Your Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Flight to Dublin
Board your overnight flight to Dublin. Relax with inflight entertainment and meal service as you cross the Atlantic.

Day 2: Book of Kells & Guinness
Arrive in Dublin Airport, complete immigration formalities and pick up your luggage. Go to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall to arrange a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:00 pm tour Dublin’s city center with a local guide to see the stately public buildings, gracious Georgian townhouses and parks. Visit Trinity College to view the magnificently illuminated manuscript of the 8th century Book of Kells and a presentation on its creation. Finish your tour at the Guinness Storehouse to see how this famous black brew is created and sample a creamy pint in the rooftop bar overlooking Dublin. This evening meet your fellow travelers over a welcome drink and dine independently.

Day 3: Birr Castle Gardens & Galway Bay
Leave Dublin and drive west through the center of Ireland to the heritage town of Birr. Visit the 100-acre gardens of Birr Castle, which have over 1,000 species of shrubs and trees set out in various styles of gardens. Also see the great telescope which was built in 1845 by the third Earl of Rosse and was the largest in the world for over 75 years. Arrive in Galway and see the principal points of interest before checking into your hotel overlooking Galway Bay. The afternoon is free for independent activities. (B, D)

Day 4: Connemara & "Quiet Man" Tour
Travel through the Connemara region renowned for its open landscape with constantly-changing skies and colors. Drive along Galway Bay and stop in the village of Spiddal where the Irish language is still spoken. Continue to Maam Cross and past the Maamturk Mountains. Sheep wander freely and you will see tracts of bogland where people cut turf for fuel. Then drive to Cong for a brief walking tour around this village, which was made famous by the filming of "The Quiet Man" in 1952. Return to Galway in time to enjoy some of the facilities at your hotel. (B, D)

Day 5: Cliffs of Moher & Killarney
Drive to the coast to view the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, which rise to almost 700 feet above the wild Atlantic breakers and stretch along the coast for five miles. Then head south for a short ferry ride across the River Shannon. Stop in the charming village of Listowel for a stroll around before continuing through the mountainous countryside to Killarney. Take a look around this bustling and compact town before checking into your country home and meeting your Irish family. In the evening drive to the Gap of Dunloe to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for dinner. Afterwards sit back and enjoy traditional Irish entertainment with popular songs, dances and a lot of laughs. (B, D)

Day 6: Ring of Kerry & Skelligs
Admire breathtaking vistas of mountains, cliffs and beaches on Ireland’s most popular drive - the 100-mile Ring of Kerry. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig Experience, which describes the way of life of early Christian monks who built their monastery on one of the offshore islands. Learn about traditional farming and fishing methods of later inhabitants. Enjoy a pub lunch in the westernmost part of the peninsula and a number of stops will allow you to marvel at the spectacular scenery. Take a brief walk around the colorful village of Sneem and pause at Moll’s Gap for stunning views of the Lakes of Killarney. Return to Killarney where the evening is free. (B, L)

Day 7: Blarney & Titanic Walk
Leaving Killarney, head to the Blarney Woollen Mills where you can find excellent Irish-made merchandise. You will have time to walk around the village green or, if you feel energetic, you may like to climb Blarney Castle on your own to kiss the "Stone of Eloquence". Drive through the outskirts of Cork to the harbor town of Cobh, the last port of call for the Titanic. Take a walk around this picturesque waterside town and the dockside with a local historian to see places relating to the Titanic’s last stop. Travel east through the coastal towns of Youghal and Dungarvan and on to Waterford to meet and dine with your next host family. (B, D)

Day 8: Waterford Crystal & Shindig
Tour the Waterford Crystal Factory to watch craftspeople transform molten glass into elegant hand-cut crystal. See magnificent trophies and a huge selection of crystal on display in the showrooms. Head north to Kilkenny, a medieval city with a huge castle dominating the center. Take time for a stroll through the narrow streets with many old buildings or beside the river. Continue into the metropolitan area of Dublin to your centrally-located hotel once again. In the evening attend a "Shindig" at the Old Jameson Distillery. See whiskey-making processes as you tour the distillery before sitting down to a dinner of Irish specialties, followed by a festive entertainment program. (B, D)

Day 9: Return to the U.S.
For those booked on our 9-day tour, complimentary group transfers are provided to Dublin Airport to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. After check-in, you'll have time to shop at the duty-free stores before U.S. Immigration pre-clearance and boarding your flight for the journey home. (B)


B=Breakfast, CB=Continental Breakfast, D=Dinner