10 Day Taste of
Scotland & Ireland Tour Itinerary
Day 1 : Glasgow Highlights
Start
your trip at Glasgow Airport with a group transfer to your hotel, departing at
8:00 am, 10:00 am or 12:00 noon. If you arrive later than noon, you must
transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:30 pm set out on a coach tour to
discover the main attractions of Glasgow, a city that flourished in Victorian
times due to shipbuilding on the River Clyde. Drive around George Square with
its ornate City Chambers and nearby Glasgow Cathedral. Visit extensive
collections in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, originally opened in 1901.
Join your tour director and travel companions for a welcome drink before dinner.
(D)
Day 2 : Loch Lomond & Loch Ness Cruise
Depart Glasgow and travel alongside the famous
Loch Lomond, renowned in song for its unsurpassed beauty. Travel across the
haunting Rannoch Moor and through the deep valley of Glen Coe, notorious for the
Campbell massacre of the Clan Macdonald in 1692. Continue through Fort William
and stop at the Spean Bridge Woollen Mill, which offers a good selection of
quality Scottish goods. At Fort Augustus embark on a short cruise on Loch Ness
to keep an eye out for “Nessie.” Continue to Nairn where a Scottish Highland
evening will feature haggis and bagpipe music. (B, D)
Day 3 : Culloden Battlefield & Ghost
Tour
Visit the Culloden Visitor Centre to learn about the Battle
of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by the British army in
1746. Drive to Blair Athol Distillery in Pitlochry to see how whisky is
distilled and sample some. Continue south to Edinburgh and check in to your
hotel, a few miles from the city and set in lovely grounds with a golf course.
In the evening dine at a lively restaurant in Edinburgh. Then head off on a fun
walking tour to discover the haunts of Edinburgh's eccentric characters in the
narrow streets of the old city. (B, D)
Day 4 : Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
This morning an Edinburgh city guide will point
out the principal sights of this interesting capital city. Drive along the
bustling Princes Street and through the gracious, wide streets of the
200-year-old Georgian New Town. See the compact medieval section along the Royal
Mile where some houses reach 11 stories tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle, which
dominates the city and contains the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of
Scone. The balance of the day is free for further sightseeing, shopping and
dining. On July 31 to August 21 departures, seats are reserved for the Military
Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 5 : Titanic Belfast & Dublin
Depart Edinburgh early this morning and drive
south through Ayrshire and along the coast. At Cairnryan take a ferry ride to
Larne. Drive to Belfast for a panoramic city tour followed by a visit to the
newly-opened Titanic Belfast to learn about this famous liner through
state-of-the-art displays. Drive south to Dublin and check in to your deluxe
hotel, located in spacious grounds. The evening is at leisure for independent
dining. (B)
Day 6 : Dublin & Taylor's Three Rock
Tour central Dublin with a local guide to see
public buildings, lovely parks and rows of Georgian houses with brightly-painted
doorways. Walk through the campus of Trinity College to view the Book of Kells,
an illuminated manuscript of the gospels dating from the 8th century. Enjoy the
afternoon at leisure or take an independent open-top bus tour and visit Guinness
or Jameson. In the evening drive to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for a great dinner
of Irish specialties and a lively show of Irish songs and step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 7 : Blarney Castle & Killarney
Travel through the midlands of Ireland, stopping
for photos at the stately Rock of Cashel. Continue south to visit Blarney Castle
and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills
where you can find quality Irish-made goods. Drive into the mountainous
countryside of County Kerry to Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes and
mountains. Check in to your hotel and relax before dinner. Afterwards you may
like to explore some of Killarney's famous “singing pubs.” (B, D)
Day 8 : Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Today embark on the Ring of Kerry drive - a
winding route with breathtaking sights of mountains and coastal views. Meet a
local farmer for a taste of farm life with a sheepdog demonstration of herding
flocks. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig Experience which
describes the austere lives of early Christian monks on the nearby islands.
Drive through Waterville and stop in Sneem to admire brightly-painted houses.
Pause at Moll's Gap for stunning views before returning to Killarney in time to
relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 9 : Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle
Take a ferry ride across the River Shannon to
reach the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of limestone that reaches 700 feet
above the Atlantic Ocean. Check in to Bunratty Castle Hotel, close to Bunratty
Castle and Folk Park. If you wish, you may visit the Folk Park, have a drink in
the 200-year-old Durty Nelly's Pub or shop at the Bunratty Mills. In the evening
head to Bunratty Castle for a memorable medieval-style feast where the lords and
ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative of the Middle Ages.
(B, D)
Day 10 : Tour Ends Shannon Airport
Take a group transfer to nearby Shannon Airport
where your tour concludes at 10:30 am. (B)
B: Breakfast; D: Dinner