Jewels of Ireland 2009

Tour Itinerary

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Day 1 - Dublin Castle & City Tour

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 fl ight arrives later, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:00 pm tour Dublin city centre with a local guide to see elegant Georgian squares with the famous colourful doorways, Trinity College, Leinster House, St. Stephen's Green and O'Connell Street. Tour the State Apartments of Dublin Castle (if available), which date from early Georgian times and contain magnifi cently-furnished chambers with Waterford Crystal chandeliers. Back at your hotel enjoy a welcome drink to learn more about your tour.

Day 2 - Glendalough Monastery & Traditional Music

This morning take a drive south through the lovely Wicklow Mountains to visit the Glendalough Visitor Centre and learn about St. Kevin's 6th century monastery. Walk through the ruined churches and round tower, which are set in a peaceful valley between two lakes. Return to Dublin where the afternoon is free for independent sightseeing or shopping. In the evening head to one of Dublin's popular venues for dinner and a show of traditional music and step-dancing. (B, D)

Day 3 - Midleton Distillery & Kinsale

Drive south and pause for photos at the Rock of Cashel, a stately limestone outcrop topped with medieval ruins. Continue to visit the Old Midleton Distillery. Here learn about Irish whiskey as you walk through preserved buildings. Sample the fi nished product before heading to Kinsale, a delightful old town renowned for sailing and gourmet food. Check into your waterfront hotel and join a local guide for a short walking tour around historic places. (B, D)

Day 4 - Muckross House & Killarney

This morning drive via Macroom to Killarney. Tour the 19th century Muckross House with a guide to tell you about infl uential owners and visitors. Take a walk around the charming gardens. Explore Killarney on your own before driving along the Dingle Peninsula, the most westerly landmass in Europe. Enjoy views of heathery mountains, sandy beaches and rocky headlands. Check into your hotel, set in a wonderful location overlooking Dingle Bay. (B, D)

Day 5 - Dingle Peninsula

Today discover the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two movies, "Ryan's Daughter" and "Far & Away." Enjoy great scenic views as you drive. Tour the Blasket Centre in Dunquin to learn about the Blasket Islands, inhabited until 1953 by hardy families who eked out a living by farming and fi shing. Next visit Gallarus Oratory, a small church built between the 6th and 9th centuries. It was built with corbel vaulting and no mortar, but has remained watertight through the centuries. Drive to the Conor Pass before returning to Dingle. Enjoy the facilities at your hotel or take a stroll before dinner. (B, D)

Day 6 - Flying Boat Museum & Galway

Visit the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, near the River Shannon. During the 1930’s and early 1940’s, the Port of Foynes was a hive of activity with Pan Am’s Clipper traffic between the United States and Europe. Travel alongside the River Shannon Estuary, on the way to Galway. Take a brief drive around Galway before checking into your hotel, located overlooking Galway Bay. (B, D)

Day 7 - Quiet Man Walk & Connemara Tour

Drive through Headford to Cong, a charming village where the 1952 movie, “The Quiet Man,” was filmed. A short walking tour will show you movie locations and the ruins of Cong Abbey. Travel through Connemara, renowned for delightful landscapes with misty hills. Sheep graze freely over the open land and in places people cut peat, which is used for home heating. Visit the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory, which specialises in intricate designs in coloured crystal, before returning to Galway. (B, D)

Day 8 - Museum of Country Life & Belleek China

Outside Castlebar visit the Museum of Country Life. View collections of domestic goods, used in everyday living from 1850 to 1950. Exhibits and a movie explain how country people lived by farming. Make a brief stop in the pilgrimage town of Knock and view W. B. Yeats’ Grave, situated near the distinctive outline of Ben Bulben mountain in County Sligo. Continue to Belleek for a tour of the Belleek Pottery Factory, founded in the mid-19th century to create employment. Drive to Donegal town for your next overnight stop. (B, D)

Day 9 - Slieve League Cliffs & Donegal

Drive to the fishing port of Killybegs and on to Teelin to view Slieve League sea cliffs, which reach 1,972 feet, making them the highest in Europe. The cliffs drop straight down to the wild Atlantic waves and the views are marvellous. Continue through the majestic Glengesh Pass to Ardara. Visit Triona Design to see demonstrations of spinning, weaving and knitting as well as sample home-made scones with tea. Return to Donegal town for free time before returning to your nearby hotel. (B, D)

Day 10 - Derry Walk & Giant’s Causeway

Travel to Derry for a walking tour with a local guide around the city centre to see the medieval city walls, the Diamond and St. Columb’s Cathedral. Visit the Giant’s Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Continue south to your centrally located hotel in Belfast. (B, D)

Day 11 - Belfast & St. Patrick’s Burial Site

Tour Belfast with a local guide to see Victorian buildings, the Harland & Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built and the Falls Road and Shankill residential areas. Drive south to the St. Patrick Centre where you will learn about Ireland’s Patron Saint and view his reputed grave at Down Cathedral. Continue to Kingscourt to your castle hotel, built in 1760. After a farewell dinner in the Court Restaurant, enjoy some informal entertainment. (B, D)

Day 12 - Homeward bound.

This morning take a 90-minute group transfer to Dublin Airport, leaving the hotel at either 6:00, 9:00 or 11:00 am. After check-in you will have time to shop at the duty-free shops before boarding your flight for the journey home. (B)

Your Tour Includes

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• Group transfers on arrival and departure
• Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
• Services of a professional Irish driver/guide
• Superior first class hotels with private bath/shower for 11 nights
• 11 full Irish breakfasts (B)
• 10 dinners (D) including
• Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment in Dublin
• Farewell dinner at Cabra Castle Hotel
• 8 table d’hote dinners
• Welcome get-together drink
• Tours of Dublin & Belfast with local guides
• Whiskey tasting and tour of Old Midleton Distillery
• Walking tours of Kinsale & Derry with local guides
• “The Quiet Man” walking tour of Cong
• Minibus excursion to Slieve League Sea Cliffs
• Hand weaving demonstration with tea & scones at Triona Design
• Visits and admissions to Dublin Castle, Glendalough Visitor Centre, Muckross House & Gardens, Blasket Experience, Gallarus Oratory, Foynes Flying Boat Museum, Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory, Museum of Country Life, Knock Shrine, W. B. Yeats’ Grave, Belleek Pottery Factory, Giant’s Causeway, St. Patrick Centre and Down Cathedral
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

Your Hotels

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Stay at the following (or similar):

• Radisson Royal Hotel, Dublin (2 nights)
• Trident Hotel, Kinsale (1 night)
• Sceilig Hotel, Dingle (2 nights)
• Salthill Hotel, Galway (2 nights)
• Millpark Hotel, Donegal (2 nights)
• Europa Hotel, Belfast (1 night)
• Cabra Castle Hotel, Kingscourt (1 night)

Departure Dates & Selling Price for 2009 season

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Single Room Supplement € 435.00. All Rates in euro.