zA Week on the Emerald Isle

Check in to the city-center Westbury Hotel, one of the finest luxury hotels in Dublin. This evening, gather with your fellow guests for dinner at Wilde, the Westbury’s elegant dining room, renowned for its imaginative and skillful preparation of artisanal Irish produce and seasonal fare. Meals D

Enjoy a free morning to get acquainted with this friendly city at your own pace. In the afternoon, your walking tour takes you to the lovely grounds of Trinity College where you’ll admire the Book of Kells in the Old Library. Beautifully handwritten by Celtic monks more than 1,000 years ago, this illuminated manuscript is considered by many to be Ireland’s finest national treasure. Then tour majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral before joining your guide in one of his favorite neighborhood pubs for a pint and some lively conversation. Meals B

The celebrated gardens at Powerscourt are magnificent, encompassing 47 acres of flower beds and terraces, formal tree plantations, a fish pond, cascades and grottoes - all embellished with 19th-century statuary, iron work and other decorative elements. Today’s sightseeing also takes you into the beautiful Glendalough Valley, site of St. Kevin’s spiritual retreat in the 6th century, and now widely regarded as the most important ancient monastic ruins in Ireland. Back in Dublin, you’ll enjoy a free evening. Meals B

Depart Dublin after breakfast and visit the House of Waterford Crystal Center before driving to Blarney, home to the eponymous castle built 600 years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains, Cormac McCarthy. It is said that those who ascend to the top of the castle’s tower to kiss the Blarney Stone will never again be at a loss for words! Continue your journey to the deluxe Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney, where you will enjoy a superb dinner at the elegant Herbert Room restaurant under the direction of Head Chef David Norris. Meals B,D

Set out today to exhilarate in the untouched landscapes of the Iveragh Peninsula. Better known as the Ring of Kerry, this unforgettable drive takes in charming Irish villages, ancient stone forts and spectacular coastal vistas. Stop in Kenmare to visit a working sheep farm and then return to Killarney where the rest of your evening is free. Meals B

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before departing Killarney for County Limerick and a visit to Adare, hailed as “Ireland’s prettiest village.” Set on a particularly scenic tributary of the Shannon River, Adare is a captivating collection of thatch-roofed farmhouses, colorful cottages and ancient stone churches. Refresh with tea and scones at a local café before continuing on to the Dromoland Castle Hotel. Meals B

Set out this morning for the majestic seacoast of County Clare, where the Cliffs of Moher offer dazzling vistas over Galway Bay, the Aran Islands and the Maum Turk Mountains. Learn the secrets behind the high quality of Irish smoked salmon at the Burren Smokehouse and enjoy a tasting of their fine products, accompanied by refreshingly chilled white wine. Then discover the starkly beautiful, rocky coastal landscapes of the Burren before returning to Newmarket-on-Fergus for a celebratory gourmet dinner at the Dromoland Castle. Meals B,D

Your tour with us finishes this morning. Meals B