VISITS:
- Trinity College
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Glendalough (site only)
- Avoca Handweavers (free)
- Guinness Storehouse
- Old Jameson Distillery
ITINERARY:
- Day 1 -
Welcome to Ireland
Arrive at Dublin Airport, meet with driver and local English speaking
guide and transfer to the city centre for a panoramic tour of Dublin,
discovering the north side of the River Liffey. This area offers great
striking monuments such as the GPO (General Post Office) on the city
main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street, or the Custom House along the
quays, as well as the Phoenix Park, the largest public park in Europe.
The south side appears more sophisticated with its vast
Georgian squares,
such as
Merrion Square,
where
Oscar Wilde’s House
can still be found (today owned by an American College), its colourful
doors, along with Grafton Street and its quality shops. Not so far from
St. Stephen’s Green, in Kildare St., you will see
the house of Bram Stoker,
the author of Dracula. This part of the city is also dominated by the
students of
Trinity
College, where the famous book of Kells is permanently
exhibited in its library. The university is facing the medieval
district where
Dublin
Castle and the two
Anglican
Cathedrals can be found.
Visit to Trinity College
Trinity was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth 1st on grounds
confiscated from an Augustinian priory and is the oldest University in
Ireland. The Campanile, erected in 1852, was built on what is believed
to be the centre of the monastery. Built to further the
education of the ruling Anglo-Irish families, restrictions were imposed
to prevent Catholic from attending courses. These restrictions were not
fully lifted until the 1970’s. Trinity however admitted women in 1902,
earlier than most British universities. Most of the main
buildings off the main square were built during the Georgian period,
some of which replaced older buildings. Within its walls, you
will be able to admire Parliament Square and its 18th Century edifices.
Trinity College has had many famous students such as Jonathan Swift and
Samuel Beckett who later became a lecturer in French at the
university. The Inter-denominational Church is very much
worth a visit, should it be open during your visit.
Visit Kilmainham Jail
Built in 1796, Kilmainham Jail has witnessed many of the events leading
to Irish independence. It has housed many patriots taken prisoner
during the many rebellions witnessed in Ireland ~ from the United Irish
Rebellion of 1796 to those prisoners taken during the Irish Civil War.
While opened initially as a jail for all offences, it became
intrinsically linked with Irish Nationalism. The jail has two main
areas of cells, and several exercise yards, one of which was used for
executing the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. The original wing
dating from the opening of the jail is incredibly dark and oppressive.
The later Victorian wing with its wide walkways and toplit main hall
paved the way for new thinking in designs of jails in the 19th century.
Touching in so many ways on the people and forces that shaped modern
Ireland, Kilmainham Jail offers a panoramic insight into some of the
most profound, disturbing and inspirational themes of modern Irish
history. A must for visitors interested in Irish history.
Enjoy the rest of your
day at leisure in Dublin for some shopping or personal sightseeing
Check in to your Dublin Hotel
Overnight, dinner and full Irish breakfast at Hotel in Dublin
- Day 2 –The
Garden of Ireland
Today travel South of Dublin to County Wicklow, also known as the
Garden of Ireland
South of Dublin, is County Wicklow. Known as “the Garden of
Ireland” it is home to Powerscourt, Mount Usher and Russborough, to
name a few of its many houses and gardens. This region features all the
various types of scenery that makes Ireland so beautiful. The coastline
is bordered by charming sea resorts such as Bray or Greystones. In the
heart of its gentle and rounded hills are nestled Enniskerry and Avoca,
both very picturesque villages. Discover its romantic and quiet beauty,
the deserted mounts where nothing but heather grows, the small forests
and the lush prairies illuminated by yellow gorse in spring.
Stop at Glendalough –
site only
The English name Glendalough originated from the Irish “Gleann Dá
Locha”, which translates as "The valley of the two lakes". It
was here that St. Kevin ~ son of the king of Leinster founded a
monastery in the 6th century. From a simple beginning the site grew to
become famous as a centre of learning throughout Europe. Standing for
600 years it was destroyed in 1398. Much of what is to be seen today
dates from the 10 to 12th century. One of the most attractive features
is the fine 34m high round tower. A cathedral, stone churches and
decorated crosses also survived albeit as ruins.
Stop in the town of Avoca
The tiny village of Avoca shot to fame in 1996 when it was chosen as
the location for the popular TV series Ballykissangel. The focal point
of the village is Fitzgeralds an Old World pub with its fine
restaurant. Also in the village is Avoca Hand Weavers established in
1723 and which claims to be Irelands oldest surviving business.
Visit Avoca Hand Weavers
Situated in the charming village of Avoca, in the heart of a gentle
valley, Avoca Hand Weavers is the oldest surviving business in Ireland,
dating from 1723. You will see the three different kinds of weaving,
including the traditional fly shuttle handloom, still in use
today.
Return to Dublin for dinner at your hotel
In the evening guests can walk into
Temple
Bar area and visit one of the many pubs here – many will play live
music every night!
Some of Dublin's best night spots, restaurants and unusual shops line
these narrow, cobbled streets running between the Bank of Ireland and
Christ Church Cathedral. In the 18th century the area was home to many
insalubrious characters-Fownes Street was noted for its brothels. It
was also the birthplace of parliamentarian Henry Grattan. Skilled
craftsmen and artisans, such as clockmakers and printers, lived and
worked around here. The area later developed an "alternative" identity.
As more cynical Dubliners put it, the area became the city's
"officially designated arts zone". But while the new investment and
planning may have added a slight air of contrivance, it's still an
exciting, atmospheric and essentially very young place. O
Overnight, bed and full Irish breakfast at Hotel in Dublin
Today enjoy a day at
leisure – no coach or guide included on this day
OR
Enjoy an optional tour to
Kilkenny!
