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 . Ireland Scotland Tour for Families Ireland Scotland Family Vacation 16 Day Special Irish Escorted Tour GUARANTEED SMALL GROUP - FAMILY VACATION- THIS TOUR IS LIMITED TO 15 PERSONS GUARANTEED SMALL GROUP - FAMILY VACATION Our two week adventures are designed to delight every member of the family, from school-age children to grandparents. Our family journeys combine the joy of seeing, doing and learning as a family with ample opportunity for just plain family fun. On this tour you will stay in Ireland's most lively towns and experience traditional Scottish culture.  Thursday - DEPART FROM HOME Your vacation begins the moment you board your flight. Destination: SHANNON. Friday - ADARE/DINGLE Travel to the quaint village of Adare, distinguished by its charming thatched cottages. The Dingle Peninsula is one of the natural wonders of Ireland. Irish is often the spoken language and that written on the signposts. The Dingle Peninsula is home to many wonders - second highest mountain range in the country, a wealth of archaeological sites, home to some of the finest traditional music, dance and the Irish language. The dramatic mountains sweep down to golden beaches and stark rocks. Optional bike ride this afternoon. At Dingle's pubs spontaneous music sessions often erupt. Saturday - DINGLE - DOLPHIN WATCH The greens of the hills contrast with the wildness of the scenes to make Dingle an enchanted place. Dingle is a native Gaelic speaking area and the lilt of this ancient tongue adds an element of mystery to this hauntingly beautiful place. Here is the land of "Ryan's Daughter". Today's adventure is a dolphin watch to discover Fungie, the bottle-nosed local celebrity. The Dingle Peninsula experience is one you will remember for a long time to come. (B)  Sunday - GAP OF DUNLOE/BLARNEY/KINSALE - HORSES AND SHIPS
Travel to Killarney and visit the Gap of Dunloe by pony and trap. The famed Gap is a four-mile gulch carved by glaciers, enhanced by the purple mountains and Macgillicuddy's Reeks. Travel to Blarney, with a chance to kiss "The Stone". Kinsale, one of the most historic and picturesque towns in Cork has quaint cobbled streets, gourmet restaurants and yachts moored in the harbor. (B)  Monday - COBH/KILKENNY - TITANIC AND WITCHES You take the scenic route to Cobh, departure point for many emigrants, and the last port of call for the "Titanic". Many of the passengers are buried in the local graveyard. Many of the ships that sailed to America departed from Cobh, and the Centre documents the hopes and aspirations of those who traveled from here. Then, you are off to medieval Kilkenny, the setting for one of Ireland's finest cathedrals. The town itself is closely associated with witchcraft. Dame Alice Kyteler was tried for witchcraft here in the 14th century. (B) Tuesday - DUBLIN/CABRA CASTLE Tour Trinity College Library containing the famous "Book of Kells". See the Bank of Ireland - Ireland's first Parliament, St. Patrick's and the Georgian "doors" of Dublin. Visit the Guinness Brewery, where you taste the famous stout. Travel to your castle home. Enjoy your dinner at this sprawling, grey stone castle, built in 1669. Its halls and courtyards once echoed to the footsteps of Oliver Cromwell and James II. Today the former Corney Castle offers a tranquil sanctuary to the busy wayfarers of modern times. Set in 100 acres of parkland, Cabra Castle's rooms offer unique antiques and paintings. Leisure facilities include a 9 hole golf course, enclosed gardens and Lady's Lake and walks through the forest park. Situated in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, just 1 ½ hours from Dublin. A wonderful setting for a wonderful experience! (B,D)  Wednesday - WESTPORT - THE RUGGED WEST Travel to scenic Carrick-on-Shannon, a boating haven, to Boyle, known for its romantic abbey ruins and to Castlebar and Westport. Travel through scenes of tin roofed barns and herds of meandering sheep on your way to County Mayo. You are free to sightsee this evening or join other passengers for dinner. Experience the ambience of busy streets in the town center. (B) Thursday - WALKING Westport is by far the most attractive town in Mayo, with a wide expanse of sea dotted with islands and framed by mountain ranges. Traditional shops - ironmongers and the like dot the streets. Visit Westport House, home of Lord Sligo. Optional: climb Croagh Patrick, a holy mountain pilgrimage site since 441 AD. Caution! This is only for the very fit. (B)  Friday - CONNEMARA/GALWAY/DOOLIN -
MUSIC Travel to Roundstone in Connemara, known for the making of traditional Irish instruments, such as the bodhrán. Visit Galway, the cultural capital of the West. Move on to Lisdoonvarna, site of the 'Matchmaking Festival' to the fishing village of Doolin. It is said that three of the best pubs in Ireland are here. (B) Saturday - ARAN ISLANDS - BY BOAT For centuries, this craggy landscape has been the home for Irish speaking fishermen and their families, where the famed off-white Aran sweaters originated. These are lands that time has forgotten. Inisheer is the smallest island. You travel by steamer to the docks and walk to tour the island and return to Doolin. (B) Sunday - SHANNON/DUBLIN/EDINBURGH You soon approach the majestic Cliffs of Moher, soaring 700 feet above the breaking sea. Our Ireland Scotland trip continues. Take a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour of Edinburgh. Tour highlights include Edinburgh Castle, St. Gile’s Cathedral, Burns Monument, National Gallery, and the Palace of Holyrood House. Another suggestion: Visit the royal ship Britannia. For over forty years Britannia served the Royal Family, travelling over one million miles. Discover the fascinating past of the most famous ship in the world. (B)  Monday – ALNWICK CASTLE & GARDENS An
early morning departure for an all-day excursion to Alnwick Castle, the family
home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. Set in a stunning landscape,
designed by Capability Brown, Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited
castle in England (after Windsor Castle). Alnwick Castle was extensively used
for external locations including the broomstick flying and Quiddich games in
the Harry Potter films. Return to Edinburgh. Tonight, enjoy a traditional
Scottish Music Show. (CB,D)Tuesday – INVERNESS/LOCH NESS MONSTER Travel to Inverness, capital of the Highlands. Today’s adventure: Driving alongside Loch Ness, where we enjoy monster hunting at the ruined Urquhart Castle. Nearby, the native Caledonian Pine Forest landscape will take you back in time to how Scotland would have looked 500 years ago. This location was used in the film, “Last of the Mohicans”. Overnight in a bed and breakfast. (B)  Wednesday – RIDE THE POTTER
RAILWAY/ISLE OF SKYE Ride the Jacobite “Hogwarts Express” (The
West Coast Railway Company) steam locomotives. We head by ferry to Skye, and up
to Portree, where pastel houses line the harbor. Skye has ruined castles,
awesome scenery, Viking fortresses and is home to legendary clans, immersed in
Celtic myths & legends. Stand on the battlements of timeless castles. We
stop to visit the famous Eilean Donan Castle, used in the film
“Highlander” and a James Bond movie, set at the junction of three
lochs as protection against Viking raiders. (B) .jpg) Thursday – GLEN COE/EDINBURGH Enjoy the
mystical mountains of Glencoe. In the battle here in 1692, 40 of the MacDonald
clan were massacred in cold blood by the Campbells for not forswearing the
Jacobite cause. They say you can still hear their cries! Our overnight
accommodations are at an authentic 13th century Scottish castle hotel set
within acres of wooded parkland on the picturesque banks of the river Esk. (B)
Friday – EDINBURGH/HOME Board your return flight. Return home with great memories of the new friends you’ve made. (B) Ireland Scotland Trip Includes: Some highlights:
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