Best of Ireland & Scotland - Small Group
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Travel through Ireland and Scotland in a Small Group, following a trail of incredible views and quiet moments. In Dublin, Trinity College’s cobbles lead you to the Book of Kells, while in Kildare the Irish National Stud and its Japanese Gardens blend stillness, colour and careful design. At Blarney, visit the 15th-century castle, where the famous Stone is set high in the battlements and long linked with the ‘gift of the gab’. In Londonderry, walk along the old city walls with a local historian whose powerful stories bring history, culture and personal insight to life. Finally, you’ll learn about Scotland’s traditions with a sustainable whisky tasting at Uile-bheist, where Highland flavours and folklore come together for the ultimate finale.
Trip Code: YB935M27
Start Location
Dublin (undefined)
End Location
Edinburgh (undefined)
Duration
182 days
Countries Visited
Ireland, Northern Ireland
Trip Type
Small Group
Itinerary Type
Small Groups
Theme
-
Season
-
Booking Status
Available
Trip Highlights
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Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 13 Breakfast (B)
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Authentic Dining
- Dublin: Join your Travel Director for a warm and friendly dinner, an opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers.
- Edinburgh: Enjoy a memorable dinner with your small group, reflecting on your journey in the company of newfound friends.
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Insight Experiences
- Dublin: A stunning combination of cobblestone walkways, emerald-green lawns and 18th-century architectural gems, Trinity College is one of Europe’s elite universities and counts poet Oscar Wilde among its alumni. See the enchanting college campus and discover insights into its impressive history. Enjoy access to view the famous Book of Kells, an exquisite manuscript of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament, renowned for the intricacy, detail and majesty of the illustrations.
- Kildare: Horse racing is key part of Irish culture; and you'll gain a rare insight into it on your visit to the Irish National Stud. Set in Kildare at the breeding ground of champions and the birthplace of legends, explore the foaling unit, museum and the stallions that continue to make racing history. As the only stud farm in Ireland open to the public, learn the insights of horse-racing at a site whose former visitors include queens and presidents.
- Derry/Londonderry: There's no better way to experience sightseeing than with one of Northern Ireland's best storytellers, Ronan, as he takes you on a tour inside the city walls. See the Gothic Guildhall and the Georgian houses of Shipquay Street.
- Edinburgh: Create a bespoke Islander Harris Tweed® handbag in Edinburgh, choosing the body colour, Harris Tweed® lid and decorative strap before assembling it with tools provided. Handwoven in the Outer Hebrides, Harris Tweed® gives your finished bag a direct link to Scottish textile craft.
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Top Rated Highlights
- Dublin: Embark on an insightful orientation tour of Dublin with your Travel Director. Stroll past the neoclassical 18th-century Custom House and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- Cork: Ireland's second city - "Rebel Cork" dates back to the 7th century. Your Travel Director will show you the Grand Parade and South Mall, along with City Hall and the Opera House on an insightful orientation tour encompassing the development of the religious settlement of St. Finbarr, to Viking raiding and settlement, to the creation of the Norman city and Merchant Princes.
- Killarney: Take a gentle orientation through Killarney as your Travel Director brings the town’s history to life. Streets lined with shopfronts, church spires and the curve of the surrounding mountains help you place the stories being shared.
- Killarney: Settle into a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car and explore Killarney with one of the local jarveys who know these lanes by heart.
- Blarney: It is said that those who kiss the Blarney Stone, the famous stone of eloquence, are bestowed with the power to persuade, flatter and coax. Take your turn at giving it a peck knowing that the stone was sourced from 330-million-year-old limestone.
- Ring of Kerry: Venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lakelands, beaches, fields dotted with sheep, rocky coastline, remote villages and historical sites, as you journey the magical Ring of Kerry. This 111-mile circular route is the best place to admire Ireland's scenic beauty and truly one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
- Cliffs of Moher: Towering cliffs and the dramatic sea, the Cliffs of Moher has inspired countless travellers. Visit the Exhibition Centre and look out over the Wild Atlantic Way from these majestic cliffs that rise over 700 feet high. Gain insights from your Travel Director into the cliffs’ geology, history and the species that find sanctuary in its nooks and crannies.
