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Tour Highlights

Authentic Local Experiences:

Enjoy reserved seats for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 9 – 25 departures.

Step aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and go behind the scenes of the Queen’s former floating home.

Hear traditional Irish music in one of Ireland’s oldest pubs – Crosskey’s Inn in Antrim. This stone cottage, with a thatched roof and turf fires, was built in 1740.

 

The Scots Irish Tour - 15 Days/ 14 Nights / 26 Meals

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

 

Day 1 Edinburgh & Royal Yacht Britannia

Tour begins 2:00 PM at your Edinburgh hotel. Tour the Royal Yacht Britannia, the former floating home of the Queen on many of her travels. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dining independently.

Day 2 Edinburgh Castle & City Tour

See the highlights of central Edinburgh including the bustling Princes Street and the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town.” Walk along part of the Royal Mile and visit Edinburgh Castle to see the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone. The remainder of the day is free to relax or explore. Enjoy a Scottish evening with dining and a lively show with bagpipes, kilts and Highland dancing. The August 9-25 departures attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade, with their Scottish evening dinner on Day 1. (B, D)

Day 3 Blair Castle & Highlands

Enjoy a tour of Blair Athol Distillery to see whisky production and sample a dram. In Pitlochry, spend some free time exploring and have lunch independently. Head through the scenic countryside of Perthshire to visit Blair Castle. Continue through majestic Highland scenery to Inverness (Sunday departures) or Nairn (Tuesday departures). (B, D)

Day 4 Isle of Skye & Armadale Castle

 

Travel alongside Loch Ness and through the Highlands, pausing for photos at the picturesque Eilean Donan Castle. Cross to the Isle of Skye by bridge and visit Armadale Castle. Return to the mainland by ferry (weather dependent) and take the “Road to the Isles” through some majestic Highland scenery, stopping for photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. (B, D)

Day 5 Glencoe & Rabbie Burns

Enjoy views of the magnificent Highlands as you travel through Glencoe and along the shore of Loch Lomond. Stop in Alloway to visit the poet Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Embark on a short ferry ride to Belfast. (B, D)

Day 6 Titanic Belfast & Crosskeys Inn

 

At Titanic Belfast, delve into the history of the famous liner. Walk with a local guide to see the imposing City Hall in Donegall Square and Victorian buildings, including the Opera House and the Crown Liquor Saloon. Your afternoon is free to explore. In the evening, visit Crosskeys Inn for dinner and entertainment. (B, D)

Day 7 Giant’s Causeway & Derry’s Walls

Enjoy the scenic route of the Nine Glens of Antrim, known for views of mountains, valleys, and coastline. Discover the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns, and pause for photos at the Dunluce Castle ruins. Head to Derry for a walking tour with a local guide to see the 17th- century city walls and the Diamond, the main central square. (B, D)

Day 8 Glenveagh National Park & Kilronan Castle

Visit Glenveagh National Park where Captain Adair built Glenveagh Castle in 1870. Enjoy a guided tour and stroll the extensive gardens. Spend free time in Donegal and have lunch independently, then head to Belleek Pottery to watch skilled craftspeople create delicate, highly decorative pieces. Travel to the luxurious Kilronan Castle with time to relax before dinner in the castle’s fine restaurant. (B, D)

Day 9 Arigna Mining & Carrick on Shannon

Visit the Arigna Mining Centre to experience what life was like for a coal miner in the Arigna Valley. Then enjoy some free time in the historic town of Carrick-on-Shannon, situated on the River Shannon. Return to the charming town of Ballyfarnon and relax in your castle hotel before dinner. (B, D)

Day 10 Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet

Head to Galway and join a local guide for a gentle walking tour. See the narrow streets, the medieval city walls, and Lynch’s Castle. Travel through the Burren, an area of limestone hills that supports a wide range of flora. View the Cliffs of Moher, soaring high above the Atlantic. In the evening, head out to a castle for a medieval-style banquet. (B, D)

Day 11 Dingle Peninsula & Killarney

Take a ferry across the River Shannon Estuary to discover the Dingle Peninsula. Enjoy the views from Slea Head at the westernmost tip. Stop in Dingle to explore and sip an Irish coffee at the South Pole Inn. Head to Killarney, a town settled beside three lakes in the shadow of Ireland’s highest mountains. (B, D)

Day 12 Ring of Kerry & Jaunting Car Ride

Enjoy a horse-drawn jaunting car ride to Ross Castle for views of Lough Leane, Killarney’s largest lake. Travel along part of the Ring of Kerry for breathtaking vistas of mountains, cliffs, and beaches. Head to Kenmare for lunch. Visit a traditional farm and see a demonstration of dogs herding sheep. Return to Killarney for a free evening. (B, L)

Day 13 Blarney Castle & Dublin

Visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous stone or stroll through the gardens. Travel through the rich dairy country of Cork and Tipperary, past the gentle slopes of the Galtee Mountains. Arrive in Dublin and enjoy a festive dinner at the Abbey Tavern followed by traditional entertainment. (B, D)

Day 14 Independent Dublin Sightseeing

Explore Dublin at your own pace with an independent Dublin open-top bus tour and a visit to one of Dublin’s top attractions -- Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, or GPO Witness History. (B)

Day 15 Tour Ends in Dublin

Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)

 

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