Your Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 - Sat: Depart U.S. for Shannon
Travel to Shannon on an overnight flight to start your vacation. Relax with inflight meals and entertainment.

Day 2 - Sun: Bunratty Banquet & Durty Nelly's
Land at Shannon Airport and locate the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall for a group transfer to nearby Bunratty. Complimentary transfers are available between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later than 12:00 noon, transfer to the hotel at your own expense. In the afternoon you may explore Durty Nelly's Pub or the Bunratty Folk Park, near your hotel. Sip a get-together drink with your tour director and fellow travelers to discuss your trip. This evening head to 15th century Bunratty Castle for a medieval-style banquet. Sit in the Great Hall for an excellent meal with wine and music to carry you to the Middle Ages in spirit. (D)

Day 3 - Mon: Cliffs of Moher & Galway
Travel to the coast to view the Cliffs of Moher, a five-mile wall of limestone rising above the foaming Atlantic breakers. See the rounded limestone hills of the Burren and drive down Corkscrew Hill for views of Galway Bay. Stop in the attractive village of Ballyvaughan for a stroll and continue your journey into Galway. Take a drive around Galway before checking into your old-world hotel, which is located overlooking Galway Bay and close to Eyre Square. Enjoy some time on your own as the compact city center is great for browsing. (B, D)

Day 4 - Tue: Connemara & "The Quiet Man" Tour
Drive through Headford to Cong, a charming village that was the location for the 1952 movie, "The Quiet Man." A short walking tour will show you movie locations throughout the village as well as the ruins of Cong Abbey. Travel through Connemara, a region of misty hills and shimmering lakes. See rugged mountain sheep and tracts of land where people cut peat for home fires. In Moycullen, visit the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory, which specializes in intricate designs in colored crystal, before returning to Galway. (B, D)

Day 5 - Wed: Yeats' Grave & Belleek China
Head north to Castlebar to visit the Museum of Country Life. See collections of domestic goods, once used as part of daily life when most Irish people made a living from the soil. Stop at Knock Shrine to see the church where locals saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1879. Cross into County Sligo and stop at the grave of W. B. Yeats before continuing to Belleek for a tour of the Belleek Pottery Factory. Watch skilled craftspeople create intricate basket-weave designs in delicate china. Continue your journey past the hazy Blue Stack Mountains to Stranorlar. (B, D)

Day 6 - Thu: Grand Atlantic Drive & Glenveagh Castle
Today experience the glorious natural beauty of the Grand Atlantic Drive, which winds through Downings and Rosapenna and past golden beaches and rocky headlands. Travel inland to Glenveagh National Park. Tour Glenveagh Castle, built in 1870 by Captain Adair who evicted 225 tenants in order to enhance his estate. Learn about the history of the mansion, owners and guests as you view the many rooms. Then walk through some of the gardens filled with exotic plants. Pass Letterkenny on your return to Stranorlar in ample time for dinner. (B, D)

Day 7 - Fri: Giant's Causeway & 17th Century Ballygally Castle Hotel
Travel to Derry to join a local guide for a walking tour around the city center to see medieval city walls, the Diamond and St. Columb's Cathedral. Next, visit the Giant's Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Experience wonderful views of mountains, valleys and bays as you travel along the "Nine Glens of Antrim." Check into Ballygally Castle, overlooking Ballygally Bay. It is Northern Ireland's only 17th century building still used as a residence - ask to see "The Ghost Room." (B, D)

Day 8 - Sat: Belfast & St. Patrick's Grave
Tour Belfast with a local guide to see Victorian buildings, the Harland & Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built and the Falls Road and Shankill residential areas. Drive south to the St. Patrick Centre where you will learn about Ireland's Patron Saint and view his reputed grave at Down Cathedral. Travel past the gentle slopes of the Mountains of Mourne and continue to Dublin. Check into your lovely deluxe hotel, set in spacious grounds. The evening is free for you to dine in your hotel or your tour director will suggest a suitable restaurant. (B)

Day 9 - Sun: Book of Kells & Merry Ploughboy Pub
This morning tour Dublin city center to see elegant Georgian squares with the famous colorful doorways, pass the peaceful St. Stephen's Green and the bustling shopping areas around Nassau Street, cross the River Liffey to O'Connell Street and view the General Post Office where the 1916 Rebellion started. Visit Trinity College's Old Library to view the 8th century manuscript of the Book of Kells and learn about its creation. The afternoon is free to enjoy your delightful hotel or use your bus tour voucher. In the evening head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for dinner, which is followed by a show of traditional music and step-dancing. (B, D)

Day 10 - Mon: Blarney & Lakes of Killarney
Drive south through the center of Ireland, where prime agricultural lands are located. Pause for photos at the Rock of Cashel, a stately limestone outcrop topped with medieval ruins. Continue south to the Blarney Woollen Mills where you may shop or take a look around the village green. If you wish, you may climb to the top of the castle to kiss the famous "Stone of Eloquence" independently. Continue your journey to Killarney, famous for its beauty and check into your deluxe downtown Victorian-era hotel. (B, D)

Day 11 - Tue: Jaunting Car Ride & Muckross Gardens
Travel at a leisurely pace by traditional horse-drawn jaunting car to Ross Castle for views of Killarney's largest lake, Lough Leane. Drive to the delightful town of Kenmare where traditional buildings are gaily painted and enhanced with flowers. Pass through Moll's Gap, a wonderful vantage point on the Ring of Kerry and stop at Ladies' View. Take a walk around the charming Muckross Gardens, which were laid out in the 19th century on the shores of Muckross Lake. See a variety of mature trees and colorful plants before returning to Killarney. (B)

Day 12 - Wed: Shannon Ferry & Ennis
Enjoy free time in Killarney before driving north to cross the wide River Shannon Estuary on a short ferry ride. Drive through County Clare to the charming marketing town of Ennis. Your hotel is in the center of the town within easy reach of shops and pubs. Join a local guide for a walking tour around the main points of interest, including Ennis Friary, before sitting down with your group for a farewell dinner in your hotel. (B, D)

Day 13 - Thu: Home from Shannon
Complimentary group transfers are provided to Shannon 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, L=Lunch, D=Dinner