–Cork
The first of the day’s highlights is an entertaining walk through Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, in the company of a Local Guide. Then, visit BLARNEY CASTLE, renowned for its magical Kissing Stone. Overnight in Cork, Ireland’s second-largest city. An optional suggestion would be a visit to Cobh’s Queenstown Story, which tells of the transatlantic liner route between Liverpool and North America and last port of call for the Titanic. (Breakfast)

Day 10 Cork–Garinish Island–Killarney
This morning, board a private boat for the short crossing to GARINISH ISLAND, whose warm waters attract colonies of seals. Follow the winding paths between the strong-scented flowering trees and shrubs of this lush tropical island garden. Then, head over the mountains into County Kerry. At Kenmare, join part of the RING OF KERRY and stop for spectacular photos of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View before arriving in the popular resort of Killarney. Tonight, an entertaining optional evening in Tralee with dinner and tickets for Siamsa Tire National Folk Theatre. (Breakfast)

Day 11 Killarney. Dingle Excursion
Panoramic views on Dingle Peninsula on the way to the BLASKET ISLANDS CENTRE. Learn about the way of life and unique literary achievements on the string of remote offshore islands evacuated by the last inhabitants in 1953. Visit Dingle, then return to Killarney. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 12 Killarney–Adare–Limerick
A final morning at leisure in Killarney with time for an optional excursion by horse-drawn jaunting car. In the afternoon, drive via quaint Adare, renowned for its pretty thatched cottages, to Limerick. A suggestion for a very special night out: attend an optional banquet at Bunratty Castle. (Breakfast)

Day 13 Limerick
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

INCLUDED FEATURES

Limerick
Traditional Irish ceili

Cliffs of Moher
Savor the spectacular views

Rathbaun Farm
See the farmer at work and enjoy morning coffee in the farmhouse

Galway
Orientation

Connemara
Visit a marble workshop

Kylemore
Visit the Benedictine abbey

Westport
Visit this heritage town

Knock
Visit the religious site

Drumcliff
Visit W.B. Yeats’ grave

Donegal

Belleek
Guided tour of the pottery factory

Derry
Guided walking tour

County Antrim
Take pictures of Dunluce Castle, visit Giant’s Causeway

Belfast
Orientation tour, visit the Titanic Exhibition

Boyne Valley
Guided tour of the Bronze Age passage-grave at Knowth

Dublin
Orientation drive, visit Trinity College

Ballyknocken House
Cooking demonstration and morning coffee and scones

Kilkenny
Explore this pretty county town

Waterford
Guided tour of the House of Waterford Crystal; guided walking tour

Blarney
Visit the famous castle

Glengarriff
Private boat to Garinish Island

Ring of Kerry
Take pictures of the Lakes of Killarney

Dingle Peninsula
Visit the Blasket Islands Centre and the town of Dingle

Adare
Admire the thatched cottages

INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

Accommodations

MEALS
Full Irish breakfast; 7 three-course dinners with choice of menus, including a welcome ceili dinner with wine

SUPERIOR HOTELS - (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class
LIMERICK Strand (SF), CLIFDEN Station House (F), BUNDORAN Great Northern (F), BELFAST Radisson Blu (SF), DUBLIN Hilton Kilmainham (SF), WATERFORD Granville (F), CORK Clarion (SF), KILLARNEY Holiday Inn (F)

Optional Excursions

Important Note: the following list of optional excursions are examples only for this vacation as they are the excursions that are being offered for this vacation in the current travel year. These optional excursions might or might not be offered next year, as well as new optional excursions might be offered. Information about what optional excursions will be offered for your vacation will be available later this year into next year. If no example excursions are listed, please check back later.

Here's a list of optional excursions you can enjoy during your vacation. Whether it's a special dinner, a local show or a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into an historical site, optional excursions are a wonderful way to enrich your vacation even further. Plus, they give you flexibility. We include the must-see sites and experiences, and we also understand that people take interest in different activities and may want to craft a more personal vacation by hand-picking optional excursions that appeal to them.

Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, days of operation, group interests, and general feasibility for your vacation. The approximate value listed gives you a good, general idea of what you can expect to pay but may vary once you are on your vacation. Some information provided might be in a foreign currency.

CITY: Bundoran

Pub Evening
Tonight's suggestion: a drive into the countryside for two drinks of your choice at a local pub.
Approximate value: EUR €31 per person

CITY: Cork

Visit to Cobh
Join your Tour Director on a unique visit to Cobh, formerly Queenstown, from where hundreds of thousands of men and women left Ireland for North America.
Approximate value: EUR €31 per person

CITY: Dublin

Guinness Storehouse and Supper
A unique Dublin experience: a visit to the famous Guinness Storehouse with supper included.
Approximate value: EUR €64 per person

Irish Cabaret May to October
After a full choice dinner with wine and Irish coffee, enjoy a traditional Irish cabaret evening including dance, song and laughter.
Approximate value: EUR €80 per person

CITY: Killarney

Dinner and Siamsa Tire National Folk Theatre May to September
A short drive to Tralee for dinner with wine before you take your seats for a performance by Ireland's National Folk Theatre.
Approximate value: Please check back later per person

Jaunting Car Ride
Unique to Killarney, a fun outing is to take a ride in a horse drawn jaunting car through the National Park to ancient Ross Castle.
Approximate value: EUR €13 per person

CITY: Limerick

Bunratty Castle Banquet
At 13th-century Bunratty Castle receive a goblet or two of mead and listen to the history of the castle, before enjoying a medieval Madrigal by the Castle Singers and dinner with wine.
Approximate value: EUR €75 per person

CITY: Waterford

Pub Evening
Drive to a nearby village where entertainment is provided while you enjoy two drinks of your choice at the local pub.
Approximate value: EUR €31 per person

Prices
  from approx $2,199 US per person double occupancy