14 Days Iconic Ireland and Scotland Tour

IRELAND AND SCOTLAND

The two-week duration of our Ireland and Scotland Tours allows enough time to absorb the richness of both the Irish and Scottish cultures at a pace which is comfortable for all. From the historic skyline of Edinburgh to the craggy inlets of Kerry’s shores, uncover all that Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland have to offer on this 14-Day Gaelic adventure.

Day By Day

Become immersed in Celtic culture throughout this two week tour of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. The Iconic Ireland & Scotland Tour awaits. Click on the days below to find out what adventures await you on each day of your tour.

Day 1 ITINERARY
On arrival in Edinburgh Airport reclaim your baggage and enter the Arrivals Hall. Here you will meet your professional Tour Director (1 Person). There will be 3 Group transfers this morning between 0700 am & 1200 noon. Board your luxury air-conditioned coach with WI-FI onboard and transfer to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Edinburgh City.
This afternoon you might like to take a stroll on the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland’s Capital famous for its wonderful museums and galleries. At 1900 this evening all participants will gather for dinner in the hotel restaurant where you will become acquainted with your fellow travellers, the coming days can be discussed at leisure with your Tour Director. Overnight DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Edinburgh City.
INCLUDED TODAY
Welcome Dinner
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Edinburgh

Day 2 ITINERARY
After a hearty Scottish breakfast depart on a panoramic tour of Edinburgh City with a local Edinburgh Step on Guide. Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse known as the official Scottish residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Adjacent to the palace is Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat- a volcano that has been extinct for millions of years.
See the modern building of the Scottish Parliament which was opened in 2004 after decades of Scottish calls for self determination. Afternoon visit to Edinburgh Castle dating from the 12th century that has been a fortress, royal palace and a prison through its turbulent past. It houses the oldest crown jewels of Britain- The Honours of Scotland.
Enjoy afternoon free as you explore the Royal Mile, the main thoroughfare of medieval Edinburgh. Overnight and Dine in DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Edinburgh City.
For guests staying in Edinburgh on the 16th of August, we have include a ticket to the world famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
INCLUDED TODAY
Edinburgh City Tour
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Edinburgh Castle
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Edinburgh

(B/D)

Day 3 ITINERARY
Depart for the picturesque town of Pitlochry nestled amongst the stunning forested hills of Highland Perthshire. Travel on via the village of Culross (stop), famous as the film set of The Outlander. Continue onto Scotland’s oldest university town of St. Andrews. Also referred to as the Home of Golf, the Old Course at St Andrews Links is the oldest golf course in the world. Enjoy some free time walking its historic cobbled alleyways.
Continue onto the beautiful burgh of Pitlochry lying on the River Tummel via Perth. Afternoon visit to The Blair Athol Whisky Distillery – the home of single malted Bell’s whisky and one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Here you will enjoy a tour of whisky making.
Travel onto the historic Atholl Palace Hotel for your overnight stay.
Evening free on the extensive grounds of the hotel. Dinner this evening will be served at the Atholl Palace Hotel restaurant with stunning views over the Tummel Valley.
INCLUDED TODAY
The Blair Athol Whisky Distillery
Atholl Palace Hotel

(B/D)

Day 4 ITINERARY
Depart for the Scottish Highlands via Cairngorms National Park and Aviemore.
Visit The Capital of The Highlands- Inverness. Travel along the western shores of Loch Ness to Fort Augustus via the scenic Great Glen.
Enjoy a leisurely cruise on Loch Ness and experience the sights, wildlife and history of the famous loch from the water.
Return to Pitlochry via the rugged terrains of Spean Bridge and Dalwhinnie and the backdrop of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain.
Overnight and dine at The Atholl Palace Hotel
INCLUDED TODAY
Cruise on Loch Ness
Athol Palace Hotel

(B/D)

Day 5 ITINERARY
Depart for the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond via the dramatic Glencoe Valley.
Travel via the market town of Crieff to Glencoe. Take in the views of the majestic Three Sisters Mountains and continue on via Connell and Tyndrum to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
The area is renowned for its natural beauty, history and tranquillity. Stop in the village of Luss before continuing onto MacDonalds Forest Hills Hotel in Aberfoyle.
Overnight at MacDonalds Forest Hills Hotel. Tonight, enjoy dinner and traditional Scottish entertainment in your hotel.
INCLUDED TODAY
MacDonalds Forest Hills Hotel

