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DAY
1 DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight
to
Shannon.
DAY
2
ARRIVE
SHANNON - KILLARNEY AREA (2 NIGHTS)
You will be met at the airport by your guide and transferred
to your hotel in the Killarney area. As we drive through the
Ireland’s green hills, we will visit Bunratty Castle,
built in 1469 and the most authentic example of a medieval
castle in Ireland. On the grounds of the castle is a Folk
Park in which typical rural dwellings are recreated to
reflect life in Ireland at the turn of the century. In the
evening we will visit a Singing Pub for traditional
Irish Ballads and Folk music
.DAY
3
DAY TRIP
TO RING OF KERRY
Today we will enjoy a leisurely tour around the famed Ring
of Kerry, a beautiful drive around the Iveragh Peninsula.
We will enjoy a splendid variety of outstanding coastal
panoramas and magnificent mountain views. During the course
of our tour, we will have the opportunity to stop and explore
many small towns and villages on the peninsula, including
Killorglin, Glenbeigh and Caherciveen
· Your First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4
KILLARNEY
AREA - BLARNEY - CASHEL - DUBLIN (2 NIGHTS)
As we
leave Killarney our first stop will be at Blarney Castle
where we will climb onto the battlements to reach the
Blarney Stone, said to impart the gift of eloquence to all
that kiss it. As we head out into the Irish countryside we
will visit ancient Cashel, a monumental cathedral
complex that dominates the surrounding landscape and was once
the seat of the Kings of Munster. It was here that St. Patrick
began his conversion of the Irish, using the shamrock as his
symbol. We will continue our journey to Dublin. Your guide
will take you on an introductory Walking Tour to orient
you to the city. We will stroll in St. Stephen’s Green,
the loveliest of Dublin’s many parks, and visit Merrion
Square, famous for its elegant Georgian houses and
once the home of such Irish luminaries as Oscar Wilde, Daniel
O’Connell, and William Butler Yeats.
DAY
5
DUBLIN
Our
sightseeing in begins at
St. Patrick’s Cathedral,
the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. It is said
that St. Patrick baptized converts on this site, and
consequently a church has stood here since A.D. 450, making it
the oldest Christian site in Dublin. St. Patrick's is closely
associated with Jonathan Swift, who was dean from 1713 to 1745
and whose tomb lies in the south aisle.
Our day continues with a visit to Trinity College,
the oldest university in Ireland, with cobbled squares,
beautiful gardens, a picturesque quadrangle, and buildings
dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The college is
also home to the Book of Kells, an 8th-century
version of the four Gospels with elaborate scripting and
illumination
DAY
6
DUBLIN -
FERRY CROSSING - CAERNARFON - CHESTER
AREA
(1
NIGHT)
We will cross the Irish Sea by ferry to Caernarfon. Here (Time
Permitting) we will visit the magnificent Castle built
by Edward I, in 1283 and where Prince Charles was invested as
Prince of Wales. A drive through the beautiful scenery of
northern Wales will bring us to historic Chester, once a major
base for the Roman army and fleet.
DAY
7
CHESTER
AREA - YORKSHIRE (3 NIGHTS)
This
morning our Walking Tour of Chester will take us along
the medieval city walls, the best-preserved in England. We
will also visit the magnificent red sandstone Cathedral.
We will continue across the English countryside to the
medieval city of York.
DAY
8
YORK
Our day begins in Exhibition
Square, where we will take a guided Walking Tour of the
city, a perfect way to learn about the history and lore of the
city, through numerous intriguing stories. We continue with a
visit to York Minster, which traces its origins from
the early 7th century, and features stunning stained glass
from the Middle Ages. Those who choose can ascend the Central
Tower, for panoramic views of York. We continue to the
Shambles a narrow ancient street filled with shops and
cafes. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to spend at
leisure before your concert.
· Your Second Concert Performance will be today
DAY
9
DAY TRIP
TO DURHAM & HADRIAN’S WALL
We head north today and make a stop in the historic city
Durham, a medieval treasure and one of the loveliest cities in
England. The proximity of the castle, cathedral and
university, surrounded by a loop of the River Wear, makes
Durham a fascinating place to visit. We will visit Durham
Cathedral, completed in 1133. The cathedral is one of
Britain's most architecturally innovative buildings, as it is
the first English building with ribbed vault construction, and
the first stone-roofed cathedral in Europe.
We will continue our
journey north to walk Hadrians’ Wall, built by
the Romans across the north of England to mark the boundary of
their empire. During our walk, we will also visit
Housesteads Fort, the best-preserved site along this
ancient Roman wall. This
evening we will return to York.
DAY
10
YORKSHIRE - OXFORD - LONDON (3 NIGHTS)
This
morning we will visit
Oxford, England’s oldest University City, which is associated
with many notable literary alumni including such diverse
characters as Geoffrey Chaucer, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde,
C.S. Lewis and Evelyn Waugh. We will take a Walking Tour
to view many of the colleges that make up Oxford, as well as
the Sheldonian Theater and the Bodleian
Library. We will visit Christ Church College,
Oxford’s biggest and grandest Renaissance College, which was
founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey. The college’s
Christ Church Cathedral is the smallest in England.
DAY
11
LONDON
We begin with a visit to
Westminster Abbey, where English kings and queens have
been crowned since 1066. We will take a Blue-Badge guided
tour that will include the Royal Chapels,
holding the tombs of the monarchs, as well as Poets'
Corner, featuring memorials to famous British literary
figures. Our morning continues as we walk past the Houses of
Parliament and Big Ben before taking a Thames River Cruise,
a relaxing way to view many of London’s most magnificent
sights. This afternoon we will visit the Tower of London,
one of Britain’s most fascinating and important historical
structures, with its macabre associations with the legendary
figures imprisoned and/or executed here. Our visit will
include the armories, a display of instruments of torture and
execution and the Crown Jewels Exhibit. This
evening we will spend time around Piccadilly Circus and
Leicester Square, two of London’s most vibrant and
lively areas.
DAY
12
LONDON
Our morning begins with a visit to the British Museum,
one of the most comprehensive collections of art and artifacts
in the world. Highlights of our visit will include: the
Rosetta Stone, whose discovery led to the
deciphering of hieroglyphs; the Elgin Marbles,
from the Parthenon in Athens; and the Sutton Hoo
Treasure. After lunch we visit to St. Paul’s
Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren’s Renaissance-style
masterpiece. Our visit will include an ascent to the
Whispering Gallery, an acoustic marvel in which the
faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side, as
well as the American Memorial Chapel, honoring
the 28,000 U.S. service personnel who lost their lives while
stationed in Britain during World War II.
· Your Third Concert Performance will be today
DAY 13 DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to
an end as your tour manager/guide accompanies you to the airport
for the return flight home.
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