Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Dublin, Ireland.
Upon arrival in Dublin, you’ll be met by a Mayflower Tours representative and transferred to your hotel. Flights should arrive by 3:00pm. The remainder of the day is at leisure until the included dinner this evening. Dinner
This morning begins with an orientation tour of Dublin. During the panoramic tour your local guide will explain the history and architecture as you drive through this beautiful capital city. See the River Liffey, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Green and travel along O’Connell Street with its monument to Daniel O’Connell and other notable figures from Ireland’s turbulent history. Pass the General Post Office, site of rebel headquarters in the 1916 Easter Rising. During the walking tour, stroll through Georgian Dublin and see the National Museum, the National Gallery and the Parliament Building before arriving at Trinity College with the Book of Kells, the famous hand-illuminated gospel manuscript. This evening, join in the merriment as you dine in an 18th-century pub and enjoy a traditional show featuring Irish dance, music and song. Breakfast and dinner
Leaving Dublin, journey south into the forested hills and rolling valleys of County Wicklow, traditionally known as the “Garden of Ireland”. Striking terraces, fine statuary, floral displays and over 200 varieties of trees, shrubs and flowers greet you during the visit to stunning Powerscourt Gardens, set against the backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain. The walled city of Waterford retains much of its medieval character and is the oldest city in Ireland. Visit the House of Waterford Crystal, in the heart of the city, where highly skilled local craftsmen produce 40,000 crystal pieces per year, including trophies for prestigious sporting events. Breakfast and dinner
Today’s adventure begins with a visit to Cork, Ireland’s second largest city. A panoramic tour highlights the sites of the city as you drive along the Grand Parade. See City Hall, St. Patrick’s Street and Shandon Steeple – the symbol of the city. This spire of St. Anne’s Church, built atop a hill, overlooking the River Lee, is a noted landmark of Cork. St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, named after the city’s patron saint, is another of Cork’s distinctive landmarks. Get caught up in the aura of magic and mystique with an included visit to Blarney Castle. Wishing Steps, Witch’s Kitchen, Druid’s Cave and other delights all tell a story of centuries past. The ‘Stone of Eloquence’, considered to be Ireland’s greatest treasure, bestows the ‘gift of gab’ to all who kiss it. Climb to the top of the castle, kiss the Blarney Stone and see if the legend holds true! The day concludes with arrival in the traditional Irish village of Glengarriff, located on world-renowned Bantry Bay, where the mountains meet the sea. Breakfast and dinner
Within the sheltered harbor of Glengarriff lies the small island of Garnish, known to horticulturists around the world as an island garden of rare beauty. Arriving by small ferry boat, you have the opportunity to stroll the grounds and explore the gardens that flourish in the mild humid micro-climate of the harbor. See the clock tower, Grecian temple, Martello Tower and Italian casita. Admire the scenic beauty of the Beara Peninsula with its rocky mountains, glacial lakes and rugged coastline as you travel along the Wild Atlantic Way, a world-famous coastal route. The Beara Peninsula is also home to stone circles, megalithic tombs, burial grounds, forts and castles. Breakfast
Today’s travels take you to Killarney via Moll’s Gap, a portion of the Ring of Kerry, featuring stunning panoramic views of the Lakes of Killarney. Journey through Killarney National Park and the Macgillycuddy Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range. The charming town of Killarney is known for the splendor of its scenery with sparkling lakes, deep forests and jagged misty mountains. Upon arrival, visit Muckross House and Gardens, majestically situated on the shores of Killarney National Park. Continue through County Kerry to Tarbert where you embark the ferry and cross the River Shannon to Ennistymon in County Clare for overnight. Breakfast and dinner
Enjoy a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to experience nature at its wildest. Admire the awesome grandeur of the Cliffs of Moher, soaring vertically from the sea to a height of 700 feet. Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills and Peregrine Falcons nest and soar in this amazing natural habitat. Traveling through the Burren, discover the rough and intriguing landscape of this limestone plateau, carved by glaciers during the last receding ice age. The remains of wedge and megalithic tombs are proof people have been living in the Burren for more than 5000 years. Clifden, one of the most picturesque towns in Connemara, sits at the foot of the Twelve Pins Mountains, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This lively, colorful town is the perfect setting to enjoy your two-night castle stay! Breakfast and dinner
Today’s excursion explores the wild and beautiful Connemara – a region of mountains, lakes, tumbling streams, undulating bogs, unspoiled beaches and panoramic views. Visit Kylemore Abbey and Gardens, a tranquil estate set in a dramatic landscape, originally built as a castle. Steeped in history and tales of tragedy and romance, the Abbey is now home to Ireland's only Benedictine community of nuns. During the visit to Dan O’Hara’s Homestead, learn about the life of a typical 19th-century tenant farmer and the history of the Connemara. See reconstructions of a crannog, ring fort and early Christian Oratory as you enjoy a carriage ride up the hill to see Dan O’Hara’s cottage and a turf cutting demonstration. Breakfast and dinner
Enroute to Dublin, travel through Connemara and Galway to the Midlands. Visit Connemara Marble Factory for a behind the scenes tour and history of the uses of this marble that is unique to this area of Ireland. Travel to Celbridge in County Kildare to visit Castletown House, the largest and most significant Palladian style country house in Ireland, set amongst beautiful 18th-century parklands. Upon returning to Dublin, your final overnight is spent in an elegant Irish country manor. Breakfast and dinner
Filled with memories of the Emerald Isle, transfer to Dublin Airport for your flight home. Breakfast
Ashling* Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
Granville** Hotel, Waterford, Ireland
Eccles Hotel, Glengarriff, Ireland Day Seven Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, Ireland
Abbeyglen Castle, Clifden, County Galway, Ireland Day Ten Dunboyne Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
Dunboyne Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
*March departure is at the Royal Marine Hotel
**April departure is at the Dooley’s Hotel