(B/D)

Day 6 ITINERARY
Depart for Glasgow. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Glasgow’s famous Cathedral Quarter with a local Glasgow Step on Guide. With its pre-industrial roots, Glasgow is now a modern and vibrant city. The great inventors James Watt and Charles Macintosh were born here to name a few.
Visit Glasgow Cathedral – a rare example of an almost complete 13th-century church.
Continue onto visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum – one of Europe’s great art collections. The collection includes Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John on the Cross and works by Monet, Gauguin, Renoir and Rembrandt.
Continue onto Cairnryan.
15:30 Wave goodbye to Scotland as you board the ferry at Cairnryan for Belfast, Northern Ireland.
17:45 Arrive in Belfast Port. Continue on to Belfast City.
Overnight and dine in Europa Hotel.
Guests who start their tour on the 30th of May and the 6th of June will overnight and dine in The Grand Central Hotel.
Both of these hotels are located in the same area of Belfast City.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Glasgow City Tour
Glasgow Cathedral
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Europa Hotel or The Grand Central Hotel

(B/D)

Day 7 ITINERARY
Morning Guided tour of Belfast with local Belfast City Guide. Hear all about the history of this once troubled city and see the murals of the Loyalist Shankill Road & Nationalist Falls Road. Belfast was the only city in Ireland to experience the full force of the Industrial Revolution.
The Troubles took their toll on the economic life of Belfast but the past ten years of peace have returned much prosperity while the genuine friendliness of the city never left.
Depart for Donegal via the spectacular North Antrim Coast. Visit Giant’s Causeway, the subject of many legends and where an estimated 37,000 basalt columns extend from cliffs down into the sea.
Continue onto Donegal. Dinner & Overnight in Lough Eske Castle
INCLUDED TODAY:
Belfast City Tour
Giant’s Causeway
Lough Eske Castle

(B/D)

Day 8 ITINERARY
Depart for Galway via Fermanagh and Sligo Visit Belleek Pottery, one of the oldest potteries in the world since 1857.
Continue on via Drumcliffe in Sligo where you can read the epitaph on grave of WB. Yeats.
Continue onto Galway.
Tonight, you will dine in the Menlo Park Hotel. Overnight in Menlo Park Hotel.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Belleek Pottery
Drumcliffe
Menlo Park Hotel

(B/D)

Day 9 ITINERARY
Today you will tour the sights of wild Connemara via the villages of Oughterard, Maam Cross and Recess before travelling up the spectacular Inagh Valley to Kylemore.
You will visit Kylemore Abbey, which is nestled at the base of Duchruach Mountain on the northern shore of Lough Pollacappul, in the heart of the Connemara Mountains. It is regarded as one of Ireland’s most romantic buildings.
Continue on via Letterfrack to Clifden Free time in Clifden, the capital of Connemara which was founded in 1812 by the High Sheriff of Galway to create a pocket of respectability within the lawlessness of Connemara.
Return east to Galway City.
Tonight you will dine in the Menlo Park Hotel. Overnight in Menlo Park Hotel.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Kylemore Abbey (See website)
Menlo Park Hotel

(B/D)

Day 10 ITINERARY
This morning bright and early your route will take you down the Atlantic seaboard on the west coast of Clare to Killarney.
Travel via the famous Galway Bay, Dunguaire Castle and the fishing village of Kinvarra You will see the Burren, which is Gaelic for rocky land – an apt name for this vast limestone plateau. In the 1640’s, Cromwell’s surveyor described it as “a savage land, yielding neither water enough to drown a man, nor tree to hang him, nor soil enough to bury”.
On the coast you will stand on the dramatic 650ft high and 8-kilometre long Cliffs of Moher, a Wild Atlantic Way signature discovery point, to gaze out on the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.
Continue on via County Limerick to Killarney.
Tonight, you will dine in Dromhall Hotel. Overnight in Dromhall Hotel.
Guests who start their tour on the 6th of June will overnight and dine in Randles Hotel. Guests who start their tour on the 15th of August will overnight and dine in The Brehon Hotel.
All of these hotels are located on the same road in Killarney.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Cliffs of Moher
Dromhall Hotel or Randles Hotel or The Brehon Hotel

