Best of Ireland & Scotland

Relax at your hotel before joining your Travel Director for a warm and friendly dinner, an opportunity to get to know your fellow travelers.

Join your Local Expert for a city tour that reveals Dublin’s layered history and Georgian elegance. Stroll past the neoclassical Custom House and follow the River Liffey, taking in landmarks such as the Guinness Storehouse and the medieval Christchurch Cathedral. See St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191 and one of Ireland’s most significant religious sites. Then enjoy priority access to the Long Room at Trinity College Library, home to the 9th-century Book of Kells - an illuminated manuscript created by Celtic monks. Walk through the university’s cobbled courtyards as your Local Expert shares the story of this esteemed institution, founded in 1592.

Witness life behind the scenes of the National Stud Farm, where many legendary racehorses are bred. Then see the finest Japanese gardens in Europe, where the gardens portray the symbolism of life and trace the journey of a soul, designed by master horticulturists, Tassa and Minoru Eida. Continue on to Cork, Ireland's second most populous city, built on the River Lee. Travel along Grand Parade to see Cork's City Hall and Opera House.

Today’s Insight Choice invites you to experience your choice of one of Ireland’s most iconic sites. Opt to explore Blarney Castle, climbing its medieval tower to kiss the famous Blarney Stone, long said to grant the ‘gift of the gab.’ Alternatively, take time to roam the castle’s 1,500-acre estate, discovering the Wishing Steps, Witch’s Kitchen and a series of imaginative themed gardens. Continue to Killarney, where you’ll enjoy a traditional jaunting car ride through the town and into Killarney National Park. This evening, travel west to the coastal town of Dingle where you’ll check in to your hotel.

Enjoy a Relaxed Start before setting out along the Dingle Peninsula, a region rich in Gaelic culture and striking Atlantic views. Drive the Slea Head route, one of Ireland’s most scenic stretches, passing rugged cliffs, ancient stone huts and panoramic lookouts across the Blasket Islands. Along the way, gain insight into Ireland's early Christian heritage and the daily life of this remote, Irish-speaking region. Afterwards, you may wish to join an Optional Experience for an up-close introduction to falconry. Later, perhaps join another Optional Experience and head to Dingle’s oldest public house for a local tipple, live music and storytelling.

Begin the day with a short ferry ride across the Shannon Estuary. Enjoy magnificent views of the Clare coast, as you journey to the Visitors' Center at the 214 m (702 ft) Cliffs of Moher. Join your Travel Director in Galway to see the infamous Lynch Memorial and the Church of St. Nicholas, where Christopher Columbus reputedly prayed before his discovery of America. Also see the aged Spanish Arch and Eyre Square, dedicated to the late U.S. President, John F. Kennedy.

Leave the City of Tribes behind and travel through Connemara, taking in the region’s striking landscapes as you continue north. Stop in Sligo for an orientation, where you’ll get a feel for this historic town and its literary links to W.B. Yeats, before enjoying free time to explore or find a spot for lunch. Later, cross into Northern Ireland and continue to Londonderry, where you’ll check into your hotel. This evening, savor local flavors over dinner.

Start your day with a walking tour with Ronan, one of the region’s leading storytellers. Follow the original 17th-century city walls, complete with cannons, and make your way down Shipquay Street, lined with Georgian townhouses. Pause outside the red sandstone Guildhall, a prominent example of neo-Gothic architecture. Later, visit the UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway, where over 40,000 basalt columns were formed by ancient volcanic activity. Continue along the scenic Antrim Coast to your hotel overlooking Ballygally Bay.

Depart Ballygally this morning and cross the Irish Sea by ferry to reach Scotland. This route has long connected the islands of Ireland and Britain, with centuries of migration, trade and cultural exchange shaping both shores. On a clear day, spot Ailsa Craig rising from the sea—a striking volcanic plug that has supplied granite for curling stones worldwide since the 19th century. After disembarking, stop at Craufurdland Castle to meet the 29th Laird and Lady for a tour of their home, and enjoy a traditional afternoon tea featuring classic British fare. Continue to Glasgow, known for its 19th-century shipyards and the distinctive architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

A scenic drive takes you along the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. Absorb the dramatic landscape of Glencoe, still echoing with the cries of massacred clansmen. Pause at the Commando Memorial for a view of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis before reaching the Great Glen. Continue on to Loch Ness and embark on a cruise to soak up the scenery, historic monuments and intriguing tales of Nessie in the heart of Scotland's great glen.

In the morning, see the sights of Inverness before traveling to the Culloden Moor Visitor Center, where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army met its fateful end. Then, enjoy a 'wee dram' with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Uile-bheist, a pioneering distillery blending age-old traditions with cutting-edge sustainability. Hear tales of whisky smugglers, explore the craft behind their signature single malts and beers, and uncover the legends that inspire their brews.

A scenic drive takes you through the Grampian Mountains past the Duke of Atholl's Blair Castle. Drive down and cross the Tay to visit St. Andrews. As you arrive, pass the Old Course, the home of golf since its invention in the 15th-century. Enjoy free time to explore. Why not wander to the town’s university where the love story of Kate Middleton and Prince William began? Alternately, stroll to West Sands Beach where the famous 'Chariots of Fire' scene was filmed. Head to Edinburgh where you may wish to join an Optional Experience at dinner with haggis and ceilidh. Continue across the majestic Forth Road Bridge to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. In the evening, select departures attend The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

In the morning, join a Local Expert to see the highlights of the city. Drive along Princes Street to the ornate Scott Memorial, then see the 18th century New Town with its neoclassical Georgian facades. In the Old Town see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the King. Venture up the Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle, home of Mons Meg and Scotland’s Crown Jewels, the Honours of Scotland. In the afternoon, you are at leisure to continue exploring as you wish, or perhaps go shopping. Join your friends in the heart of Edinburgh at a Celebration Dinner of modern Scottish cuisine served with wine.

Your 14 days in Ireland and Scotland come to an end after breakfast with transfers arriving at Edinburgh airport.