CIE Tours: 2012 - 9 Day Irish Gold Tour (IE-GOA-12-9D)

CIE Tours: Highlights

• Gourmet Killeen House Restaurant
• Taylor's Three Rock Traditional Show & Dinner
• Clonmacnoise Monastic Site 
• Killary Fjord Catamaran Cruise
• Cliffs of Moher
• Ring of Kerry Drive

Deluxe & Superior First Class Hotels:
Stay at the following or similar:

• Airport transfers at start and end of tour
• Sightseeing by luxury coach
• Professional tour director
• 8 nights in hotels listed above 
• Full breakfast daily except on day 1 (B)
• 6 dinners (D) including:
  - Dinner at award-winning Killeen House Restaurant
  - Dinner and traditional entertainment at Taylor's Three Rock Pub
  - 4 table d'hote dinners
• Welcome get-together drink
• Tour of Dublin with your tour director
• Catamaran cruise of Killary Fjord (Apr 8 - Oct 28 departures)
• Horse-drawn jaunting car ride in Killarney
• Irish coffee and music session at the Marine Bar in Dungarvan
• Walking tour of Waterford
• Dublin open-top bus tour with a visit and drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery
• Visits and admissions to Book of Kells at Trinity College, Clonmacnoise Monastic Site, Kylemore Abbey Visitor Centre, Cliffs of Moher, Muckross House & Gardens, Skellig Experience, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, House of Waterford Crystal and Dunbrody Famine Ship
• Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

9 Day Irish Gold Tour CIE Tour: Itinerary

Day 1 : Dublin Tour & Book of Kells
Your tour starts at Dublin Airport with a group transfer to your hotel between 7 - 00 am and 12 - 00 noon. If you arrive later than noon, transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2 - 00 pm your tour director will introduce you to Dublin's River Liffey, the wide O'Connell Street, tranquil St. Stephen's Green, the seat of government at Leinster House and other public buildings. See some of Dublin's famous Georgian houses and pause at the Famine Memorial, a reminder of the mid-19th century disaster. Visit Trinity College's campus and the Old Library to view the priceless Book of Kells. Your tour director will host a welcome drink to discuss your tour and he will advise where to dine independently.

Day 2 : Clonmacnoise Monastic Site & Galway
Leave Dublin and journey across the rolling pastures of Ireland's heartland to visit Clonmacnoise. This monastic settlement was founded in 545 AD by St. Ciaran and is set on the banks of the tranquil River Shannon. See elaborate high crosses as well as many church ruins and round towers. Drive to Galway and view the main sights of the city before checking into your hotel, located within easy reach of lively streets with fun specialty stores, cafés and pubs. Enjoy some free time to browse around on your own before dining in your hotel. (B, D)

Day 3 : Connemara, Clifden & Catamaran Cruise
Drive through the heart of Connemara, past granite hills and sparkling lakes on the way to Leenane to embark on a short cruise of Killary Harbour, a 9-mile fjord (Apr 8 - Oct 28 departures). Enjoy views of hills where traces of “lazy beds” of potato ridges from the 19th century and earlier can still be seen. Keep an eye out for seabirds as you pass mussel and salmon farms. Rejoin your coach and drive through lovely countryside where sheep graze freely. Stop for photos at the Kylemore Abbey Visitor Centre and in Clifden, the principal town of the region, and return to Galway. (B, D)

Day 4 : Cliffs of Moher & Killarney's Jaunting Car
Travel south around Galway Bay to see the Cliffs of Moher, which rise almost 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic surf. Then drive through the outskirts of Limerick and stop in the picturesque village of Adare for photos. Drive to Killarney, a little town that is world-famous due to its exquisite location beside lakes and mountains. Check in to your deluxe hotel, in a peaceful setting just outside the town. Head out to view stunning scenery on a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through the grounds of the Killarney National Park. Tour Muckross House to see period furnishings and learn of its important guests and owners. Then stroll through the mature gardens before returning to your hotel. (B, D)

Day 5 : Ring of Kerry & Killeen House Restaurant
Embark on Ireland's most popular scenic drive - the Ring of Kerry. This circular tour will reveal constantly-changing vistas of mountains, open Atlantic Ocean, beaches and cliffs. At the tip of the peninsula visit the Skellig Experience, which explains the history, flora and fauna on the nearby rocky islands. Return through the attractive village of Sneem and pause at Moll's Gap for panoramic views of Killarney. Back in Killarney enjoy free time before dinner. This evening head to the award-winning Killeen House Restaurant for a warm welcome and a superb dinner. (B, D)

Day 6 : Blarney Castle, Traditional Music Session & Waterford Walk 
Drive through the mountains of Kerry and West Cork into richer farming country on the way to Blarney. Climb to the ramparts of Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” You may do some shopping at the Blarney Woollen Mills before driving along the coast to Dungarvan. Stop at the Marine Bar for a creamy Irish coffee and an informal traditional music session. Continue to Waterford and check into your historic hotel, located on the waterfront of this ancient port city. After dinner, take a fun walking tour around the narrow streets and ancient buildings to learn about Waterford's long history. (B, D)

Day 7 : Waterford Crystal & Taylor's Three Rock
After breakfast tour the House of Waterford Crystal to watch glass blowing and cutting by master craftspeople and see a huge display of elegant tableware and magnificent trophies. In nearby New Ross visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship. This is a replica of a 19th century vessel used to transport emigrants fleeing from the dreadful conditions during the 1840's Famine. Travel to your deluxe manor house hotel, which dates back to 1750 and set in extensive gardens on the south side of Dublin. In the evening drive to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for dinner and a lively show with traditional Irish music, story-telling and step-dancing. (B, D)

Day 8 : Dublin City Tour & Guinness Visit
The entire day is at leisure so you may schedule sightseeing as you wish. Use your open-top bus tour voucher to explore Dublin - you may get on and off at any of the 23 stops along the route, which include Dublin's most popular attractions. Take a tour around either the Guinness Storehouse or the Old Jameson Distillery to see stout or whiskey production techniques and enjoy a drink of the finished product. (B)

Day 9 : Tour Ends Dublin Airport
Take a taxi transfer to Dublin Airport in good time for your flight home. (B)

B: Breakfast; D: Dinner