"Ireland Fall Castles and Pubs Discovery Tour"

October 10th - 21st, 2008 ONLY!

A small intimate tour of Ireland limited to 8 - 10 people in order to provide a more personal experience. In keeping the tour size small we are able to take advantage of accommodation, restaurant and sightseeing options that would not be available to a larger group. With a small tour size we can veer off the main tourist areas and get a real feel for these warm wonderful countries. We will not rush you from venue to venue and each tour is designed to spend as little time on the minibus as possible. You may find yourself experiencing a delightful city guest house, a warm country house hotel, a fine country farmhouse and a 200 year old coaching Inn all in the same visit.

Day 1 - October 10th- Depart for Shannon Ireland

Day 2 - Arrive Shannon International. On the way to Galway our first stop will be the southern part of The Burren where limestone gives away to black shale and sandstone to form the dramatic Cliffs of Moher. Even when shrouded in mist, the Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking, rising to a height of 650 feet out
of the sea and extending for 5 miles. We will drive through The Burren, a unique botanical environment in
which Mediterranean and Alpine plants rare to Ireland grow side by Side.Then it is on to Galway and Galway Bay for a Welcoming Dinner. Overnight Galway.(D)

Day 3 - This morning we visit Cong and Cong Abbey. The most fascinating remains of this 12th century Augustinian abbey are the Gothic chapter house, stone bridges and the monks' fishing-house overhanging the river. Next we travel through the beautiful National Park in the heart of Connemara, a combination of bogland, lakes and mountains. Along the way we visit Kylemore Abbey sheltered by the slopes of the Twelve Bens, this lakeside castle is a romantic, battlemented Gothic Revival fantasy. Once we return to Galway we will take some time to investigate the city before we enjoy a lovely Seafood Dinner. Galway is the center for the Irish-speaking regions in the West and a lively university city. The center of the city lies on the banks of the River Corrib which flows down from Lough Corrib. Overnight Galway.(B,D)

Day 4 - Our first destination today is Strokestown Park House, an 18th century mansion which has been faithfully restored. It is unique in that it retains its original furnishings and professionally guided tours allow visitors to browse freely through the stately surroundings. There is also a Famine Museum which uses a combination of original documents and images from the Strokestown Park collection to explain the circumstances of the Great Irish Famine of the 1840's. This afternoon finds us at Boyle to visit Boyle
Abbey, an impressive and well preserved Cistercian Monastery which was founded in the 12th century under the patronage of the local ruling family, the MacDermotts. Although a ruin, Boyle Abbey nevertheless retains its ability to impress the visitor as one of the most formidable of the early Cistercian foundations in Ireland. Pub Dinner Sligo. Overnight Sligo.(B,D)

Day 5 - This morning we visit the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. Carrowmore is the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland. The tombs are spread out over 1.5 square miles in the shadow of the Knocknarea and Misgaun Maeve(the name suggests that it was built for Maeve, the Iron Age queen of Connacht) with each monument standing on its own little eminence. This afternoon we visit Parke's Castle, a restored plantation castle of the early 17th century, picturesquely situated on the shores of Lough Gill. After a lovely drive around the Lough we will find ourselves back in Sligo. Dinner on your own in Sligo. Overnight Sligo.(B)

Day 6 - This morning we visit the little border village of Belleek where the world famous Belleek Pottery
was founded in 1857. We will stop at the Visitors' Centre and Museum for a tour of the facility. Our next stop is the Ulster-American Folk Park which is one of the best open-air museums of its kind! The park has
over 30 historic buildings examining why 2 million people emigrated to the States in the 18th and 19th
century. Then we are off to Derry where St. Columba founded a monastery beside the River Foyle in 546. The Walls of Derry are among the best preserved city fortifications in Europe. Dinner and Overnight Derry.(B,D)

Day 7 - Today we visit Bushmills and the Old Bushmills Distillery, the oldest distillery in the world! We will tour the distillery and end up with whiskey sampling in the 1608 bar. Next we take in the Causeway Coast and The Giants Causeway where 37,000 basalt columns extend from the cliffs and into the sea. No matter how many times I have seen this, the sheer wonder and magic of the columns never fails to impress! We will continue along the coastline of Northern Ireland on our way to Belfast. We will stop in Ballymena for Dinner. Overnight Belfast.(B,D)

