Compare Scenic Ireland by Globus vs Best of Ireland & Scotland - Small Group Small Group by Insight Vacations
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 13 days | 14 days |
| Price From | $ 3,499 | $ 7,063 |
| Price Per Day | $ 269 | $ 505 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description | No rabbit’s foot, horseshoe, or four-leaf clover can bring the good fortune that awaits on this grand and mostly undiscovered vacation to Ireland. On our most in-depth tour of this rolling green paradise, you’ll experience the luck of the Irish at every scenic turn. Making a full loop around the Emerald Isle—including Northern Ireland—you’ll see the cliffs, castles, and thatched-roof countryside Eire is known for as well as its coastal ports, medieval villages, and soulful cities. Visit the Titanic Belfast Experience where the ill-fated ship was built, and soak in the atmosphere in the lively pubs of Dublin where Irish history is still the topic du jour. Your stroke of luck continues as you stop to bake scones at a quaint Irish farm, take a private boat to beautiful Garinish Island, and meet the legendary crystal makers in Waterford. The fun that awaits is crystal clear. | Experience centuries of rich Gaelic history as you take High-Tea at the Ardgowan Estate near Glasgow and see the Queen’s residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Glencoe offers a glimpse of Britain’s highest mountain Ben Nevis ahead of a cruise on Loch Ness and the chance to seek out Scotland’s most infamous bonnie monster. Up in the highlands, a whiskey tasting at a distillery, to uncork tales of smugglers before the vacation embarks on a grand tour of the Scottish capital. Edinburgh doesn’t disappoint with the Royal Mile, home to Edinburgh Castle, Scotland’s Crown Jewels and the Scottish Parliament. Not to be outdone, Dublin impresses with the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College and the millennia old Book of Kells. |
Day 1: ARRIVE IN SHANNON, IRELAND–LIMERICK
Céad mile fáilte—a hundred-thousand welcomes! This evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)
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Day 2: LIMERICK–CLIFFS OF MOHER–GALWAY–CLIFDEN
Seacliff Rocks & Sheep Flocks CLIFFS OF MOHER Visit the 668-foot-high cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean.RATHBAUN Visit Rathbaun Farm to [LF] try your hand at scone baking to enjoy with coffee and learn about sheep herding on this Irish farm. GALWAY Free time.(Breakfast,Dinner) 161 mi / 259 km
LOCAL FAVORITE LOCAL TASTES Someone’s in the kitchen in Rathbaun Farm, just outside of Galway. You can don an apron and whip up your own delicious home-made scones, served with fresh preserves and whipped cream. Learn about the long-time tradition of sheep farming in this beautiful Irish landscape.
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Day 3: CLIFDEN–KYLEMORE–WESTPORT–SLIGO
Abbey Roads & Irish Roses KYLEMORE Visit the Benedictine abbey and gardens.WESTPORT Free time. (Breakfast,Dinner) 104 mi / 167 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURE & TRADITION Nestled between the woodlands and lakeshore near Galway City, Kylemore Abbey is home to the Benedictine Sisters who have been in residence since 1920 in a life of prayer, work, and community. The history of this stunning abbey reaches back to the 1800s as the estate of Irish patriot Mitchell Henry. Visit the abbey where handmade chocolates, wild Irish honey, and traditional fuchsia pottery are sold. Stroll the lovely grounds of Ireland’s largest walled garden in the heart of the Connemara countryside.
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Day 4: SLIGO–DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND–GIANT’S CAUSEWAY–BELFAST
Ancient Walls and Giant Steps in Northern Ireland DERRY [LF] Walk on the city walls with a Local Guide.GIANT’S CAUSEWAY See more than 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed millions of years ago. (Breakfast) 203 mi / 328 km
LOCAL FAVORITEHISTORIC SPOT Derry is known as the only remaining completely walled medieval city in Ireland and one of the best-preserved walled cities in Europe. Walk around the 17th-century fortification masterpiece with 7 gates and 24 cannons while also discovering a city full of history, heritage and culture.
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Day 5: BELFAST
A Grand Ship & Great Sights BELFAST On the “Living History” tour with a Local Guide see City Hall, the Albert Memorial Clock Tower, Queen’s University, and the Parliament Buildings at Stormont. Visit the Titanic Belfast Experience, followed by free time this afternoon. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SPOT Explore the fascinating Titanic Belfast Experience for an in-depth look at the history and mystery of the legendary ocean liner. See artifacts and amazing accounts of Belfast’s boom in shipping and those who built her. Learn about the courage and loss of all involved on a fateful night in April 1912. Get an immersive look at the launch, sinking, and final resting place of the doomed ship, with myths and reality revealed.
