Upon arrival at the Dublin airport, meet your driver & guide and take a panoramic city tour of Dublin, including Phoenix Park, the largest public park in Europe. The south side appears more sophisticated with its vast Georgian squares, such as Merrion Square, where Oscar Wilde’s House can still be found. Not so far from St. Stephen’s Green, in Kildare St., you will see the house of Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. This part of the city is also dominated by the students of Trinity College, where the famous Book of Kells is permanently exhibited in its library. The university is facing the medieval district where Dublin Castle and the two Anglican cathedrals can be found. Check into your Dublin hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

This morning, visit the National Museum of Ireland. This museum of museums is famous for its Victorian cabinet style, which houses one of the world’s finest and fullest collections still to be seen today. Two million species, of which roughly half are insects, live side by side with, appropriately for a natural history museum, decorated and sculptured panels depicting mythological figures. This zoological museum encompasses outstanding examples of wildlife from Ireland and the far corners of the globe, some to be seen today and others long extinct. Continue on to Trinity College and the Book of Kells. Trinity College has had many famous students such as Jonathan Swift and Samuel Beckett, who later became a lecturer in French at the university. Finally, today, visit Christ Church Cathedral. Situated in the heart of the city, Christ Church Cathedral has welcomed pilgrims and visitors for almost 1,000 years. It is renowned for its magnificent architecture and fascinating history. Learn the secrets of Strongbow’s tomb and uncover the amazing story of the heart of St. Laurence O’Toole, Dublin’s patron saint. Explore the medieval crypt, the largest in Ireland, and visit the Treasures of Christ Church exhibition featuring priceless silver and Ireland’s first copy of the Magna Carta. Return to your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

This morning, you will travel to Kildare and visit St Brigid’s Holy Well. The English name Glendalough originated from the Irish “Gleann Dá Locha”, which translates as “The valley of the two lakes”. It was here that St. Kevin, son of the king of Leinster, founded a monastery in the 6th century. From a simple beginning the site grew to become famous as a centre of learning throughout Europe. Standing for 600 years it was destroyed in 1398. Much of what is to be seen today dates from the 10 to 12th century. One of the most attractive features is the fine 34m high round tower. A cathedral, stone churches and decorated crosses also survived albeit as ruins. as well as St. Brigid, Brigid’s Fire Temple and St. Brigid’s well. Beautifully scenic walking trails take visitors on a circular route by the lakes from the Car park. Glendalough has an excellent visitor’s centre and display area, which is located at the entrance to the Valley. It houses a very comprehensive exhibition on Glendalough detailing the history, archaeology and wildlife of this area of Wicklow. Return to your hotel in Dublin for dinner and your overnight stay.

After breakfast, visit Trim Castle, the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, which was constructed over thirty years ago by Hugh de Lacy and his son, Walter. Hugh de Lacy was granted the Liberty of Meath by King Henry II in 1172 in an attempt to curb the expansionist policies of Richard de Clare (Strongbow). Construction of the massive three-story keep, the central stronghold of the castle, was begun c. 1176 on the site of an earlier wooden fortress. This massive twenty-sided tower, which is cruciform in shape, was protected by a ditch, curtain wall, and moat. The castle and its grounds were used as a location in the Mel Gibson film “ Braveheart”. Though best known as the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, the Hill of Tara has been an important site since the late Stone Age when a passage tomb was constructed there. Tara was at the height of its power as a political and religious center in the early centuries after Christ. The Hill of Slane to the north of Slane Village may have been chosen as the site of a Christian abbey due to the presence of an existing pagan shrine, the remains of which may be two standing stones in the burial yard. Muirchu moccu Machtheni, in his highly mythologized seventh-century Life of Patrick, says that St. Patrick lit a Paschal fire on this hilltop in 433 CE in defiance of the High King Laoire who forbid any other fires while a festival fire was burning on the Hill of Tara. Finally, visit Monasterboice. In the 5th century, St. Buite founded a monastic community near Drogheda in County Louth, and today, it is home to an impressive collection of ruins.

