CIE Tours: 2012 - 7 Day Taste Of Ireland (IE-TAA-12-7D)

Day 1 : Arrive Dublin & City Sightseeing 
Start at Dublin Airport with a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later than noon, transfer to the hotel at your own expense. In the afternoon use your independent open-top bus tour voucher with a Guinness or Jameson visit and tasting - these features are valid for 24 hours.

Day 2 : Dublin & Merry Ploughboy Pub 
Enjoy a free morning in Dublin for further sightseeing with the included vouchers. At 2:00 pm all participants join a local guide for a tour of ancient and modern Dublin. Drive through the main streets to see historic buildings such as Trinity College, where the Book of Kells is housed; the evocative figures of the Famine Memorial; and rows of Georgian houses with gaily-painted doorways. Stop at Dublin Castle for a guided tour through the elegant State Apartments, which are filled with elaborate Waterford Crystal chandeliers and portraits of prominent Irish leaders. Return to your hotel for a get-together with your tour group and a welcome drink. In the evening head to the Merry Ploughboy Pub for a great dinner of Irish specialties and a lively show with popular Irish songs and intricate step-dancing. (B, D)

Day 3 : Blarney Castle & Killarney
Depart Dublin and travel through the midlands of Ireland, which has many mixed farms. Stop for photos of the stately ruins on the Rock of Cashel, rising high above the surrounding plain. Continue your drive south and, just a few miles outside Cork, visit Blarney Castle to kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence.” Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills where you can find quality Irish-made goods of all types, conveniently displayed under one roof. Drive through Macroom, built around a fine castle, and into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes with Ireland's highest mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, forming a backdrop. Check in to your hotel and relax before dinner. After your meal you may like to take a stroll through the compact town and explore Killarney's famous singing pubs. (B, D)

Day 4 : Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Today embark on Ireland's most popular scenic drive of 100 miles - the Ring of Kerry. This winding route reveals breathtaking sights of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks as well as coastal views of beaches and cliffs. As you travel along, there will be plenty of stops for photos at the best vantage points. Stop at Kells to meet a local farmer, Brendan Ferris, for a taste of farm life with a sheepdog demonstration of herding flocks and see different breeds of sheep. Drive through the village of Cahirciveen and cross to Valencia Island by bridge. Visit the Skellig Experience to learn about the nearby rocky islands where early Christian monks lived in austere conditions and today they form a thriving bird sanctuary. Stop to walk around Sneem, where brightly-painted houses are grouped around a central green. Pause at Moll's Gap for a view of the Three Lakes of Killarney with the town in the distance. Return to Killarney and enjoy a fine dinner in your hotel once again. (B, D)

Day 5 : Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle
Leave Killarney and drive north to Tarbert for a 20-minute ferry ride across the wide River Shannon Estuary. Your tour continues along the Clare coast to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of limestone that reaches to almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Drive past Lahinch Golf Course, one of Ireland's most famous, and through the marketing town of Ennis to Bunratty. Check in to Bunratty Castle Hotel, which is located close to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. In the evening head to Bunratty Castle for a memorable experience in a wonderful setting with good food and entertainment. Take your place in the Great Hall for a medieval-style feast of excellent dishes and plenty of wine. During and after the meal the lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative of the Middle Ages. (B, D)

Day 6 : Dublin Extension via Galway
Drive north through Galway and out along the famous Galway Bay to Spiddal where the locals still speak the Irish language. Then drive across the rugged boglands of Connemara to Moycullen to visit the Connemara Marble Factory. See how this locally-quarried marble is made into attractive products and enjoy tea and scones. Drive into Galway for a panoramic tour around the principal areas and then take some time to look around the city before traveling to Dublin. Check in to a different hotel, centrally located off O'Connell Street. You are free this evening to spend the final night of your tour exploring the pubs in the lively Temple Bar area or experience one of Dublin's fine restaurants. (B)

Day 7 : Depart from Dublin Airport
Group transfers are provided to Dublin Airport to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon to check in for your flight. If you need an earlier transfer, your tour director will arrange one for you. Then you can shop for duty-free goods before boarding your flight home. (B)

B: Breakfast; D: Dinner