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Day 6: BELFAST–CARLINGFORD, IRELAND–DUBLIN
Belfast’s Big House BELFAST Guided tour of Hillsborough Castle.CARLINGFORD Stop at a village on the Cooley Peninsula. (Breakfast) 121 mi / 200 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTART & ARCHITECTURE Hillsborough Castle is called the “grandest house in County Down” with an equally grand history of royal and political residents. Today, the Irish “big house” near Belfast is the official home of Northern Ireland’s secretary of state and of the Royal Family when they visit.
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Day 7: DUBLIN
Ireland’s Capital City DUBLIN Take a morning orientation drive to see O’Connell Street, Georgian squares, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Trinity College. Free time. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTCITY SIGHTS “In Dublin’s fair city where girls are so pretty,” you’ll also find great personality and charm. The charisma of Dubliners and the bounty of pubs here is matched only by the gorgeous Georgian Squares, 12th-century St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and legendary library of Trinity College.
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Day 8: DUBLIN–KILKENNY–WATERFORD
Medieval History and Crystal Making Mystery KILKENNY See one of Ireland’s most cosmopolitan yet quaint towns with medieval cobblestones. WATERFORD Take a guided tour of the House of Waterford Crystal. (Breakfast,Dinner) 119 mi / 191 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTLEGENDS & LORE “There once were two cats from Kilkenny. Each thought there was one cat too many.” Find out why people from Kilkenny are often referred to as “cats” while visiting the medieval town also known as “Marble City”.
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Day 9: WATERFORD–BLARNEY–KINSALE
Irish Storytelling WATERFORD Take a city walk with a Local Guide.BLARNEY Visit the village and Blarney Castle known for its magical Kissing Stone. (Breakfast,Dinner) 105 mi / 171 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDS & LORE Cut the blarney and hear the history of how telling tales is forever linked to the 15th-century castle and the village below in Blarney. One of the last estate villages that remain standing in Ireland, the village was built by an 18th-century landlord to house the castle workers there. It’s true!
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Day 10: KINSALE–GARINISH ISLAND–KILLARNEY
Heaven on Earth GARINISH ISLAND [LF] Private boat crossing followed by a walk of the island.RING OF KERRY Panoramic drive around part of Ireland’s spectacular southwestern peninsula. (Breakfast) 100 mi / 158 km
LOCAL FAVORITEPICTURE PERFECT In the sheltered harbour of Glengarriff in Southwest Ireland’s Bantry Bay lies a place called heaven by frequent visitor, George Bernard Shaw. Stepping off your private boat onto the slip here, you’ll soon discover why this lush garden island and home to the historic Bryce house has enamored generations of visitors, including mystery author Agatha Christie. Explore this horticultural heaven with a walk through one of the most renowned gardens in Europe.
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Day 11: KILLARNEY. EXCURSION TO DINGLE PENINSULA
Rugged Good Looks DINGLE PENINSULA Visit the Blasket Islands Centre and stop in Dingle. KILLARNEY Free time this evening. (Breakfast,Dinner) 107 mi / 172 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDARY LIVES Irish history comes alive on the Dingle Peninsula with a view beyond the breathtaking shores of the Wild Atlantic Way, where Irish families once lived off the land and sea on the Blasket Islands. The Blasket Islands Centre on the peninsula’s edge tells the story of these hearty people and their stories that live on in the prolific Irish literature of the 1800s islanders. Today, the town of Dingle is a vibrant spot and mecca for curious characters, artists, and artisans.
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Day 12: KILLARNEY–ADARE–LIMERICK
Irish Eyes & Cheeky Rhymes KILLARNEY Visit Muckross House.ADARE Stop at the quaint village to see its thatched cottages.LIMERICK Free time. (Breakfast) 68 mi / 110 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTPHOTO OPS There once was a town called Adare, with charm that was beyond compare... Adare’s charming thatched-roof cottages create visual poetry in County Limerick, some say the prettiest village in Ireland.
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Day 13: LIMERICK
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
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Day 1: Welcome to Dublin
On arrival at Dublin airport, your airport transfer service leaves for your hotel at 08:30, 11:00 and 13:00. Join your Travel Director at 18:30 for a warm and friendly Welcome Dinner, an opportunity to get to know each other over a meal with wine.
Day 2: In Dublin’s Fair City
An orientation with your Travel Director will take you past the Custom House and travel along the River Liffey. See the Guinness Brewery, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Enjoy entrance to the 9th century Book of Kells and a walk through the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College accompanied by a Local Expert, gaining their insight into modern life and the establishment's impressive history.
Day 3: Kildare and Cork
Witness life behind the scenes of the National Stud Farm, where many legendary racehorses are bred. Then see the finest Japanese gardens in Europe, where the symbolism of life the gardens portray, trace the journey of a soul, designed by master horticulturists, Tassa and Minoru Eida. Continue on to Cork, Ireland's second most populous city, built on the River Lee. Travel along Grand Parade to see Cork's City Hall and Opera House.
