8 Days/7 Nights Departs Daily A Tale of Two Cities Dublin & Belfast This insightful tour highlights the commonalities as well as the differences between these diverse and complex cities. Enjoy an engaging tour of both Ireland & Northern Ireland's most famous sites. In Dublin, see Trinity College, the General Post Office, and the Guinness Brewery, plus a visit to Kilkenny and the rugged Wicklow Mountains. In Belfast, discover this unsung, dynamic city, packed with history and a bustling cultural scene, including The Titanic Experience, a National Trust pub, and a trip to the Giant's Causeway. ACCOMMODATIONS 4 Nights Dublin 3 Nights Belfast
INCLUSIONS Roundtrip Airport Transfers Dublin Hop-On/Off City Tour Glendalough, Kilkenny, & Wicklow Mountains Tour Entrance to Titanic Belfast Experience Giant's Causeway Tour Roundtrip Rail Tickets Daily Breakfast ARRIVE DUBLIN: Upon arrival at Dublin Airport, meet your driver in the arrivals hall for the private transfer to your centrally located hotel. After checking in, the remainder of the day is free to rest or explore on your own. Dublin is the cultural capital of Ireland, offering Trinity College, the Book of Kells, the National Gallery, Number Twenty Nine ( a 1790 Georgian House Museum), Dublin castle, St. Audoen's (the city's only remaining medieval parish church), Abbey Theater, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, the burial site of Jonathan Swift. Also not to be missed are the General Post Office (site of the 1916 Easter uprising), and Kilmainham jail, where leaders of several rebellions from the late 1700's to 1916 were detained, and in some cases executed, including James Connelly and Patrick Pearse. At the Docklands, sits the Jeanie Johnson Famine ship". Witness the challenges and get a stark insight of the harsh conditions on board during the Atlantic crossing to America. Dinner on your own this evening, and Dublin offers a variety of international cuisine. End the evening taking in some Irish music sessions in the Temple Bar district. (Accommodations, Dublin) DUBLIN: Upon arrival at Dublin Airport, meet your driver in the arrivals hall for the private transfer to your centrally located hotel. After checking in, the remainder of the day is free to rest or explore on your own. Dublin is the cultural capital of Ireland, offering Trinity College, the Book of Kells, the National Gallery, Number Twenty Nine (a 1790 Georgian House Museum), Dublin castle, St. Audoen's (the city's only remaining medieval parish church), Abbey Theater, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, the burial site of Jonathan Swift. Also not to be missed are the General Post Office (site of the 1916 Easter uprising), and Kilmainham jail, where leaders of several rebellions from the late1700's to 1916 were detained, and in some cases executed, including James Connelly and Patrick Pearse. At the Docklands, sits the Jeanie Johnson Famine ship". Witness the challenges and get a stark insight of the harsh conditions on board during the Atlantic crossing to America. Dinner on your own this evening, and Dublin offers a variety of international cuisine. End the evening taking in some Irish music sessions in the Temple Bar district.
(Breakfast & Accommodations, Dublin) DUBLIN: After breakfast, meet your guide at the Gresham Hotel for your full day tour to Glendalough, Kilkenny, and the Wicklow Mountains. Your 45 minute guided walking tour of Kilkenny City will take you through the narrow and winding cobbled streets and under the city's many medieval arches as you explore all the main attractions and landmarks. Along the way, your tour guide will entertain and inform you with the history of the city. After the walking tour, you will have time to explore this charming town and have lunch on your own. The city's compact nature means that all the points of interest are easily accessible by foot and you will have plenty of time to visit an attraction if you wish (admission is not included). You may choose to visit the famous 12th century Kilkenny Castle. The castle is the signature symbol of the city and is majestically located on the banks of the River Nore. Kilkenny Castle has a storied past and was once the Irish stronghold of the legendary Strongbow. Afterwards we'll travel through the county of Carlow into the wild and rugged Wicklow Mountains. The Wicklow Gap and its scenery is the most varied on the island of Ireland. The landscape will change from lush green rich pasture with gentle valleys, to the dramatic and the breathtaking ancient glacial valleys of the Wicklow Gap. The journey through the mountains will bring you through spectacular locations where famous movies such as Braveheart and PS I Love You were filmed. Enjoy a 20 minute stop for a stroll and photographic opportunities overlooking the glens and valleys of County Wicklow. Continuing over the mountains, we arrive at the world famous heritage site of Glendalough (Glen of two lakes). On arrival in Glendalough, we'll join our guide on a 30 minute tour of Glendalough's Monastic City, providing an ancient window into the golden era of Irish history and the Early Christian period. The Monastic City is heralded as a national monument of immense importance and it is here that Irish monks saved civilization while the rest of Europe went through the Dark Ages. Returning to Dublin, dinner will be on your own this evening. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Dublin) DUBLIN TO BELFAST: After breakfast, take a taxi to Connolly Rail Station for your 3 hour ride to Belfast. After checking into your hotel, explore some of the sites of this cosmopolitan city on your own. The city boasts a glittering waterfront lined with modern art, and the state of the art Ulster Museum, with artifacts retrieved from the 1588 wreck of the Spanish galleon Girona. Hungry? Why not lunch on a floating restaurant? A ten minute walk from city center will take you to Holohan's, on board the Belfast Barge. Moored on the River Lagan, this family owned serves traditional Irish food. Belfast has dramatically changed since the turbulent clashes between the Catholic and Protestant supporters. During the "Marching season", there are still parades commemorating William of Orange's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne, however the sectarian violence has fortunately quieted down. And you will
