MYSTICAL IRELAND
Superior First Class Hotels – 8 Day Coach Tour

Euro 890 Onwards

Tour Highlights

Pub Dinner/Show

Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet

St. Patrick’s Burial Site

Giant’s Causeway

Achill Island Tour

DAY 1: ARRIVE IRELAND & 6TH CENTURY GLENDALOUGH

Arrive in Dublin Airport, complete immigration formalities and pick up your luggage. Go to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall to arrange a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. Your hotel, an elegant Victorian mansion, overlooks Dublin Bay and Dun Laoghaire Harbour. At 2:00 pm drive through the lovely scenery of the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough, a 6th century monastic site founded by St. Kevin. Learn about early Christian Ireland and walk through the many church ruins. In the evening meet your fellow travellers over a welcome drink and your tour director will help you choose a restaurant to dine independently.

DAY 2: DUBLIN CASTLE & EVENING PUB DINNER

Tour the city centre to see elegant Georgian townhouses, pass St. Stephen’s Green and cross the River Liffey to view the Famine Memorial and drive along O’Connell Street. Visit Dublin Castle’s State Apartments where a guide will relate events from Irish history as you walk through gracious Georgian chambers. The afternoon is at leisure so return to Dun Laoghaire to relax or stay in the city centre to take an independent open-top bus tour with a visit to Guinness or Jameson. Enjoy dinner with traditional Irish songs and intricate step-dancing. (B, D)

DAY 3: ST. PATRICK CENTRE & BELFAST

Drive north past the Mourne Mountains to visit Down Cathedral and see the reputed burial place of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, marked by a huge boulder. Then learn about his life and times in the nearby St. Patrick Centre. Drive to Belfast and check in to your hotel in the centre of this thriving city. Enjoy some free time to look around on your own. The imposing City Hall is within easy walking distance and the ornate Victorian pub, Crown Liquor Saloon, is just across the street. (B, D)

DAY 4: BELFAST, GIANT’S CAUSEWAY & DERRY

A local guide will show you Belfast’s Victorian buildings, the Harland and Wolff Shipyards, where the Titanic was built, the Shankill and Falls Road. Drive north along the “Nine Glens of Antrim,” for lovely views of mountains, valleys and coastline. Stop at the Giant’s Causeway, hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity which have spawned legends about the mythical giant, Finn McCool. Continue to Derry and join a local guide for a short walk around the city centre and its medieval walls. (B, D)

DAY 5: ULSTER AMERICAN FOLK PARK & BELLEEK CHINA

Take a walk through the Ulster American Folk Park, which traces the story of Ulster emigrants and shows rural lifestyles in Ireland and Colonial America. A guided tour around the Belleek Pottery Factory will show you craftspeople making ornate fine china. Travel through Counties Sligo and Mayo to your hotel in the centre of Westport. (B, D)

DAY 6: ACHILL ISLAND EXCURSION & WESTPORT

After a late breakfast travel around Clew Bay to Achill Island, joined to the mainland by bridge. Follow the Atlantic Drive to capture wonderful views of steeply-sloped mountains plunging into the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Near Slievemore see the Deserted Village, the remains of nearly 100 stone cottages abandoned around the time of the 1840’s Famine. Return to Westport for stroll around this attractive estate town, which was laid out in 1780. (B, D)

DAY 7: CLIFFS OF MOHER & BUNRATTY MEDIEVAL BANQUET

Travel to Galway City for a panoramic tour and free time. Drive through the limestone hills of the Burren to view the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a pre-Christian burial site. Walk along the majestic Cliffs of Moher, a rocky wall that rises nearly 700 feet above the foaming Atlantic Ocean. At Bunratty check in to your hotel, right beside 15th century Bunratty Castle, the Bunratty Folk Park and Durty Nelly’s Pub. Head to Bunratty Castle for a jolly medieval-style dinner where the lords and ladies serenade you-. (B, D)

DAY 8: HOMEWARD BOUND

Take a group transfer to nearby Shannon Airport where your Tour concludes at 10:30. After check in you will have time to shop in the Duty free area. If you need to be in Shannon earlier your guide will coordinate an early transfer once your on tour. (B)

DEPARTURE DATES

March

June

August

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES

• Group transfers on arrival and departure

• Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout

• Dublin open-top bus tour with complimentary visit and a drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery

• Services of a professional Irish tour director

• Superior first class hotels with private bath/shower for 7 nights

• 7 full Irish breakfasts (B)

• 6 dinners (D) including:Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment at Taylor’s Three Rock Pub (or similar), Medieval banquet and entertainment at Bunratty Castle, 4 table d’hôte dinners

• Welcome get-together drink

• Tours of Dublin and Belfast with local guides

• Walking tours of Derry with local guides

• Day tour to Achill Island

• Visits and admissions to Glendalough Visitor Centre, Dublin Castle, Down Cathedral, St. Patrick Centre, Giant’s Causeway, Ulster American Folk Park, Belleek Pottery Factory, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Cliffs of Moher, Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap

• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

YOUR HOTELS

Stay at the following (or similar)

• Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin  (2 nights)

• Europa Hotel, Belfast  (1 night)

• City Hotel, Derry  (1 night)

• Hotel Westport, Westport  (2 nights)

• Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty  (1 night)