Included Premium Highlights

    * Take a guided tour of the Rock of Cashel, former seat of Irish kings
    * Tour the scenic 'The Ring of Kerry,' with its dramatic mountains, valleys, lakes & sea vistas
    * Join a qualified guide for a two & a half hour hike over wooded paths & lake shore trails
    * Look out to the Atlantic Ocean from the majestic Cliffs of Moher
    * Enjoy the scenic views as you cruise the serene waters of Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord

Included Personal Insights

    * The Connolly family have farmed in rural southwest Irel& for 200 years. Join them for afternoon tea & glimpse the daily workings of a traditional sheep-farm

Included Other Excursions & Sights

    * Visit St Patrick's Cathedral & tour some of Dublin's elegant squares
    * Visit the old library of Trinity College to see the 8th century Book of Kells
    * Climb Blarney Castle & dangle from the ramparts to kiss the famous 'Blarney Stone'
    * Cross the Shannon Estuary by ferry
    * Drive through the mysterious rocky limestone landscape of the Burren
    * See Galway's Roman Catholic Cathedral
    * Visit the turreted neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey
    * Scenic drives - Wicklow Mountains, Ring of Kerry, the 'Burren', Connemara

Included First Class Services

    * Escorted by a professional Tour Director
    * Headsets for all guided visits & walking tours
    * Luxury air-conditioned 40-passenger coach with extended legroom & onboard restroom
    * Insight Hotels include all service charges, taxes & porterage
    * Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal & information pack
    * Airport arrival & departure transfers at scheduled times on Day 1 & Day 8
    * Should your flights not coincide with these arrival & departure transfers, please make your own way to/from the airport

Included Quality Dining

    * Enjoy a delicious four-course dinner at Ashford Castle* (HD)
    * 7 full Breakfasts (B), 1 Afternoon Tea (AT) & 4 three-course Evening Meals with choice, plus tea or coffee (D)

*Please note that the dress code for Ashford Castle dinner is Smart Casual - jacket & tie for men is required.

Day 1 - ARRIVE DUBLIN

Welcome to Dublin! On arrival at Dublin Airport, your airport shuttle service leaves for the tour hotel at 07:00, 09:30 & 12:00. Later, join your Tour Director for a city tour that brings to life Dublin's architectural treasures & history stretching back more than 1,000 years. Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, founded in 1190, tour Dublin's beautiful Georgian squares, walk the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College to its famed library & see its truly unique world treasure - the 8th century Book of Kells. Back at your hotel, join your Tour Director & fellow travellers for a Welcome Dinner & a tour briefing.

Hotel: Burlington (D)

Day 2 - DUBLIN - KILLARNEY

Depart Dublin, & pass the green meadows where many of the finest Irish racehorses are bred, as well as the famous Curragh Racecourse. Stop at the Rock of Cashel, an impressive pre-Christian settlement. The dramatic limestone rock, crowned with secular & religious buildings, dominates the flat countryside for miles around. A local guide will point out some of the cathedrals & historic sites on an orientation tour.Then continue on to the village of Blarney. Climb to the ramparts of Blarney Castle & kiss its magical stone to ensure a lifetime of eloquence. There is also time to browse through Blarney Woollen Mills to shop for Irish knitwear & crafts. Afterwards, head to bustling Killarney. If you fancy a 'pint of porter', this town on the lakes is famous for its lively pubs, so why not join in the 'craic' tonight.

Hotel: Killarney Towers (B,D)

Day 3 - THE RING OF KERRY EXCURSION

Travel the road that winds around the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula, better known as the Ring of Kerry. It is undoubtedly one of the most magical places in all Ireland. Here mountains, valleys, lakes & sea blend into a landscape that is often breathtaking beyond words. Stopping at Torc Waterfall for photos, there is a chance to join a hike with a qualified guide along the lake shore & past the farmlands of the Muckross Estate, admiring the spectacular scenery. Walk by West Meadow Bay & visit Muckross Abbey. For those who do not want to join the hike, the motorcoach will return you to Killarney, where the balance of the day is free. (B)

Day 4 - KILLARNEY - CONNEMARA

This morning cross the Shannon estuary by ferry & enter County Clare. Stop at the Visitors' Centre & enjoy a walk along the Cliffs of Moher, rising approximately 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic waves. Then travel north across the Burren, a suddenly stark & barren landscape. Drop in for afternoon tea at Rathbaun Farm & meet a Galway farming family as they carry out their everyday chores. Watch as the farmer shears a sheep & maneuvers his flock with the help of his dog. Next, on to tour Galway, "City of the Tribes," including lovely Galway Cathedral. Tonight your hotel is spectacularly set on the shores of Galway Bay.

Hotel: Connemara Coast (B,AT,D)

Day 5 - KILLARNEY FJORD EXCURSION

Embark on superb day through a wonderland of rivers, lakes & silent hills. Head for Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord, boasting some of the finest scenery in the land. Board a boat for a cruise through thecalm waters; relax on board, enjoy the spectacular, uninterrupted views of the fjord & mountains beyond. Later, on the way back to your hotel, stop at lake side Kylemore Abbey, a castellated neo-Gothic mansion, occupied today by a Benedictine community of nuns who came from Ypres after World War I. (B,D)

Day 6 - CONNEMARA - CONG (Ashford Castle)

Today experience the picturesque Connemara region, a land of rocky mountains, sparkling brooks & rushing rivers. Your Tour Director also reveals a hidden treasure. Drive on to Cong, a village with a deliberate old-world feel, & the setting for The Quiet Man. Cong is also where you enter into the grounds of majestic Ashford Castle. Ashford Castle provides a romantic backdrop in superior surroundings, offering guests both relaxation & comfort. There are many opportunities to explore the vast estate with fishing on Lough Corrib, equestrian pursuits, golf, falconry & trail walking. Or simply relax in the castle's luxurious interiors & enjoy your favourite novel or pamper yourself at the spa. Dining at Ashford Castle ranks among the finest culinary experiences in the world. Creative cooking, an inspired use of seasonal ingredients & an innovative menu await you at dinner tonight.

Hotel: Ashford Castle (B,HD)

Day 7 - CONG – DUBLIN

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning & perhaps a stroll on the estate. Then cross the midlands to Dublin where the balance of the day is free for independent activities & maybe some last minute shopping.

Hotel: Burlington (B)

Day 8 - DUBLIN

Your tour comes to an end after breakfast this morning. Departure transfers arrive at Dublin Airport at 07:30, 09:30 & 11:30. (B)

OPTIONAL SIGHTSEEING & EXCURSIONS

The list of Optional Excursions is not available at this time.