Literary Highlights of Ireland & Scotland

Day 1

Flight to Ireland

Flight to Ireland: You depart from home today for the overnight flight to Shannon in Ireland.

Day 2

Arrival in Ireland. Exploring Country Clare and Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle

Arrival in Ireland: You are met at Shannon Airport by your Tour Manager and private tour bus.

County Clare: Today you visit some of the spectacular sights in beautiful County Clare, the music capital of Ireland. You begin at the Cliffs of Moher which rise between 400 and 700 vertical feet from the sea, and which have featured in many films including Harry Potter. You continue to Lisdoonvarna for lunch. This is the location for the famous Matchmaking Festival which takes place every September, with dancing and marriage the principal objectives. You then travel through the dramatic scenery of the Burren.

Bunratty Castle: This afternoon you visit Bunratty Castle and its folk museum.

Medieval Banquet: In the evening you attend a Medieval Banquet where servers dress in period costume and you are serenaded by minstrels and pipers.

Day 3

The Ring of Kerry

Ring of Kerry: Today we travel to Killarney and enjoy a scenic tour around the famed Ring of Kerry, one of the most beautiful drives in Europe. We will see a splendid variety of scenery including coastal views and high mountains. Some of the highlights include the prehistoric Staigue Fort, Ladies View and Torc Waterfall.

Evening Music in Killarney: This evening we visit a traditional pub where there will be live music

Day 4

Kissing the Blarney Stone and Cork City

The Blarney Stone: This morning we visit Blarney Castle where we climb onto the battlements to reach the Blarney Stone, said to impart the gift of eloquence to all those who kiss it.

Cork: This afternoon we continue to the city of Cork where you visit the historic Church of St. Annes, built in 1722 and one of the oldest churches in the city. You climb the 132 steps of the Bell Tower for a spectacular 360-degree view of the city. St Anne’s ais also famous for its melodious bells which you can ring.

Day 5

The Rock of Cashel, then drive to Dublin. Writers Walking Tour and Oscar Wilde Birthplace

Rock of Cashel: Today we drive through the heart of the Emerald Isle on our way to Dublin. We stop at the spectacular Rock of Cashel, a ruined but spectacular twelfth century Cathedral complex dominating the surrounding landscape.

Dublin Walking Tour: On arrival in Dublin, we have a walking tour of St. Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square, famous for its elegant Georgian houses, once inhabited by such Irish luminaries as Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats.

Oscar Wilde House: We also visit Oscar Wilde’s childhood home which is now a small museum and you can see where the famous wit and dramatist spent the first ten years of his life.

Temple Bar: In the evening we have dinner in the lively Temple Bar district of the city where live music spills out of the characterful pubs and bars.

Day 6

Trinity College, the Book of Kells, St Patrick's Cathedral and Kilmainham Gaol

Book of Kells: This morning we visit Trinity College whose old library contains a remarkable collection of historic books and manuscripts, the most famous of which is the 8th century Book of Kells, said to be the most beautiful book in the world.

St Patrick’s Cathedral: We also visit the Anglican Cathedral of St. Patrick’s. The essayist Jonathan Swift was a Dean of the Cathedral from 1713 and it was during his tenure here that he wrote his masterpiece, Gulliver’s Travels.

Kilmainham Gaol: In the afternoon we visit Kilmainham Gaol, a historic prison which was used during British rule to incarcerate many of the leaders of the Irish independence movement including future president Eamon de Valera.

Day 7

Belfast Titanic Quarter, Ferry to Scotland and Robert Burns Museum and Memorial

Belfast Titanic Quarter: This morning you travel to Belfast where you visit the Titanic Quarter, a museum dedicated to the famous liner which in 1912 hit an iceberg and sank en route to New York. The Titanic was built at the Haarland and Woolf yard in Belfast and you can see the location where the ships keel was laid down.

Ferry to Scotland: You take the passenger ferry from Larne to Cairnryan in Scotland and continue to Alloway, the birthplace of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns who wrote the epic poem Tam o’Shanter.

Robert Burns: You visit the Burns Monument and the Burns Museum which documents the poet’s life and times. You can see the Brig o’ Doon, the historic bridge which inspired the Rogers and Hammerstein musical.

Day 8

Travel to Edinburgh. The Writers Museum Edinburgh Castle and Haggis Dinner

Travel to Edinburgh: This morning we continue our journey to Edinburgh.

Writers Museum: On arroival you will be able to walk along the Royal Mile and visit the Writers Museum on Lawnmarket which celebrates the lives and works of Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. You can see historic manuscripts and first editions, as well as personal effects including Stevenson’s fishing rod and pipe. Lawnmarket is the perfect place to discover Edinburgh traditions and there are often Bagpipers playing tunes here.

Edinburgh Castle:  After lunch you visit Edinburgh Castle.  Dominating the skyline of Edinburgh from its lofty position on Castle Rock, the castle dates from the 13th century and has been involved in many conflicts including the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The visit includes entry to the attached National War Museum.

Haggis Dinner: This evening there will be a welcome dinner at a city restaurant where you will be able to try the traditional Scottish dish of Haggis.

Day 9

Sir Walter Scott's Castle at Abbotsford, Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour

Sir Walter Scott: This morning we visit Abbotsford, the baronial home of Sir Walter Scott whose novels include Waverley, Rob Roy and Ivanhoe. Located on the banks of the River Tweed in the glorious Scottish Borders, this is a breath-taking place to visit and exudes history and character.

Free time in Edinburgh: The afternoon will be free for you to explore Edinburgh on your own.

Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour: In the early evening you do the Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour where guides take you from pub to pub through the Old Town district, acting out roles and debating how Scottish literary works were made. Some of the historic pubs include such as the Beehive Inn and the Jolly Judge.

Farewell Dinner: There will be a farewell celebratory dinner in a city center restaurant.

Day 10

Flight Home:

Flight Home: This morning you transfer to the airport for your flight back home.