Day 8 - Today we spend in Belfast, Northern Ireland's largest city and one of my favorite European cities!
You will board an Open Top Bus for a Tour of the City. You can get off an on all day long with your ticket. You may want to make a lunch stop at the Crown Liquor Saloon, a flamboyant Victorian drinking palace. Belfast's downtown is full of wonderful shops. Other places of interest are City Hall, The Linen Library and St. Anne's Cathedral. Dinner on your own in Belfast. Overnight Belfast.(B)

Day 9 - Today we stop in Lisburn and visit the Irish Linen Centre and Museum in a 17th century Market House where in times gone by cottage weavers brought their cloth to sell. The centre tells the story of the Irish Linen industry, with skilled demonstrations of hand spinning and handloom weaving and a display of historic linen treasures. We will stop in Newry to visit Newry Cathedral, undoubtedly the most commanding building in the City centre. Built in 1829 of local granite, it was the first Catholic Cathedral opened after the granting of Catholic Emancipation. The interior marble work and
mosaics took five years with craftsmen coming from Italy to undertake the work. Dinner and Overnight
Ardee.(B,D)

Day 10 - Our first stop of the day is at Newgrange Megalithic Passage Tomb. Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. Our next stop on the way to Dublin will be The Hill of Tara. Tara was the political and spiritual center of Celtic Ireland and the seat of High Kings until the 11th century. Dinner on your own in Dublin. Overnight Dublin.(B)

Day 11 - Following a late breakfast you will tour the city aboard an Open Top Tour Bus with hop on and hop off service all over Dublin. After the tour you will want to spend time shopping on Grafton Street or taking in Trinity College and the Book of Kells. You can also visit St. Patrick's Cathedral or Christ Church Cathedral. We'll meet this evening for a Farewell Dinner to say goodbye to Dublin and our Ireland adventure. Overnight Dublin.(B,D)

Day 12 - Following breakfast we are off to the Dublin International Airport for the return home.

To contact this tour operator please use the contact form next to the map on the right.

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Price/Person: 2595US DOL
Number of participants 8-10
Duration: 12 Days

Area: Ireland
Accomodation is included in this tour: Hotel, B & B, Guest House: 3 or 4 Star rated accommodation including tax and service charge. This shared accommodation unless the single supplement is requested.

The Guide is able to understand this language also    
   english
   spanish

Special Hints: Cliffs of Moher, Galway and Galway Bay, Cong and Cong Abbey, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, Strokestown Park House and Famine Museum, Boyle Abbey, Sligo, Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Lough Gill and Parke's Castle, Belleek Pottery, Ulster-American Folk Park, Derry and the Walls of Derry, Old Bushmills Distillery, Giants Causeway, Belfast, Irish Linen Centre and Museum, Newry Cathedral, Newgrange Megalithic Passage Tomb, Hill of Tara, Dublin City Bus Tour

edited at 26.11.07 | 10:19 PM
last update 26.11.07 | 10:19 PM

Guide details

Shannon

Web: To contact this tour operator please use the contact form above.
Phone Number: ---
Vita
Scottish Dream Tours is a small group tour operator that prefers to arrange, schedule and conduct each of our tours personally so each tour is usually offered just once a year. We specialize in quaint tearooms, amazing castles, glorious gardens, cozy pubs, fascinating history, picturesque villages and spectacular scenery.
We truly believe there is no better way to see these lands than on a small group tour that allows
for a slower pace and time to enjoy the scenery, lovely villages and the people who inhabit them. All of our tours are designed for small groups in order to take advantage of accommodations, eateries and sights that would not be available to larger groups. You may find yourself staying in a lovely city guest house, small country house hotel, 200 year old coaching Inn and a secluded farmhouse all in the same visit! You will find yourself dining in unique tearooms, pubs, old coaching inns, seaside restaurants, Highland Dinners and Shows or a Medieval Castle Banquet as part of your culinary experience.

edited at 26.11.07 | 7:31 PM
last update 01.05.08 | 01:37 AM

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