Authentic Local Experiences:
- Expect an unforgettable evening of music, ceremony, theatre and dance with reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 2 – 23 departures.
- Sample a “wee dram” as you explore whiskey making at Blair Athol Distillery.
Trip Highlights:
- Blarney Castle
- Cliffs of Moher
- Edinburgh Castle
- Inveraray Castle
- Isle of Skye
- Skellig Experience
- St Andrews
- Titanic Belfast
Dining Experiences:
- 12 Breakfasts (B), 2 Lunches (L) and 8 Dinners (D) including a festive Scottish evening in Edinburgh, a dinner and show at Dublin’s Merry Ploughboy Pub and a lively medieval castle banquet.
Hotels:
- Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor | Glasgow (1 night)
- Isles of Glencoe Hotel | Ballachulish (1 night)
- Muthu Newton Hotel | Nairn (1 night)
- Atholl Palace Hotel | Pitlochry (2 night)
- Macdonald Holyrood Hotel | Edinburgh (2 nights)
- Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge | Dublin (2 nights) *
- Killarney Towers Hotel | Killarney (2 nights)
- Bunratty Castle Hotel | Bunratty (1 night)
*Or alternate hotel of similar quality
2020 SCOTTISH &
IRISH DREAM – 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS / 22 MEALS
Day 1: Glasgow City
Tour
Tour begins at 2:30 PM at your Glasgow hotel. Set out on a tour of central
Glasgow’s highlights including red sandstone Victorian buildings, delightful
parks, Glasgow Cathedral, and the River Clyde, once important for shipbuilding.
Visit the extensive and varied art collections in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and
Museum. Join your group for a welcome drink at the hotel and enjoy a free
evening for independent dining and exploration.
Day 2: Loch Lomond Cruise & Inveraray Castle
Embark on a short cruise of Loch Lomond to appreciate the beauty of this famous
loch and admire panoramic views. Browse around the town of Inveraray and have
lunch on your own before taking a guided tour of Inveraray Castle, featured in
“Downton Abbey”. Journey across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, often
considered one of Scotland’s most spectacular and beautiful places. Continue to
Ballachulish on the shore of Loch Leven.
(B, D)
Day 3: Isle of Skye & Loch Ness
Travel on the scenic “Road to the Isles”, stopping for photos at the
Glenfinnan Monument. Ferry to the Isle of Skye to visit Armadale Castle, taking
some free time for lunch. Back on the mainland, travel along the shores of Loch
Ness. End the day at your hotel in Nairn, a lovely manor house set on spacious
grounds near the North Sea.
(B, D)
Day 4: Culloden Battlefield & Sheepdog Trials
A short distance from Nairn is the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre where
the British government forces defeated the army of Prince Charles Edward
Stuart, popularly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Walk around the moorland and
the visitor center. Continue through majestic Highland scenery to a local farm
for a demonstration of trained dogs herding sheep. Travel through the high
peaks of the Grampian Mountains to your gracious manor-style hotel near
Pitlochry.
(B, D)
Day 5: Blair Castle & Whisky Tasting
Visit Blair Castle, home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Delve into the
history of Mary, Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and how Queen
Victoria’s famous stay led to the creation of Europe’s only private army, the
Atholl Highlanders. Go behind the scenes at Blair Athol Distillery for a tour
and sample of the finished product. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the
gardens, hotel museum, or browsing around Pitlochry.
(B, D)
Day 6: Glamis Castle & St Andrews
Travel through lush countryside to visit Glamis Castle, the legendary setting
of “Macbeth” and childhood home of the late Queen Mother. This majestic
building is filled with priceless artifacts and furnishings. Head to St
Andrews, the “Home of Golf,” to see the famous Royal and Ancient Clubhouse and
the Old Course. Enjoy free time to browse around the medieval town. In
Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, enjoy a traditional Scottish evening with
dinner, haggis, bagpipes, kilts, and Highland dancing.
(B, D)
Day 7: Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
Explore Edinburgh to compare and contrast the wide streets and elegant mansions
of the Georgian 200-year-old “New Town” with the narrow lanes and medieval
townhouses along the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city. Tour the imposing
Edinburgh Castle with its splendid views of the city. The rest of the day is
free for independent exploring, shopping, and dining. August 2 – 23 departures
enjoy the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)
Day 8: Titanic Belfast & Dublin
Say farewell to your Scottish guide and embark on a ferry ride to Belfast with
lunch provided onboard. Visit Titanic Belfast, a state-of-the-art attraction
that will immerse you in the full story of the ill-fated ocean liner, built in
the nearby ship yards in 1912. Journey on to Dublin, where you’ll check into
your hotel and have the evening free to check out the local pubs and have
dinner on your own.
(B, L)
Day 9: Dublin & Merry Ploughboy Pub
Enjoy the morning exploring Dublin with the included Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour
vouchers. Your city tour starts at 2:00 PM from the hotel lobby with a local
guide for a panoramic tour of ancient and modern Dublin. Drive through the main
streets to see historic buildings such as Trinity College, rows of Georgian
houses with colorfully painted doorways and the new buildings around the
Financial Centre beside the River Liffey. Take a guided tour through parts of
Dublin Castle, which was the seat of power and government for many centuries
and today plays a leading role in European Union activities. Return to your
hotel for a welcome drink with your group. In the evening, head to the Merry
Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with popular
Irish songs and intricate step-dancing
(B, D)
Day 10: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the midlands of Ireland, which has many farms.
Stop for photos of the stately ruins of the Rock of Cashel, rising high above
the surrounding plain. Continue your drive south and, just a few miles outside
Cork, visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence. Drive
through Macroom, built around a fine old castle, and into County Kerry where
the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in Killarney, picturesquely set
beside lakes with Ireland’s highest mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, forming a
backdrop. Check in to your hotel and relax before dinner.
(B, D)
Day 11: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Embark on Ireland’s most popular 100-mile scenic drive – the Ring of Kerry.
This winding route reveals breathtaking views of Macgillycuddy’s Reeks as well
as the scenic coast of beaches and cliffs. There will be plenty of stops for photos
at the best vantage points. After a casual lunch in a cozy restaurant, you’ll
continue your scenic drive to Valentia Island where you’ll visit the Skellig
Experience. Learn about the island of Skellig Michael where early Christian
monks lived in austere conditions and how it was used as one of the locations
for the film “Star Wars VII.” Pause for a stroll around Sneem, with its
brightly painted houses, and at Moll’s Gap for panoramic views of Ireland’s
highest mountains and deep valleys. Get a taste of farm life with a
demonstration of a sheepdog herding flocks, a shearing demonstration
(seasonal), and see different breeds of sheep. Return to Killarney and enjoy a
free evening for independent dining or exploring the many pubs in the
town.
(B, L)
Day 12: Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet
Leave Killarney and drive north to Tarbert for a 20-minute ferry ride across
the wide River Shannon Estuary. Your tour continues along the coast of County
Clare to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone that reaches
almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Drive past Lahinch Golf Course, one
of Ireland’s most famous, to Bunratty. Check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, which
is near Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. In the evening, head out for a medieval-style
feast of excellent traditional dishes and wine. During and after the meal the
lords and ladies will serenade you with songs and harp music evocative of the
Middle Ages. (Please note that January departures may offer a different dining
experience.)
(B, D)
Day 13: Tour Ends inShannon
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
All components of this tour (hotels, visits and attractions) for 2020
itineraries are subject to change until finalized in September 2019.
