2020 IRISH ESCAPE 7 DAYS GLB7IE

Escape to the lush landscapes, charming cities, and friendly people of Ireland during the low season so you can experience it all without the crowds and, most importantly, without the high-season prices. This Ireland tour is an ideal introduction to the Emerald Isle for first-time visitors who have limited time. You’ll relish in some of Ireland’s most magnificent scenery as well as its most famous towns. You’ll start and end in Dublin, and you’ll also have overnights in Ennis, Killarney, and Waterford. Highlights of this tour include the 668-foot Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s west coast, where you’ll savor breathtaking views of these sheer cliffs dropping into the ocean, and the Ring of Kerry, a 100-mile panoramic drive through rugged and awe-inspiring landscapes. Words cannot capture the magnificence of this natural beauty; it must be witnessed in person!

You’ll also have time to enjoy bustling Dublin, the “Fair City,” Adare with its pretty thatched cottages; medieval Waterford, home to the famous crystal; and Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s prettiest and liveliest towns. From the scenic beauty to the unique interactions and experiences with the down-to-earth locals, this Ireland tour is sure to delight all of your senses, and at a price you just can’t miss!

 MEALS

Full Irish breakfast daily; 2 three-course dinners with wine and choice of menus including a welcome dinner in Dublin

 ITINERARY

Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.

DAY 1 ARRIVE IN DUBLIN, IRELAND

Céad míle fáilte! A hundred-thousand welcomes! Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax in Ireland’s capital city. This evening, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Dinner

DAY 2 DUBLIN

The morning’s orientation drive in the “Fair City” includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares with their tall red brick townhouses, colorful doors and wrought iron-decorated windows, Oscar Wilde’s Trinity College, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The afternoon is at leisure for you to explore the city further, or you could join an optional excursion to the Guinness Storehouse and learn all about the world-famous beer: from how Guinness is made to the ancient craft of barrel-making in the cooperage. The evening ends with a sample of “The Black Stuff,” followed by dinner.

 Breakfast

DAY 3 DUBLIN–GALWAY–CLIFFS OF MOHER–ENNIS

Your day begins with a drive to Galway, a popular seaside destination and a buzzing cosmopolitan center with colorful shops and a busy café and bar culture. Then, a scenic route takes you across the limestone plateau of The Burren with its strange and beautiful karst landscape to the 668-foot CLIFFS OF MOHER, where you savor the breathtaking panorama of the Clare coast.

 Breakfast

DAY 4 ENNIS–RING OF KERRY–KILLARNEY

A day full of splendid scenery as you head south and stop at quaint Adare with its pretty thatched cottages. Continue on to Killorglin on Dingle Bay to join the famed RING OF KERRY for a 100-mile panoramic drive around the island’s southwestern tip. There is plenty to focus your camera on here: sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with brightly colored farmhouses, winding lanes bordered with subtropical vegetation, and the breathtaking panorama of the Lakes of Killarney from Ladies View. Travel on to the popular resort of Killarney for an overnight stay.

 Breakfast

DAY 5 KILLARNEY–BLARNEY–WATERFORD

Across the Kerry Mountains and through County Cork, the route brings you to Blarney, renowned for its magical Kissing Stone. There is time here for lunch, to walk up to the castle, and to shop for traditional Irish handicrafts. In the afternoon, proceed via Cork to Waterford, a stronghold founded by the Danish Vikings, and home to the famous crystal. After dinner this evening, enjoy an  IRISH COFFEE DEMONSTRATION.

 Breakfast

Dinner

DAY 6 WATERFORD–KILKENNY–DUBLIN

Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s prettiest towns with medieval cobblestone streets and Old-World charm, is your first destination today. You will have time to discover the town on your own, visit the castle or the Design Centre or simply wander through the charming streets and be part of the Irish day-to-day life. Then, travel back to Dublin, and tonight, as a fitting farewell to Ireland, consider an optional evening with dinner, followed by dance, song, and laughter.

 Breakfast

DAY 7 DUBLIN

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

 Breakfast

DATES AND TIMES TBA