- Galway: Fascinating stories and interesting locals take centre stage on your orientation of the historic heart of Galway. Visit the Lynch Memorial Window. Then make your way to the Church of St. Nicholas - the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use, Spanish Arch and Eyre Square.
- Sligo: See Sligo’s streets and landmarks on an orientation that reveals why this part of Ireland inspired one of Ireland’s most famous literary figures, the poet William Butler Yeats. On your journey into town, you’ll quickly see why Yeats was inspired by the scenic beauty of the area. Explore its rich medieval history as well as its shops on an orientation with your Travel Director. After getting your bearings in town, enjoy free time to explore at your own pace or stop for lunch before your journey continues to Londonderry.
- Giant's Causeway: Visit Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Walk across thousands of interlocking basalt columns, shaped by nature and renowned for their striking geometric appearance.
- Ballygally: Take a gentle orientation walk through Ballygally with your Travel Director, following the curve of the bay where the sea brushes against a strip of pale sand. The village sits between cliffs and shoreline, with neat cottages, salty air and views that open towards the Antrim Coast.
- Larne: Board the ferry with your small group and cross the Irish Sea, following a route that has linked these shores for centuries.
- Glasgow: Led by your Travel Director, take an easy orientation through Glasgow, where broad streets and bold Victorian architecture set the tone. Pause in George Square to take in its statues and grand civic buildings before continuing to St Mungo’s Cathedral, its dark stone and soaring interior hinting at the city’s medieval roots.
- Loch Ness: Board your cruise on a loch stretching 37 kilometres through the Great Glen Fault, created by tectonic shifts millions of years ago. Its deepest point reaches 230 m (754 ft) and visibility is near zero due to peat content, conditions that have long inspired tales of Nessie, the elusive Loch Ness Monster. Pass Aldourie Castle and hear how this natural trench fuels both hydroelectric power and global fascination.
- Fort William: Stop at the World War II Commando Memorial near Fort William, where bronze figures stand against a sweep of Highland landscape. From this quiet hillside, you get one of the clearest views of Ben Nevis, its ridges rising sharply above the glen.
- Inverness: With your Travel Director, see the River Ness, Inverness Castle and beautiful scenery as you explore the history of this Highland city.
- Inverness: At the Culloden Visitor Centre, you’ll discover why the Battle of Culloden lasted only an hour yet changed the Highland way of life forever.
- St. Andrews: Spend time in St Andrews, a coastal university town shaped by old quadrangles, sea air and open links. Walk to the stretch of West Sands Beach where Chariots of Fire filmed its iconic scene, then look across the Old Course, regarded as the birthplace of modern golf.
- Edinburgh: A hush descends, and eyes turn to the castle. The skirl of the pipes rises and drums crack the night air as a tide of tunics and tartan flood from the drawbridge. For a limited time in August, witness the incredible spectacle of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
- Edinburgh: Explore Edinburgh Castle with your Local Expert to see the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Mons Meg up close.
- Edinburgh: Explore the city with your Local Expert as you travel along Princes Street to see the Scott Memorial, the neoclassical Adam facades of New Town and the official Scottish residence of the King, Palace of Holyroodhouse.
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Make Travel Matter
- Inverness: Step into the world of Uile-bheist, where age-old whisky and beer traditions meet modern craftsmanship. Discover how folklore inspires their brews, explore the art of distillation, and savour a tasting of their signature creations. Built with sustainability at its core, Uile-bheist is one of Scotland’s lowest-carbon distilleries, aiming for net zero by 2030. Your visit supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action.
What's Included in Your Tour
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Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 13 Breakfast (B)
- •
Authentic Dining
• Dublin: Join your Travel Director for a warm and friendly dinner, an opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers
• Edinburgh: Enjoy a memorable dinner with your small group, reflecting on your journey in the company of newfound friends
•
Itinerary
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Tour Dates & Pricing
All prices are per person in Australian Dollars (AUD), inclusive of GST. Special offers and discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.
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