Best of Ireland & Scotland (2014) from Insight Vacations

Highlights:

Despite the many regional variations, there is a natural affinity between these two countries, which can be traced back to their Gaelic roots, not to mention being blessed with dramatic scenery and warm-hearted people.
Tour Pace - Comfortable/Active: This beautiful and inspiring tour of ancient landscapes is moderately paced and well planned - a testimony to its enduring popularity for over 18 years.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES AND DINING

- Dublin: Breathe the air thickened by the musty tomes of Trinity College Library and see the lavish 9C Book of Kells.
- Kildare: Join an equine professional for a behind the sceneslook at the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens.
- Blarney: It is said that those who kiss the Blarney Stone are bestowed with the power to persuade, flatter and coax. But to do so, you must dangle from the ramparts!
- Killarney: A local 'Jarvie' informs you of the history, legend and folklore of Killarney aboard a famous jaunting car ride.
- Killarney: Venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lake lands and villages, as you tour the magical Ring of Kerry.
- Giants Causeway: Steeped in legend, the awe inspiring coastal scenery is a spectacle to behold.
- Alloway: Venture into Robbie Burns Country, to visit the birthplace of Scotland’s most famous poet.
- Highlands: Find out why the battle changed the Highland way of life forever at the Culloden Moor Visitor Centre.
- Highlands: Amidst the stunning scenery of a real working Highland farm, the sheepdogs of Neil Ross are put through their paces, and you meet the collie pups.
- Highlands: sample a ‘wee dram’ and learn the fascinating process of whisky production at the Tomatin Distillery.
- Edinburgh: For a limited time in August, you are witness to the breathtaking spectacle of the Military Tattoo.
- Edinburgh: Walk within the walls of the Castle to view the Scottish Crown Jewels, Stone of Destiny and Mons Meg.
- Killarney: Choose from a fine selection of local restaurants offering a range of Irish, Italian or International cuisines.
- Edinburgh: An unforgettable Celebration event sees you dining on a sunny evening, watching the occasional estuary traffic, and toasting to new-found friends!

ADDITIONAL INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

- Dublin: See the Custom House and elegant Georgian Squares.
- Waterford: See Reginald’s Tower, the ruined city walls and enjoy a guided visit to the Waterford Crystal Factory and Showrooms.
- Cork: Enjoy an orientation tour.
- Adare: See the main street lined with thatched cottages.
- Limerick: See King John’s Castle and St Mary’s Cathedral.
- Galway: See the Cathedral, Spanish Arch and Eyre Square.
- Londonderry: See ‘Derry’s Walls’ and Georgian houses.
- Great Glen: View the Commando memorial and Ben Nevis.
- Highlands: Drive along Loch Ness. Visit the prehistoric burial cairns of Clava.
- St Andrews: Visit the university town and see the golf course.
- Edinburgh: Enjoy a guided city tour down the Royal Mile past Holyrood house and over to the 18C ‘New Town’
- Scenic drives: Connemara, Ring of Kerry, Antrim & Ayrshire Coasts, Glencoe, Grampian Mountains, Loch Ness, Loch Lomond

PREMIUM HOTELS AND LOCATIONS

- Elsewhere, modern hotels like the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow, contrast with the historic charm of Ballygally Castle Hotel with its antique furniture and resident ghost.

SIGNATURE HOTELS

- Relax in the old world charm and comfort of a Georgian Manor House - one of the finest hotels in Limerick.
- The signature Kingsmills hotel in Inverness comprises of an extended 17th Century residence, presenting a seamless blend of style and substance.

INCLUDED QUALITY DINING

- A Welcome Reception with drinks and Welcome Dinner (WD)
- 13 full Breakfasts (FB), 1 Dine-Around (DA), 1 Celebration Dinner (CD) and 5 three-course Evening Meals with choice, or buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)

INCLUDED FIRST CLASS SERVICES

- Escorted by one of Insight's expert Tour Directors - your ‘travelling concierge’, expert guide, consummate facilitator and friend in a foreign land who ensures your journey is as enjoyable as possible.
- Baggage handling everywhere on tour, with seamless and prompt delivery to your door at every hotel
- Hotel and restaurant tips included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for coins or banknotes.
- Free Wi-Fi in most hotel rooms or lobbies.
- Personal radio headsets to give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights without missing any of your local expert's fascinating insights and commentary
- Enjoy the unique comfort of Insight’s Luxury air-conditioned 40 seat coach with extended leg room and on-board restroom. Complimentary on-board wi-fi where possible.
- Insight Flourishes - from time to time your Tour Director will enchant you with local tidbits, each representing authentic food or beverages unique to the destination
- Airport transfers at scheduled times on the first and last day of your escorted journey.

Best of Ireland & Scotland (2014)

From $3535 USD

Welcome to Dublin

On arrival at Dublin Airport, your airport transfer service leaves for the tour hotel at 08:00, 11:00 & 13:30. Perhaps stroll around the shops of Grafton Street? Later, join your Tour Director for a warm and friendly Welcome Reception, with drinks and the opportunity to mingle and get to know each other over a pleasant evening of dinner and wine.

Meals: Welcome Dinner

Hotel: Doubletree by Hilton Dublin - Burlington Road

In Dublin’s Fair City

After a restful night’s sleep, a guided exploration of Dublin shows you the elegant Georgian squares, famous O’Connell Street and historic Custom House, one of architect James Gandon’s masterpieces. A walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College Dublin brings you to the magnificent Old Library. Inside you’ll find the 9C Book of Kells, its delicate paintings one of the treasures of the Middle Ages, and the barrel-vaulted Long Room, where 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books are housed. As evening falls, there is time for shopping and the chance to see an Irish Cabaret show.

