For all of those Celtic souls stuck living across the Atlantic, the rolling green pastures of Ireland and the Highlands can seem like a faraway dream. With this tour, we’ve made them a reality.
The Scottish and Irish Dream Tour is dedicated to displaying the tranquil, enchanting lands of both countries. Prepare to fall in love with Celtic history and culture if you haven’t already.
Beginning in Glasgow you’ll spend seven days getting to know the Scottish Isles inside and out, wandering through the romantic countryside and through the formidable Highlands before finishing in Edinburgh.
You’ll enter Ireland next, where another world of lush green fields and rich, interesting history awaits you. Take five days to make your way around the Ring of Kerry and the Cliffs of Moher before returning home – we can’t guarantee you’ll ever want to leave though!
Your Scottish adventure kicks off at 2:30PM; you’ll meet your tour director at your Glasgow hotel, before setting out on an introductory tour of the city. Take in all of Glasgow’s main attractions, including parks and squares before viewing beautiful art collections at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. That evening enjoy a welcome drink with your tour director and fellow travellers before dining in your hotel.
Today you’ll take a short cruise around Loch Lomond to enjoy some world-famous views of the Highland peaks, before driving to Inveraray. Here, you can explore the town before a tour of Inveraray Castle, where the Campbells once lived – it’s also a filming location for the critically-acclaimed TV series “Downton Abbey”. Then travel through Glen Coe, one of Scotland’s most beautiful areas, before arriving at your hotel in Ballachulish.
Journey down the idyllic “Road to the Isles”, pausing for some photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. Then travel on a ferry to the Isle of Skye, visiting the Clan Donald Centre at Armadale Castle. You can drive through the island and return to the mainland via bridge, pausing for pictures at Eilean Donan Castle before continuing on your journey. Travel along the gorgeous shoes of the famous Loch Ness, where the mysterious Loch Ness monster is said to reside. Keep your binoculars at the ready! Finish up your day at your hotel in Nairn, a manor house sitting on fabulous grounds near the North Sea.
Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, just a stone’s throw distance from Nairn, is your first destination today. Here, you can learn about the battle that took place on 16th April 1746, when Prince Charles Edward Stuart and his army were defeated by the British Government forces. Take a walk around the moorland to discover monuments commemorating the troops involved in the battle. Then, you’ll continue through the Highlands, taking in the wonderful scenery, before arriving at Leault Farm where sheepdogs herd sheep.
Start off your fifth day with a tour of Blair Castle, home to the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. The castle dates back to 1259 and has undergone many renovations through the ages, transforming from a strong medieval fortress to a Victorian castle. Here you’ll learn the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Queen Victoria and the Atholl Highlanders. After, you’ll visit Blair Athol Distillery and observe how whiskey is made, maybe indulging in a wee tipple before you depart. The afternoon is free to explore the hotel gardens and facilities, or to have a root around the town of Pitlochry.
Today take a trip to Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the late Queen Mother and the legendary backdrop of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Travel across the Tay Bridge to visit St. Andrews, the world-famous “Home of Golf” where you can view the Old Course and the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse while on a scenic drive. If golfing isn’t for you, you can explore the town instead, learning about the ruined cathedral and castle. Then you’ll drive south to the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, and enjoy a traditional Scottish Evening with a dinner of haggis and a bagpipe show.
Start your last day in Scotland off with a sightseeing tour of Edinburgh; wander through the wide streets and elegant mansions of New Town, a 200-year-old Georgian town. Walk part of the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city, before visiting Edinburgh Castle. The castle is Edinburgh’s most famous attraction and offers some simply stunning views of the city. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to enjoy. (On July 30 to August 20 departures enjoy the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.)
Today you’ll say farewell to Edinburgh, driving south along the coast to Ayrshire. You’ll take a ferry to Belfast from Cairnryan, eating a light lunch while sailing. After arriving in Belfast, you’ll travel to the Titanic Belfast exhibition to learn more about the ill-fated cruise liner and the people who built it. Then it’s on to Dublin, Ireland’s capital city. You’ll check in at your hotel, located in the city centre, before dining independently.
Your first morning in Dublin is free for you to spend however you wish; go for a wander around or use your tour-bus vouchers to take a sightseeing trip through the city. At 2:00PM, you’ll meet a local tour guide and tour central Dublin, viewing Trinity College, Georgian houses and important public buildings. Afterwards you’ll take a guided tour of Dublin Castle, which was home to our parliament for centuries. That evening you’ll dine at the Merry Ploughboy Pub, enjoying a traditional Irish show.
Say farewell to Dublin this morning as you make your way down south to Kerry. Pause on the way to visit the formidable Rock of Cashel, before taking a detour to Blarney Castle. Here, you’ll have time to kiss the famous stone of eloquence and browse some Irish-made goods before heading on to scenic Killarney. Check in to your hotel before dinner. The evening is free for you to enjoy a drink in one of Killarney’s many “singing pubs”.
Today, you’ll be taking on the Ring of Kerry drive – a snaking route which makes its way through awe-inspiring mountains, countryside and coastline. You’ll pause to view a sheepdog demonstration, where trained sheepdogs will tend to a herd of sheep. The, you’ll cross to Valentia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig Experience, a museum dedicated to the close-by Skellig Islands. You’ll enjoy a light lunch before returning to Killarney, pausing at the beautifully scenic Moll’s Gap along the way.
On your final full day in Ireland, we’ve saved the best for last; the Cliffs of Moher. Take a ferry trip across the River Shannon Estuary to view the spectacular cliffs, a natural sandstone wall that stretches 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Arrive at Bunratty Castle afterwards, and enjoy a free afternoon. Dinner will be served in either Bunratty or Knappogue Castle where you’ll enjoy a medieval-style feast reminiscent of the Middle Ages, complete with song and harp-music.
