CIE Tours
OFFER ID 1501294
Regal majesty and scenic splendor
Discover Scotland’s castles, art, and history as you tour its cities and the Highlands. Cross over to Ireland for music, a medieval castle banquet, and the beauty of the Ring of Kerry
Trip Highlights:
• Inveraray Castle
• Edinburgh Castle
• St Andrews
• Titanic Belfast
• Blarney Castle
• Cliffs of Moher
• Skellig Experience
• Irish Night in Dublin
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Dublin Castle
• Ring of Kerry
Hotels:
• Sandman Signature Glasgow Hotel
• Ballachulish Hotel
• Muthu Newton Hotel
• Atholl Palace Hotel
• Norton House Hotel & Spa
• Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge
• Killarney Towers Hotel
• Clayton Hotel Limerick
• Academy Plaza Hotel
13 nights from $4,445 per person
Special Promotion: Save 15% on Last-Minute Departures For Travel October 13, 2024 - January 20, 2025
Valid for new bookings deposited now – December 2024 for travel from October 13, 2024 - January 20, 2025. Please confirm with your travel advisor which trips are applicable for discount.
*Promotion may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions, or discounts, and is subject to availability and airline booking guidelines. Other restrictions may apply.
Special Promotion: Best of the Best Sale! Guests Save 10% On Top Tours to Ireland and Scotland
CIE Tours: 2024 - 14 Day Scottish & Irish Dream
Day 1 Glasgow Tour & Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Your tour departs at 2:00 PM from your hotel. Set out on a panoramic tour of the highlights of Glasgow, a city built on industry but now known for its stunning Victorian architecture and creative cultural scene. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, housing one of Europe’s finest art collections. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group at the hotel, then you are free to explore the city and dine as you wish. (B)
Day 2 Loch Lomond & Inveraray Castle
Embark on a short cruise of Loch Lomond with views of Highland peaks. Stroll through Inveraray and have lunch on your own before touring Inveraray Castle, which you may recognize from the “Downton Abbey” series. Drive through Glencoe, considered one of Scotland’s most beautiful places, and continue on to Ballachulish on the shore of Loch Leven. (B, D)
Day 3 Isle of Skye & Loch Ness
Travel on the scenic “Road to the Isles”, stopping for photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. Ferry to the Isle of Skye to visit the romantic ruins of Armadale Castle. Back on the mainland, travel along the shores of Loch Ness. End the day at your hotel in Nairn, a lovely manor house set on spacious grounds near the North Sea. (B, D)
Day 4 Culloden & Sheepdog Demo
Visit the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre to learn about the historic battle. Walk around the serene moorland to see monuments commemorating the troops. Immerse yourself in rural life at a local farm as you watch dogs herd sheep. Travel to your gracious manor-style hotel near Pitlochry. (B, D)
Day 5 Blair Castle & Whisky Tasting
Visit Blair Castle, home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Delve into the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and how Queen Victoria’s famous stay led to the creation of Europe’s only private army, the Atholl Highlanders. Go behind the scenes at Blair Athol Distillery for a tour and sample of the finished product. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the hotel gardens and museum, or browsing around Pitlochry town. (B, D)
Day 6 Glamis Castle, St Andrews & Scottish Evening*
Visit Glamis Castle, the legendary setting of “Macbeth”. Head to St Andrews, the “Home of Golf”. See the famous Royal and Ancient Clubhouse and the Old Course on a panoramic drive. Enjoy a traditional Scottish evening with dinner and entertainment. July 28 – August 18 departures enjoy an evening free to dine independently. (B, D*)
Day 7 Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
Take a panoramic tour of Edinburgh, from the narrow lanes and medieval townhouses of the Royal Mile to the elegant mansions and wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town”. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle with its splendid views of the city. The rest of the day is free for independent exploring, shopping, and dining. July 28 – August 18 departures attend the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B)
Day 8 Belfast Ferry, Titanic Belfast & Dublin
Say farewell to your Scottish guide and embark on a ferry ride to Belfast. Immerse yourself in the history of the Titanic through displays at Titanic Belfast. Drive on to Dublin, where you have a free evening to explore the city’s excellent restaurants and famed pubs. (B)
Day 9 Dublin & Merry Ploughboy Pub
Explore Dublin independently on a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour, and choose one of four top attractions to visit with your included voucher: Guinness Storehouse, the GPO Museum, Teelings Distillery, or EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. At 2:00 PM, meet your new Irish guide/driver and tour group in the hotel lobby. Join a local guide for a Dublin City tour, and then take a guided tour of Dublin Castle. This evening, enjoy a traditional Irish dinner and show at Merry Ploughboy Pub. (B, D)