(B/D)

Day 11 ITINERARY
This morning after breakfast you will set off on the world-famous Ring of Kerry (Iveragh Peninsula) via Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Coomakesta Pass with it magnificent views over Derrynane, home of Daniel O’ Connell, known as “The Liberator”, to Caherdaniel.
Visit a mountain sheep-farm for a sheepdog demonstration.
Today you will have a pub lunch in The Blind Piper Pub in the village of Caherdaniel. Locals and visitors alike have been drinking here since 1865. Who is the Blind Piper?? The Blind Piper is Mici Cumba O’Sullivan who was born nearby in 1835 and became one of Ireland’s most famous pipers.
Continue via the pretty village of Sneem, Moll’s Gap, Ladies View and along the Lakes of Killarney to Killarney town.
Tonight, you will overnight & dine in the family owned Dromhall Hotel.
Guests who start their tour on the 6th of June will overnight and dine in Randles Hotel. Guests who start their tour on the 15th of August will overnight and dine in The Brehon Hotel.
All of these hotels are located on the same road in Killarney.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Mountain Sheepfarm
Dromhall Hotel or Randles Hotel or The Brehon Hotel

(B/L/D)

Day 12 ITINERARY
This morning after breakfast you will depart for Dublin, Ireland’s capital city via the village of Blarney. Visit Blarney Castle built in 1446 by Dermot McCarthy and here you will have the opportunity to kiss the legendary Blarney Stone.
You will have an opportunity for shopping at Blarney Woolen Mills where one of the largest selections of Irish arts, crafts & produce can be seen on display. Rising out dramatically from the plains of Tipperary you will visit the Rock of Cashel. This was the seat of kings and mediaeval bishops for 900 years and flourished until the early 17th century. Brian Ború was crowned King of Munster here in 977 and he became High King of Ireland in 1002. Continue on to Portmarnock village overlooking the Irish Sea.
Overnight in the Portmarnock Hotel. Dinner tonight will be in the hotel restaurant.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Blarney Castle
Rock of Cashel
Portmarnock Hotel

(B/D)

Day 13 ITINERARY
After breakfast this morning you will explore Dublin City visiting:
Trinity College founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I on the site of an Augustinian monastery. Trinity College is also home to the Book of Kells, which is the most richly decorated of Ireland’’’s medieval illuminated manuscripts. The book contains the four gospels in Latin. Some of the dyes used were imported from as far as the Middle East.
Christ Church Cathedral founded by the Viking King Sitric almost 1000 years ago in 1034. The cathedral crypt is one of the largest in the UK and Ireland, dating back to the 12th Century. Here in the crypt you can see the Mummified remains of the Cat and the Rat which were found in the cathedral organ and a rare 14th century copy of the Magna Carta. You will also have a unique opportunity to visit the Belfry and ring the Cathedral bells *** Please note: Getting to the Belfry in Christ Church Cathedral involves climbing 86 stone steps in a medieval building and crossing the roof at the South transept – quite the experience!)
Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate for a tour of the world-famous brewery and afterwards enjoy a perfect complimentary pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar, which is located at the top of a glass tower that commands spectacular views of Dublin City & County in every direction.
Farewell dinner and entertainment tonight will be in The Merry Ploughboy Pub, one of Dublin’s iconic traditional venues, where you will enjoy dinner and an evening of Irish music, song and dance.
Overnight in Portmarnock Hotel.
INCLUDED TODAY:
Show Trinty College
Christ Church Cathedral
Guinness Storehouse
Portmarnock Hotel

(B/D)

Day 14 DEPARTURE
Today marks the end of the 14 Day Iconic Tour of Ireland & Scotland.
After a final great Irish breakfast this morning there will be 3 group transfers between 0500 and 1100 for you to choose from to get you to Dublin Airport for your return flight home.

(B)