9 Day Itinerary Including Airfare from
USA
Day 1 - Mon: Depart
for Shannon
Board your overnight flight
Day 2
- Tue: Shannon & Leisure Time
Arrive in Shannon Airport and
go to the CIE Tours desk to arrange a hotel transfer between 7:00 am and 12:00
noon. If your flight arrives later you will need to transfer at your own
expense. Check into your hotel near Bunratty Castle and dine in your hotel. (D)
Day 3 - Wed: Bunratty Village
& Cliffs of Moher
Enjoy a free morning in Bunratty. There
are interesting activities within easy walking distance of your hotel - Bunratty
Folk Park with its picturesque cottages; Durty Nelly's Pub is a great place for
a drink or lunch; and the Bunratty Woollen Mills has a variety of shops and a
snack bar. Meet your driver/guide and group at 12:30 pm in your hotel lobby.
Drive to the coast to view the Cliffs of Moher, an impressive wall of rock that
rises 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Continue through the hilly Burren
region to Galway to see the main places of interest and browse around the city
center. (B, D)
Day 4 - Thu: "Quiet Man" Walking Tour &
Kylemore Abbey
Drive to the village of Cong where "The Quiet
Man" movie was made in 1952. A guided walk will show you places that featured in
the production. Drive through Connemara for sweeping views of misty mountains
and shimmering lakes. Stop briefly at Kylemore Abbey, a 19th century neo-Gothic
mansion. Continue to Clifden, a delightful market town set between the Twelve
Bens and sandy bays. In Moycullen watch skilled craftsmen cutting fine crystal
at the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory. (B, D)
Day 5 - Fri: Yeats' Grave & Belleek China
Travel through County Mayo to Knock Shrine, a popular place of
pilgrimage and on to County Sligo to pause in Drumcliffe Churchyard at the grave
of the writer, W. B. Yeats. Follow the shoreline of Donegal Bay to visit the
Belleek Pottery Factory where craftspeople mold, shape and decorate clay,
creating the world-famous fine china. Continue your drive through the majestic
Barnesmore Gap to Derry. Enjoy free time to relax or take a walk before dinner.
(B, D)
Day 6 - Sat : Derry Walk
& Giant's Causeway
This morning join a local guide for a
walking tour around the ancient city, which will include the Guildhall, St.
Columb's Cathedral, the Diamond and 16th century city walls and visit the
award-winning Tower Museum. Drive along the north coast, stopping for photos at
the ruined Dunluce Castle and explore the Giant's Causeway, huge hexagonal
basalt columns formed over 60 million years ago. The oversized rocks have given
rise to many legends. Return to Derry for leisure time before dinner in your
hotel. (B, D)
Day 7 - Sun: Ulster American Folk Park &
Cabra Castle Stay
Drive past the Sperrin Mountains to visit the
Ulster American Folk Park. See many cottages including the boyhood home of
Thomas Mellon, who emigrated to Pittsburgh in 1818 and founded the Mellon Bank.
The Park traces the story of Ulster emigrants and shows rural lifestyles in both
Ireland and Colonial America. Travel south to Kingscourt to your castle hotel,
built in 1760. Arrive mid-afternoon so you may relax and enjoy the facilities,
including the 9-hole golf course. After dinner in the Court Restaurant, enjoy
youthful dancers display intricate Irish step-dancing. (B,
D)
Day 8 - Mon: Dublin at Leisure
& Open-Top Bus
After a leisurely breakfast, drive to a
different Dublin hotel, this time overlooking the River Liffey. You will have
most of the day at leisure so you may take an open-top bus tour and stop off at
various attractions throughout the city center. Also visit Guinness or Jameson,
for a tour of their facilities to see how their products are made and enjoy a
drink at the end of your tour. (B)
Day 9 - Tue: Depart from Dublin
Airport
Your hotel offers a shuttle service to Dublin Airport
every two hours starting at 7:20 am. So choose a suitable transfer time to
arrive at the airport to check in for your flight. If you need an earlier
transfer, your tour escort will arrange one for you. Then you'll have an
opportunity to shop at the duty-free stores before boarding your flight for the
journey home. (B)