Day 10 Blarney Castle & Killarney
Head for Blarney Castle today, stopping for a photo opportunity at the Rock of Cashel along the way. You might choose to climb the steep winding staircase to kiss the famed Blarney Stone, which legend says will give you the gift of the gab. Drive through Macroom, built around a fine old castle, and into County Kerry where the scenery becomes more mountainous. Arrive in Killarney, picturesquely set beside lakes with Ireland’s highest mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, forming a backdrop. Check in to your hotel and relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 11 Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Take the Ring of Kerry drive – a winding route with awesome mountain and coastline views. Stop off in the beautiful Gap of Dunloe to visit our CIE Tours preferred shopping partner, Moriarty’s. Enjoy lunch before crossing to Valentia Island and the Skellig Experience, which describes nearby islands. Watch a demonstration of highly skilled dogs herding flocks of sheep. Spend a free evening in Killarney. (B, L)
Day 12 Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet
Take a ferry across the River Shannon Estuary and visit the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone that reaches high above the Atlantic. Check into your hotel, relax, and enjoy free time before heading out for a memorable medieval-style feast complete with songs and harp music evocative of the Middle Ages. (B, D)
Day 13 Galway & Dublin
Drive north to Galway for a panoramic tour of the city with some free time on your own to explore. Travel across the country to Dublin. Spend the final night of your tour independently exploring the pubs in the lively Temple Bar area or experiencing one of Dublin’s fine restaurants. (B)
Day 14 Tour Ends in Dublin
14-day tour ends after breakfast. (B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner *Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner.
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Inishmore, Aran Islands - 8 hours Full Day
On the very edge of Europe, is an Island rich in the language, culture and heritage of Ireland, unique in its geology and archaeology and in its long tradition of gentle hospitality. Here is a place to sense the spirit of Gaelic Ireland, to touch the past, but with all the comforts and facilities of the present. Aran will take you back to an Ireland of Celts and Early Christians. This is an island of great peace and tranquility, but it is also an island of great fun and activity. A timeless land in an endless sea, weathered monuments on awesome cliffs, great labyrinths of limestone, meandering walls, patchwork fields, quiet beaches and a welcoming island people.
This morning we will depart from Galway and take a ferry to Inishmore, the largest of the three islands, the other islands being Inishmaan and Inisheer. The Islands are located off the West Coast of Galway about 18km out from Rossaveal Harbour in Connemara. Inishmore is approx. 13km long, and contains 3,092 ha. with a native population of about 900. Kilronan the chief center and port.
Landing in Kilronan on Inishmore, you are met by your driver in a horse drawn buggy for a guided tour of the Island and visiting one of its more impressive stone forts called Dun Aonghasa. It is semi-circular structure, resting on the edge of a perpendicular cliff rising 100 meters out of the ocean. The fort consists of an inner court 50 meters across surrounded by a wall six meters high and five meters thick at the base.
Visit the Aran Islands Interpretative Centre which highlights the unique history, spirit and landscapes of the Aran Islands. The center details the geology, history and present lifestyle of the islands. See how the legendary currachs, those open-topped, often tar-coated, boats that skim over the waves, are made. Also on display are details of the fish species off the islands and how the islanders have long used seaweed to create patches of soil that could be cultivated for crops, in between the dry stone walls that crisscross the islands and divide its tiny fields. The islands' other craft traditions, including weaving of the famous Aran sweaters, are also documented.
Duration: 8 hours
Included:
Enjoy a pub lunch on Inishmore
Departing the island by ferry you return to Galway City.
Note: it is also possible to fly to Inishmore.
Pricing: Please inquire
Dublin: Highlights of Dublin City - 8 hours
Ireland, known affectionately as the “the Emerald Isle” is renowned for its excellent hospitality and you can be assured of a warm welcome by your guide and driver, who will meet you at the port. Discover the history, literary heritage and culture that lies behind Dublin’s elegant Georgian architecture and famous landmarks, during your full-day tour.
