2009 Taste of Ireland

What’s Included

• Group transfers on arrival and departure
• Medieval banquet and entertainment in Bunratty Castle
• Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
• 2 table d’hote dinners in Killarney
• Voucher for open-top bus tour in Dublin
• Welcome get-together drink
• Services of a professional Irish driver/guide
• Tour of Dublin with a local guide
• Superior & first class hotels with private bath/shower for 5 nights
• Ferry ride across the River Shannon
• Full Irish breakfast daily (B) except on day of arrival
• Visits and admissions to Dublin Castle, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Essence of Kerry AV Show, Muckross Gardens, Cliffs of Moher
• 4 dinners (D) including
• Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
• Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment at the Merry Ploughboy Pub
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

Itinerary

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Dublin
Take an evening flight from your U.S. gateway city and travel overnight across the Atlantic to Ireland. Sit back and relax with meals and entertainment.

Day 2: Independent Sightseeing in Dublin
On arrival at Dublin Airport go through immigration formalities and pick up your baggage. Go to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall where staff will arrange a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later than noon, you will transfer to the hotel at your own expense. Today you are free to schedule your activities as you wish. In the afternoon you may use your independent Dublin open-top bus tour pass (valid for 24 hours) to travel around Dublin’s attractions and you may get off and on at any stop or stay on the bus for the complete route. As you will dine independently tonight, you may choose to head to Temple Bar or other areas in Dublin. (B)

Day 3: Dublin Tour & Merry Ploughboy Pub
You are at leisure this morning and may use your Dublin sightseeing tour pass to explore further. At 2:00 pm join your tour group and a local guide who will show you around central Dublin. Drive through the main streets to see historic buildings such as Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is housed; Dail Eireann, where the government meets; and rows of Georgian houses with gaily-colored doorways. Stop at Dublin Castle to take a guided tour through the elegant State Apartments, which are filled with elaborate Waterford Crystal chandeliers and portraits of prominent Irish leaders. Return to your hotel for a get-together with your tour group and a welcome drink. In the evening drive to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a great dinner of Irish specialties, which is followed by a show of traditional Irish songs and intricate step-dancing. (D)

Day 4: Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the center of Ireland, which has many mixed farms. Stop to view the stately church ruins atop the Rock of Cashel, which rises high above the surrounding plain. Continue your drive south and, just a few miles outside Cork, visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills where you can find quality Irish-made goods of all types conveniently displayed under one roof. Drive through Macroom, built around a fine castle, and into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes with Ireland’s highest mountains, the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, forming a backdrop. Check into your hotel and relax before dinner. Afterwards you may like to take a stroll through the compact town center and explore one of Killarney’s famous singing pubs. (B, D)

Day 5: Ring of Kerry & Muckross Gardens
Today embark on Ireland’s most popular scenic drive of 100 miles - the Ring of Kerry. This winding route reveals breathtaking sights of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks as well as coastal views of beaches and cliffs. Just outside Killarney stop near the Gap of Dunloe to see the Essence of Kerry, an audio-visual presentation about the region. As you travel along, there will be plenty of stops for photos at the best vantage points. Drive through the villages of Cahirciveen and Waterville at the end of the peninsula and stop to walk around Sneem, where brightly-painted houses are grouped around a central green. Stop at Moll’s Gap for a view over the Three Lakes of Killarney with the town in the distance. Visit the charming Muckross Gardens, set on the shores of Muckross Lake and with many fine trees and plants. Return to Killarney and enjoy a fine dinner in your hotel once again. (B, D)

Day 6: Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle
Leave Killarney and drive north to Tarbert for a 20-minute ferry ride across the wide River Shannon Estuary. Your tour continues along the Clare coast to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of limestone that reaches to almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Drive past Lahinch golf links, one of Ireland’s most famous, and through the marketing town of Ennis to Bunratty. Check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, which is located very close to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. In the evening head to Bunratty Castle for a memorable experience in a wonderful setting with good food and entertainment. Then take your place in the Great Hall for a medieval-style feast of excellent dishes and plenty of wine. During and after the meal the lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative of the Middle Ages. (B, D)

Day 7: Shannon Airport
Take a group transfer to nearby Shannon Airport where your tour concludes at 10:30 am. 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