Take in hundreds of years of history and some the loveliest landscapes in Great Britain and Ireland on this vacation. You’ll encounter small villages, medieval castles, literary enclaves, seaside cliffs—even a Celtic legend or two! Beginning with a tour of the Ring of Kerry and the Skellig Islands, you’ll visit Blarney Castle and Dublin before crossing the Irish Sea to visit England’s Lake District. Then, turn north to the untamed Scottish Highlands before concluding your tour amid the Victorian gentility of Edinburgh. 

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Shannon aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Limerick

Welcome to Shannon! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and then accompanies you via private motorcoach to Limerick, where you’ll be assisted with hotel check-in. Meet your fellow travelers at an included dinner this evening.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner.

Day 3 - County Kerry

Travel through the rugged countryside of Western Ireland to County Kerry. Explore Killarney on your own before checking in to your hotel. Later, join your group for an included dinner tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner.

Day 4 - County Kerry

Today’s included excursion takes you around the Ring of Kerry, a 112-mile coastal route that covers some of Ireland’s most spectacular scenery. Pass the pristine Lakes of Killarney and gaze across Dingle Bay to Dingle Peninsula. Stop in the town of Killarney and at Bog Village, where you may choose to tour the open-air museum, a collection of houses from different regions and periods of Irish history.

This afternoon, enjoy unsurpassed views of the Skellig Islands. Then continue to the picturesque village of Sneem, the “Knot in the Ring,” where brightly painted cottages surround the cozy market green. Return to your County Kerry hotel this evening.
Included meals: breakfast.

Day 5 - Kilkenny

Today’s journey begins with a visit to Blarney Castle. This 15th-century fortress is known above all else for the legendary Blarney Stone, said to grant magical powers of eloquence to those who kiss it—which you can attempt by climbing the steep staircase to the top of the parapet and leaning out of the battlements.

Continue on through County Cork. Then stop in the port town of Cobh, which in centuries past often served as a launch site for ships bound for North America. Here, you’ll visit the Queenstown Story Museum, whose exhibits tells stories of Irish emigration during the past 150 years. Your final destination today is Kilkenny, Ireland’s best-preserved medieval town. Spend the night in Kilkenny.
Included meals: breakfast. 
Included entrances: Blarney Castle, Queenstown Story Museum.

Day 6 - Dublin

This morning, tour a well-known Kilkenny landmark, St. Canice’s Cathedral. Ireland’s second largest medieval cathedral, St. Canice’s was first established as a monastic settlement in the 6th century, and the cathedral itself was constructed on the same site in the early 13th century.

After your visit, your tour director leads an informal tour of the sights of Kilkenny. Then transfer to Dublin, the capital of Ireland. A local guide leads your comprehensive sightseeing tour of the city. Drive past the River Liffey to Phoenix Park. The largest enclosed public park in Europe, Phoenix Park’s grounds include the Arras an Uachtarian (Presidential Residence). Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, founded by Ireland’s patron saint in A.D. 450, and then visit Trinity College, where you’ll view the illuminated Book of Kells in the university’s library.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner.
Included entrances: St. Canice’s Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College.

Day 7 - Dublin

Discover Dublin at your own pace today. You might choose to stroll through St. Stephen’s Green or explore the Writers’ Museum. Alternatively, join an optional excursion into the countryside of Wicklow to visit Glendalough, a romantic glen where St. Kevin founded Ireland’s most important monastery in the 6th century.
Included meals: breakfast.

$29 USD

Glendalough County Wicklow has some of the wildest and most spectacular mountain scenery in Ireland, as well as many of the country’s most important historic sites. Journey through Wicklow’s captivating landscapes to Glendalough, which became famous throughout Europe as a center of Christian learning before it was sacked by Viking raiders in the 10th century. Here, you’ll see St. Kevin’s Cross, marking the place where the saint lies buried, the remains of the sixth-century cathedral and the remarkable Round Tower, thought to have been used by monks as a place of refuge. Your Tour Director will lead you on a tour of the site followed by free time.

Day 8 - Cheshire

From Dublin, ferry across the Irish Sea to Holyhead, Wales. Pass briefly through the Welsh countryside and visit the landmark Conwy Castle before crossing into England. Reach tonight’s destination of Cheshire in time for an included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner.
Included entrances: Conwy Castle.

Day 9 - Cheshire

This morning, your Tour Director leads an informal orientation of the city of Cheshire. Here, you’ll see the largest Roman amphitheater in England. Cheshire was a stronghold of the Roman empire in the 1st century A.D., and its four main streets still lead outward from the site of the original Roman fortress to the four city gates. In the afternoon, join our optional Liverpool and the Beatles excursion to explore the home of the famed musical group.
Included meals: breakfast.

