Upcoming Tours of Ireland

• Highlights of Ireland - Part 1- June 1-10, 2008
• Highlights of Ireland - Part 2 - August 30th - Sept. 8th, 2008
• North Wales and Dublin - July 13 - 21, 2008
• Request Ireland Tour Information

Highlights of Ireland - Part 1- June 1-10, 2008

2008 Highlights of Ireland tours

Itinerary

Day 1
Upon arrival in Dublin airport you will be greeted by your driver guide in the arrivals hall. Travel into Dublin city centre and check into your hotel. This afternoon we will embark on a panoramic tour of Dublin city — taking in the beautiful Georgian Squares, the many famous monuments and points of historical interest, St. Stephen’s Green, the “left bank”, and more. The tour will finish with a guided tour of the Guinness Storehouse where there will be a complimentary pint of Guinness waiting for you in the Gravity Bar at the end of tour — this bar affords panoramic views over the entire city of Dublin. Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel this evening.
Overnight Dublin (B,D)

Day 2
Today we will leave the city and travel southwards through Co Wicklow, “The Garden of Ireland”. We will travel by the Dublin mountains and later the Wicklow mountains as we drive towards Glendalough (meaning the valley between two lakes). This monastic site was founded by St Kevin in the 6th century and today the Round Tower still stands for us to visit. Later today we will visit Mount Usher Gardens - Laid out along the banks of the River Vartry, Mount Usher has been designed in the Robinsonian* style. Trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants have been introduced from all parts of the globe and are planted in harmony with woodland and shade loving plants. We will return to Dublin this afternoon, and enjoy some free time before visiting The Merry Ploughboy Pub for an evening of traditional Irish food and entertainment this evening.
Overnight Dublin (B,D)

*Robinsonian....after William Robinson (fl. c 1890) the influential and brilliant Irish garden designer. Robinson believed in natural gardens, as opposed to the formal approach of those who preceded him.

Day 3
We will leave the capital this morning and travel Westwards towards the vibrant city of Galway. Our journey will take us through the midlands to Clonmacnoise, the monastic site which was founded by St. Ciaran in the 6th century, consisting of ruins of a cathedral, seven churches, two round towers and three high crosses. The long and varied history of Clonmacnoise is recounted in an audio visual presentation shown in the visitor centre. As we continue our jounrney westwards, we will arrive at Athenry which is one of the most notable medieval walled towns surviving in Ireland. Here we may visit the heritage centre and enjoy a stroll around the town. Our destination this afternoon is Galway, “City of Tribes”, much loved for its culture and relaxed atmosphere. Check into your hotel and enjoy dinner here this evening.
Overnight Galway (B,D)

Day 4
Today we will leave the hustle and bustle of Galway city behind as we tour through the rugged beauty of Connemara. Enjoy the drive through the beautiful countryside surrounded by lakes and mountains, with plenty of sheep dotted along the road side. We will stop at the village of Moycullen, where we will meet the owner of Celtic Crystal and where we will find out all about the history of the crystal factory and see the amazing craftspeople at their work. Later this afternoon we will travel through the Gaeltacht or Irish-speaking area, and return to Galway city along the shores of Galway Bay. Enjoy your evening at leisure and perhaps enjoy meeting some locals in one of the many (accessible) pubs near your hotel.
Overnight Galway (B)

Day 5
We will leave Galway this morning to travel through Co. Clare and on towards Co. Kerry. We will pass through the old market town of Ennis before arriving at Bunratty Village where we will stop for a while. Here we may see Bunratty Castle and visit the adjacent folk park, which provides a fun and fascinating glimpse into local lifestyles in times gone by. You may like to have lunch outside Durty Nellies (which claims to be the oldest pub in Ireland!), or take a browse through the Bunratty Mills for fine examples of Irish crafts and gifts. Onwards then, across the River Shannon at Limerick and towards Tralee in Co. Kerry where we will be based for the next three nights. Arrive at your hotel and enjoy dinner here this evening.
Overnight Killarney (B,D)

Day 6
This morning we will travel Eastwards towards the city of Cork, Ireland’s second largest city. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the city, which has been built up along the banks of the River Lee. Nearby to Cork city we will also visit the Heritage town of Cobh, the last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic, and also the last port of call for millions of Irish people who emigrated during and after the Great Famine in the mid-19th century. A visit to the Cobh Heritage Centre provides a great insight into the history of this port, which today is still a very important port in Ireland. Return to Tralee in the late afternoon. This evening we will attend a performance at the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, Siamse Tire.
Overnight Tralee (B)

Day 7
Today we will be touring the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. Travelling from south from Tralee, we will travel along the coast through the charming villages of Inch and Annascaul to the harbor town of Dingle. Dingle is a bustling town with a variety of craft shops, pubs and restaurants. Just past the town we will enter the Gaeltacht or Irish-Speaking region, and as we continue on the road around the Peninsula you will really get a feel for the remoteness and beauty of the area. Here you may find the greatest concentration of Celtic Monastic, and older, ruins outside the Aran Islands, the most famous being Gallarus Oratory. We will complete the circle by returning to Dingle town where we will have some free time before returning to Tralee in the late afternoon. Enjoy your evening at leisure.
Overnight Tralee (B)

