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Tentative
Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrival Shannon Airport, Galway, Welcome Dinner
Upon arrival at
Shannon Airport, we will depart for Galway. Galway dates back to the
13th century with the invasion by the Anglo Normans against the Irish.
It has progressed through the centuries to be the fastest growing city
in Western Europe and the cultural capital of Ireland. Tonight we will
enjoy our welcome dinner.
Day 2:
Walking Tour; Afternoon Free
Our day begins
with a walking tour to all the must see locations in the city.
We will visit Eyre
Square; the town wall dating to 1270; Lynch's Castle, one of the oldest
buildings in Ireland; Collegiate Church of St Nicholas dating from the
1300's; the Spanish Arch as well as other important sights.
The afternoon is
free to continue your sightseeing. You might like to visit the Galway
Irish Crystal Heritage Center to learn the intricacies of the crystal
making process.
This evening we
will attend a Celtic Tales Performance. Join in on an evening of
entertaining tales from Celtic mythology and folklore. Acclaimed
storytellers transport us to lands of incantation, mischievous faeries,
true love and ancient heroes.
Day 3: Day
Trip: Inishmor, Aran Islands; Dun Aenghus
The Aran Islands,
along Ireland's west coast, are a Gaelic treat. They consist of three
limestone islands: Inishmor, Inishmaan, and Inisheer. The largest,
Inishmore is by far the most populated and interesting. We will travel
by boat and will spend a full day on Inishmor exploring this last
remnant of authentic Gaelic civilization, where Christian ruins stand
side by side with remarkable Pagan relics. Inishmore's famous Iron Age
fortress, Dún Aenghus, is the most impressive of its kind in all of
Europe. For 20 centuries, waves have battered at its black foundation,
300 feet straight down. Even with nothing to guard, it still stands
strong, overlooking the sea from a cliff-edge perch. We will return to
Galway for the evening.
Day 4: Day
Trip: Connemara and Cong
Today we will be
transported into the heart of Ireland’s last wilderness, the beautiful
Connemara region. Taking time to enjoy the varied landscape, we make
stops at Clifden Town - the capital of Connemara, before going to
Kylemore Abbey - "Ireland’s most romantic building". Kylemore Abbey is
now the monastic home to the Benedictine Order of Nuns in Ireland. We
travel through some of the most beautiful areas in Ireland as we pass by
the natural harbor that is Killary fjord that straddles the Mayo-Galway
border and the scenic village of Leenane. We then continue to the
beautiful village of Cong, home to Cong Abbey.
Day 5: Day
Trip: The Burren and Cliffs of Moher
Today we travel to
Burren National Park and with a short hike in a nature reserve, we will
discover the serene beauty of a 6th century hermitage, a holy well and
get an introduction to the geology and flora that make the Burren so
special. Next we will make a short stop at the sea-port village of
Kinvara as we make our way over Corkscrew Hill with fabulous vistas of
the surrounding limestone landscape before arriving at the Cliffs of
Moher. The Cliffs of Moher are Ireland's top natural scenic attraction
and are amazing in their scale; 200-metre high cliffs for almost 8kms.
In the afternoon,
we drive inland where we will hear about the history, folklore and
archaeological wonders of this protected landscape. Before stopping at
the famous Poulnabrone Dolmen we also make a stop at Kilfenora also
known as the City of the Crosses after the High Crosses located in the
grounds of the 12th century monastery.
Day 6 -
Train Galway to Dublin
Today we will
travel by train from Galway to Dublin. Sit back, relax and enjoy the
scenery along the way.
Day 7 -
Dublin city tour, Free Time
This morning we’ll
embark on a tour of this delightful city. We’ll see Trinity College, St.
Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Irish Parliament, among other points of
interest. The remainder of the day and evening are free for you to
enjoy Dublin.
Day 8 -
Newgrange
Newgrange is one
of the best examples in Ireland of a passage-tomb, however, it is now
recognized to be more of an ancient temple with astrological, spiritual,
religious and ceremonial importance. It was constructed around 3200 BC,
making it more than 600 years older than the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, and
1,000 years more ancient than Stonehenge. Newgrange is part of a
complex of monuments built along the River Boyne. In 1993, Newgrange was
designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its outstanding
cultural legacy.
Day 9 -
Free day in Dublin; Farewell Dinner
This day is yours
to explore Dublin on your own. From our tour you may have several ideas
of places you wish to visit and of course, any shopping you want to do
would be a good activity for today. Get together tonight for our
farewell dinner.
Day 10 -
Return home from Dublin
Today you will
depart Ireland from Dublin International Airport in the morning for your
return trip to the United States. Make your return flight at your
convenience.
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