Itinerary – Ireland’s Emeralds

Day 1: Ireland – Dublin  Upon arrival to Dublin Airport, you are met by your driver and English-speaking guide and transferred to Dublin City. On arrival enjoy a Panoramic City Tour. You will pass the elegant Georgian squares, famous for its architecture and of course its famous doors. Pass by and later visit Trinity College, with the 8th century Book of Kells and the long room with its 200,000 books. Continue to St Patrick’s Cathedral. Built in 1192, it is one of Ireland’s largest Cathedrals made famous by its former dean Jonathan Swift, author of “Gulliver’s Travels.” You will see also Christchurch, built by the Anglo-Norman’s in 1172 to replace an earlier Church built by the Vikings in 1038, on your way to the Phoenix Park with its many monuments including the Papal cross. Return to the city center, passing by the Guinness brewery, and Collins Barrack,now part of the national museum, before arriving back into O’Connell Street and the city center. Visit Trinity College and enjoy a visit to Guinness Storehouse. In the evening enjoy a Welcome Drink and dinner at your hotel.

Day 2: Dublin – Clonmacnoise – Galway  Breakfast at your hotel. This morning depart for Galway. En route visit Clonmacnoise. In a stunning setting, the site includes the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches (10th -13th century), two round towers, three high crosses and the largest collection of early Christian graveslabs in Western Europe. On arrival in Galway enjoy a Panoramic City Tour. See the principal sights of the city. A drive around will take you to the large modern cathedral set on an island on the Rover Corrib. See the Spanish Arch in the Claddagh area, formerly a fishing village, the City Museum, National University of Galway and the Cathedral of Our Lady, which is built on the site of the former county jail. Continue to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 3: Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and Cruise After breakfast at your hotel, explore the famous Connemara region. Continue to Kylemore Abbey, located in the Kylemore Pass in Connemara. Next you will enjoy a cruise through Killary fjord. Ireland’s only fjord at Killary Harbour in Connemara boasts some of the finest scenery in the West of Ireland with the Connemara mountains to the south and the Mweelrea mountains to the north in Country Mayo. Return to your hotel in Galway city, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Galway.

Day 4: Cliffs of Moher & Killarney Breakfast at your hotel. This morning you will depart for Killarney. You will first travel through the Burren region, which contains dozens of megalithic tombs and Celtic crosses as well as a ruined Cistercian Abbey dating back to the 12th century. You will discover small villages abandoned during the famine period and green roads on which you can walk for miles without ever seeing a car. The Burren is truly an exceptional part of Ireland. Continue to the coast and visit the Cliffs of Moher. Standing 230 metres above the ground at their highest point and 8km long, the Cliffs boast one of the most amazing views in Ireland. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay as well as the valleys and hills of Connemara. Next you will cross the Shannon Estuary via the Shannon Car Ferry. On arrival in Killarney enjoy a Jaunting Car Ride to discover areas of the National Park that you might not otherwise visit through the magnificent scenery of Killarney National Park. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Killarney.

Day 5: Dingle Peninsula  Breakfast at your hotel. Today enjoy a full day touring of the Dingle Peninsula. This peninsula is famous for its Celtic, pre-Christian monuments and Christian churches. It is also a ‘Gaeltacht’ (Irish speaking) area, where the Irish language and traditional ways of life are preserved. Dingle town itself is a thriving fishing town and offers plenty of opportunity for shopping or simply savouring the atmosphere of a typical country Irish town with its plentiful pubs, narrow streets and busy harbour. From Dingle, drive around the coast to Slea Head. Here the blue of the marine landscape surrounds the Blaskets Islands, deserted since 1953. While in Dingle visit the Dingle Brewing Company to learn about the brewery’s rich and varied past before sampling a pint of this local lager. Return to Killarney and visit Muckross House and Gardens, a magnificent Victorian mansion built in 1843 and one of Ireland’s leading stately homes. Enjoy dinner on your own and overnight at your hotel in Killarney.

Day 6: Killarney – Waterford  Breakfast at your hotel. This morning you will depart for Waterford with a stop at Blarney Castle. Built in 1446, Blarney Castle is famous for its Blarney stone, The Stone of Eloquence, which is traditionally believed, to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. Continue on to Cobh and enjoy a walking tour of the Titanic Trail with a visit to the Cobh Heritage Centre. See all the real buildings, streets and piers where Titanic passengers embarked. An engrossing historical walk through Cobh exploring its fascinating diversity of military, maritime and social heritage. Continue to Waterford via Dungarven. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Waterford.

Day 7: Waterford – Dublin  Breakfast at your hotel. This morning visit Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre. A unique highlight of a visit is the factory tour which gives an up close insight into the centuries-old tradition of Waterford Crystal making. After the tour visitors can browse the world’s most famous crystal in a lavish retail store, which houses the largest collection of Waterford Crystal found anywhere in the world. Continue on to Kilkenny, often referred to as “the Marble City”. Visit Kilkenny Castle, which has been remodeled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands which was the principal seat of the Butler family, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde. This evening enjoy dinner and entertainment with a rip roaring evening of traditional Irish song and dance accompanied by a great selection of quality Irish food to delight your palate. Overnight at your hotel in Dublin.

Day 8: Dublin – Departure  After breakfast at your hotel, you are transferred to the airport to board your return flight home.