Day 8
We will depart the Kingdom of Kerry today to journey towards Co. Limerick for our final night. Enroute to Limerick we will stop in Adare, often called “the prettiest town in Ireland”. Here you may like to have a browse around the heritage centre followed by some free time to explore the pretty main street which is partially lined with thatched cottages housing tea rooms and antique shops. It will only be a short journey then into Limerick city where your driver guide will bring you on a panoramic tour and give you an brief outline of the history of the city. We will stop at King John’s Castle for a visit before checking into our hotel. This evening we will enjoy great company, great food and great entertainment at the ceili (traditional Irish night) at the folk park in Bunratty.
Overnight Limerick (B,D)

Day 9
Sadly it’s time to depart today. Enjoy a leisurely morning before boarding your coach for the short transfer to Shannon Airport from where you will fly homeward bound.

Slan go Foill!
(Bye for Now)

**Note: While we book the best adapted rooms for wheelchair users that are available for our tours, not every hotel will have roll-in showers every night. If they do not, the bathrooms will be fully adapted for guests with disabilities, including grab bars in bathtubs and by toilets. We can provide a transfer chair to assist, if necessary, but suggest that you bring your own toilet seat risers if you require one. We provide the best hotels available to meet the needs of the group, and they are always fully wheelchair accessible, however, it is not always possible to find hotels with several rooms with roll-in showers in Europe.

(Note: price of this tour is based on the exchange rate in effect as of September 12, 2007, and is subject to change in the event of excessive currency fluctuation by the time that final payment is due.)
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Highlights of Ireland - Part 2 - August 30th - Sept. 8th, 2008

See itinerary for Highlights of Ireland, Part 1 for a detailed description.
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North Wales and Dublin - July 13 - 21, 2008

This NEW tour combines 3 nights exploring the enchanting North Wales, staying in a very special castle-hotel, as well as four days in the exciting city of Dublin.
The tour starts in Ireland, where you fly into Dublin and enjoy a panoramic tour of this wonderful city; as well as a tour of the Guinness Storehouse (with a complimentary pint!), and a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral.
There will also be a tour to Co. Wicklow, known as "the Garden of Ireland", where you will visit the ancient round tower and mystical Glendalough, as well as the lovely Powerscourt Gardens, which will be at their most beautiful and colorful.
There is also another day tour to Newgrange, North of Dublin. A visit to Kildare, home of the Irish National Stud, and the Japanese Gardens, is a delightful treat. And, there will be a half day free in Dublin city center for shopping; visits to the various museums, and
perhaps a stroll through the lovely St. Stephen's Green, one of the most beautiful civic parks in all of Europe.
You will spend four nights in a four-star hotel in Dublin's city center, close to all shopping and sightseeing, with excellent accessible rooms, and a pub with a great atmosphere right next door!

Next, you'll take a trip on a high speed luxury ferry for the short (90 minutes) crossing to Holyhead, North Wales. There will be a visit to the Isle of Anglesey, with a photostop at the rail station with the longest place name in the world (58 letters in all!)
Once on the mainland of Wales, there will be so much to see; Gardens, magical castles, the delightful village of Portmierion, the famous Slate Caverns, and some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe as you drive through Snowdonia National Park. You will visit the charming Victorian town of Llandudno, on
the North Coast of Wales, with it's wonderful curved promenade over the sea and it's Victorian Pier.

You'll spend three nights in a unique accommodation, parts of which date back to the 15th century and now is a lovely castle/hotel with good accessible rooms.

All transport will be in a luxury wheelchair accessible motorcoach with lift, and all guiding services are included.

It truly combines the best of two wonderful countries; one an exciting city in Ireland with day tours into the surrounding countryside, and the other, a magical country with a fascinating history and so many unique places to visit.

Your tour includes full Irish / Welsh breakfasts each day, four 3-course dinners, and a Welcome Reception at hotel on the first evening in Dublin.
All taxes and service charges are includes, as is airport transfers and porterage of bags.

Join Undiscovered Britain & Ireland for this unique and special tour, and see two wonderful countries on an itinerary that you will greatly enjoy.

Please call 215-969-0542 for further information, or email:
Ann@undiscoveredbritain.com.

**Note: While we book the best adapted rooms for wheelchair users that are available for our tours, not every hotel will have roll-in showers every night. If they do not, the bathrooms will be fully adapted for guests with disabilities, including grab bars in bathtubs and by toilets. We can provide a transfer chair to assist, if necessary, but suggest that you bring your own toilet seat risers if you require one. We provide the best hotels available to meet the needs of the group, and they are always fully wheelchair accessible, however, it is not always possible to find hotels with several rooms with roll-in showers in Europe.

(Note: price of this tour is based on the exchange rate in effect as of September 12, 2007, and is subject to change in the event of excessive currency fluctuation by the time that final payment is due.)



Request more information