Meals: Full Breakfast

Hotel: Doubletree by Hilton Dublin - Burlington Road

Life's Journey to Waterford and Cork

Drive to Kildare for a look behind the scenes at one of the country’s main racehorse breeding centres and visit the finest Japanese Gardens in Europe, for a ‘journey through life’. Then head for Waterford to see Reginald’s Tower, the ruined city walls and visit the Waterford Crystal Showroom. Now on to Cork, Ireland’s second most populous city, built on the River Lee.

Meals: Full Breakfast

Hotel: Imperial, Cork

Blarney, the Gift of the Gab & Killarney

See the Court House and Cork’s fine Georgian houses, before visiting ruined Blarney Castle, the home of the famous Stone of Eloquence, once kissed – never forgotten! A chance to shop for woollens at the Blarney Mills before continuing to Killarney where you join a local ‘Jarvie ’ aboard one of the jaunting cars.

Meals: Full Breakfast / Dinner

Hotel: Killarney Towers, Killarney

Ring of Kerry Excursion

In the morning, tour the superb seascapes, towering cliffs and spectacular mountains of the Ring of Kerry. Follow the narrow road as it winds through delightful villages like Sneem, cross the peat bogs of the Black Mountains to Moll’s Gap and admire Queen Victoria’s ‘Ladies View’. Return mid afternoon for time at leisure. Tonight, for your dining pleasure, choose from a selection of local restaurants.

Meals: Full Breakfast / Dine Around

Hotel: Killarney Towers, Killarney

Limerick & the Land of Song & Legend

Journey through picturesque Adare, with its neat rows of thatched cottages, nestled in some of Ireland's richest farmland. Continue to Limerick, famous for rhymes, lace and elegant Georgian houses. See St Mary’s Cathedral, King John’s Castle and the Treaty Stone. Your hotel is a Georgian Manor House set in 26 acres of beautiful gardens on the banks of the River Shannon.

Meals: Full Breakfast

Hotel: Castle Oaks, Castleconnell

Galway, Connemara and Yeats Country

Drive to Galway and join your Tour Director to see the infamous Lynch Memorial and the Church of St. Nicholas, where Christopher Columbus reputedly prayed beforehis discovery of America. Also see the aged Spanish Arch and Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President, John F Kennedy. Now tour the wild Connemara region, a scenic wonderland of rivers, lakes and silent hills. Tonight your perfect country retreat is set on the scenic shores of Sligo Bay.

Meals: Full Breakfast / Dinner

Hotel: Radisson Blu Sligo Bay

Giant Steps around the Antrim Coast

Cross into Northern Ireland and visit Derry, its well preserved walls are still topped with cannons. Sightseeing with a local expert takes you past the Georgian houses of Shipquay Street to the Gothic Guildhall. Continue around the coast to the amazing Giant’s Causeway. Now enjoy a spectacular drive along the Antrim coast road to your hotel overlooking the sea at the head of Ballygally Bay.

Meals: Full Breakfast / Dinner

Hotel: Ballygally Castle

Burn’s Country & Glasgow

Take the ferry to Scotland and continue along the Ayrshire coast, taking in views of the Firth of Clyde and the Island of Arran. Pass the Open golf links of Turnberry before arriving in Alloway, where you visit Robert Burns’ birthplace and see the Burns’ Monument and famous ‘Brig O’ Doon’. Spend the night in the vibrant city of Glasgow.

Meals: Full Breakfast

Hotel: Crowne Plaza, Glasgow

In Search of the Monster to Inverness

Head north for a scenic drive along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond this morning. Now through the dramatic scenery of Glencoe, still echoing with the cries of massacred clansmen, before reaching Fort William. Pause at the Commando Memorial for a view of Britain’s highest mountain, then continue along the mysterious shores of Loch Ness to Inverness.

Meals: Full Breakfast / Dinner

Hotel: Kingsmills, Inverness

A Highlands Experience

The next day, enjoy an orientation tour of Inverness before driving out to the Culloden Moor Visitor Centre, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army was finally defeated. Not much more than a cannon shot away lie the prehistoric Clava burial cairns, dating back to around 2000BC. The Scottish Border Collie is world renowned for its herding abilities. Visit a working Highland farm for a personal insight into the daily life of a shepherd and his dogs. Return to your hotel via the Tomatin Distillery for a wee dram of the finest Highland whisky.

Meals: Full Breakfast / Dinner

Hotel: Kingsmills, Inverness

St. Andrews & 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, the home of golf. Now continue across the majestic Forth Road Bridge to the Scottish Capital. This evening, selected departures attend the spectacular Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Meals: Full Breakfast

Hotel: Crowne Plaza - The Roxburghe/Apex City, Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Athens of the North

In the morning, join your local expert for a visit to Edinburgh Castle, housing the Scottish Crown Jewels. At the bottom of the Royal Mile, stands the Queen's Holyroodhouse Palace. Turn on to Princes Street, past the Scott Memorial to see Edinburgh’s famous Georgian New Town. Later, there is still time to shop. This evening, join your friends at a stylish restaurant over looking Edinburgh's famous Forth bridges - a unique water's edge setting for your a grand finalé Celebration Dinner. Bon Appetit!

Meals: Full Breakfast / Celebration Dinner

Hotel: Crowne Plaza - The Roxburghe/Apex City, Edinburgh

Out of Edinburgh

Transfers arrive at Edinburgh Airport at 06:15 & 09:00.

Meals: Full Breakfast

Agency: Insight Vacations

Best of Ireland & Scotland (2014)

From $3535 USD

Agency: Insight Vacations

Best of Ireland & Scotland (2014)

From $3535 USD

Agency: Insight Vacations