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Ireland is famous for Guinness, the Blarney Stone, good music and craic! Take in many of the famous sights on this fantastic jaunt around the country. Enjoy cosmopolitan Dublin and its many bars, learn about the tragic history of “the troubles” in Belfast and Londonderry, before enjoying the scenery and good times in the South. If you don’t see a departure date that works for you on this version of the tours .
Tour Itinerary
Check-in to your hotel this evening in dynamic, down-to-earth Dublin.
Meet up with your Tour Manager and fellow travellers and discover Dublin’s fascinating heritage. Your Tour Manager will show you Trinity college, the 120m high Monument of Light, Parnell Square and St Stephen’s Green, once the site of Dublin’s public floggings and hangings.
Afterwards, make the most of the night and head to the cultural hot spot of Temple Bar, where pubs, bars and cafes spill out onto cobbled lanes.
We slide by Belfast, former hotspot of the Troubles (political conflict in Ireland) and learn about the city’s difficult past. Our Local Guide will introduce Belfast’s iconic political murals and Victorian buildings, while telling you the story behind the city’s history.
Later on, you’ll be amazed by the natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site, the Giant’s Causeway. With approximately 40 000 rock columns packed together, reaching heights of 12m (36ft), this unbelievable rock formation will give you goose bumps.
Next up: riverside Londonderry. With loads of artistic activity, it’s the central point of Northern Ireland’s cultural renewal.
Your Tour Manager will show you the city’s famous 17th century walls. They’ve got a rep for a reason – standing at 8m high and 9m long, no enemy has ever succeeded in getting through them.
Explore more of Londonderry with our Local Guide in a fascinating optional tour around the historic city. Learn about epic battles of the past before taking a step back in time with the People’s Gallery in Bogside. Our Local Guide will explain how the colourful murals sum up and commemorate key events from the Troubles.
Cruise on to the traditional town of Galway. Loaded with Irish soul and packed with lively pubs, Galway gives you a chance to experience the typically Irish. Get a feel for this pretty town’s atmosphere, where street performers, magicians and traditional musicians busk outside colourfully painted buildings.
Get out there and discover this quintessential Irish town where Gaelic is still spoken on the streets. You also have the option to jump on a ferry and cruise out to the stunning Aran Islands for a day away from it all. With rugged cliffs, wild flowers and pounding seas, the Aran Islands are all about natural beauty.
Continue on, past the vertical Cliffs of Moher, through the moors and woodlands. See the medieval Blarney Castle, where you can kiss the magical Blarney Stone if you’re keen – your Tour Manager will fill you in on the legend.
Later, we pull into colourful Cork, set on the banks of the River Leah. Make the most of your free time and enjoy some shopping. Rummage through the lively markets, bustling with friendly locals. There’s the rowdy Coal Quay street market where you’ll find local produce or the historic English Market, operating since 1785.
Visit portside Cobh and its Heritage Centre, and get the background on the Titanic and her last port of call. Also find out about how 2.5 million people left Ireland from this spot during the famine.
Get familiar with local know-how on a guided tour around the Jameson’s whiskey distillery, where you’ll learn how they make this famous drop and taste some for yourself.
En route for Kilkenny, you’ll see the Rock of Cashel. The former seat of power to the region’s kings is now a striking green hill topped with ancient ruins. Afterwards, discover Kilkenny’s medieval charm and its signature sites, Kilkenny Castle and St. Canice’s Cathedral.
Back into buzzing Dublin, you’ve got time to explore more of this charismatic capital.
Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Guinness Storehouse and get the low down on Ireland’s national drink. Find out how the “black stuff” is made and how to pull a pint the Irish way. You’ll even get to satisfy your taste buds with a Guinness at the end.
Dublin has it all shopping-wise so get some pointers from your Tour Manager and hit the shops on Grafton Street or poke around Dublin’s many bookstores. For a bite to eat, head to the open air food and fresh produce markets and live a bit of the local lifestyle.
Cap off your tour with a night out with the group and opt for authentic Irish experience, complete with a traditional meal and Irish dancing in one of Dublin’s most popular pubs.
Our tour ends after breakfast, so make sure you get your new friends’ email addresses.
*Please note:* Days 1 & 8 have been designed to allow you to start & finish the tour without needing extra nights accommodation.
Price and availability
| Tour Starts | Tour Ends | Price |
| 31 Mar 2012 | 07 Apr 2012 | RM4105 |
| 14 Apr 2012 | 21 Apr 2012 | RM4105 |
| 28 Apr 2012 | 05 May 2012 | RM4105 |
| 26 May 2012 | 02 Jun 2012 | RM4326 |
| 02 Jun 2012 | 09 Jun 2012 | RM4326 |
| 16 Jun 2012 | 23 Jun 2012 | RM4326 |
| 23 Jun 2012 | 30 Jun 2012 | RM4326 |
| 30 Jun 2012 | 07 Jul 2012 | RM4326 |
| 14 Jul 2012 | 21 Jul 2012 | RM4471 |
| 21 Jul 2012 | 28 Jul 2012 | RM4471 |
| 28 Jul 2012 | 04 Aug 2012 | RM4471 |
| 04 Aug 2012 | 11 Aug 2012 | RM4471 |
| 11 Aug 2012 | 18 Aug 2012 | RM4326 |
| 18 Aug 2012 | 25 Aug 2012 | RM4326 |
| 25 Aug 2012 | 01 Sep 2012 | RM4326 |
Contiki ground prices shown are based on twin sharing basis; includes meals, accommodation and sightseeing as per itinerary. Price, availability and itinerary is correct as of 30 January 2012 and subject to change due to currency fluctuation or changes made by Contiki.
