Dublin & The Irish Countryside

In the morning, a private guide will escort you through the National Museum, National Library, and National Gallery of Ireland providing historical context to the featured works.

After your tour, venture “behind the gates” of the iconic St. James’s Gate Brewery on an official Guinness Brewery Tour. Visit the barely roastery, the 200-year-old Vat Houses, and travel through an underground passenger tunnel to the state-of-the-art brewery where Guinness is brewed today. Conclude the tour with a guided beer and food tasting led by a specialist guide in the Guinness Storehouse.

Following your Guinness Brewery Tour, enjoy some free time in downtown Dublin to relax or perhaps stroll down Grafton Street to do a little shopping. In the evening, enjoy the Celtic Nights Dinner and Dance Show at the Arlington Hotel. Featuring traditional Irish cuisine and world-class Irish dancers and musicians, this performance is a must-see when in Dublin!

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

On this day, you’ll journey outside the city of Dublin to County Sligo in the Irish Countryside, the breathtaking scenery said to have inspired Ireland’s famous Nobel Prize winning author William Butler Yeats. Accompanied by a guide, you’ll take a train from Dublin to Sligo. From there, a driver will escort you to W.B. Yeats’ childhood home known as Lissadell House, the Lake Isle of Innisfree, the countryside around Benbulben Mountain and the author’s grave at Drumcliffe Cemetery. Enjoy lunch in Sligo town, read poetry by Yeats and watch a documentary of his life along the way. Upon returning via train to Dublin, end the tour at Ireland’s National Theatre, the Abbey Theatre, which was founded by W.B. Yeats in 1904.

Cap-off the night at The Church, a historic café, restaurant and bar in the Temple Bar District of Dublin. Built in 1699, the building originally served as St. Mary’s Church and was associated with many Irish figures such as Arthur Guinness, who was married in the church in 1761. Eventually, after years of neglect the building was turned into a tastefully designed restaurant and bar in 1997. An iconic Dublin landmark, visiting and dining at The Church is a true delight!

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

This day will take you south of Dublin to the picturesque, country towns of Waterford and Kilkenny. Take-in the sights such as Reginald’s Tower as you travel down the narrow medieval lanes of Waterford, the oldest city in Ireland. Afterward, pay a visit to the Waterford Crystal Factory and watch as expert glass blowers and engravers demonstrate the skills of their respective trades. Enjoy free time to shop for a coveted souvenir!

Continue the journey to Kilkenny, supposedly the most authentic medieval town in Ireland. Stroll between the 13th-century buildings and listen to your guide share the various myths, legends, and stories which surround this special place.

Return to Dublin in the evening where you’ll have dinner at The Bank on College Green. Built in 1892 by the Belfast Bank in “grandiose Victorian splendor”, the building is especially ornate with “a stained glass ceiling, mosaic tiled floors and spectacular hand carved plasterwork and cornicing.” This combined with casual, pub-style food and drink makes this a truly one-of-a-kind restaurant.

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy the morning at leisure. Meet with the group in the afternoon for lunch at The Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest pub which dates back to 1198, and is said to be the best place to have a “true Irish pub experience.”

After lunch, head to the The National Botanical Gardens in Glasnevin, just outside of Dublin’s city center. Spend the afternoon strolling through the impressive gardens which feature plants from all over the world, and venture inside a collection of beautifully-restored historic glasshouses.

Following your visit to the National Botanical Gardens, journey back to the city and embark on an Irish Food and Drink Tour where you’ll learn about Ireland’s transformation from a country with poor food standards to a now thriving and diverse culinary scene. Your expert guide will share valued insight into Dublin’s culinary history and culture as you taste local specialties like fresh seafood, soda bread, and of course, a classic Irish libation or two.

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner (Food Tour)