13-Nights Scottish & Irish Dream from $4,795

Itinerary Details

CIE Tours: Scottish & Irish Dream

Day 1: Glasgow Tour & Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Hotel: Glasgow Grosvenor Hotel

Day 2: Loch Lomond & Inveraray Castle
Embark on a 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 “Downton Abbey”. Drive through Glencoe, considered one of Scotland’s most beautiful places, and on to Ballachulish on the shore of Loch Leven.

Hotel: Ballachulish Hotel
Meals: (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.

Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott Inverness Airport
Meals: (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.

Hotel: Atholl Palace Hotel
Meals: (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.

Hotel: Atholl Palace Hotel
Meals: (B, D)

Day 6: Glamis Castle, St Andrews & Scottish Evening*
Hotel: Dalhousie Castle Hotel

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 27 – August 17 departures attend the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.

Hotel: Dalhousie Castle Hotel
Meals: (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.

Hotel: Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge
Meals: (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, Jameson Distillery Bow St. Experience, or EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. At 2:00 PM meet your new Irish tour director and tour group in the hotel lobby. Join a local guide for a Dublin City tour, and then tour Dublin Castle. This evening enjoy a traditional Irish dinner and show at Merry Ploughboy Pub.

Hotel: Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge
Meals: (B, D)

Day 10: Blarney Castle & Killarney
On the road to Blarney Castle, stop 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 into your hotel and relax before dinner.

Hotel: Killarney Towers Hotel
Meals: (B, D)

Day 11: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Take the Ring of Kerry drive – a winding route with awesome mountain and coastline views. In the beautiful Gap of Dunloe, 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.

Hotel: Killarney Towers Hotel
Meals: (B, L)

Day 12: Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet
Take a ferry across the River Shannon 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.

Hotel: Clayton Hotel Limerick
Meals: (B, D)

Day 13: Galway & Dublin
Drive north to Galway for a panoramic tour of the city with free time 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.

Hotel: Academy Plaza Hotel
Meals: (B)

Day 14: Tour Ends in Dublin
14-day tour ends after breakfast.

Meals: (B)

Meal Abbreviations: B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner