Enchanting Ireland Journey

Europe
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegowina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroer
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldavia
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine

Created: 01.11.2015

Day 1 ??? DEPART USA ??? Today we depart New York, JFK on our way to Dublin. Day 2 - DUBLIN - Arrival at Dublin Airport and transfer to our hotel. Remainder of day at our leisure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  Day 3 ??? DUBLIN ??? This morning we enjoy a panoramic tour of Dublin City, passing by O???Connell Street, Phoenix Park, the houses of Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker. Visit Trinity College Library. See of one of Ireland???s most illustrious books of the 9th century ???Book of Kells??? and then visit the Long Room. Once the principal library of the University, it now contains over two hundred thousand books and manuscripts of the Trinity???s oldest volumes. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Day 4 - WICKLOW MOUNTAINS ??? Today we  travel South of Dublin to County Wicklow, also known as the Garden of Ireland. Visit Ballyknocken House & enjoy a cooking demonstration with lunch. Ballyknocken House is scenically located on a 350 acre farm in County Wicklow. This charming Victorian farmhouse is home to TV chef and food writer, Catherine Fulvio. We then visit the Guinness Storehouse. The Guinness Brewery in Dublin is Europe's largest stout producing brewery. Visitors will discover what goes into the making a pint of Guinness - the ingredients, the brewing process, the time, the craft and the passion. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Day 5 ??? DUBLIN/CORK - Today we depart Dublin for Cork; en route we visit Smithwick???s Brewery. The Victorian brewing building has been transformed into a visitor center that will immerse you in Ireland???s oldest beer, teach you about the craft of brewing and ultimately allow you to taste the perfect Smithwick???s pint. Visit Ballyowen House. See the main rooms of the beautiful Ballyowen House and of the stable yard and grounds outside. The guided tour includes interesting talks on the history of the house and the Georgian architecture. Continue to our hotel in Cork. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  Day 6 ??? KENMARE - This morning we visit Blarney Castle. Built in 1446, Blarney Castle is famous for its Blarney stone, the Stone of Eloquence, which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. Spend some time shopping at the Blarney Woollen Mills. Originally established in 1823, Blarney Woollen Mills now houses a large selection of Irish products. Enjoy a guided tour of a Smoked Salmon Factory with lunch followed by a cruise on Kenmare Bay.  Continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 7 ??? DINGLE PENINSULA & DISTILLERY - Today enjoy a tour of the Dingle Peninsula. After passing through a chain of Mountains, called Slieve Mish, we  visit the Dingle Distillery founded in November 2012 by Oliver Hughes ??? a pioneer in Irish craft brewing and also associated with several successful pubs. 100% Irish owned, it is one of only three working distilleries in Ireland. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  Day 8 - FOYNES/BURREN/CLIFFS OF MOHER/GALWAY - Visit Foynes Flying Boat Museum. From 1939 to 1945, Foynes was the center of the aviation world for air traffic between the United States and Europe. The Foynes Museum recalls this era with a comprehensive range of exhibits and graphic illustrations. Cross the River to Shannon on the Shannon Car Ferry. Travel through the Burren Region, often described as lunar.  The  Burren is a high plateau of porous limestone situated in Northern Clare between Ballyvaughan and Kilfenora.  We stop at the Cliffs of Moher. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean and bordering the Burren Area, the Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's most spectacular sights standing 230 meters above the ground at their highest point and 8km long. Continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 9 ??? CONNEMARA - Today we enjoy a tour of Connemara, land  of lakes and rivers, bogs and mountains. It is a land of small villages where Gaelic is still the spoken language. Connemara is a vast peninsula bordered by the arid and rocky coastline of Galway Bay. Visit Dan O???Hara???s Homestead. Dan O??? Hara was a tenant farmer who was evicted from his home, forced to emigrate, and lost his wife and three children en route to New York. This evening we visit Moran???s Oyster Cottage and enjoy oysters accompanied by a pint of Guinness. Overnight at our hotel. Day 10 ??? GALWAY - Today enjoy leisure time in Galway. Galway City is a delight with its narrow streets, old stone and wooden shop fronts, good restaurants and busy pubs. Tonight enjoy farewell dinner at Trad on the Prom. Trad on the Prom celebrates the passion of Ireland's past with a contemporary production of world class music, song and dance derived from the pulsating energy that has survived from the dawn of Celtic mysticism to become the record breaking phenomenon it is today. Overnight  at our hotel. Day 11 ??? RETURN USA ??? This morning after breakfast we transfer to Shannon Airport for our return flight home.