The Northern Route

Tour length: 10 days
Number of accommodations: 6

Day 0 Depart the U.S. for your overnight flight to Ireland.

Day 1 Commence your tour of the capital city, Dublin, a place where tradition and cultural heritage have merged seamlessly over the centuries to create a unique atmosphere. In the afternoon enjoy some shopping on Grafton Street followed by music and entertainment in some of the local pubs. Overnight Dublin.

Day 2 Take a drive through the Wicklow Mountains to visit Glendalough Visitor Centre. Learn about St. Kevin’s monastic site, which dates from the 6th century and the importance of monasteries in the early Christian period. Next stop is at Enniskerry, an elegant, picturesque village built to adorn the Powerscourt Estate. Overnight Dublin.

Day 3 Check out of your accommodation. Enjoy a scenic drive to one of Europe's great archaeological mysteries, Newgrange neolithic burial tomb, which predates the pyramids. Continue north and tour along the coast to Newry. Finally finish up in Newcastle for your overnight which is beautifully located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains.

Day 4 Check out of your accommodation and enjoy a city tour of Belfast. After lunch tour the north coast of Derry and Antrim including a stop at the Giants Causeway. Continue on to your overnight accommodation in Derry.

Day 5 Depart your accommodation. Follow the scenic Atlantic coast and stop at Donegal town. Afterwards visit the famous Belleek Pottery Factory, renowned for its exquisite cream-colored Parian china. Finally stop off at Drumcliff for a visit to the grave of the native son and poet William Butler Yeats. Continue on to your overnight in Sligo town.

Day 6 Travel south. Check into your accommodation in Galway. Discover the sights and sounds of Galway City, including Lynch's Castle and the old Jail, where the mayor in 1493 condemned and executed his own guilty son (hence the word lynching), and The Spanish Arch, sign of the once important trading relationship with Spain.

Day 7–8 You have many options for the next 2 days. You can decide which you would like to choose on the previous day. Please discuss with your driver these options. Note that only one option is available per day.

• Travel into the rugged Connemara region. We travel through the towns of Moycullen, Maam Cross, Oughterard and Spiddal and Kylemore Abbey. Return to Galway for your overnight.
• Visit the Aran Islands. The three Aran Islands are situated in Galway Bay and the ferry crossing takes about 50 minutes depending on weather.
• Spend the day in and around the picturesque village of Cong, the setting of the John Wayne classic, The Quiet Man.

Day 9 Check out of your accommodation. Drive through Lisdoonvarna, and the fishing village of Kinvara. Continue south through Clare and its interesting landscape of The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. From here we travel to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. This 15th century castle is the centerpiece of a fantastic folk park. Tonight be treated like royalty at The Bunratty Medieval Banquet.

Day 10 Sadly your tour has come to end. After breakfast we will transfer to the Shannon Airport where there is time for duty-free shopping before boarding your return flight.

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