Compare The Best of Ireland: The Coast, the Countryside and Dublin by Road Scholar vs Northern & Southern Ireland by Intrepid Travel

Day 1: In Transit to Program

In Flight

Day 2: Arrival Day, Transfer to Killarney

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Earls Court House Hotel

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Afternoon: Arrivals continue, with free time for those who have already arrived. Before dinner we will have an Orientation in the hotel. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities and answer any questions you may have. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: A seated dinner will be taken in the hotel dining room with coffee, tea and water. Other beverages are available for purchase.

Evening: Free time to unpack, relax and prepare for the program ahead.

Day 3: The Ring of Kerry, Killarney

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Earls Court House Hotel

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast in the hotel dining room. Choices vary but will include a variety of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomato, potatoes, cereals, fruit, toast, pastries and jams served with water, juices, tea and coffee.

Morning: This morning we travel by motor coach with a local expert to explore the Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is made up of spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, enveloping the towns of Glenbeigh, Cahersiven, Waterville and Sneem. We’ll stop in Rossbeigh and enjoy a walk along the dramatic sandy beach that provides a safe haven for all kind of marine life and seabirds. It is a designated natural heritage area and a Special Area of Conservation.

Lunch: A served lunch with water, tea and coffee in the charming village of Caherdaniel. Other beverages are available for purchase.

Afternoon: The excursion continues around the Ring of Kerry, through the picturesque village of Sneem. The village comprises two squares, North and South, with a bridge acting as a knot between them.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions should you wish to further explore Killarney.

Day 4: The Dingle Peninsula, Dinner With A Local Family, Killarney

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Earls Court House Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We take a motor coach to the Dingle Peninsula, exploring the area’s rich archaeological heritage and unique culture. Once cited as “the most beautiful place on earth” by National Geographic magazine, much of the peninsula is a Gaeltacht – an area where the Irish language is widely spoken at home, in the workplace and at school. Along the way we’ll make a stop in Dingle Town, where you’ll have the opportunity for independent exploration.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like in the colourful fishing port of Dingle.

Afternoon: We’re joined by a local expert to continue our exploration of the Dingle Peninsula, whose Slea Head is the most westerly part of Ireland.

Dinner: Enjoy dinner as guests of a local family in a nearby town. Learn about the rhythm of daily Irish life whilst chatting with your hosts and savouring home-cooked Irish cuisine.

Evening: Free time.

Day 5: Killarney National Park

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Earls Court House Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Take a pleasant walk to Killarney National Park, home to magnificent native Oak woods and one of the oldest Yew woods in Europe. Enjoy an expert-led gentle hike through the park, and hope to catch a glimpse of the native Irish Red Deer along the way.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Free time to further explore Killarney. Your Group Leader will be happy to give you suggestions for activities or sights that may interest you in this charming and bustling town.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 6: Transfer to Galway, The Cliffs of Moher, The Burren

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Harbour Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We depart by motor coach for a leisurely journey to Galway.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like in the coastal town of Lahinch.

Afternoon: We take a field trip to the world-famous Cliffs of Moher. We’ll have time to linger by the cliffs, which rise like a cathedral into the sky some 700 feet over the wild Atlantic Ocean. The views stretch as far as Galway Bay and the Aran Islands, and the location is also home to one of the major colonies of cliff-nesting seabirds in Ireland. We then continue onwards to the Burren to meet a local expert, who will lead us through one of the largest karst limestone landscapes in Europe, stopping for a gentle walk on its moon-like terrain.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 7: Galway, Glenlo Abbey

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Harbour Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: This morning we visit a local primary school, equivalent to an elementary school in North America. This is an opportunity to meet with the Principal and interact with local school children to answer their questions and learn about school life in Ireland. The children will also treat you to a short display of traditional Irish music, or present a project they are currently working on. Following this we will enjoy an expert-led walk around Galway. We’ll visit Galway Cathedral, the Spanish Arch and part of the original city wall before making our way down the cobbled streets to the tiny fishing enclave of the Claddagh, immortalised in the song “Galway Bay” and home of the traditional jewellery – the Claddagh Ring – a symbol of love, friendship, loyalty and commitment.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: A special experience in historic Glenlo Abbey. Be welcomed by your host, a Galway academic and expert in the field of Anglo-Irish literature, before being led in to dine exclusively in the Abbey. The Abbey dates back to 1740, and was part of the ancestral home of two of the fourteen “Tribes of Galway”, the famed merchant families who dominated the economic and social life of the city at the that time. A sumptuous candlelit dinner will be served while you enjoy conversation on the topics of “The Irish Big House” and “Galway’s Literary Tradition”.

Evening: Free time.

