Welcome to Glasgow! Settle in with free time before meeting your Tour Director and travel companions at 6 pm for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Includes meal(s): Dinner
Secret Keys to Scottish Lochs Your Celtic adventure starts with an orientation drive through Glasgow where you’ll see the 12th-century cathedral, university buildings, and elegant Victorian architecture. A spectacular drive through the Highlands takes you to Fort William. Take time to admire Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak, before looking out for the mysterious monster as you view Loch Ness. Spend the night in Inverness, the Highland capital. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
They can take the low road, but we’ll take the high road on a scenic ride through the magic and mystery of the moors and glens of the Scottish Highlands. From lovely Loch Lomond and Loch Linnhe to the boggy expanses of Rannoch Moor and the dizzying beauty of Glen Coe and Ben Nevis, you’ll discover the legends of Loch Ness and more across the beauty of Scotland’s magnificent scenery
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
A Red Moor & A White Castle Start the day at the Culloden Moor Battlefield and Visitor Centre to hear the story of the crushing Hanoverian victory over Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Scottish clans. A drive through the Cairngorms National Park takes you to Blair Castle, ancestral seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl and home to Europe’s last remaining private army, the Atholl Highlanders. Then, on to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
If these walls could talk, they would tell how the 19 generations of Stewarts and Murrays of Atholl have loved, won, and lost through seven centuries of history at Blair Castle, visited over time by Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Queen Victoria
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Drummers, Pipers & Precious Jewels Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide introduces you to the 200-year-old “New Town” and the famous scientists, inventors, and novelists who lived there. In the “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle to admire Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The afternoon is free to enjoy the Scottish capital at your own pace. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Unpack your plaid for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo! Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances included on departures August 7, 14 and 21.
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with a 1,100-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain.” Here, you’ll find the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The Castle forms the background of the spectacular Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Songs, Sonnets & Secret Vows First stop today is at Gretna Green, where the blacksmith witnessed weddings for eloping young couples. Journey into England through the tranquil Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to Grasmere, home of the poet William Wordsworth, to try original [LF] Grasmere Gingerbread. In Liverpool, visit The Beatles Story, a fascinating journey into the life and music of the “Fab Four.” (B)
LOCAL FAVORITE
Sweeten the day with classic Grasmere gingerbread and hear the story of Sarah Nelson, the Victorian cook who invented the world famous cross between cake and biscuit in 1854
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Forest Sprites & Ferry Sights Take a scenic drive through the forest village of Betws-y-Coed and the incomparable landscapes of Snowdonia National Park before crossing the Isle of Anglesey to Holyhead. Board your ferry and cross the Irish Sea to Dublin. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Pass through Snowdonia National Park’s forests, rugged mountains and sweeping coastline, where Welsh and the language of nature are spoken in stunning style
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Ireland’s Capital City An orientation drive in the Irish capital includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Trinity College, where Oscar Wilde studied. There is free time this afternoon. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
“In Dublin’s fair city where girls are so pretty” you’ll also find great personality and charm. The charisma of Dubliners and the bounty of pubs here is matched only by the gorgeous Georgian Squares, 12th-century St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Trinity College
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
The Winner’s Circle Horse-racing country awaits this morning. Drive across the Curragh to visit the [LF] Irish National Stud at Kildare, whose thoroughbreds command respect on the racecourses of the world. Pause to take photos of the Rock of Cashel, where St. Patrick preached, before continuing to Blarney, the village know for is magical Kissing Stone. Walk up to the castle or shop for traditional Irish handicrafts. Enjoy some free time on arrival in Killarney. (B,D).
LOCAL FAVORITE
The Irish National Stud is home to the long tradition of Ireland’s love of horses. This horse breeding facility in County Kildare, considered the beating heart of Ireland's thoroughbred industry, continues to inspire all who visit. Hear about some of the world’s most magnificent champion stallions that have made racing history since the turn of the 20th century
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Irish Eyes & Cheeky Rhymes Follow the road known as the Ring of Kerry for a 100-mile panoramic drive around the island’s southwestern tip. Have your camera ready as you enjoy the spectacular scenery. Arrive in Limerick for your overnight stay. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Explore the emerald tapestries of green fields and ocean views that make other coastlines green with envy. The Ring of Kerry begins and ends in Killarney, taking you on a trip along the southwest coast of Ireland. Discover a paradise of panoramic cliffs, lush landscapes, and breathtaking beaches of the Iveragh Peninsula
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Notes Above High Sea At the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, over 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, step on to the edge of the world to admire awe-inspiring views. Via the limestone plateau of the Burren, reach Galway, a popular seaside destination with a buzzing center of colorful shops and a busy café and bar culture. Then, spend the night in the coastal seaport of Sligo. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Feast your eyes on a stunning spectacle of sea and sky at the Cliffs of Moher on the Wild Atlantic Way. Try to resist the inspiration that has moved artists, poets, and scientists throughout the ages as you stand on the edge of 320 million years of geologic perfection on the rugged coastline of County Clare
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Giant Steps in Northern Ireland Head into Northern Ireland today and enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide along the city walls of Derry’s Old Town. Follow in the legendary footsteps of Finn McCool, as you admire the Giant’s Causeway, composed of 40,000 basalt columns formed millions of years ago. Stay in Belfast tonight, Northern Ireland’s seat of government. (B,D)
LOCAL FAVORITE
Ireland’s only fully preserved historic walled city, Derry also took center stage when Amelia Earhart landed her plane nearby having flown from Newfoundland in 1932. Walk on top of the 400-year-old city walls and hear the history of this vibrant place that links the Wild Atlantic Way to Causeway Coastal Route
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
A Grand Ship & Great Scots This morning, visit the fascinating Titanic Belfast and learnhow the world’s largest passenger steamship, at the time of its launch, its maiden voyage, and the tragic events of April 14-15, 1912. Board your ferry for the maritime port of Cairnryan on Scotland’s west coast before heading back to Glasgow and celebrate your journey with a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
Explore the fascinating Titanic Belfast experience for an in-depth look at the history and mystery of the legendary ocean liner. See artifacts and hear amazing accounts of Belfast’s boom in shipping and those who built her. Learn about the courage and loss of all involved on a fateful night in April 1912. Get an immersive look at the launch, sinking, and final resting place of the doomed ship, with myths and reality revealed
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Dinner
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
