DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Dublin.

DAY    2            ARRIVE DUBLIN (3 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our tour Manager/Guide, and transfer to our hotel in Dublin, Ireland's magnificent capital city. Upon our arrival, we will take an Introductory Walking Tour of Southeast Dublin. We begin outside the Bank of Ireland, one of Dublin's most treasured landmarks, before strolling along Grafton Street, the spine of Dublin's most popular and stylish shopping district. After viewing the Molly Malone statue, we continue to St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful 22-acre park in the heart of Dublin filled with beautifully landscaped flowerbeds, fountains, a lake and memorials to important Dubliners. Our walking tour concludes with a walk around Merrion Square, a marvel of Georgian architecture known for its colorful doors and the famous literary figures that once lived here, including Yeats and Wilde.

DAY    3            DUBLIN (SAINTS & SCHOLARS)
Our morning begins with a visit to 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. This afternoon we visit the National Museum, established in 1890; the museum is a reflection of Ireland's heritage from 2000 B.C. to the present. The museum houses many of the country's greatest historical finds, including the Treasury Exhibit, with the Ardagh Chalice, Tara Brooch, Cross of Cong, and an extensive exhibition of Irish Bronze Age gold ornaments. This evening we will dine and wander through the lively Temple Bar area.

DAY    4            DUBLIN (THE HISTORY OF DUBLIN)
Our morning commences with a stroll along Wood Quay, where the Vikings established their first permanent settlement in Ireland, around 841 AD. We continue with a visit to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin's oldest building and the mother church of the dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland. Our tour will be highlighted by the "leaning wall of Dublin," the south transept, many fine 16th - 19th century monumental sculptures and brasses, as well as The Crypt, one of the largest medieval crypts in either Britain or Ireland. We continue with a visit to nearby Dublinia, a historically accurate presentation of the Old City during medieval times, which is re-created through a series of theme exhibits, spectacles, and experiences. Aromas will lead us on a journey through time from the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in 1170, to the closure of the monasteries in the 1530s. The remainder of the day will be free to explore or shop in Dublin at our leisure.

DAY    5            DUBLIN - RUSSBOROUGH HOUSE - GLENDALOUGH AREA
                          (1 NIGHT)
This morning we travel south of Dublin into the county of Wicklow. We begin with a visit to Russborough House, a Palladian mansion and one of Ireland's finest houses. The façade is adorned by heraldic lions and curved colonnades, and the interior is impressive, with superb stucco decoration and Rococo plasterwork. Our visit will also include the Beit Art Collection, with works by Goya, Velazquez, Hals, Rubens and Vermeer. We continue to the ruins of Glendalough, tucked away in the Wicklow Mountains, and one of the most attractive and important historical and spiritual sites in Ireland. The early Christian religious settlement was one of Ireland's greatest pilgrimage centers up to the middle of the 19th century. After experiencing the history of the monastery complex, we will visit the imaginatively designed Interpretative Center, we continue to our hotel in the area.

DAY    6            GLENDALOUGH AREA - CASHEL - WATERFORD - CORK
                           AREA (2 NIGHTS)
Leaving mystical Glendalough, we travel to the spectacular Rock of Cashel, a monumental 12th century cathedral complex dominating the surrounding landscape. The Rock was the stronghold of the kings of Munster for seven centuries, and it was here that St. Patrick converted them and made the shamrock the emblem of Ireland. Our day continues with a visit to the Waterford Crystal Factory, where we will watch the craftsmen at work, and have time to browse in the factory shop, before continuing to our hotel in the Cork area.

DAY    7            BLARNEY & CORK
This morning we travel to Blarney, where we will visit Blarney Castle, one of the most haunting and striking castles in Ireland. The remains of this impressive castle include a massive square tower, with a parapet rising 83 feet, and the infamous Blarney Stone, wedged underneath the battlements; it is traditional to kiss the stone to ensure the gift of eloquence. We will also stroll through the gardens and a nearby dell beside Blarney Lake, before having the opportunity to visit Badger Cave and adjacent dungeons, penetrating the rock at the base of the castle. We continue for a brief stop at the Blarney Woolen Mills, featuring quality garments and souvenirs. This afternoon we will explore the city of Cork, beginning with a visit to Cork's most famous attraction, St. Anne's Anglican Church. In addition to a tour of the church, we will have the opportunity to ascend the tower to see the famous Shandon Bells, hung in 1752. We will hear them play Cork's own anthem, On the Banks of My Own Lovely Lee. The remainder of the afternoon will be free to explore St. Patrick's Street and the Grand Parade.

DAY    8            CORK AREA - RING OF KERRY - LIMERICK AREA
                          (3 NIGHTS)
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. We continue to Valentia Island, then through the Coomaskista Pass, before stopping to visit Staigue Fort, the best-preserved Iron Age drystone fort in Ireland. Other highlights will include: the Hog's Head, Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Torc Waterfall and our visit to Sneem, a small village with brightly painted cottages. We continue to the limerick area for the evening.

DAY    9            LIMERICK & ADARE
This morning we will explore Limerick, a strategic city on the River Shannon founded by the Vikings, focusing on the area of the city known as King's Island. We begin with a visit to St. Mary's Cathedral, the oldest structure in the city dating back to 1172, featuring 15th century misericords in the choir stalls and superb carvings in black oak of angels and griffins. We continue with a visit to King John's Castle, an imposing sight with five drum towers and solid curtain walls. Inside, there is a wonderful exhibit on the history of the city, replicas of siege machinery, and Viking excavations. After a stroll along George's Quay, a pleasant street with restaurants and outdoor cafes, we continue to the town of Adare, billed as Ireland's prettiest village. It is a picture of neat stonework and thatched roofs with picturesque ruins, all in a woodland setting.

DAY    10            THE CLIFFS OF MOHER & BUNRATTY CASTLE
Our day begins with a visit to the Cliffs of Moher, a dramatic sheer rock face, rising 700 feet from the Atlantic Ocean and stretching for five miles. During our visit, we will have the opportunity to climb O'Brien's Tower, a viewing point built for the benefit of Victorian tourists. After time to explore the beauty of the Irish coast, we continue with a visit to Bunratty Castle, a formidable castle built in the 15th century; which has been preserved just as it would have looked in the 1500s. We will take a tour through the castle, including the Great Hall, the Main Guard and the South Solar, before visiting the adjoining Folk Park, which is an authentic re-creation of life in Ireland at the turn of the 20th century. This evening we will enjoy a Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle, before returning to our hotel.

DAY    11            DEPARTURE FROM SHANNON
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.