Founded in the 16th-century, Trinity College is Ireland's oldest university and holds the Book of Kells, a greatly treasured example of early Irish manuscript illumination. History lovers may opt to visit the nearby Treasury of the National Museum or EPIC - the interactive museum commemorating the emigration of 10 million Irish. For those interested in art, the National Gallery houses a superb collection.
Afterwards make a lunchtime pit stop at the Guinness Storehouse, where you learn how a pint of the world-famous Guinness is created. The heart of the building is modelled on a giant pint glass, which would hold approximately 14 million pints of Guinness beer if filled! Enjoy a complimentary pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar, which boast 360-degree views of the capital.
Complete your touring this afternoon, with a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland and final resting place of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels. Here, take a guided tour of the impressive staterooms which are a longtime symbol of British rule in Ireland, before being transferred back to your ship.
Highlights:
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
Dublin: An Introduction to Dublin - 4 hours
Disembark for a city adventure this morning accompanied by your expert guide and driver. Your tour of Dublin begins with the impressive Trinity College; Ireland's oldest university. Explore the Old Library, which houses 200,000 antiquarian texts and the oldest surviving harp in Ireland. Here you will see the world-famous Book of Kells; a fabulous example of early Irish manuscript illumination. Hand-crafted by monks, it contains the four gospels and has been resident at Trinity College since the 17th century. Continue to St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland, where you have the opportunity to see a memorial to Jonathan Swift, the author of 'Gulliver's Travels', who became Dean of St. Patrick's in 1713. Afterwards you are transferred back to port.
Highlights:
Dublin - Dublin City & Powerscourt - Full Day Tour
Upon arrival in Dublin Port, you will meet with your private driver/guide and transfer directly to Powerscourt House & Gardens in Co. Wicklow
This stunning 18th Century Stately home comprises extensive gardens, which are open to the public; as is the Main House. There is a lovely restaurant in the house, overlooking the gardens and Wicklow Mountains, which offers the finest in Irish artisan, home cooked cuisine. The 34,000 acres of this estate extend along both shores of the River Dargle . Powerscourt is one of the finest properties in Europe, designed and laid out by Daniel Robertson between 1745 and 1767. This property is filled with splendid Greek and Italian-inspired statuary, decorative ironwork, a petrified-moss grotto, lovely herbaceous borders, a Japanese garden, a circular pond and fountain with statues of winged horses, and an occasional herd of deer. Opportunity for shopping at Avoca Handweavers now located in Powerscourt House. Enjoy lunch here at Powerscourt or at a traditional Irish pub in the city centre.
Upon your return from Powerscourt Estate, your private driver guide will take you on your tour of Dublin City.
Whilst Dublin is a vibrant and bustling city, by European standards it is a small city with a population of just over 1 million people. Much of Dublin’s streetscapes are adorned with beautiful 18th century townhouses and a number of city parks, such as St. Stephen’s Green and indeed Merrion Square. The highlights of any tour in Dublin may include a visit to Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse… and –if time permits –St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Following the city tour, your driver will return you to your ship.
Inclusions
Edinburgh: Royal Edinburgh - 8 hours
Edinburgh: Introducing Edinburgh - 4 hours
The capital city of Scotland is undoubtedly one of the most dramatically-situated cities in Europe; this setting has had a profound effect on its historical development and today your expert local guide unravels these themes on a half-day sightseeing tour. The focal point of the city is Edinburgh Castle, a royal fortress that symbolises the Scottish nation and is home to the 'Honours of Scotland', the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the British Isles. From the impressive military installations there are stunning views of the city. The Royal Mile stretches down on from castle through the 'Old Town' of Edinburgh, at the heart of which is St. Giles Cathedral. This fascinating Gothic church is topped by a fine medieval spire in the shape of a crown. At the foot of the Royal Mile is Holyrood Palace, the Queen's Official Residence in Scotland*. The palace's neighbour is the much more recent Scottish Parliament Building; its striking contemporary designs are in eye-catching contrast to the classical style of the palace.
*Tour of palace staterooms is included if no member of the Royal Family is present at time of visit
Highlights:
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
North & King Signature Travel
2303 W. Commodore Way – Suite 201
Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 236-1813
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Washington State Seller of Travel #601803658