Experience Ireland and Scotland

Welcome to the Emerald Isle

Tread in the footsteps of James Joyce and Oscar Wilde, through the lyrical streets of Dublin – your launch pad to a memorable encounter with Ireland’s iconic highlights. After a leisurely morning, meet a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour with views of Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the stately Georgian Squares. Indulge in a little Irish craic this evening, joining your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.

Complimentary arrival transfers depart Dublin Airport (DUB) at 08:30, 11:00 and 13:00 on the first day of the tour.​​​​​​​​​​​​ To qualify, flights must arrive by 12PM. Guests who have booked their extra hotel nights with Trafalgar, or whose flight times do not coincide with the shuttle coach timings may purchase a chargeable transfer.

MEAL(S): Dinner

HOTEL: Clayton Ballsbridge, Hampton by Hilton Dublin City Center

Onward to Limerick

Journey to Galway, the ‘City of Tribes’, where you’ll see its stone cathedral on the banks of the Corrib and spend some free time exploring its stone façades. Irish traditions and heritage are explored next, during a visit to Bunratty Castle and its Folk Park, a living history museum that reveals insights into life in Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries. Continue to Limerick, for an orientation tour and view the 13th-century King John’s Castle overlooking the Shannon.

MEAL(S): Breakfast

HOTEL: The Inn at Dromoland, Greenhills

Experience the Iconic Cliffs of Moher and on to Killarney

Leave Limerick and stop at the spectacular Cliffs of Moher on the famous ‘Wild Atlantic Way’. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with your Local Specialist to truly appreciate this breath-taking landscape. You’ll feel like you’ve gone back to an ancient time as you gaze across the water, all the way to the Aran Islands if the weather is good. Visit the interactive visitor center where this incredible UNESCO-listed natural phenomenon comes to life in a way you would not get to see with your own eyes. Go beneath the surface to see how the sediment has stacked up over 300 million years to create this towering backdrop. Inspired by the irresistible beauty of this special place, you’ll continue to your hotel in Killarney with a scenic drive to the ferry departure point and journey across the Shannon Estuary. Your home for the next two nights is the colorful little town of Killarney.

MEAL(S): Breakfast

HOTEL: International, Killarney

A Scenic Day on the Ring of Kerry

Circle the spectacular Ring of Kerry – its emerald green hills, centuries-old stone villages and vivid blue seascapes provide a soul-stirring backdrop. We’ll see Daniel O’Connell’s Cahirciveen, Moll’s Gap and the Black Valley, renowned for being the last place in Ireland to get electricity and telephone networks. Consider joining an Optional Experience to Muckross House and its beautiful gardens. With a backdrop of oak-clad mountains, enjoy taking in the towering azaleas and rhododendrons, alongside the shores of the lake. The 19th-century house contains some wonderful examples of furniture and paintings, including a portrait of King James VI, for whom Shakespeare wrote Macbeth.

MEAL(S): Breakfast

HOTEL: International, Killarney

Captivating Connemara Relaxed Start

Cross the rugged Kerry Mountains and travel to Blarney Castle to kiss the stone and acquire the ‘gift of the gab’. In the afternoon, arrive Waterford, where you can immerse yourself in the vibrant culture with an optional folk experience, enjoying traditional Irish music and warm hospitality. You’ll then return to the hotel for a delightful group dinner.

MEAL(S): Breakfast, Dinner

HOTEL: Fitzwilton

Through County Wicklow’s Countryside to Dublin

Dive Into Culture and witness the centuries-old tradition of crafting fine glass at the House of Waterford Crystal. Here you will watch the talented master crafters in their workshop creating exquisite pieces. Your next stop is in the town of New Ross, where you’ll see the monument to John F. Kennedy who traveled to his ancestral family hometown in 1963. You’ll visit the three-masted famine ship Dunbrody and Dive Into Culture yet again, gaining insights into the tragic plight of the Irish emigrants who fled the potato famine during the 1800s. Continuing through County Wexford and the lush countryside of County Wicklow, for a stop at Glenealy Farmhouse to meet the Fulvio family over dinner at your Be My Guest experience before continuing to Dublin.

MEAL(S): Breakfast, Dinner

HOTEL: Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport

Farewell Ireland

For now, it’s time to say a fond slán abhaile to your fellow travelers as you close the curtain on an unforgettable journey through the ‘Emerald Isle’ as your Scottish adventure begins.

