north_ireland

Day 1 Depart USA Overnight flight to Dublin. Day 2 Arrive Dublin Transfer to your hotel upon arrival in Dublin. Later, our sightseeing tour features views of Trinity College, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Castle and Phoenix Park. Then free time to experience the friendly atmosphere of this great city. This evening, we enjoy a welcome beverage with our Tour Director. Hotel: The Mespil Day 3 Dublin – Belfast We head to the Boyne Valley and via Drogheda we cross the border into Ulster. From Newry, we enjoy views of Carlingford Lough before a scenic drive through the Mountains of Mourne on our way to Downpatrick. Later we continue to our hotel in Belfast. Holiday Inn Day 4 Belfast – Londonderry/Derry (2) Sightseeing shows us the City Hall, Queen's University and the University quarter. Then northwards to the beautiful Antrim Coast road, seeing the castles at Ballygalley and Glenarm. Next past the scenic Glens of Antrim to Ballycastle. Continue to Bushmills to visit the oldest whiskey distillery in the world before a visit to the famous Giant's Causeway, huge basalt columns rising from the sea. En route to Londonderry & Derry, we stop at the ruins of Dunluce Castle before reaching our hotel for the night. Hotel: Everglades (2 nights)
Day 5 Londonderry/Derry sightseeing Our sightseeing takes us to the city walls, some of the best preserved in Europe. Then on to the 17th century St. Columb's Cathedral with its tower. Next we head to Derry Craft Village and on to the quay where Irish emigrants sailed to the New World. Free time later perhaps to take an excursion to the Inishowen Peninsula. Day 6 Londonderry/Derry – Bundoran (2) Our journey takes us via Strabane and Omagh, stopping to visit the Ulster-American Folk Park en route to Lough Erne and Enniskillen. Then we visit the famous Belleek Pottery Factory before reaching our hotel in Bundoran for two nights. Hotel: Allingham Arms (2 nights)
Day 7 Donegal Excursion Our first stop is Donegal town, home of the O'Donnell Clan. Then a scenic drive towards Balleybofey and through the Finn Valley brings us to Glenties. Next to Ardara, with a chance to buy world-famous Aran sweaters and Donegal Tweeds. We continue to Killybegs, with its whitewashed buildings before our return to Bundoran. Day 8 Bundoran – Dublin We travel into W.B. Yeats country to Drumcliff and on past Sligo to Lough Key and the town of Boyle seeing the Cistercian Abbey. Later, via Longford and Mullingar to Dublin. Hotel: Camden Court Day 9 Dublin – USA After breakfast we transfer to Dublin Airport for our return flight to America.