Northern Ireland: Castles, Coastlines, and Culture

• 8 days & 7 nights’ accommodations

• Single occupancy, boutique hotels

• Airport transfer

• Local transportation

• Belfast City Tour and Museums

• Guided Giants Causeway & Antrim Coast

• Private Guided Transfers

• Entrance Fees to Tours

• Daily breakfast

• Daily group lunch (excluding free day)

• Daily group dinner 

• Gratuities and tips for all included services

• Airfare to and from Dublin International Airport

• Travel insurance

• Items of a personal nature

• Meals not listed above

• Optional excursions and tours not listed above

• Gratuities and tips for personal services

Your Itinerary

DAY 1 – Sept 18   – Arrive at Dublin International Airport (DUB

), and private transportation will whisk you away to your accommodations in the heart of Dublin city center. After settling in your hotel, just minutes from Trinity College, join your group for a incredible welcome dinner. 

Note: We recommend leaving the US on September 17th so that your flight arrives the morning of September 18– early enough to participate in Day 1’s activities. Should you wish to arrive earlier, pre hotel night can be arranged.  

Day 2 – Sept 19 –

Leave Dublin and embark on a full-day guided tour on our way to Belfast, stopping to explore Newgrange and the Morne Coast en route. You'll first set your sights on a visit to Newgrange, a stunning Neolithic passage tomb that is quite simply one of the great wonders of ancient western civilization. Be swept back to a time over 5,000 years ago, admiring the massive stone mound and its internal passages and chambers, letting reality set in that you're experiencing a monument which predates both Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids, with passages aligned to illuminate with the summer and winter solstice. Conclude your day on arrival to Belfast.

Day 3 – Sept 20 – 

Embark with our enthusiastic and knowledgeable local driver-guide on a private tour of Belfast. Take in all the history and charm. You’ll spot sites like Crumlin Road Jail, Europa Hotel, and The Crown Bar, hearing how they’ve played an important role in the political history of the city – an experience both enlightening and humbling. 

Check out the impressive bronze sculptures of CS Lewis Square, commemorating the local creator of the Chronicles of Narnia. Take in impressive views of the city as you visit the gardens of the historic Belfast Castle Estate, and even visit Belfast's Botanic Gardens and we won't miss The RMS Titanic built in Belfast between 1909 and 1912, a remarkable feat of Edwardian engineering and craftsmanship. Despite her tragic sinking she remains a source of enduring pride in the city where she was built. Conclude back at your hotel.

Day 4 – Sept 21 – 

Depart Belfast for a scenic and leisurely transfer to Donegal today. Heading northwest you'll first enter the Glens of Antrim, a collection of nine verdant valleys that shine from the Antrim Plateau to the coast. Among Ireland's most unforgettable spots of beauty is the Causeway Coast that stretches from Belfast to Derry along the North Eastern region the island. Following the Glens, you'll hit the northernmost coast, site of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Giants Causeway, one of the Natural Wonders of the World. Made up of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns up to 40 feet long that stretch along the coast and into the ocean. It's a unique geological feature that is truly a sight to behold. Enjoy a stop at the Distillery at Bushmills, and explore the ancient ruins of Dunluce Castle, the former Medieval castle thought to be an inspiration for C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, and featured in Game of Thrones as the seat of House Greyjoy. 

Day 5 – Sept 22 – 

Set out today on a tour to discover the Inishowen Peninsula, crossing over into Northern Ireland en route to get to know the closely linked city of Derry-Londonderry along the way. Derry-Londonderry is the second city of Northern Ireland, and features arguably Europe's most magnificent fully intact city walls.  The Inishowen Peninsula (and specifically Malin Head) is Ireland's most northerly point, featuring areas of unspoiled beaches with lagoons and raging surf. There are numerous pretty seaside and country towns and villages full of rustic charm including Ballyliffin, Moville and Muff. Highlights include a stop at Greencastle to admire the coastal ruins of the Northburgh Castle, built in 1305, and left in ruin in the 17th century after being pummeled by cannon fire, along with a visit of the small Martello tower at Magilligan, built between 1812-1817 during the Napoleonic Wars.

Day 6 – Sept 23  –

Today we will enjoy a scenic beautiful drive to Galway. On the way we will take the opportunity to explore County Sligo, an area of extreme beauty, with varied landscapes and one of the country's highest densities of prehistoric sites, dotted along its coast and mountains. It's here where you can catch views of the impressive Benbulbin, a stunning rock formation that is considered Ireland's Table Mountain. Discover the colorful coastal city of Sligo, originally built around a medieval Norman castle back in the 13th century. Here, we will visit the 13th century Sligo Abbey ruins and the Yeats Memorial Building, dedicated to Ireland's greatest poet, W.B. Yeats. South of Sligo city, get out and walk up to admire the Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, a 5,000 year old Neolithic passage tomb cluster, hidden amidst the clambering hills. Head out into Yeats Country, featuring beautiful lakes, mystical islands and serene waterfalls that inspired Yeats with romantic visions. 

Day 7 – Sept 24 – 

This morning, discover Galway's renowned Latin Quarter, buzzing from the eclectic legacy of a maritime past with its Spanish Arch and historic cobbled street fronts. A walk in this historic district boasting countless shops, pubs and boutiques, is a pleasurable way to pass an hour or two. Check out the labyrinthine Kenny's Bookshop on High Street, and see Cobwebs on Quay Street, widely considered the prettiest shop in Galway with a delightful, seemingly infinite stock of lovely goods on display. The city is famous for its lively ambiance and impromptu street entertainment, which is never more evident than with a walk through Kirwan's Lane, Galway's de-facto busking center, where entertainers spotted with 16th and 17th century architectural relics. Afterward, you'll transfer to Dublin via the Midlands. The Midlands of Ireland features a landscape of blanket bog dispersed with lakes, castles and historic towns. Focus your afternoon taking in the scenic splendor of the Midlands, and make a stop at Kilbeggan for a fantastic distillery tour and enjoy a traditional Irish dinner.

Day 8 – Sept 25 – Enjoy one more delicious traditional Irish breakfast before youBid farewell to Ireland as you make your way to Dublin International Airport (DAA), via private transfer, for your connecting flight to the US.

*Please note that this is a tentative itinerary and it is subject to change.