All Around Ireland

We depart with Air Canada for Dublin (a non-stop flight from Toronto).

We arrive and transfer to Dublin city center to visit the Book of Kells, with some time at leisure in Dublin before checking into our hotel. Tonight, get to know your fellow travellers at our Welcome Dinner.

On our morning city tour we see the 18th century Georgian squares and houses, the 12th century St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Leinster House (the Irish parliament), as well as Trinity College. Tonight enjoy a rousing evening of Irish food and entertainment at an Irish cabaret.

Our first stop is at the Rock of Cashel, set in a cluster of medieval buildings on top of a limestone hill, overlooking the Golden Vale. Enjoy a lunch at a local pub with good food and music. Then we proceed to Waterford and enjoy a walking tour to end the day with.

Our morning starts with a visit to the factory Waterford Crystal. We then travel to County Cork, stopping en route for a tour of the town of Cobh, Titanic’s last port of call in 1912. We visit the Cobh Heritage Centre, a portside display depicting the exodus of the potato famine victims to America in the 19th century. We continue to Blarney, site of Blarney Castle and your chance to kiss the Blarney Stone, said to give you the “gift of the gab”.

We head west for the quaint town of Killarney. This afternoon we take a jaunting car ride to the lakes, and visit Muckross House, a 19th century Irish estate. This evening we enjoy dinner and traditional music and dance in a quaint local pub.

A day of splendid scenery as we tour the famous Ring of Kerry. We pass Daniel O'Connell's Cahirsiveen, the fishing village of Waterville, Molls Gap in the heart of the Black Mountains. and many more sites that make the Ring of Kerry one of Ireland’s most beloved attractions. This evening we enjoy “Celtic Steps”—a grand performance of Irish culture.

Following the coast, we drive through many picturesque villages, until we reach the ferry port to cross from County Kerry to County Clare and The Burren. We continue the drive up the coast to the Cliffs of Moher, rising 700 feet above the sea and displaying a magnificent, lush landscape. We continue through the beautiful countryside to Galway, a charming old town of narrow streets and stone houses. We will visit Galway before our dinner at the hotel.

This morning we visit a working farm for a sheepdog demonstration, before continuing our journey through the beauty of Connemara National Park and the rugged mountain ranges of Twelve Pins. We stop at Kylemore Abbey, with its dramatic setting overlooking Kylemore Lough (now a convent for Benedictine nuns). We overnight in Westport, a picturesque Georgian town with tree-lined walkways.

We head to the town of Drumcliff, but first we stop for a cruise on Lough Gill and visit the Parke’s Castle. We then enter Northern Ireland and visit the Belleek Pottery Factory, known for its exquisite cream-coloured china. Our next two nights are in Donegal County.

Today we spend a full day enjoying the breathtaking views, scenic walks and fresh Irish air on our tour of Glenveagh National Park, in the Derryveah Mountains. Also included is a guided tour of Glenveagh Castle and its beautiful Victorian Gardens. In the afternoon we’ll stop at The Crolly Distillery for a taste of their famous Irish Whiskey.

On our guided tour of Derry we’ll learn about this fascinating city’s controversial history, depicted on many houses in the form of striking murals. We’ll visit the old city walls for panoramic views of the city and countryside, and then drive to Antrim’s north coast and the amazing Giant’s Causeway. These vast outcroppings were formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. We’ll view this wonder from a cliff top and allow time for those who wish to climb them. We then drive through Antrim’s lovely glens and coastal villages to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.

Belfast is a beautiful city of imposing Victorian architecture set within picturesque hills. On our guided tour we see the City Hall with its copper-domed roof, the Grand Opera House, and the Parliament Buildings set amid beautiful parklands. This afternoon we visit the Titanic Museum, which features special effects, original drawings, full-scale constructions, and interactive elements to explore the moving Titanic story. The rest of the day is at leisure.

We journey through the outstanding natural beauty of the Ring of Gullion, first stopping for a visit at the Royal Hillsborough Castle. In the afternoon we’ll travel down the coast to North Dublin, for our Farewell Dinner and overnight.

Please note: Excursions that involve a ferry trip are subject to weather conditions. If a sailing is cancelled by the boat/ferry company, a suitable alternative will be provided.