12 Day All Inclusive Ireland Tour

Our journey begins as we board our overnight connecting flight to Dublin. Meals served on board.

Upon arrival in Dublin we meet our guide and travel north to Malahide Castle, set on 250 acres of park land. This was the fortress where the Talbot family lived from 1185 to 1973, when the last Lord Talbot died. We continue to Downpatrick where we will visit what is known as St. Patrick’s final resting place. Here we visit the Heritage Center, giving you a glimpse into the life of St. Patrick. We check into your Belfast area hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we will enjoy a walking tour of Belfast to view C. S. Lewis’ birthplace and other childhood sites. Belfast has been the scene of much conflict between the Roman Catholics and Protestants, culminating in the “Troubles.” While visiting Belfast, we will see the remains of the famous ship yards where ships like the Titanic were built. Visit the East Belfast Mission where Wesley’s emphasis on reaching the poor and working-class people is put into action. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure. We will have dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today we travel along the Antrim Coast where we will experience breathtaking views of the Irish Sea as well as hauntingly beautiful moorlands. The grand finale however, is the Giant’s Causeway. Sometimes dubbed “The 8th Wonder of the World,” the Causeway is an amazing sight with its 40,000 basalt columns rising from the sea. Legend has it that the Causeway was the path built by Irish giant Finn McCool to enable him to fight the giant across the Irish Sea in Scotland. We end our day in Londonderry where our tour will help us discover the history of this ancient city which retains its medieval fortification walls dating from 1613. We then check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we travel through the charming town of Donegal, with its windswept hills, on our way to Slingo, described by William Butler Yates as the “land of heart’sdesire.” Here, surrounded by the Ox Mountains, the great poet spent many years of his life. We continue south to Knock, where it is said that villagers saw the vision of the Virgin Mary in 1879, and then on to Galway for a brief stroll through the twisting streets of the old city. We continue on to Limerick where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning our first stop is Bunratty Castle, a Viking Trading Camp in 970. The present structure is the last of four castles to be built on the site. We will see the Bunratty Folk Park a living reconstruction of the homes and environment of Ireland of over a century ago. We continue back to our hotel where we for dinner and overnight.

This morning we depart for the Cliffs of Moher, where we look out over the Atlantic Ocean. Standing over 700 feet above the sea, the Cliffs boast one of the most amazing views in Ireland. We continue on to Adare, one of Ireland’s most picturesque villages with thatched roof cottages throughout the town. It was here that John Wesley preached to the people of Adare in 1765 from the shade of an ash tree. Today a stone marks the spot where the tree stood. Our next stop will be Ballingrane where we visit the Embuty Heck Memorial Church, built in 1766, where John Wesley visited thirteen times over the years. We continue to Killarney’s “Heaven’s Reflex,” one of Ireland’s most lovely districts. Poets, painters, writers, and musicians have never fully succeeded in conveying the varied beauty of form and color of this wonderland of mountains and lakes. We then check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today after breakfast we enjoy a car ride through part of Killarney National Park, ending at Ross Castle. Next we will enjoy a sheepdog demonstration at Kissane Sheep Farm. We continue our day with one of the most beautiful rides you will ever have as we drive the Ring of Kerry, a scenic contrast from golden coastline to majestic mountains. En route you will see in the distance The Great Skellig, an enormous mass of precipitous rock rising sheer out of the ocean to a height of 700 feet, where stone steps, hewn by the ancient monks lead from the ocean to the monastic ruins on the summit. We’ll visit the Skellig Experience before we continue our Ring of Kerry tour. Finally, we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today we begin our day with visit to Blarney Castle, one of Ireland’s oldest and most historic castles. Here we can visit the Gardens and the famous Blarney Stone, believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. We can treat ourselves to quality Irish-made goods at the Blarney Woolen Mills. We continue on to the port city of Kinsale where we will visit St. Multose Church, built in 1190, which remains in use to this day. The courthouse was used for the inquiry over the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. Continue on to Cobh where we will visit the Cobh Heritage Center, situated within a beautifully restored Victorian railway station. Here we will learn about Irish Emigration and hear about the ill-fated Titanic and Lusitania. We continue on to Cork for dinner and overnight.

We start our day with a brief walking tour of Cork and the English Market. We continue on to Kilkenny. The medieval heritage is evident in the city’s treasure trove of historical buildings and landmarks, exemplified by the magnificent Kilkenny Castle. Kilkenny is arguably the pre-eminent medieval city in Ireland. Our tour of the city will include the Castle and Cathedral, and the Church of St. Canice. We continue on to Dublin where our panoramic tour of the city will include Christ Church Cathedral, built in 1172, and Phoenix Park with its many monuments. We then check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today our tour of “Dublins Fair City” includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral, built next to the well where Patrick baptized converts on his visit to Dublin. In 1789, Wesley led a large number of Dublin Methodists to the Cathedral for Holy Communion. Next we stop at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church, the first Methodist chapel in Ireland, and visit St. Mary’s Church, where John Wesley’s first sermon was preached in what was called Evening Prayer. We continue on to view Church Pub, once a church Wesley preached at in Ireland. We will view the National Gallery of Ireland, O’Connell Street, then visit Trinity College, housing the 9th century Book of Kells. The remainder of the afternoon will be free to explore on your own before transferring back to the hotel. This evening we will enjoy a special evening with dinner followed by a show with Irish music and entertainment. Finally, we return to the hotel for overnight.

We transfer to the airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories to cherish always.

This morning we head north through scenic countryside to Northern Ireland, making our way to Larne where we will board a ferry across the Irish Sea to Cairnryan, Scotland. Upon arrival we will be met and transferred to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning our tour of Glasgow begins at the Glasgow Cathedral, also called the High Kirk of Glasgow, and then on to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. We continue on through the Scottish Highlands to Loch Ness, fabled home of the elusive water monster, Nessie! Here we will enjoy a 1-hour cruise on Loch Ness. We continue on to Inverness for dinner and overnight.

This morning we make our way to Pitlochry, visiting Blair Castle, where you will see Scottish history through the collection of the Atholl Family, with impressive walled gardens, wooded groves, and a sculpture trail. We then continue through scenic countryside for a visit to Dunkeld Cathedral, started in 1260 and completed in 1501, then on to Perth where we visit St. John’s Kirk, one of Scotland’s most important burgh churches, and Perth’s most ancient building. It was here that John Knox preached before the Lords of the Congregation in 1559. We’ll continue on to Edinburgh where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today our tour of the city will include a visit to Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood House Palace, the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen of Scotland. Next, we visit John Knox House, reputed to have been owned by John Knox in the 16th century, Princes Street, and St. Giles Cathedral with its distinctive crown steeples. This evening we will enjoy the Spirit of Scotland Show with dinner, featuring Scottish dancing and music. We return to the hotel for overnight.

Today will be free to explore the city on your own, shop, or to relax at the hotel. we will have dinner and overnight at the hotel.

This morning we transfer to the airport where we board our flight home, filled with fond memories of the places we have seen and the friends we have made.