Contiki's Ireland – 8 days land only

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- 7 nights hotel accommodation
- Breakfast daily & selected dinners
- Assistance of an experienced tour manager & driver team
- Touring by coach
- Sightseeing tours including 1 World Heritage sites
- See Trinity College, the Monument of Light, Parnell Square and St. Stephen's Green
- City tour of Belfast with a Local Guide
- See the 17th century city walls of Londonderry
- Visit Blarney, home of the Blarney Stone
- Visit the Cliffs of Moher
- Entrance to the Cobh Heritage Centre, last port of call for the ill-fated Titanic
- See the Rock of Cashel
- See Kilkenny Castle & St. Canice's Cathedral
- Visit: Ireland & Northern Ireland, including Dublin, Londonderry, Galway, Cork & Kilkenny

Arrive Dublin

Check-in to your hotel this evening in dynamic, down-to-earth Dublin.

Meet up with your Trip Manager and fellow travellers and discover Dublin’s fascinating heritage. Your Trip Manager will show you Trinity college, the 120m high Monument of Light, Parnell Square and St Stephen’s Green, once the site of Dublin’s public floggings and hangings.

Afterwards, make the most of the night and head to the cultural hot spot of Temple Bar, where pubs, bars and cafes spill out onto cobbled lanes.

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Dublin to Cork

En route for Cork we stop at charming Kilkenny for lunch & there is a chance for an optional bike ride if you feel like a different perspective on exploring the city. Discover Kilkenny’s medieval charm and its signature sites, Kilkenny Castle and St. Canice’s Cathedral. Later, it's onto the next destination on our list, colourful Cork, set on the banks of the River Lee. Stop off enroute in Midleton at the Jamesons Distillery. Opt in for a tour of the distillery dating back to 1795, take a journey through history and see the old kilns, mills and malting, water wheel and old warehouses. And of course try a little tipple at the end!

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Cork to Galway

Another day, and there's more to see...so let's go! See the famous medieval Blarney Castle, where you can kiss the magical Blarney Stone if you’re keen – your Trip Manager will fill you in on the legend. Continue on past the vertical Cliffs of Moher, through the moors and woodlands. FIlled with good luck, we head to the traditional town of Galway. Loaded with Irish soul and packed with lively pubs, Galway gives you a chance to experience the typically Irish locals and it's bound to be packed with character and laughs. Get a feel for this pretty town’s atmosphere, where street performers, magicians and traditional musicians busk outside colourfully painted buildings.

Make the most of your free night tonight, round up a group of friends and head to the pub. Listen out for locals speaking Irish as you try out traditional Irish stew, listen to some traditional live music or order some of the region’s famous oysters, no doubt over a few pints of Guinness.

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Galway

Get out there and discover this quintessential Irish town where Gaelic is still spoken on the streets. If you feel like travelling a little further out, there's the option to jump on a ferry and cruise out to the stunning Aran Islands for a day away from it all. With rugged cliffs, wild flowers and pounding seas, the Aran Islands are all about natural beauty. Grab a bike and explore, stopping of course for some pics with some of the islands furrier locals like donkeys and horses that dot the country farms.

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Galway to Londonderry

We head North today through Donegal, and onto Londonderry. On arrival get straight out to see the city’s famous 17th century walls. They’ve got a rep for a reason – standing at 8m high and 9m long, no enemy has ever succeeded in getting through them.

Explore more of Londonderry with our Local Guide in a fascinating optional tour around the historic city. Learn about epic battles of the past before taking a step back in time with the People’s Gallery in Bogside. Our Local Guide will explain how the colourful murals sum up and commemorate key events from the Troubles. We leave the walled city of Londonderry behind as we head to Belfast, home of the Troubles (political conflict in Ireland) and learn about the city's difficult past.

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Londonderry to Belfast

Today you have the opportunity to be amazed by the natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site - the Giant’s Causeway. With approximately 40 000 rock columns packed together, reaching heights of 12m (36ft), this unbelievable rock formation will give you goose bumps Then we head into Belfast, learn more about this intriguing city on a driving tour, before arriving at the Titanic museum where you can join a tour of the iconic structure, see the spot where she was launched and hear some fascinating facts about the great ship.

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Belfast to Dublin

Back into buzzing Dublin, you’ve got time to explore more of this charismatic capital.

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Guinness Storehouse and get the low down on Ireland’s national drink. Find out how the “black stuff” is made and how to pull a pint the Irish way. You’ll even get to satisfy your taste buds with a Guinness at the end.

Dublin has it all shopping-wise so get some pointers from your Trip Manager and hit the shops on Grafton Street or poke around Dublin’s many bookstores. For a bite to eat, head to the open air food and fresh produce markets and live a bit of the local lifestyle.

Cap off your tour with a night out with the group and opt for authentic Irish experience, complete with a traditional meal and Irish dancing in one of Dublin’s most popular pubs.

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Depart Dublin

The trip ends after breakfast & it's time to say farewell to your new friends.

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