Today, depart for Mayo. En route, visit Boyle Abbey, situated in the town of Boyle, County Roscommon. The abbey is a well-preserved monastery that was founded in the 12th century. It was the first Cistercian monastery to be successfully founded in the province of Connacht. Today, only small parts of the cloister remain, as the Elizabethans converted it into barracks in 1592 and the Cromwellians besieged it in 1645. Visitors can view an exhibition on the history of this national monument, housed in a restored gatehouse on the property. Upon arrival, visit Knock Shrine. The Pilgrimage Season at Knock runs from April to October each year with daily Masses and Confessions, Anointing of the Sick and Stations of the Cross. Check into your Mayo area hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

Visit Strokestown Park House, a magnificent fully furnished Georgian mansion. The house provides a fascinating glimpse into the Anglo-Irish ascendancy and retains many of its original furnishings. Many rooms are on show including a schoolroom and a child’s bedroom, complete with 19th-century toys and mirrors. Continue to Armagh and enjoy a city tour before visiting St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is an imposing site, perched on the hilltop in Armagh and dominating its skyline. The church was begun in 1840, but because of the intervening famine years, it was not completed until 1873. Check into your Belfast area hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

This morning after breakfast, enjoy a walking tour of Belfast. This tour will cover the Falls and Shankill areas and usually lasts three hours. It is a perfect tour for visitors looking to understand what happened in Northern Ireland during the recent conflict, understand the current divisions that still exist, but also to discover what impacts the peace process is having on people’s everyday lives. Continue to Titanic Belfast. The self-guided journey begins on entering the building’s giant atrium, where the visitor is surrounded by the four ‘ship’s hull’ shaped wings, which house the Titanic Experience. As you journey through the nine large galleries of the interactive exhibition, you will uncover the true story of the Titanic, from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her famous maiden voyage and subsequent place in history. Return to your Belfast area hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

After breakfast, take the ferry to Scotland. Time permitting, stop in the town of Whithorn, the location of the first recorded church in Scotland, and Wigtown, the national “book town” of Scotland. Continue to Glasgow and check into your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

Today, enjoy a panoramic tour of Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. From the magnificent St Mungo Cathedral to the People’s Palace and Glasgow Green, explore Glasgow’s rich past as a religious centre and as one of the most important industrial cities in Britain. The Victorian architecture of the centre evokes a bygone era. Carry on to the Clyde banks and George’s Square, the heart of this vibrant city. Visit Glasgow Cathedral, also called St. Mungo’s Cathedral. Originally a Roman Catholic Cathedral, the building is a superb example of Scottish Gothic architecture. It is also one of the Scottish medieval churches to have survived the Reformation unscathed. Visit St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life & Art. The museum is named after Glasgow’s patron saint, who brought the Christian faith to Scotland in the 6th century. Its galleries are full of displays, artifacts and stunning works of art. They explore the importance of religion in peoples’ lives across the world and across time. Continue your journey to Oban. Upon arrival, check into your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

This morning, take the ferry to Mull. Journey through Mull and take the ferry to the Isle of Iona. Upon arrival, enjoy a tour of Iona. Iona is a holy isle, an enduring symbol of Christianity in Scotland. St. Columba and his followers came here from Ireland in AD 563 and founded a monastery that became the heart of the early Scottish church. As a celebrated focus for Christian pilgrimage, Iona retains its spiritual atmosphere and remains an enduring symbol of worship. Today, the Iona community continues the tradition of worship first established by St. Columba 1450 years ago. Iona Abbey is one of Scotland’s most historic and sacred sites. Visit Iona Abbey & Nunnery then return to Oban for dinner and your overnight stay.

Today, depart for Edinburgh. Drive through the Trossach Region. The national park boasts some of the most stunning scenery in the world from the breathtaking mountains and glens of the Trossachs to the vast tranquil beauty of Loch Lomond, mainland UK’s largest body of water. Journey along the banks of Loch Lomond. On arrival in Edinburgh, visit the new Scotch Whisky Experience for a sensational journey! Take a swirling, bubbling barrel ride through a replica distillery as you become part of the whisky making process. Along the way, you’ll hear the stories behind this magical craft, with expert tour guides and whisky advisors with you every sip of the way. They’ll help you discover the aromas and flavours that appeal to your palate and lead you to your perfect single malt whisky. Check into your Edinburgh hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

This morning, enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh, the inspiring capital of Scotland. From the historical closes of the Old Town to the large avenues of New Town, explore an outstanding city of contrasts and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along its main thoroughfare, Princes Street, you will witness the most unique sight of Edinburgh Castle, majestically dominating both Old and New Town. See Calton Hill and its National Monument, rightfully giving Edinburgh its nickname, the “Athens of the North”. Sitting on top of an extinct volcano, gaining stunning views across the city, Edinburgh Castle has witnessed many of the defining events of Scottish history and has dominated its surroundings with majesty for centuries. Captivating visitors with its ancient buildings and marvelous views, it continues to spellbind with its wonderful story. Visit Rosslyn Chapel, founded in 1446 as the Collegiate Church of St. Matthew. Rosslyn Chapel is a unique building with its and mysterious carvings and the beauty of its setting. Return to your hotel for overnight. Dinner is included.

After breakfast, transfer to the Edinburgh airport and fly home with memories to last a lifetime!