MEAL(S): Breakfast

Welcome to Edinburgh

Get lost in the narrow lanes of Edinburgh – the Scottish capital with a mystical air that combines ancient heritage with the verve of a modern city. Spend your day at leisure delving into its rich history and embracing the warm culture of the Scots, before joining your travel companions and Travel Director for dinner.

Complimentary arrival transfers depart Edinburgh Airport (EDI) at 09:00, 11:30 and 14:00 on the first day of the tour. To qualify, flights must arrive by 1PM.

MEAL(S): Dinner

HOTEL: Novotel Center, Delta by Marriott

Discover Enchanting Edinburgh

Join your Local Specialist this morning for an intriguing sightseeing tour of the city. Ascend Castle Rock and visit Edinburgh Castle, which watches over the surrounding city from its elevated vantage point. Stroll through the Old Town along the Royal Mile and see the stunning Palace of Holyroodhouse before enjoying time at leisure to soak up the city’s festive atmosphere. Tickets to see the spectacular Edinburgh Tattoo are included on departures that coincide with performance dates.

MEAL(S): Breakfast

HOTEL: Novotel Center, Delta by Marriott

Venture into the Scottish Highlands

Tread in the footsteps of the world’s golfing greats and head to St. Andrews en route to the glorious Scottish Highlands. A scenic drive takes us north and across the Firth of Tay, past the city of Dundee to Pitlochry. After lunch, enjoy some free time to explore its riverside setting or join an Optional Experience to Blair Castle, the ancestral home of the Clan Murray. Our day in beautiful surrounds comes to an end with a cosy dinner at our hotel located within the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands.

MEAL(S): Breakfast, Dinner

HOTEL: Laggan, Craiglynne

Explore Culloden, Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye

Continue your journey to the tragic battlefield of Culloden. Pay tribute to the brave men who lost their lives in the Jacobite Uprising, then travel past Scotland’s infamous Loch Ness. The solitary beauty of Eilean Donan Castle will leave you speechless before you continue to the coast and cross to the Isle of Skye. Heather-clad peaks provide a stunning backdrop for our scenic drive across the Sleat Peninsula. Indulge in some free time for lunch before boarding your ferry in Armadale and crossing to Mallaig, back on the mainland.

MEAL(S): Breakfast, Dinner

HOTEL: Laggan, Craiglynne

Journey to Thriving Glasgow

Your first stop today is to commemorate World War II history at the Commando Memorial near Fort William, from which you admire spectacular views of Britain’s highest peak – Ben Nevis. Journey through the
volcanic ruins and precipitous mountains that lie just beyond Glencoe to see the ‘Glen of Weeping’. Here you remember the MacDonald clansmen who were massacred in 1692. Join a ranger for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, learn about the protection of this rare ecosystem and the important work reintroducing lost indigenous species to its flora and fauna. Continuing towards the River Clyde, arriving at your final stop for the day – Glasgow.

MEAL(S): Breakfast

HOTEL: Crowne Plaza

Walk the Walls of Stirling Castle

Madainn mhath! While your Gaelic may be a little rusty, your orientation tour around this edgy city will be anything but. Begin your day seeing Glasgow’s iconic sights. Enjoy views of the Necropolis, the regal George Square and River Clyde, for over 200 years the center of shipbuilding. Later, Dive Into Culture at a whisky distillery and enjoy a wee dram. Continue to Stirling, to see its hilltop fortress, which stands as a symbol of national pride. Stirling Castle was once the seat of Scottish kings and queens, including Mary, Queen of Scots. View the Wallace Monument from the castle walls, paying tribute to the Scottish hero who fought for Scotland’s independence. Tonight, join a Be My Guest experience.

MEAL(S): Breakfast, Dinner

HOTEL: Crowne Plaza

Farewell Glasgow

The rugged beauty and warmth of Scotland’s people forever in your memory, enjoy one last hearty breakfast with your travel companions before wishing them and your Travel Director a fond farewell.

Departure Transfers:​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​Complimentary departure transfers arrive at Glasgow International Airport (GLA) on the last day of the tour at 06:30 and 09:00.​​​​​​​ To qualify, flights must depart after 09:30am.

MEAL(S): Breakfast