still see the giant murals exhorting the IRA by Falls Road or the the pro British ones along Shankhill road. One of the best ways to see Belfast's famous wall art is to reserve a Black Taxi Tour. The drivers supply an informative history lesson peppered with local tidbits, which reflects on both the city's intrinsic traditions and tells the story of the "Troubles". Another option is the green oasis in the city; the Botanical Gardens, home to an exotic assortment of plants and trees including geranium, fuchsia, begonia, and a hornbeam leafed oak planted in the 1880s, and even displaying bananas and orchid plants. In the evening, pop into the Crown Liquor Saloon. It's a National Trust historical monument and Belfast's most famous bar, refurbished by Patrick Flanagan in the late 19th century. Legend has it that Flanagan, a Catholic, argued with his Protestant wife over what the pub's name should be. His wife prevailed and it was named the Crown in honor of the British monarchy. Flanagan took his sneaky revenge by placing the crown mosaic underfoot where customers would tread on it every day! (Breakfast, Dublin; Accommodations, Belfast) BELFAST: Today you'll enjoy a memorable visit to the Titanic Belfast Experience, a six story museum dedicated to the world's most famous and iconic ship. You will need to exchange your Avanti voucher for the actual tickets. Please make your way to the dedicated groups desk to get your ticket(s), and your fast track entry will be guaranteed in the next 15 minute slot. Last admission is 1 hour 45 minutes prior to closing time (5pm in the winter). Titanic Belfast is located just over 1 mile from Donegal Square (Belfast city center) and would take approximately 20 minutes to walk. You can also purchase a ticket on the Belfast City Sightseeing Hop on/hop off bus as it makes a stop in the Titanic Quarter or take a taxi. Titanic Belfast is located on Queens Island, which is home to several other Titanic heritage sites. Now, one hundred years after the birth of the world's most famous ship, Titanic Belfast has become a major new tourist attraction for Northern Ireland. The 150,000 square foot venue accommodates nine galleries with multiple dimensions to the exhibition, drawing together special effects, dark rides, full scale reconstructions, and innovative interactive features. You'll explore the Titanic story in a fresh and insightful way, from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her infamous maiden voyage and catastrophic demise. The journey goes beyond the aftermath of the sinking, to the discovery of the wreck and continues into the present day with a live undersea exploration center. The unique architectural design was influenced by several maritime themes, including ice crystals, ships' hulls, and the insignia of the White Star Line. After your tour, a nice way to spend the afternoon or evening is in the trendy and historic Cathedral Quarter. Home to St. Anne's Cathedral, it also boasts a variety of restaurants, cafes, and shops. For music buffs, "The Oh Yeah Music Centre" is a must. This converted warehouse in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter encourages music enterprise in Northern Ireland. They also offer a music bus tour though the heart of the city, taking in the haunts of two of their favorite sons, Van Morrison and James Galway. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Belfast)
BELFAST: A full day tour awaits you as no visit to Northern Ireland is complete without seeing what is commonly called "The eighth wonder of the world," Giant's Causeway. We'll meet at the Europa Hotel, then travel along the Causeway Coastal Route from Belfast, one of the world's five most spectacular drives! Enjoy the first stop of the day at Carrickfergus Castle, before traveling onward to the world famous Carrick a Rede rope bridge. Only the brave will make the terrifying trip across the bridge that was originally erected by salmon fishermen (*weather permitting), or for those who prefer to keep their feet firmly on land, take one of the exhilarating walks and enjoy the stunning views. Take a break from sightseeing when you relax over lunch at Bushmills Distillery. Here you can also browse in the extensive gift shop, or make a visit to the bar to have a swift taste or two of the famous tipple! After your stop at the Distillery, you will re board the luxury coach to move on to the highlight of the tour, the Giant's Causeway, the island's only UNESCO World Heritage Site.* Spend some time climbing over the ancient stones, snapping some photos, and enjoying the myths and legends that surround this world famous attraction. We then re board our coach, and make our way to along the coast, for one last short stop at the ancient ruins of Dunluce Castle for a quick photo stop. We'll return to Belfast approximately at 7:00pm. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Belfast) *A National Trust fee applies for anyone who wants to cross the rope bridge, or to enter the Visitor Centre at the Giant's Causeway. An exclusive Fast Track Ticket for Carrick a Rede rope bridge crossing can be purchased on the coach, on the day of your tour at the discounted price of just 5.00 GBP (Pounds Sterling) per person. BELFAST TO DUBLIN: After breakfast, take a taxi to Belfast Station for your return rail trip to Dublin. You'll still have the remainder of the day for independent sightseeing and last minute shopping for that traditional Irish knit sweater and claddaugh ring. Grafton Street is one the city's main shopping promenade, but also the Central North district over the River Liffey offers many trendy shops. For book lovers, it's the Gutter Shop in Temple Bar, and Knobs & Knockers off Nassau Street offers replica Georgian door knockers; a great souvenir of your Dublin visit. On a more somber note is a stop at Glasnevin Cemetery. You needn't be Irish or a historian to appreciate this historic landmark. See the final resting places of those who shaped the course of Irish history like Michael Collins, Eamon De Valera, Charles Parnell, and Daniel O'Connell. There are General History Tours as well as a Genealogy area to trace your ancestry. Take bus 40 or 140 from O'Connell St or use the Hop on Hop off bus. (Breakfast, Belfast; Accommodations, Dublin)
DEPARTURE: After breakfast, meet your driver for your private transfer to Dublin Airport for your return flight home or on to your next Avanti Destination! (Breakfast, Dublin)