$65 USD

Liverpool & The Beatles The home of Beatlemania, the city of Liverpool also has a deep British history. Once a small medieval fishing village, the city has grown to become one of England’s most important seaports. On this excursion, follow an expert local guide through the city’s revitalized streets to view such attractions as the Liverpool Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Next, visit the Beatles Story Museum for the complete Beatles experience. You’ll also have some free time to explore on your own. Consider checking out the shops on rejuvenated Albert Dock, visiting the Maritime Museum or going to the Cavern Club, where the Fab Four used to play.

Day 10 - Lakes District

This morning, travel past the great cities of the Industrial Revolution onto the moorlands above Halifax, where you will visit the town of Haworth and visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum, which was once home to one of the world’s most famed literary families in the mid 1800’s. Next, leave Wuthering Heights and drive through the magnificent Pennines, known as “the backbone of England,” on your way to the green landscapes of the Lake District. Dinner is included this evening.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner.
Included entrances: Brontë Parsonage Museum.

Day 11 - Lakes District

Today, join your Tour Director for an optional Day in the Lakes tour. You’ll visit Dove Cottage, home to poet William Wordsworth in the early 19th century. Marvel at the district’s wild beauty as you encounter picturesque views of farmland, forests, fells (hills) and becks (brooks).
Included meals: breakfast.

$59 USD

A Day in the Lakes Travel through wooded valleys and charming lakeside villages on a day out in the Lakes, a scenic shire once heralded by the Romantic poets. You’ll visit Dove Cottage, home to poet William Wordsworth in the early 19th century. You’ll also enjoy free time in Bowness or Grasmere, as time allows. Continue on to Lakeside, where you’ll embark on a cruise of Lake Windermere, the largest of the region’s lakes.

Day 12 - The Highlands

After crossing into Scotland, pass Loch Lomond, whose beauty was commemorated by Sir Walter Scott. Enter the Highlands region and travel through Glencoe, site of the notorious 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan. 
Included meals: breakfast, dinner.

Day 13 - The Highlands

Spend the day at your leisure amid the lochs and glens of the Highlands or opt for an excursion to the enchanting Eilean Donan Castle and the Isle of Skye. Seat of the McKenzie Clan, this 13th-century fortress is located on an islet in the middle of Loch Duich.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

$99 USD

Eilean Donan Castle & Isle of Skye Set on the banks of Loch Duich, Eilean Donan Castle is perhaps the world's most photographed castle. Cross a narrow peninsula to reach the island castle and take a brief tour of the interior. Proceed on to the Isle of Skye, famous for its association with Bonnie Prince Charlie, and then to the Clan Donald visitor's center, where you'll experience exhibits outlining life in Scotland's clans. At the conclusion of this excursion, you'll enjoy a scenic ferry ride back to the mainland.

Day 14 - Edinburgh

Today’s transfer takes you through the scenic mountains and lochs of the Trossachs, countryside of Rob Roy. Stop at Stirling’s crag-top castle, where King James VI once lived. Arrive later in Edinburgh. Built on seven hills and with the sea at its feet, Scotland’s charming capital is one of Europe’s most striking cities. 
Included meals: breakfast, dinner.
Included entrances: Stirling Castle.

Day 15 - Edinburgh

A local guide leads this morning’s comprehensive tour of Edinburgh from the elegant Georgian New Town to the Royal Mile. The tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle, whose fortifications perch atop an extinct volcano crater in the heart of Edinburgh. Here, you can view the Scottish crown jewels as well as the Stone of Scone (now called the Stone of Destiny), which were returned to Scotland in 1997—a full 700 years after an English king stole it away.

Afterwards, you might wish to join an optional excursion to the ancient ecclesiastical capital of Scotland (and golf capital of the world), St. Andrews. This evening, attend an optional Ceilidh (seasonal), an event of traditional Scottish food, music and dancing.
Included meals: breakfast.
Included entrances: Edinburgh Castle.

$119 USD

Scottish Cèilidh Enjoy a special evening of Scottish tradition as you witness an authentic céilidh, an age-old Scottish celebration. Along with a savory dinner of local favorites, the evening will feature folk dancers, bagpipers, fiddlers and the “Ceremony of the Haggis.” Please note: This optional is seasonal from May to September.

$79 USD

St. Andrews St. Andrews is a renowned university town, but it's better known as the birthplace of golf. On this excursion, you'll pass by the 16th-century grounds of St. Andrews University, the alma mater of luminaries including Prince William. You will also pass by the ruins of the town's cathedral and castle. Later, visit the British Golf Museum, where you’ll discover how golf transformed from a Scottish pasttime into a global obsession.

Day 16 - Edinburgh

If you are not continuing on our tour extension to London, transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Included meals: breakfast (In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided).