10 Day Taste of Scotland & Ireland

Authentic Local Experiences:

Expect an unforgettable evening of music, ceremony, theater, and dance with reserved seats for Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on August 4 – 25 departures.
Enjoy farm life as you sample freshly baked scones with tea and watch a sheepdog demonstration.
Discover the rich history and local tales of Edinburgh, Galway and Dublin with local guides.

Dining Experiences:

9 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L) and 6 dinners (D) including a Scottish evening in Edinburgh and a festive medieval castle banquet.

2020 Taste of Scotland & Ireland – 10 Days / 9 Nights / 16 Meals

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

Day 1: Glasgow Highlights

Tour begins at 2:30 PM at your Glasgow hotel. Set out on an introductory tour of central Glasgow — a city that flourished in Victorian times due to the shipbuilding industry and international trade. Drive around George Square with its ornate City Chambers, and visit Provand’s Lordship, Glasgow’s oldest house, built in 1471. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dinner.
(D)

Day 2: Loch Lomond & Loch Ness Cruise

Travel alongside the famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its beauty. Drive across the haunting Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, admiring the wild and spectacular scenery. Continue through Fort William and stop at a woolen mill to shop for quality Scottish goods. Embark on a short cruise on Loch Ness before heading to Nairn.
(B, D)

Day 3: Whiskey Tasting & St Andrews

Visit Blair Athol Distillery to see how whisky is distilled and enjoy a sample. Travel to St Andrews, best known as the “Home of Golf.” Take a panoramic drive around, then spend some time exploring independently. Continue on to your gracious manor house hotel outside Edinburgh set on 1,000 acres with two golf courses. Enjoy a Scottish evening with traditional cuisine and a lively show of songs, stories, and dancing.
(B, D)

Day 4: Edinburgh Castle & City Tour

Explore the principal sights of central Edinburgh from the bustling Princes Street and through the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town.” Walk along part of the Royal Mile where compact medieval houses reach several stories tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle perched high above the city on volcanic rock. The castle contains the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Scone. The rest of the day is free. The August 4 – 25 departures attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)

Day 5: Ferry to Ireland & Titanic Belfast

Depart Edinburgh and travel through Ayrshire and along the coast. Embark on a ferry ride to Belfast. At Titanic Belfast, immerse yourself through state-of-the-art displays in the local history of this ill-fated ocean liner, built in the nearby shipyards. Then travel to Dublin, where you will enjoy some free time for dinner on your own.
(B)

Day 6: Dublin Sightseeing & Canal Dinner Cruise

Discover central Dublin with a local guide. See the shopping areas around Grafton and Nassau Streets, view elegant Georgian squares, and the General Post Office, where the 1916 Uprising started. Take a walk around Christ Church Cathedral, founded in 1028. In the evening board a former Guinness barge for a canal dinner cruise complete with traditional Irish music.
(B, D)

Day 7: Farmhouse Tea with Sheepdog Demonstration & Blarney Castle

Travel through the midlands of Ireland on your way to a traditional farm. Immerse yourself in farm life with tea and scones at a farmhouse visit and watch skilled dogs herd sheep. Head to Blarney Castle and kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Head to Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes and mountains.
(B, D)

Day 8: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience

Step back in time as a jaunting car drives you past Ross Castle on Lough Leane. Embark on the Ring of Kerry drive — a winding route with breathtaking sights of mountains and coastal views. Cross the bridge to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, which explains the life of early Christian hermits on Skellig Michael, a rocky offshore island featured in the film “Star Wars VII.” Enjoy a casual lunch before a pause at Moll’s Gap for panoramic mountain views. Return to Killarney where the evening is free.
(B, L)

Day 9: Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet

After crossing Shannon by ferry, take in the enormity of the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone that reaches 700 feet above the Atlantic. Walk along the cliffs for stunning views. Later, at Bunratty Castle Hotel, you’ll have free time to visit the Folk Park, have a drink in 200-year-old Durty Nelly’s Pub, or just relax independently. In the evening, enjoy a memorable medieval-style feast where the lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music evocative of the Middle Ages.
(B, D)

Day 10: Tour Ends Shannon

Your program ends after breakfast today.  (B)