The Best Of Ireland Featuring The Wild Atlantic Way

Rocky coasts, animated pubs, a storied past, and endless green hills – where else but Ireland? Experience the country like never before, visiting the traditional sites you’d expect as well as a few off-the-beaten-path spots you couldn’t find on your own. Connect with the locals, connect with your roots, and connect with the Emerald Isle.

Your Irish adventure starts in Dublin, built upon layered history and featuring a lively local culture. This evening, toast the start of your journey with dinner at a local restaurant.

Start your morning with an Impact Moment and walk with an expert from Secret Street Tours, a non-profit organization that encourages and supports citizens formerly affected by homelessness to be guides in their own city. See the city through their eyes and gain insight into their life story as you discover Dublin’s Liberties district. Visit EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, and trace how so many Irish fled to foreign lands. The remainder of the day is yours to explore on your own. Later you may join an optional tour to the Guinness Storehouse, followed by dinner at a traditional pub.

This morning, cross the border into Northern Ireland and arrive in Belfast. Ride through town in a traditional black taxicab with a guide, taking in different murals and iconic buildings along the way. Pause at the Peace Wall, which separates the Catholic and Protestant communities, adorned with political graffiti. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure in Belfast before joining your fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.

Visit the ethereal Giant’s Causeway, walking in the footsteps of mythical legends. Marvel at the hexagonal basalt slabs, that according to legend, were formed by gargantuan beasts crossing the crashing waves.

Make your way to Derry, a growing artistic and cultural hub, and site of the infamous Bloody Sunday massacre. Delve into the city’s local history on a guided tour before continuing on to the pretty town of Donegal. Embark on an expert-led tour of castle ruins, right in the heart of the town. In County Donegal tonight, connect with an age-old heritage when an esteemed seanchaí – a traditional Gaelic storyteller – joins you for dinner.

Set out to explore the Wild Atlantic Way. Visit the Slieve League Cliffs, offering stunning views over the Sligo Mountains and Donegal Bay. Three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher, these iconic cliffs are amongst the highest and most scenic in Europe. Afterward, travel back in time to 18th century Ireland when you visit the thatched cottages of Glencolmcille, a folk village maintained by the local community of southeast Donegal. Continue on to Donegal Town and enjoy time to shop and explore at your leisure.

Enjoy a morning with free time to explore before departing Donegal for Fermanagh, a county blanketed by lakes and waterways. Take in pastoral surroundings as you cruise* toward Devenish Island, a 6th century monastic site. Explore the ruins of this picturesque island, including one of the finest high towers in Ireland. This afternoon, arrive at your beautiful resort on the banks of Lough Erne.

Arrive in Galway, a lively city of medieval relics and modern flare. Join a local guide to explore stories about the city, from its days as a medieval trading center through to the present. Tonight, dinner is at a local restaurant.

The day is yours. Perhaps you’ll pop into a pub for a drink with the locals, or peruse one of the city’s many museums, or go shopping along bustling Quay Street. Consider taking an optional tour to Kylemore Abbey, where you’ll drive through Connemara National Park before embarking on a tour of the monastery.

Peek into Irish culture at a sheep farm, where you’ll watch a dog-herding demonstration and meet the friendly canine workers. Experience the Ireland you’ve always imagined at the Cliffs of Moher, where mossy cliffs plunge 700 feet into the ocean. After visiting one of the country’s most beloved sites, arrive in the colorful town of Dingle, located on the Dingle Peninsula. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a pub.

This morning, explore the spectacular scenery of the Dingle Peninsula, visiting Slea Head, where the locals will remind you that beyond the water, “the next parish over is Boston.” After returning to Dingle, the rest of the day is yours to explore how you choose.

Today, enjoy a lunch at a traditional Irish pub, owned by the same family for 200 years. Listen to stories about the family ancestors, and the social role that pubs play within rural communities. Afterwards, watch a hurling demonstration, a traditional sport of Ireland, with the opportunity to participate yourself! Continue to Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s most charming cities.

This morning, it’s your choice! Enjoy a leisurely day to explore the town and Kilkenny Castle on your own -OR- travel just outside of town to the ruins of Jerpoint Abbey, a Cistercian abbey founded in the 12th century. You will also attend a captivating demonstration at a family-owned glass company and learn about the important role Kilkenny plays in Irish design and craftsmanship. No matter what activities fill your day, come together in the evening for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Sláinte!

Wish the Emerald Isle goodbye as you depart for home.