Dublin, Kildare, Cork, Blarney Castle & Gardens, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, , Sligo Bay, Giant's Causeway, Ballygalley, Londonderry, Ardgowan, Glasgow, Glencoe, Inverness, Loch Ness, Loch Lomond, Culloden, St Andrews, Edinburgh
Dublin impresses with the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College and the millennia old Book of Kells. Experience centuries of rich Gaelic history as you take High-Tea at the Ardgowan Estate near Glasgow and see the Queen’s residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Glencoe offers a glimpse of Britain’s highest mountain Ben Nevis ahead of a cruise on Loch Ness and the chance to seek out Scotland’s most infamous bonnie monster. Up in the highlands, a whisky tasting at a distillery, to uncork tales of smugglers before the vacation embarks on a grand tour of the Scottish capital. Edinburgh doesn’t disappoint with the Royal Mile, home to Edinburgh Castle, Scotland’s Crown Jewels and the Scottish Parliament.
Engaging Experiences These special places and experiences are considered tour highlights. Look for them in the daily itineraries.
Clayton Hotel Charlemont
Dinner
Included
Relax at your hotel before joining your Travel Director for a warm and friendly dinner, an opportunity to get to know your fellow travelers.
Clayton Hotel Charlemont
Breakfast
Included
An orientation with your local expert will take you past the Custom House and travel along the River Liffey. See the Guinness Storehouse, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Enjoy entrance to the 9th century Book of Kells and a walk through the cobbled courtyards of Trinity College to gain insight into the establishment's impressive history.
Maldron Hotel South Mall Cork City/The Kingsley Hotel
Breakfast
Included
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.
Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Visit the ruined 15th century Blarney Castle, home of the famous Stone of Eloquence - once kissed, never forgotten! Or enjoy a sensory walk in the extensive and varied estate gardens. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa
Breakfast
Included
Explore Killarney. Choose a memorable ride on a horse-drawn jaunting car with the local jarveys. Alternatively, join a gentle hike with a local expert along the lake shore and past the grounds of Ross Castle, admiring the incredible scenery of the National Park. While there aren't any mountains to climb, walkers should be fit, have good walking shoes or boots, sunscreen and rain gear. Tour the superb seascapes, towering cliffs and spectacular mountains of the Ring of Kerry. Journey past lush lakelands and through delightful villages like Sneem. Cross the peat bogs of the Black Valley to Moll's Gap and admire Queen Victoria's Ladies View. Upon returning in the mid-afternoon, the rest of the day is at leisure.
Connemara Coast Hotel
Breakfast
Included
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 700-foot Cliffs of Moher. Continue on to your hotel, located at the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way. 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 US President, John F. Kennedy.
Clayton Hotel Sligo
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Tour the wild Connemara region, a scenic wonderland of rivers, lakes and silent hills. Drive along the scenic shores of Sligo.
Ballygally Castle Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
Cross into Northern Ireland to visit Londonderry. What better way to experience sightseeing than with one of Northern Ireland's best storytellers, Ronan, as he walks with you inside the city walls, still topped with cannons. Walk down Shipquay Street, with its elegant Georgian houses, to the Gothic Guildhall. Journey to the iconic Giant's Causeway for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. This geological masterpiece was created by the cooling of lava which burst through the earth's crust millions of years ago. Learn how the National Trust is enabling farming and biodiversity to work together, supporting both wildlife and quality food production. Next, take a spectacular drive along the Antrim Coast to your hotel, overlooking the sea at the head of Ballygally Bay.
Radisson Blu Hotel
Breakfast
Included
Cross the Irish Sea by ferry and journey to Ardgowan. Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart welcomes you to his family castle, set on a 10,000-acre coastal estate. Explore the history of the area and learn the Shaw Stewart family's conservation efforts to protect the land on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, followed by delightful traditional Scottish tea and scones. Continue to Glasgow where your travel director will show you the city's grand public buildings, including George Square and St. Mungo's Cathedral.
Kingsmills Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
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.
Kingsmills Hotel
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
In the morning, see the sights of Inverness, before traveling to the Culloden Moor Visitor Center, where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army was finally defeated. Then have a "wee dram" during a visit to a local distillery, hear stories of the whisky smugglers as you delve into the fascinating world of the single malt.
Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
Breakfast
Included
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 St. Andrews 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. Continue across the majestic Forth Road Bridge to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. In the evening, select departures attend The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Your local guide walks with you inside the walls of the Edinburgh Castle to view the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny and Mons Meg.
Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
Breakfast,
Dinner
Included
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.
Breakfast
Included
Your journey comes to an end after breakfast with transfers arriving to Edinburgh airport.
Departure transfer arrive at the airport at 6:15, 8:00.
2025 Tour Dates
SEPTEMBER
25
:
$6,995
|
Prices are subject to change.
Pricing is per person,
double occupancy,
land and cruise only, based on November 13, 2024 travel date.
Single supplement from $1,500.
Call AAA for current airfare rates and availability.
All this makes it AAA Vacations®
AAA Complimentary Inclusion: $80 per person on tour credit towards optional excursion.
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