COSMOS Europe: Ireland

Cosmos GRAND TOUR OF BRITAIN & IRELAND

Cosmos Tour Code: 9050 Land Price From: $2,129.00
18 days from London to London, or 19 days incl. travel

Experience the best of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales on this in-depth exploration of the British Isles. Begin your vacation in London with a full day to enjoy the city on your own or to take optional tours, then visit enigmatic Stonehenge and majestic Salisbury with its magnificent cathedral. Drive through Dartmoor National Park and visit Widecombe-in-the-Moor, setting of The Hound of the Baskervilles, before arriving in Plymouth, starting point for the Pilgrims’ 1620 voyage. Hear about legendary King Arthur in Glastonbury and explore elegant Georgian Bath, famous for its Roman relics. Leave England, cross into Wales, and arrive in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, for an orientation drive. Ferry across St. George’s Channel to Ireland, stopping in Blarney, famous for the legendary “Blarney Stone,” and in the popular resort of Killarney. Along the scenic “Ring of Kerry” coastal route, see sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with brightly colored farmhouses, winding lanes bordered with verdant vegetation, and spectacular views of the Lakes of Killarney. Savor splendid views from the shores of the Dingle Peninsula, and in Adare, take photographs of the lovely thatched cottages.

Spend the night in the market town of Ennis before heading west to the spectacular 668-foot Cliffs of Moher. Travel via Galway to Dublin, Ireland’s capital, where you’ll see all the major sights. Cross the Irish Sea to Holyhead on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey, then motor to 2,000-year-old Chester in England. Head north through the Lake District, often considered the finest of England’s national parks, and cross the border into Scotland. Spend the night in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, before traveling into the Highlands. Follow the banks of mysterious Loch Ness on the way to Inverness. Cross Culloden Moor and stop at St. Andrews, the home of golf founded in 1754. Spend two nights in regal Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, and visit mighty Edinburgh Castle on your guided tour. Continue south to see a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes. Stop in York, England’s most complete medieval city, for a walking tour through its maze of quaint streets. Pass Robin Hood’s legendary Sherwood Forest, enjoy time in Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, and then drive through the scenic Cotswolds on your way back to London, where your unforgettable vacation ends.

Cosmos IRISH EXPLORER

Cosmos Tour Code: 9200 Land Price From: $1,129.00
9 days from Dublin to Dublin, or 10 days incl. travel

Explore Ireland in depth and hear exciting stories of its rich history, legends, and myths. Begin your trip in Dublin, Ireland’s capital, with an orientation drive that introduces you to Dublin’s major attractions. Then travel north through the Boyne Valley and the Mountains of Mourne to Downpatrick and via Strangford Lough to Belfast, the vibrant capital of Northern Ireland. Take the scenic route along the Antrim coast to dramatic Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Derry and Donegal, then drive along Donegal Bay on your way to Sligo. Via Knock, where pilgrims from around the world flock to the Marian Shrine, and vibrant coastal Galway, head for the breathtaking 668-foot Cliffs of Moher. Take photographs of the thatched cottages in Adare, then drink in the scenery on the Dingle Peninsula before arriving in the bustling resort of Killarney. More spectacular vistas await you during the coastal drive along the beautiful “Ring of Kerry,” where you’ll see sparkling seascapes, mountains dotted with brightly colored farmhouses, winding lanes bordered with verdant vegetation, and spectacular views of the Lakes of Killarney. Next, stop in Blarney, famous for its castle and Stone of Eloquence, and enjoy a guided tour of the House of Waterford Crystal. Heading north, visit Ireland’s oldest handweaving mill at Avoca, and Glendalough with St. Kevin’s Irish Christianity Centre ruins. Back in Dublin, your vacation ends with an exciting optional tour.

Cosmos THE BEST OF BRITAIN & IRELAND

Cosmos Tour Code: 9010 Land Price From: $1,849.00
15 days from London to London, or 16 days incl. travel

England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales—experience them all on this comprehensive vacation. Your adventure begins with a full day to enjoy exciting optional tours in London before heading out to Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace. In Oxford, a walking tour takes in the colleges where Britain’s elite receive their education, then experience the exquisite Cotswolds, Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, and Lady Godiva’s Coventry. Continue to York, England’s most complete medieval city, for a walking tour. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes, and enter Scotland for two overnights in regal Edinburgh. Here, your sightseeing tour with a Local Guide includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland’s Crown Jewels.

