Taste of Ireland (6 days) - 2017

If you have just a little time, this is our shortest tour. See popular sights in the south of Ireland and you may add extra nights in Dublin and Bunratty. Kiss the Blarney Stone, view the scenic Ring of Kerry and the majestic Cliffs of Moher. Savor two special evenings at a dinner show and a medieval banquet. The perfect introduction to the Emerald Isle!

THIS INCLUSIVE TOUR FEATURES	Dublin’s Merry Ploughboy Pub Dinner/Show Burnatty Castle Medieval Banquet Sheepdog Trials Kiss The Blarney Stone Ring of Kerry Tour Cliffs of Moher
TOUR INCLUDES	Sightseeing by luxury coach Professional driver/guide 6 nights in hotels listed Full breakfast daily (B) except on day 1 3 dinners (D) including – Merry Ploughboy Pub dinner and traditional show – Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet – 1 table d’hote dinner in Killarney 1 lunch (L) Welcome get-together drink Tour of Dublin with a local guide Sheepdog trials on Ring of Kerry Ferry ride across the River Shannon Tour of Galway Tea and scones at Connemara Marble Factory Dublin open-top bus tour with a visit to Guinness Storehouse or General Post Office Museum Visits and admissions to Dublin Castle, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Skellig Experience and Cliffs of Moher Audio headsets and group photo Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person Free Wi-Fi on coaches and in hotel lobbies
DINNING EXPERIENCES	Three dinners including a Merry Ploughboy Pub dinner and show, and a lively medieval castle banquet.
HOTELS	Superior & First Class Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge Dublin (2 nights) Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney (2 nights) Bunratty Castle Hotel Bunratty (1 night) Academy Plaza Hotel Dublin (1 night)

Dublin & Merry Ploughboy Pub

Tour begins 2:00 PM, Dublin hotel. Meet your guide and set off on an orientation tour of Dublin city centre. Highlights include the main thoroughfares to see historic building such as Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is housed, and O’Connell Street to view the General Post Office where the 1916 Rising started. Take a guided tour through parts of Dublin Castle, which was the seat of power and government for many centuries. In the evening, enjoy a welcome drink with your group before heading to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show.
(D)

Blarney Castle & Killarney

Relax and enjoy the picturesque midlands of Ireland, with its many mixed farms. Stop for photos of the stately ruins on the Rock of Cashel, rising high above the surrounding plain. Visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or explore the tranquil gardens. Treat yourself to quality Irish made goods at Blarney Woollen Mills. Continue into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in the charming town of Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes with Ireland’s highest mountains forming a backdrop.
(B, D)

Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience

Embark on Ireland’s most popular scenic drive, the Ring of Kerry, with plenty of photo stops along the way. Enjoy a casual lunch before crossing the bridge to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, which explains the life of early Christian monks on Skellig Michael, a rocky offshore island featured in the “Star Wars VII” movie. Pause for a stroll around Sneem, with its brightly-painted houses and again at Moll’s Gap for panoramic views. Get a taste of farm life with a sheepdog demonstration. Enjoy the evening in Killarney for dinner on your own and perhaps a visit to one of the town’s many lively pubs.
(B, L)

Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle

Embark on a memorable ferry ride across the River Shannon Estuary. Take in the spectacular beauty of the Cliffs of Moher – soaring 700 feet (200m) above the Atlantic surf. Drive past Lahinch Golf Course, one of Ireland’s most famous, and through the charming town of Ennis to Bunratty. In the evening head to Bunratty or Knappogue Castle for a memorable experience. During and after the meal lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music.
(B, D)

Dublin Extension via Galway

Explore Galway city before heading out along the famous Galway Bay to Spiddal where the locals still speak the Irish language. Travel across the boglands of Connemara to Moycullen to visit the Connemara Marble Factory. Quarried in Connemara, the soft green shades of the marble echoes the colors of the countryside from which it is cut. Enjoy tea and scones before traveling across the country to Dublin. This evening you are free to explore the pubs in the lively Temple Bar area or experience one of Dublin’s fine restaurants.
(B)