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Taste of Scotland & Ireland Highlights Experience

Destination Countries: Scotland, Ireland

12-Day
Tour

Itinerary

Day 01

Depart U.S. for Scotland
Depart U.S. on your overnight flight to Glasgow. U.S.
Day 02

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 extensive collections in Kelvinqrove Art Gallery and Museum, originally opened in 1901 and recently refurbished. Back at your hotel, join your fellow travelers for a welcome drink before dinner. (D)
Day 03

Loch Lomond & Urquhart Castle
Depart Glasgow and travel 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 the deep valley of Glencoe, notorious for the Campbell massacre of the Clan Macdonald in 1692. Continue through Fort William and stop in Fort Augustus, located at the southern tip of Loch Ness. Drive beside Loch Ness to enjoy delightful scenery and keep an eye out for "Nessie". Visit Urquhart Castle to see the ruins of what was once the largest castle in Scotland. Enjoy views of the scenic promontory where the castle is located. Continue to Nairn where your hotel was a favorite summer residence of Charlie Chaplin. Experience Scottish culture in your hotel this evening when a Scottish piper and step-dancer perform for you. (B, D)
Day 04

Culloden Battlefield & Edinburgh Ghost Tour
Visit the 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 to visit Edradour Distillery, Scotland's smallest, to see how whisky is distilled and sample some. Continue south to Edinburgh and check in to your hotel, located on a golf course a few miles from the city center. In the evening head to the cozy Beehive Inn for an informal pub dinner and then join a local guide for a fun walking tour to discover the haunts of Edinburgh's many colorful characters. (B, D)
Day 05

Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
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, as well as the Stone of Scone. The balance of the day is free for further sightseeing, shopping and dining. On August 02, 07, 14, 16 and 21 departures enjoy the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 06

Larne Ferry & Drive to Dublin
Depart Edinburgh early this morning 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 in to your hotel, located in the Georgian section of the city, where the evening is at leisure for independent dining. (B)
Day 07

Viking Dublin & Taylor's Three Rock Pub
This morning join your fellow travelers for a tour of central Dublin in the company of a local guide. We will pass by 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 and Guinness or Jameson vouchers 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 08

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 Woolen 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 in to your downtown hotel and relax before dinner. Afterwards you may like to head to a “singing pub.” (B, D)
Day 09

Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
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. Meet a local farmer for a taste of farm life with a sheepdog demonstration of herding flocks. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig Experience which describes the life of early monks who led austere lives on the nearby islands. Drive through Waterville and stop in Sneem to admire brightly-painted houses. Pause at Moll's Gap for stunning views and take a guided walk around Muckross Gardens before returning to Killarney in time to relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 10

Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle
rive 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

Shannon Airport or Dublin Extension
Clients on the 11-day tour will take a group transfer to nearby Shannon Airport where your tour concludes at 10:30 am. Those on the 12-day tour will 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 your hotel in the center of Dublin and you are free this evening for independent activities and dining. (B)
Day 12

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)Breakfast (B) Dinner (D)