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1011AA0 - Pilgrimage to Ireland 10 days from Philadelphia


Trip Flyer
Airline Name Baggage Information
American Airlines http://bit.ly/zRWIZO

Special Package with this Trip :
International departure taxes of $90 plus current fuel surcharges of $130 are included (subject to change).

Tour Code Departure Date Cost per person
AA1011GS 10/11/2020 $2599.00
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Trip Details

We depart our home cities to connect with our overnight flight to the Emerald Isle. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast while aloft.
We land at Dublin Airport, our driver/guide welcomes us to Ireland as we transfer to our motor coach and begin our journey with our city sightseeing tour. We are introduced to this capital city with its many historic buildings, delightful gardens and lively shopping streets. We visit St. Patrick's Cathedral where author Jonathan Swift was once Dean and then Trinity College where the Book of Kells, an early Christian manuscript of the four gospels, is housed. We stop for lunch on our own, during our tour and then proceed to our hotel to relax before enjoying our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.
This morning we drive south from Dublin through the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough. Here, we take a guided tour of the 6th century monastic settlement to see the round tower and remains of several churches. The Visitor Center explains the history of this early Christian site, which was an important center of learning and well-known throughout Europe. We continue to Waterford, a riverfront city of Viking origins, world famous for its hand cut crystal. We visit the House of Waterford Crystal including the world’s largest collection of Waterford Crystal and a tour of the factory to see the fascinating process of glass blowing and cutting. There will be an opportunity to browse the opulent new store, offering their prized crystal. We enjoy dinner and overnight in Waterford.
This morning we leave Waterford and drive along the beautiful south coast. We stop in the delightful picturesque villages of Dungarvan and Yougha, pronounced ‘Yawl’, then continue towards Cork to visit Blarney Castle. We climb to the battlements of the 15th century castle to kiss the famous "stone of eloquence". We stop for lunch on our own before our next stop at the Blarney Woolen Mills, which offer a wide range of quality Irish merchandise before driving into the beautiful lake and mountain region of the famous Killarney National Park in County Kerry. We arrive in Killarney, nestled at the foot of the Macgillicuddy's Reeks, Ireland's highest mountains. Dinner and overnight in Killarney.
Today travel around the Ring of Kerry, one of Ireland's most popular drives. With its spectacular scenery, unusually mild climate and rapid changes in light and weather, this is a bewitching place of intense beauty. Ireland's highest mountains, the Magillycuddy's Reeks, raise a jagged edge to the sky while at their feet rest three still lakes, studded with little islands, set among forests and lush glens. We stop along the way for a quick lunch on our own as we drive through the remote villages of Cahirciveen and Derrynane to Sneem, a village of colorful houses grouped around two squares. We continue through Moll's Gap, with its views over the three lakes and stop at Ladies' View for another spectacular view before returning to Killarney. Dinner and overnight in Killarney.
This morning we depart Killarney and drive through the busy market town of Killorglin and out along the Dingle Peninsula. The peninsula juts out into the Atlantic to claim Ireland's most westerly point. Here, majestic hills soar green and purple over vast unspoiled valleys, glittering mountain streams tumble down to lakes, hedgerows blaze with fuchsias, and soft golden beaches stretch for miles. The peninsula is in Gaeltacht, an area where the Irish language is preserved. It also has some 2000 sites of prehistoric and early Christian remains. We stop in the thriving, colorful fishing port town of Dingle before driving north to the picturesque village of Adare, with a broad main street lined with thatched houses, crumbling ruins and Gothic style mansions, all set in a bend of the River Maigue. We break for lunch on our own before continuing through the city of Limerick, a Georgian city of charm and elegance, set on the banks of the River Shannon. We travel just a few miles north, arriving in the Shannonside region for the night. This evening, we join in the fun and feasting at Bunratty (or Knappogue) Castle. Our medieval-style banquet is served in the Great Hall of the 15th century castle, during which the lords and ladies of the castle transport us in spirit to the Middle Ages with their songs and stories. Overnight in Shannonside.
We drive to the coast of County Clare to view the Cliffs of Moher. This impressive wall of rock rises to heights of almost 700 feet above the Atlantic and stretches for five miles along the coast. After our visit, we break for lunch on our own before continuing through the rounded limestone hills of the Burren country and along the shores of Galway Bay to Galway City, the capital of the west. We enjoy some free time to browse around the city center and do some sightseeing independently. We conclude our day back at our hotel for dinner and overnight in Galway.
Today we travel through Westport, an attractive estate town situated on Clew Bay and then, on to Knock. There we visit Knock Shrine, a center of pilgrimage, where an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared to 15 people from the village on August 21, 1879. If possible, we will celebrate Mass while here. We break for lunch on our own before continuing our drive past the stark and soaring pinnacle of Croagh Patrick, where it is said that St. Patrick fasted for forty days and won the mountain for Christianity. We conclude our day as we proceed through the Connemara region, renowned for its gentle mountains, the Twelve Pins and open landscape with constantly changing skies and subtle colors. Dinner and overnight in Connemara.
This morning, we stop to visit one of the largest and greatest ecclesiastical centers ever founded in Ireland, Clonmacnoise. Set on the banks of the River Shannon, Clonmacnoise was founded in 545 AD and contains a round tower and the remains of nine churches. We pause for lunch on our own before we continue east through the towns of Tullamore and Edenderry and the outskirts of the metropolitan region and back to our starting point, Dublin. On the north side of the city we can try O'Connell Street with its tree-lined walk of massive statues, or the pedestrianized Henry Street, which leads to the Moore Street Market, where modern day "Molly Malones" sell cockles, mussels, fruit and vegetables. The other main shopping hub is around Powerscourt Center, Nassau Street and Grafton Street, Dublin's most fashionable walkway with its gaudy shop signs, department stores, restaurants and cafes. Following a break for lunch on our own, we are at leisure to browse, shop and sightsee independently. This evening, we are free to choose from the many restaurants, theaters and pubs that Dublin has to offer as our “farewell” dinner is on our own. Overnight in Dublin.
We transfer to the airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories we will cherish always.
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