HIGHLIGHTS OF IRELAND AND SCOTLAND

• You’re in for a lyrical love affair with Ireland’s whimsical capital, your launch pad to an enchanting encounter with the ‘Emerald Isle’ and Scotland.
• On arrival, transfer to your hotel then spend the rest of the day exploring the city’s effervescence on your own.
• This evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner.
• Resist the urge to retire early and head to the Temple Bar to soak up the craic and a pint or two of the ‘Black Stuff’ in one of the many colorful pubs for which Dublin is justifiably famous.

Arrival Transfer: Depart airport at 08:30, 11:00, 13:00

Welcome Meet your travel Director at 16:00

• Poetry and politics, music and literature – Dublin is famous for all this and more as you’ll come to discover when you join a Local Specialist to delve into the city’s iconic sights, tumultuous history and even a few hidden gems.
• Follow the footsteps of Arthur Guinness, James Joyce and Bono over the cobbled pavements in search of Dublin’s many stories.
• Then, leave the capital behind bound for the harbor city of Galway, known as the ‘City of the Tribes’.

Included Experience: Dublin City Tour

Optional Experience: Trad on the Prom

• Connemara’s ‘savage beauty’ takes center stage today on your full-day excursion through the endless shades of green which once captured the heart of Oscar Wilde.
• Visit Kylemore Abbey, a magnificent castellated structure built as a family home and now inhabited by a group of Benedictine nuns.
• Later, we visit the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory where you’ll Dive Into Culture and witness first-hand how their famous crystal designs are made.

Included Experience: Discover the craftsmanship of intricate crystal designs at the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory and Visit Kylemore Abbey

• Explore the quintessential Irish village of Cong and see firsthand why its rugged beauty was chosen as the backdrop of John Wayne’s award winning ‘The Quiet Man’.
• Connect With Locals at Ireland’s largest sheep farm, Glen Keen Farm, for a heart-warming Be My Guest experience with your hosts, Catherine, Jim and their son James.
• You’ll watch in deep admiration as the energetic collies herd sheep and enjoy a traditional tea of scones, freshly whipped cream and jam, gaining a deep appreciation for the family’s efforts to preserve Irish heritage and traditions.
• Then, continue to Donegal, the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way.

Included Experience: Enjoy a Traditional Scone Tea as you Explore Catherine and Jim Power’s Glen Keen Farm and Explore the Village of Cong

Optional Experience: An Evening of Food and Folklore

• Start your day with a visit to Londonderry where a Local Specialist will take you on a stroll along the ancient walls that surround the Renaissance-style old city.
• Follow the scenic Causeway Coastal Route through rolling countryside and past rugged cliffs to the Giant’s Causeway for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
• Your visit will help to conserve this iconic landmark.
• You’ll have some free time to tiptoe in the giant geometric steps of Finn McCool and enjoy lunch before continuing to Belfast, your home for the next two nights.

Included Experience: Visit Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, and Londonderry City Tour

Optional Experience: Belfast Walk with Fish and Chips

• Visit the Titanic Belfast Experience, where you’ll Dive Into Culture and gain insights into the tragic story of the famous ship that met its end in the Atlantic.
• At the Titantic Distillery enjoy a whiskey tasting and learn how Ireland’s golden goodness is made.
• Then, join a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Northern Ireland’s trendy capital.
• Take the rest of the afternoon to explore at your leisure, perhaps enjoying a pint in Belfast’s oldest traditional pub or visit St. George’s Market for some shopping or consider joining a Local Specialist ‘Cabbie’ who will take you on a journey through the recent history of Belfast in their taxi.

Included Experience: Discover the story of the Titanic at the visitor attraction in Belfast, Titanic Distillery Whiskey Tasting, and Belfast City Tour

Optional Experience: Local Taxi Tour of Belfast / Enjoy Dinner and Drinks in Belfast

• Bid Ireland farewell as you board your ferry to Scotland.
• Follow the rugged Ayrshire coast past Ailsa Craig, then continue to Glasgow, where you’ll enjoy an orientation of a city that exudes edginess.
• Take to the streets on your own exploration and see George Square, Glasgow Cathedral and the Clyde River before finding a cozy pub to warm your heart with a little local whisky and a night on the toon.

Included Experience: Glasgow Orientation

Optional Experience: Glasgow City Evening / A Stirling Evening

• Sensational scenery follows your journey through the Scottish Highlands from Glasgow to Newtonmore.
• Loch Lomond sets the tone with views over the water to craggy Ben Lomond.
• Continue to Glencoe where the tragic 17th-century massacre of the MacDonalds turned the wild beauty of this valley into a ‘Glen of Weeping’.
• Then, on to Fort William, the self-proclaimed ‘Outdoor Capital of the UK’ before arriving in Loch Ness, where you’ll keep a keen eye out for the beloved monster that lurks beneath its surface.
• Tonight, you’ll enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Included Experience: Scenic Drive Through the Scottish Highlands, See Glencoe, and Fort William Visit

Optional Experience: Loch Lomond Boat Trip / A Day in the Life of Highlander

• Continue to the home of golfing gods, St. Andrews.
• You’ll view its famous 18th hole before continuing to Edinburgh, your home for the next two nights.
• Tickets to see the spectacular Edinburgh Tattoo are included on departures that coincide with performance dates.

Included Experience: Visit the University Town of St. Andrews

Optional Experience: Ceilidh Evening and Dinner at Ghillie Dhu / Pitlochry, Visit of Blair Castle

• Surrender to the charms of Edinburgh, one of the world’s most enchanting cities.
• Your Local Specialist will guide your sightseeing tour through its medieval Old Town to the elegant Georgian façades.
• See the Royal Mile and the Palace of Holyroodhouse before visiting Edinburgh Castle, perched atop Castle Rock.
• This afternoon, you’ll have some free time to explore on your own or get stuck into some last-minute souvenir shopping before joining your travel companions for a rousing Farewell Dinner to toast your memorable journey together.

Included Experience: Edinburgh City Tour

Optional Experience: Rosslyn Chapel

• Imbued with Gaelic spirit, your holiday has come to an end.
• Bid your new friends a fond farewell as you prepare for your return journey home.

Departure Transfer: Arrive at the airport at  07:00, 09:00