Travel south through the Lowlands to Gretna Green, where the blacksmith used to wed runaway couples. Continue through the Lake District, considered the finest of England’s national parks, visiting Wordsworth’s charming Grasmere and beautiful Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. Enjoy a walking tour of 2,000-year-old Chester and drive into Wales through breathtaking Snowdonia National Park, Betws-y-Coed, and Llanberis Pass to the Isle of Anglesey. At Holyhead, board a ferry for Dublin, Ireland’s capital, where an orientation drive shows you the main attractions. Head west and via Galway to the spectacular 668-foot Cliffs of Moher. Take a break in Adare, known for its remarkable thatched cottages, then enjoy breathtaking views on your drive along the spectacular “Ring of Kerry.” After an overnight in the popular resort of Killarney, motor to Blarney, famous for its castle and “Blarney Stone.” Leave Ireland and take the ferry back to Wales for an orientation drive of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Then, return to England and stop in the Georgian city of Bath, famous for its Roman relics, and at enigmatic Stonehenge. Your tour ends back in London with free time—a memorable trip!

Cosmos THE BRITISH ISLES IN DEPTH

Cosmos Tour Code: 9090 Land Price From: $3,085.00
24 days from London to London, or 25 days incl. travel

This extensive vacation covers the whole of the British Isles—Scotland, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. No other tour is as complete. Begin your trip with two overnights in London and time to explore on your own or to take an optional tour. Head to Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace; enjoy a walking tour of Oxford, where Britain’s elite receive their education; and travel through the exquisite Cotswolds to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon and Lady Godiva’s Coventry. Continue on to York, England’s most complete medieval city, for a walking tour with your Tour Director. See a section of Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman coast-to-coast defense against marauding northern tribes, and enter Scotland for two overnights in regal Edinburgh. In the Scottish capital, your tour includes a visit to mighty Edinburgh Castle. On to St. Andrews, home of golf; Braemar, home of the Royal Highland Games for the past 900 years; and Royal Deeside, where the Queen is an annual visitor. Enjoy an excursion to the spectacular west coast of Scotland, then drive over to the beautiful Isle of Skye. Scenic highlights await you on the way to Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, and an orientation drive acquaints you with Glasgow’s attractions.

Next, ferry to Belfast in Northern Ireland and visit remarkable Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the way to Derry. Travel to Knock, where pilgrims flock to the Marian Shrine; see the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher; and drink in the scenery on the Dingle Peninsula and along the gorgeous “Ring of Kerry.” Visit popular Killarney; Blarney, known for the “Stone of Eloquence;” and Waterford, famous for its crystal. Stop at Ireland’s oldest handweaving mill at Avoca and enjoy Glendalough with St. Kevin’s Irish Christianity Centre ruins. In Dublin, Ireland’s capital, an orientation drive shows you the sites. Then, ferry back across the Irish Sea to Holyhead and travel south through scenic Wales with stops in Wrexham and Cardiff. Return to England and explore elegant Georgian Bath, famous for its Roman relics. Hear about King Arthur in Glastonbury, stop in Widecombe-in-the-Moor, made famous in The Hound of the Baskervilles, and see where the Pilgrims embarked on their monumental journey in Plymouth. Also see St. Michael’s Mount and Land’s End on the way to the popular seaside town of St. Ives. Contemplate the mystery of Stonehenge, take a break in beautiful Salisbury with its magnificent cathedral, and overnight in Brighton before returning to London for the finale of your awesome adventure.

Cosmos WALES & IRELAND

Cosmos Tour Code: 9040 Land Price From: $1,159.00
9 days from London to London, or 10 days incl. travel

Explore the best of Ireland, Wales, and England on this exciting vacation. Begin your trip with free time in London, then head out to explore enigmatic Stonehenge, majestic Salisbury with its magnificent cathedral, and elegant Georgian Bath with its famous Roman relics. Overnight in Bristol, where John Cabot set sail to discover America in 1497. Cross into Wales and enjoy an orientation drive in Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Motor through rich dairy farmland to Pembroke, where you’ll take the ferry across St. George’s Channel to Ireland. Take time in Blarney, famous for the legendary Stone of Eloquence, and visit the castle or shop for Irish handicrafts. Then, travel to the bustling resort of Killarney.

Next, enjoy an exciting drive along the “Ring of Kerry” with spectacular views of seascapes, mountains, and verdant vegetation. Stop in Adare, known for its remarkable thatched cottages, and see the sites on an orientation tour of Limerick. Travel east to Dublin, Ireland’s capital, where the orientation drive shows you statue-lined O’Connell Street and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. You’ll have time to tour Dublin on your own and browse its shops. Leave Ireland and cross the Irish Sea to Wales, arriving in Holyhead on the Welsh Isle of Anglesey. Then, drive through scenic Snowdonia National Park and Llanberis Pass to Llangollen, home of an annual competition for poets and musicians. Spend the night in Wrexham before traveling south to England. Stop in Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, where you’ll have time to take photos of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and tour the town on your own. You trip ends back in London, the finale of your wonderful adventure.