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Overniew:
Experience the city of Dublin with its cultural treasures - the gateway to Irish
tradition and scenery of the countryside – and explore the traditions, landscape
and architecture of important Irish counties.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Day 1: Meet the RTT
tour escort for the bus transfer to Frankfurt airport (not incl.) or directly at
the airport for the late morning flight to Dublin. City orientation tour upon
the (scheduled) noon time arrival, then proceed to the hotel for dinner and
overnight.
Day 2: After breakfast, see
Dublin city sights with admission to Trinity College and St. Patrick’s
Cathedral. See the Book of Kells which was produced by Celtic monks around 800
AD.
Considered the zenith of illuminated medieval manuscripts, the Book of Kells has
thrilled scholars and visitors for two centuries with its colors and
ornamentations. Lunch at one of Dublin’s most famous “publik houses”, the
Nancy Hands Pub (meal included, beverages extra). Travel by bus westward, into
the countryside to visit picturesque Clonmacnoise Monestery on the banks of the
river Shannon. This cluster of ancient buildings gives local culture and
architecture significance both through the progression of religious structures
through the centuries and the historic documents existing to place them in Irish
and English history. Dinner and hotel overnight near Lisdoonvarna.
Day 3: After your hotel
breakfast, experience the sheer beauty of the Cliffs of Moher, a landscape of
grey stones and underground caves.
Whether stormy or
fog-shrouded, in snow or shining sun, the Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking!
They stretch for 8 km & rise up to 214 meters (702 feet) above the Atlantic
Ocean and
consistently
top the list of impressive tourist attractions for visitors to Ireland. After
an opportunity for lunch (not included), visit Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in
the area of Limerick, to discover the life and customs of 19th
century Ireland. Bunratty Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval
fortress in Ireland. Built in 1425, it was restored in 1954 to its former
medieval splendor and now contains mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings,
tapestries, and works of art which capture the mood of those times. The houses
and cottages of the folk park spread out at the foot of its massive walls, much
in the way that the cottages and crofts of old would have clustered around its
base. The impressive park features over 30 buildings in a ‘living’ village and
rural setting. Enjoy the tastes, scents, sights and sounds of this
enchanting place as you stroll from house to house or around the charming
village complete with school, post office, doctors house, hardware shop,
printers and of course the pub! Drive through the town of Limerick, where St.
John’s church spire (the tallest in Ireland) competes with the modern glass
Riverside skyscraper. Hotel overnight near Killarny.
An Irish Folklore evening (included) will bring Irish culinary and musical
culture to life and invite you to step along with the music!
Watch as dancers hop, skip, and slide their way through Irish jigs. Listen as
musicians use fiddles, flutes, and pipes to evoke the most traditional Gaelic
music. Experience the best of traditional culture at this Irish Folklore
Evening.
Day 4: Don’t pack up! Have
breakfast before heading out for a day-long panorama tour of Ireland’s greenest
countryside along the coast of the Ring of Kerry.
The Ring of Kerry is part of the mystical &
unspoiled region of Ireland that has attracted visitors for hundreds of years.
Narrow roads
and white sheep bring the green into sharp contrast. It is possible to
see the Iron Age forts & Ogham stones, old monasteries, and a landscape carved
out of rock by the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago.
Stop for lunch along the way (not included) and have a chance for some Irish
hospitality. Drive through Killarny National Park, visited by Queen Victoria
when she spent the night in Muckross House. Explore this manor house decorated
in landed gentry style.
The principal rooms are furnished in period style and portray the elegant
lifestyle of the 19th century landowning class, while in the basement, one can
imagine the busy bustle of the servants as they went about their daily chores.
The gardens of Muckross House are world-renowned for horticultural collections.
Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Breakfast and hotel check-out, before beginning the return to
Dublin though the Irish midlands. Near Cork, visit Blarney Castle and test your
skills with the Stone of Eloquence. Kiss it
and you’ll never again be lost for words. But don’t take our word for it –
everyone from Sir Walter Scott to a host of American presidents, world leaders,
and international entertainers has been eager to take advantage. If people come
for the Stone, many stay for the mystical and beautiful Rock Close and gardens.
A castle built over 600 years ago, this is where all the blarney began! Visit
the Old Midleton Distillery of the Jameson Heritage
Centre to unlock the secrets of Irish Whiskey,
culminating in the Jameson Bar with the Irish Whiskey tasting session.
Try it out (included for adults only) and see if it’s to your taste. Explore
the Rock of Cashel
one of the most remarkable collections of
Celtic art and
medieval architecture to be found anywhere
in Europe. It is here that St. Patrick is supposed to have converted the King of
Munster. The Rock is crowned by a complex of many buildings and high crosses,
and is one of the most photographed sites in Ireland.
Spend the last night in Ireland at the village of Howth, where you an experience
the reality of regional culture. Dinner and hotel overnight.
Day 6: After your breakfast
and hotel check-out say “Slán
agat” to the Emerald Isles and return to Frankfurt.
A scheduled afternoon flight may allow for some free time.
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