Day 8: Inis Mor, Galway

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Harbour Hotel

Breakfast: A full Irish breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Travel by boat to spend a full day on Inis Mor, the largest of the islands of Aran. We’ll have time to explore this last remnant of authentic Gaelic civilisation, where Christian ruins stand side by side with remarkable Pagan relics, as well as having an opportunity to meet a local musician. From here you have free time to explore the island independently, on foot, bicycle, mini-van or traditional horse-drawn jaunty car.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Continue your independent exploration.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 9: Transfer to Donegal, Sligo, Drumcliffe, Donegal Town

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Mill Park Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We depart by motor coach for County Donegal. Undoubtedly one of Ireland’s most untouched and ruggedly beautiful counties, County Donegal’s striking landscape has remained relatively unaffected by the passage of time. The Donegal people, too, are renowned for their warmth and hospitality.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like in the town of Sligo.

Afternoon: En-route from Sligo to Donegal, we’ll make a stop at Drumcliffe, the final resting place of famed Irish poet W.B Yeats. Yeats is remembered as an important cultural leader, as a major playwright and as one of the very greatest poets of the century. The epitaph on his gravestone is well known: “Cast a cold eye / On life / On death / Horseman, pass by!”

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 10: Killybegs, Glencolmcille, An Irish Dance, Donegal Town

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Mill Park Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Spend the morning with a local journalist and community worker. On foot, explore the pretty town of Killybegs, home to the largest fishing fleet in Ireland.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Experience Glencolmcille, a unique and beautiful place that was chosen as a base by St. Columba, one of Ireland’s three patron saints. The name Glencolmcille, or “Gleann Cholm Cille”, means “The Glen of St. Columba’s Church” in the Irish language. It is not surprising that Glencolmcille is rarely on a standard Irish itinerary – you need to be determined to get there – but due to the stark beauty of its landscape it has been drawing visitors for over 1,500 years. We will also enjoy an expert-led walk to one of the 15 Pilgrimage Stones, retracing the steps of pilgrims from 500AD.

Dinner: Served in a local seafood restaurant, emphasizing the local bounty of the sea.

Evening: Following dinner we will return to the hotel, where you will have the opportunity to meet local musicians and dancers and learn about traditional Irish dance.

Day 11: Transfer to Dublin, Ulster American Folk Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We depart County Donegal by motor coach for Dublin, the bustling capital of the Republic of Ireland and your final destination. We’ll pass through County Tyrone, one of the six counties of Northern Ireland as we make our way to the Ulster American Folk Park.

Lunch: Lunch will be served in a restaurant near the Ulster American Folk Park.

Afternoon: The Ulster American Folk Park is an outdoor museum that tells the poignant story of emigration from Ulster to America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Volunteers in period costumes demonstrate day-to-day tasks of the era and the site consists of period housing, industry and even a full-scale sailing ship. We will then continue onwards to Dublin, a settlement since the 8th Century. Dublin is abundant with great universities, cathedrals and theatres and carries with it a unique literary legacy.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 12: Exploring Dublin

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We will set out on foot with a literary scholar to experience the sights, sounds, streets and monuments of James Joyce’s Dublin. Punctuated by readings, stories and bits of history, we will walk in the footsteps of Irish literary giants.

Lunch: Lunch will be served during a theatre performance at one of Dublin's historic buildings.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time.

Day 13: Georgian House Museum, The National Museum of Ireland

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Set out on foot and experience the fascinating “Number 29” Georgian House Museum, where the widow of a prominent Dublin wine merchant originally set up home in 1794. The museum allows you to travel back in time and experience what life was like for the fortunate few who lived in such elegant townhouses, and the less fortunate who worked for them.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Continuing our walk, we will pass the Irish Parliament and visit the National Museum of Ireland, where we will enjoy a privately guided exploration of their renowned collection of Bronze Age gold work.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time.

Day 14: At Leisure in Dublin

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Best Western Academy Plaza Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Experience all of the variety that Dublin has to offer during a day of free time in Ireland’s capital and most populous city. You could take a field trip to the Hill of Tara and the megalithic tomb of Newgrange, or visit Glendalough in beautiful County Wicklow. Alternatively you could relax, sip a coffee and gossip with the locals as you sample some of Dublin’s famed café culture.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Enjoy more free time to continue your exploration of Dublin. Browse the many bookstores, explore the museums, or even try to genealogy research at the National Library of Ireland.

Dinner: A served Farewell Dinner at a local eatery in Dublin city centre. Spend your last evening in Dublin enjoying traditional Irish food and relaxed banter as you bid farewell to Ireland and your new found friends.

Evening: Free time.

Day 15: Program Concludes

Meals: Breakfast

In Flight

Breakfast: In the hotel. Some participants may depart prior to breakfast, whereupon a boxed breakfast will be provided.

Morning: Transfer to Dublin Airport (DUB) for onward flights. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future.

