Taste of Scotland & Ireland

Your tour departs from your hotel at 2:00 PM on a panoramic tour of this city that flourished as a center of shipbuilding and trade in Victorian times and is now a thriving hub of culture. Drive around George Square with its ornate City Chambers. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, a splendid, Spanish Baroque-style building housing one of Europe’s finest art collections, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Titian, and Dali. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dinner. (D)

Travel alongside famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its beauty. Drive across haunting Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, admiring the wild and spectacular scenery. Continue through Fort William on to Fort Augustus. Embark on a cruise on Loch Ness before heading to Nairn. (B, D)

Visit Blair Athol Distillery, founded in 1798, to discover traditional whisky production and taste a sample. Travel to St Andrews, a town rich in medieval heritage and the home of golf; take a panoramic drive and have time to explore independently. Continue on to your elegant manor house hotel outside Edinburgh; three centuries old, it’s set on 1,000 acres of beautiful parkland. Explore and dine independently this evening. (B)

Explore the principal sights of central Edinburgh from the bustling Princes Street through the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town.” Walk along part of the Royal Mile where compact medieval houses reach several stories tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle perched high above the city on volcanic rock, home to the Scottish Crown Jewels. The rest of the day is free. Experience a lively Scottish evening with dinner and traditional entertainment. The July 29 – August 20 departures attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B, D*)

Depart Edinburgh and travel through Ayrshire and along the coast. Embark on a ferry ride to Belfast. Take a panoramic drive through Belfast, seeing the highlights of this fascinating city, where the Titanic was built in the once-bustling shipyards. Visit Titanic Belfast to explore the fascinating story of the doomed ship. Then travel to Dublin, where you will enjoy free time for dinner on your own. (B)

Explore Dublin on a panoramic tour with a local guide, discovering its history and viewing its elegant Georgian buildings, Trinity College, the River Liffey, and more. Visit Christ Church Cathedral, the spiritual heart of the city for more than 1,000 years. This evening, dine on a former Guinness barge as you cruise the Grand Canal, listening to traditional Irish music. (B, D)

Travel through the countryside to a traditional farm, where you’ll savor tea and homemade scones and watch sheepdogs display their skills at herding sheep. Head to Blarney Castle and climb the winding stairs to kiss its famous stone, or enjoy the gardens. Move on to the lively lakeside town of Killarney, where you’ll have dinner. Departures from March 28 to October 10 will then attend the Gaelic Roots Irish Dance & Music Show. (Sunday departures during those dates will attend on the next day.) (B, D)

Step back in time as a jaunting car drives you past Ross Castle on Lough Leane. Head to the scenic Gap of Dunloe to visit Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner. Embark on the Ring of Kerry – a winding route with breathtaking mountains and coastal views. Cross the bridge to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, which explains the life of early Christian hermits on Skellig Michael, a rocky offshore island featured in the film “Star Wars VII.” Enjoy lunch before a pause at Moll’s Gap for panoramic mountain views. Return to Killarney where the evening is free. (B, L)

Cross the Shannon River estuary by ferry on your way to visit the Cliffs of Moher. Take in the spectacular views from these awesome cliffs, soaring 700 feet above the Atlantic. Head on to your hotel, and then in the evening, you’ll visit a genuine castle for a medieval-style feast, complete with serenading lords and ladies. (B, D)

Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)  >