Day 4: Blarney Castle and Killarney Relaxed Start
Visit the ruined 15th century Blarney Castle, home of the famous Stone of Eloquence - once kissed, never forgotten! Or enjoy a sensory walk in the extensive and varied estate gardens. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Day 5: Ring of Kerry Experience Relaxed Start
Explore Killarney with Insight Choice. Choose a memorable ride on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys. Alternatively, join a gentle hike with a Local Expert along the lake shore and past the grounds of Ross Castle, admiring the incredible scenery of the National Park. While there aren't any mountains to climb, walkers should be fit, have good walking shoes or boots, sunscreen and rain gear. Tour the superb seascapes, towering cliffs and spectacular mountains of the Ring of Kerry. Journey past lush lakelands and through delightful villages like Sneem. Cross the peat bogs of the Black Mountains to Moll's Gap and admire Queen Victoria's Ladies View. Upon returning in the mid-afternoon, the rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 6: The Cliffs of Moher
Begin the day with a short ferry ride across the Shannon estuary. Enjoy magnificent views of the Clare coast, as you journey to the Visitors' Centre at the 700-foot Cliffs of Moher. Continue to Galway and take in the scenery from your hotel, which is spectacularly set overlooking Galway Bay.
Day 7: Glorious Galway to Sligo Bay Relaxed Start
Join your Travel Director in Galway to see the infamous Lynch Memorial and the Church of St. Nicholas, where Christopher Columbus reputedly prayed before his discovery of America. Also see the aged Spanish Arch and Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President, John F. Kennedy. Tour the wild Connemara region, a scenic wonderland of rivers, lakes and silent hills. Drive along the scenic shores of Sligo Bay.
Day 8: Walk in the Giant’s Steps
The day begins in Drumcliffe, with a visit to the final resting place of Ireland's famous poet, William Butler Yeats. Cross into Northern Ireland to visit Londonderry. What better way to experience sightseeing than with one of Northern Ireland's best storytellers, Ronan, as he walks with you inside the city walls, still topped with cannons. Walk down steep Shipquay Street, with its elegant Georgian houses, to the Gothic Guildhall. Journey to the iconic Giant's Causeway for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. This geological masterpiece was created by the cooling of lava which burst through the earth's crust millions of years ago. Learn how the National Trust is enabling farming and biodiversity to work together, supporting both wildlife and quality food production. Next, take a spectacular drive along the Antrim Coast to your hotel, overlooking the sea at the head of Ballygally Bay.
Day 9: High Tea at Ardgowan Estate Relaxed Start
Cross the Irish Sea by ferry and journey to Ardgowan. Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart welcomes you to his family castle, set on a 10,000-acre coastal estate. Explore the history of the area and learn the Shaw Stewart family's conservation efforts to protect the land on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, followed by delightful traditional Scottish tea and scones. Continue to Glasgow where your Travel Director will show you the city's grand public buildings, including George Square and St. Mungo's Cathedral.
Day 10: Glencoe and Loch Ness
A scenic drive takes you along the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. Absorb the dramatic landscape of Glencoe, still echoing with the cries of massacred clansmen. Pause at the Commando Memorial for a view of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis before reaching the Great Glen. Continue on to Loch Ness and embark on a cruise to soak up the scenery, historic monuments and intriguing tales of Nessie in the heart of Scotland's great glen.
Day 11: A Highlands Experience Relaxed Start
In the morning, see the sights of Inverness, before travelling to the Culloden Moor Visitor Centre, where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army was finally defeated. Then have a 'wee dram' during a visit to a local distillery, hear stories of the whisky smugglers as you delve into the fascinating world of the single malt.
Day 12: St. Andrews and Edinburgh
A scenic drive takes you through the Grampian Mountains past the Duke of Atholl's Blair Castle. Drive down and cross the Tay to visit St. Andrews. As you arrive, pass the Old Course, the home of golf since its invention in the 15th century. Enjoy free time to explore. Why not wander to St. Andrews University where the love story of Kate Middleton and Prince William began? Alternately, stroll to West Sands Beach where the famous 'Chariots of Fire' scene was filmed. Continue across the majestic Forth Road Bridge to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. In the evening, select departures attend The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Day 13: Scotland’s Capital of Culture
In the morning, join a Local Expert to see the highlights of the city. Drive along Princes Street to the ornate Scott Memorial, then see the 18th century New Town with its neoclassical Georgian facades. In the Old Town see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the Queen. Venture up the Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle, home of Mons Meg, the Stone of Destiny and Scotland’s Crown Jewels, the Honours of Scotland. In the afternoon, you are at leisure to continue exploring as you wish, or perhaps go shopping. Join your friends at the stylish Grazing by Mark Greenaway, located in the heart of Edinburgh's West End. Your grand finale Celebration Dinner is a mouthwatering meal of modern Scottish cuisine with a Parisian twist, and is of course served with wine.
Day 14: Farewell Edinburgh
Your journey comes to an end after breakfast with transfers arriving at Edinburgh airport at 06:15 and 09:00.