Day 1 Belfast

Welcome to Belfast and the Emerald Isle! Your Irish adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm. As you don't spend much time in Belfast as part of the trip, we recommend you arrive a few days early to make the most of it. If you happen to do so, spend some time wandering the streets of the bohemian Cathedral Quarter, or perhaps visit the leafy suburbs of South Belfast or the stately City Hall in Donegal Square. Make sure you also visit the revitalised waterfront area where you will find the Titanic Belfast monument on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard where the legendary RMS Titanic was built. The monument tells the story of the ship's ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912.

Day 2 Giant's Causeway / Belfast

Take a private transfer to the renowned natural wonder known as The Giant's Causeway (approximately 2.5 hours), travelling along the scenic and rugged wild coast north of Belfast. Giant's Causeway is home to roughly 40,000 basalt columns. The landmark has inspired artists and storytellers for centuries. Depending on the school of thought you wish to believe, they are either the result of an ancient volcanic eruption or a rather big argument between rival giants! Upon return to Belfast in the evening, why not visit the areas that have a connection to the Troubles, such as Shankill Road, the unionist Protestant area, the nationalist and Catholic area, as well as the 'Peace Wall'. Explore the local neighbourhoods to get more of a feel of this regenerated city, perhaps with a visit to a local pub for a meal with your travel crew.

Day 3 Galway

This morning, travel by public bus to the harbour city of Galway – capital of the county of the same name. You will be crossing the border from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland, so you may need to switch your Pounds for some Euros at this point. While you're in Galway, you could visit the impressive Galway Cathedral. Its full name, the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, is far more elaborate than the simplicity of its building.

Day 4 Aran Islands / Galway

Enjoy a day trip by ferry to the Aran islands, which have been crafted by centuries of wild winds and smashing waves. The islands are one of the few places where the Irish language is still spoken on an everyday basis. You’ll travel by minibus and on foot to explore the native flora and fauna, with visits to the ruins of a church and a lighthouse. There are also some remains from Bronze and Iron Age fortresses to be found. If you're lucky you may even spot a seal lounging on the rocky shore! Return to Galway for a free evening and time for more exploration. The best way to take in the spirit of this city is by attending a live performance in one of the many pubs, accompanied by a pint of Guinness, of course.

Day 5 Cliffs of Moher / Adare / Killarney

The magnificent Cliffs of Moher will leave you in awe with their striking look over the Irish coastline. The daring can walk to the edge and watch puffins nesting along the cliff face (from April to late July). Learn about the history of the famous site and its feathered inhabitants at the Cliffs Exhibition. Next stop is the quaint village of Adare. Arrival into Killarney is in the late afternoon. You'll learn quickly that pubs are the heartbeat of Ireland, whether you're interested in guzzling beer or simply getting to know more about Irish culture, pubs are definitely an important part of any Irish adventure – the place for infectiously cheerful music, tall tales and making friends over a pint or two. The Irish take their beer seriously, so this is a great chance to taste a variety of rich 'real ales'. Get to know classic pub fare such as Irish stew, chowders and fish and chips, while also sampling less familiar dishes such as coddle, boxty and champ.

Day 6 Ring of Kerry / Killarney

Prepare for picturesque rolling green hills and breathe in the salty coastal air as you travel along the Iveragh Peninsula, better known as the Ring of Kerry – a mystical and unspoilt region of Ireland. You'll pass through bucolic villages and enjoy views across some of Ireland's greatest beaches, beautiful lakes and rivers as well as a bit of dramatic coastal scenery. It's the perfect place for a small town crime drama to be set. Travelling by private vehicle will allow you to stop frequently at any of the numerous outlooks along the way for photos. You’ll visit a sheep farm and will see a demonstration of sheep herding – with skilled border collie dogs at work rounding up the sheep, and following commands from the shepherd, they’re no doubt full of practice. Arrive back into Killarney in the early afternoon. If there is enough time perhaps head out to Ross Castle, picturesquely sitting on the shores of Lough Leane.

Day 7 Dublin / Cork

Travel by train to Cork and take a city tour led by your leader. Cork is known as the culinary capital of Ireland, so grab a bite before boarding another train this time bound for the real, proud capital of the Republic of Ireland - Dublin. Spend the evening exploring the cobbled streets of this humming city or drop into the pub for a pint and a yarn. Dublin has much to offer, so make sure you go out and maximise your time here. In the evening, perhaps get your group together and cosy up at a local pub or head into town to find a cool restaurant or bar in Dublin’s Creative Quarter, also known as the city’s 'hipster triangle'.

Day 8 Dublin

As there are no activities planned for today, you are free to head on your way at any time, providing you comply with the accommodation’s internal check-out policy. You might want to return to Belfast by train or further explore Dublin and surrounding area. Your leader can be of assistance in organising train tickets back to Belfast. If you’d like, additional accommodation can be booked in both locations (subject to availability).