Itinerary Details
Day 1 Glasgow Highlights
Your tour departs at 2:00 PM from your Glasgow hotel. Set out on a panoramic tour
of this city that flourished as a center of shipbuilding and trade in Victorian times
and is now a thriving hub of culture. Drive around George Square with its ornate City
Chambers. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, a splendid, Spanish Baroquestyle building housing one of Europe’s finest art collections, including masterpieces
by Rembrandt, Titian, and Dali. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before
dinner. (D)
Day 2 Loch Lomond | Loch Ness Cruise
Travel alongside the famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its beauty. Drive across
the haunting Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, admiring the wild and
spectacular scenery. Continue through Fort William and on to Fort Augustus.
Embark on a short cruise on Loch Ness before heading to Nairn. (B, D)
Day 3 Whisky Tasting | St Andrews
Visit Blair Athol Distillery, founded in 1798, to discover traditional whisky
production and taste a sample. Travel to St Andrews, a town rich in medieval
heritage and the home of golf; take a panoramic drive and have time to explore
independently. Continue on to your elegant manor house hotel outside Edinburgh;
three centuries old, it’s set on 1,000 acres of beautiful parkland. Explore as you
wish and dine independently this evening. (B)
Day 4 Edinburgh Castle | City Tour | Scottish Evening*
Explore the principal sights of central Edinburgh from the bustling Princes Street
through the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town.” Walk
along part of the Royal Mile where compact medieval houses reach several stories
tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle perched high above the city on volcanic rock, home to
the Scottish Crown Jewels. The rest of the day is free. Experience a lively Scottish
evening with dinner and traditional entertainment. The July 30 – August 21
departures attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle
Esplanade. (B, D*)
Day 5 Ferry to Ireland | Titanic Belfast
Depart Edinburgh and travel through Ayrshire and along the coast. Embark on a
ferry ride to Belfast. Take a panoramic drive through Belfast, seeing the highlights
of this fascinating city, where the Titanic was built in the once-bustling shipyards.
Visit Titanic Belfast to explore the fascinating story of the doomed ship. Then travel
to Dublin, where you will enjoy free time for dinner on your own. (B)
Day 6 Dublin Sightseeing | Christ Church Cathedral | Canal Dinner Cruise
Explore Dublin on a panoramic tour with a local guide, discovering its history and
viewing its elegant Georgian buildings, Trinity College, the River Liffey, and more.
Visit Christ Church Cathedral, the spiritual heart of the city for more than 1,000
years. This evening, dine on a former Guinness barge as you cruise the Grand
Canal, listening to traditional Irish music. (B, D)
Day 7 Farmhouse Tea with Sheepdog Demonstration | Blarney Castle | Killarney
Travel through the countryside to a traditional farm, where you’ll savor tea and
homemade scones and watch sheepdogs display their skills at herding sheep. Head
to Blarney Castle and climb the winding stairs to kiss its famous stone, or enjoy the
gardens. Move on to the lively lakeside town of Killarney, where you’ll have dinner.
Departures from April 5 to October 18 will then attend the Gaelic Roots Irish Dance
& Music Show. (Please note: some Wednesday departures will stay in Tralee instead
of Killarney on Days 7 and 8). (B, D)
Day 8 Jaunting Car Ride | Ring of Kerry | Skellig Experience
Step back in time as a jaunting car drives you past Ross Castle on Lough Leane.
Head to the scenic Gap of Dunloe to visit Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping
partner. Embark on the Ring of Kerry drive – a winding route with breathtaking
sights of mountains and coastal views. Cross the bridge to Valentia Island to visit
the Skellig Experience, which explains the life of early Christian hermits on Skellig
Michael, a rocky offshore island featured in the film “Star Wars VII.” Enjoy a casual
lunch before a pause at Moll’s Gap for panoramic mountain views. Return to
Killarney where the evening is free. (B, L)
Day 9 Cliffs of Moher | Medieval Castle Banquet
Cross the Shannon River estuary by ferry on your way to visit the Cliffs of Moher. Take
in the spectacular views from these awesome cliffs, soaring 700 feet above the
Atlantic. Head on to your hotel, and then in the evening, you’ll visit a genuine castle
for a medieval-style feast, complete with serenading lords and ladies. (B, D)
Day 10 Tour Ends in Shannon
10-day tour ends in Shannon after breakfast. (B)