Ireland: The Emerald Isle

Day One

Convenient shuttles bring us together at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, where we fly overnight to Dublin.

Day Two

Arrive at Dublin airport, Ireland's capital city in the morning. We board our coach for a sightseeing tour of this classic European city that was first settled by the Vikings - see Grafton Street, Temple Bar, Halfpenny Bridge and more. Included highlights will be your visit to Trinity College and the outstanding Book of Kells, an ornately illustrated manuscript, produced by Celtic monks around AD 800. It is one of the most lavishly illuminated manuscripts to survive the medieval period and has been described as the zenith of Western calligraphy and illumination. It contains the four gospels of the Bible in Latin, along with prefatory and explanatory matter decorated with numerous colourful illustrations and illuminations. Additionally included is a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of Dublin's three cathedrals. Here St. Patrick supposedly baptized the first local converts beside a ''Holy Well''.

Day Three

Our day begins at the Guinness Storehouse, a Guinness-themed tourist attraction at St. James's Gate Brewery. Since opening in 2000, it has received over four million visitors. The Storehouse covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer's four ingredients (water, barley, hops and yeast), and the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising and include an interactive exhibit on responsible drinking. The seventh floor houses the Gravity Bar with views of Dublin and where visitors may drink a pint of Guinness included in the price of admission. The rest of the day is free for to explore Dublin at your leisure. You may wish to visit The Dublin Writers Museum, Christ Church Cathedral, The Irish National Museum, The George Bernard Shaw Birthplace and of course many shops and pubs.

Day Four

A short journey out of the city takes us back over 5,000 years to visit Bru na Boinne and Newgrange. Newgrange was constructed over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.), making it older than Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Newgrange was built during the Neolithic or New Stone Age by a farming community that prospered on the rich lands of the Boyne Valley. Knowth and Dowth are similar mounds that together with Newgrange have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We return to Dublin to taste a few Irish whiskies at The Irish Whiskey Museum, the first Irish whiskey museum in the world. Spend the rest of the day exploring Dublin at your own pace.

Day Five

Our Irish tour director joins us as we begin our journey in to Ireland green fields. We pause to view The Rock of Cashel, a spectacular group of Medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale including the 12th century round tower, Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral and 15th century Castle. Continuing south we reach the coast at the small town of Cobh and visit The Queenstown Story to learn about Irish emigration and the towns association with the ill-fated RMS Titanic - at this her final port of call before departing on her Trans-Atlantic sailing.

Day Six

We being this morning by visiting the famous Blarney Castle, built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland's greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy. The castle is known for the Blarney Stone, the legendary Stone of Eloquence, found at the top of our tower. Kiss it and you'll never again be lost for words! This afternoon we take a tour of The Ring of Kerry, part of the mystical and unspoilt region of Ireland that has attracted visitors for hundreds of years. The Ring of Kerry has some of the finest beaches in Europe and above all the Ring of Kerry provides an amazing insight into the ancient heritage of Ireland. See the Iron Age Forts & Ogham Stones, Old Monasteries and a landscape carved out of rock by the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago

Day Seven

Today we tour Dingle Peninsula, cited by National Geographic as one of the top 100 destinations in the world. Visit the Gallarus oratory that was built between the seventh and eighth century and is the best preserved early Christian church in Ireland. It stands handsomely amid farmland on the Dingle Peninsula, was the place of worship for early Christian farmers of the area. Shaped like an upside-down boat, the simple drystone structure has remained waterproof and in near-perfect condition to the present day. This afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the picturesque town of Killarney.

Day Eight

We travel North this morning, following the Wild Atlantic Way before reaching county Clare and The Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s most popular attractions. These majestic cliffs extend eight kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard, with O’Brien’s Tower standing on a headland of the cliffs. Explore Atlantic Edge, the fascinating interpretive featuring exhibits, displays and interactive experiences to further explore this unique area of Ireland. We travel to Galway, our home for three nights.

Day Nine

After breakfast, we board a boat for a journey out into the Galway Bay section of the North Atlantic Ocean (weather permitting). We dock at Irish More, the main island of the scenic Arran Islands where Gaelic is still spoken. We take a minibus tour of the island, including a visit to the prehistoric hill fort of Dun Aengus before returning to the mainland.

Day Ten

Today we spend a full day exploring Connemara National Park. From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake rich Roundstone Bog to the golden beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you're in Connemara by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape. Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland. The people are warm, friendly and extend a hospitality which is the essence of Ireland. We visit Roundstone Music and Craft Shop that lies within the walls of an old Franciscan Monastery in the quaint fishing village of Roundstone in the heart of Connemara. The shop is owned and managed by ''Malachy Bodhran''- Ireland's only full time Bodhran maker. We continue on to visit Kylemore Abbey, built in 1868. The architecture is best described as neo-gothic and the house still displays all the characteristics of that period. One of Kylemore Abbey's most famous features is its miniature cathedral, built in 1870 and known locally as the Gothic church. Today, the abbey is home to the Irish order of Benedictine nuns.

Day Eleven

Crossing the green heart of Ireland we visit The Irish National Stud that belongs to the people of Ireland but prides itself on being enjoyed and appreciated by visitors from all parts of the globe. Nowhere better symbolizes all that is great about County Kildare, the beating heart of Ireland's thoroughbred industry, than the stud, a unique attraction of outstanding natural beauty that is home to some of the most magnificent horses and sumptuous Japanese gardens to be found anywhere in the world. Our final night in Ireland will be a highly entertaining evening involving Traditional Irish food, music and dance.

Day Twelve

We bid farewell to The Emerald Isle and fly from Dublin back to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.