Capital of County Kilkenny, the town of Kilkenny is often referred to
as “the Marble City”. It is the most interesting and best
preserved of the medieval Irish cities. It owes its immense
charm to the various impressive historical monuments. A medieval city
of 24,000 people it is characterised by many beautifully restored
buildings and winding slipways ~ it is small and compact enough to
explore on foot, yet full of fascinating historical buildings and
contemporary shops, design galleries and restaurants. The
ancient city of Kilkenny was named after a 6th century monk St
Canice. A native of the area, St Canice built a monastic
enclave on the site where today we find the beautifully restored 13th
St Canices Cathedral. The town is dominated by 12th century Kilkenny
Castle, built by the Normans on their arrival in this part of Ireland.
Visit Kilkenny Castle
One of the most instantly recognised buildings in Ireland, Kilkenny
Castle has been an important site since it was built by the
Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. William the Earl Marshall built the
first stone castle on this site in 1260. This was a square-shaped
castle with towers at each corner; three of these original four towers
survive to this day. The Butler family bought the Castle in 1391 and
lived there continuously until 1935. The castle lay vacant and in ruin
until 1967 when it was given to the nation. It has been restored to a
Victorian period and its long gallery again houses portraits of the
Butler family. The castle has an excellent guided tour, during which
the visitor will learn about life in the castle over the many centuries
of its existence.
Enjoy lunch on your own in one of Kilkenny’s many pubs, e.g. at
Langtons Pub.
Return to Dublin
Dinner at leisure in
Dublin
OR
Optional Irish night at
Merry Ploughboy’s Pub!
This is a state-of-the-art music venue open seven nights a week, all
year round. Their lively show features contemporary Irish dancing and
well-known guest artists. Fine food is a very important
element. At Merry Ploughboy’s Pub, youthful vibrancy has
successfully combined with traditional craftsmanship to provide an
excellent evening entertainment.
Return to your hotel
Overnight, bed and full Irish breakfast at Hotel in Dublin
- Day 4 – The
Black & the Gold
This morning visit the
Guinness
Storehouse
The Guinness Brewery in Dublin is Europe's largest stout producing
brewery and home to the Guinness Storehouse. Opened in 1904
The Storehouse was an operational plant for fermenting and storing
GUINNESS. Today it houses a very fine exhibition dedicated to the
Guinness story. Visitors will discover what goes into the making a pint
of GUINNESS - the ingredients, the brewing process, the time, the craft
and the passion. The exhibition shows how the brew has been marketed
and how it is today sold in over 150 countries. The visit ends with a
visit to the 7th floor Gravity bar to sample first-hand the elixir of
life ~ a pint of Guinness. The Storehouse has a retail store, gallery
and exhibition area, a restaurant and two bar areas.
Possibility to learn how
to pull your very own pint of Guinness!
Visitors can learn to pour their very own pint of Guinness under the
watchful eye of our experienced bar staff. You will learn, literally
first hand, the passion, pride and practiced skill that go into making
and pouring every pint of the black stuff. And to top it off, each pint
pourer will receive their very own personalised certificate from the
home of Guinness
Visit the Old Jameson
Distillery
The Old Jameson Distillery Smithfield Village is located in the heart
of Old Dublin. This old barley storehouse, once the centre of
Distilling in Dublin, was renovated in 1998 and converted into a museum
where all the secrets of Irish Whiskey's distillation will be revealed.
An audio-visual show will introduce the history of this spirit and it
is followed by a guided visit which will take you through the various
stages of whiskey distilling from grain intake to malting, mashing,
fermentation, distillation, maturation and finally bottling. The tour
culminates in the Jameson bar, where you will enjoy a glass
of Jameson Whiskey, while 4 members of the group take part in
an Irish Whiskey tasting session and compare the best known Irish
brands to a Scotch and Bourbon. Other facilities include Distillery
Gift Shop, Restaurant and Public Bar.
In the afternoon, you will be able to enjoy the Dubliner way of life at
your leisure. If you loose your way in a back alley you might come face
to face with Molly Malone or Oscar Wilde. Experience the most of Dublin
through shopping in stylish Grafton Street or a gentle stroll in a park…
In the evening transfer to
Dublin’s
oldest pub for dinner - Brazen Head Pub
Standing on the site of the original 12th century tavern, the present
Brazen Head is an old coaching inn dating back to about 1688. The
courtyard at the front of the building was used to receive visiting
horse-drawn coaches, and present day patrons still assemble here during
the fine weather to enjoy a drink and a chat in the sunshine. The
Brazen Head is not only Ireland's oldest pub - dating back over 800
years - but is also one of the country's best hostelries. It combines
all of the essential features of a traditional Irish pub with authentic
surroundings to create a truly unique atmosphere and an enjoyable
experience for visitors
Return to your hotel
Overnight, bed and full Irish breakfast at Hotel in Dublin
After a final Irish breakfast transfer to Dublin Airport for your
departure flight home
PRICES INCLUDE:
- 4 nights at good 3 star hotels ,all rooms with private bath
or shower
- Full Irish breakfast at hotels each day, day 2 – 5
inclusive
- Welcome dinner at hotel on day 1
- Dinner at Dublin’s oldest pub or similar on day 4
- Modern motor coach with driver x 3 days, day 1, 2 and 4
inclusive
(09h00-17h30)
- Modern motor coach with driver for Airport transfer on day 5
- English speaking guide for Dublin City Tour on day 1 (until
17h30)
- Service charges and taxes at existing rates are included