Day 2

Day 2 - Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
This morning explore Edinburgh to compare and contrast the wide streets and elegant mansions of the Georgian 200-year-old “New Town?? with the narrow lanes and medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile. See Princes Street, the main shopping thoroughfare that separates the two areas. Learn about many prominent Scottish inventors, doctors and writers. Finish your tour at Edinburgh Castle to see historic buildings and enjoy splendid views of Edinburgh. The balance of the day is free for independent exploring, shopping and dining. On August 5 to 19 departures enjoy the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)

Day 3

Day 3 - Sheepdog Trials & Culloden
Drive into the Highlands to visit Leault Farm where dogs herd sheep and ducks through various obstacles. Learn how each dog responds to individual whistles and see seasonal activities. Tour Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre to walk around the moor where, on 16th April 1746, British Government forces defeated Bonnie Prince Charlie's army in just one hour and ended hopes of restoring the Jacobite Stuarts to the British throne. After dinner enjoy a ceilidh, traditional Scottish music, in your hotel. (B, D)

Day 4

Day 4 - Isle of Skye & Clan Donald Centre
Drive through wild Highland scenery, pausing for photos at the picturesque Eilean Donan Castle and cross to the Isle of Skye by bridge. Drive through part of the island and visit the Clan Donald Centre at Armadale Castle to discover the history of the powerful Lords of the Isles. Return to the mainland by ferry and take the “Road to the Isles” through some of Scotland's loveliest scenery, stopping for photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. (B, D)

Day 5

Day 5 - Rabbie Burns & Belfast
This morning enjoy final views of peaks and glens of the magnificent Highland scenery as you drive south through Glen Coe and alongside the lovely shores of Loch Lomond. Stop in Alloway for a brief visit at the Burns National Heritage Park to see famous landmarks from Burns' poetry. Travel along the coastline to Cairnryan for a short ferry ride to Larne. Drive to your hotel in Belfast to arrive in time for dinner. (B, D)

Day 6

Day 6 - Titanic Belfast Tour & Mount Stewart
This morning a Belfast guide will show you Victorian buildings, the imposing City Hall in Donegall Square, the Shankill and Falls Road areas and the shipyards where RMS Titanic was built in 1912. Visit the newly-opened Titanic Belfast to learn about this famous liner through state-of-the-art displays. In the afternoon tour Mount Stewart House and Gardens to see antiques and world-famous paintings. Hear stories about the many prominent political visitors. The extensive gardens were planted in the 1920's by Edith, Lady Londonderry, and have been nominated a World Heritage Site. (B, D)

Day 7

Day 7 - Giant's Causeway, Derry's Walls & Donegal 
Drive north along the scenic route of the “Nine Glens of Antrim,” for lovely views of mountains, valleys and coastline. Stop at the Giant's Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity 60 million years ago which have spawned legends about the mythical giant, Finn McCool. In Derry join a local guide for a short walking tour around the defensive walls that encircle the compact old city before driving to nearby Letterkenny. (B, D)

Day 8

Day 8 - Glenveagh Castle & Donegal
Travel into the heart of Donegal to Glenveagh National Park where Captain Adair evicted 225 tenants to build Glenveagh Castle in 1870. Learn about the history of the mansion, owners and guests as you tour the rooms and walk around the extensive gardens filled with exotic plants. Then experience the glorious natural beauty of the Grand Atlantic Drive, which winds through Downings and Rosapenna and around the coastline. Return to Letterkenny in time for dinner. (B, D)

Day 9

Day 9 - Belleek China & Kilronan Castle Stay
Drive south through the Barnesmore Gap and the Blue Stack Mountains for a look around Donegal town. Visit the Belleek Pottery Factory to see how the craftspeople shape and decorate clay, creating the world-famous fine china. Pause at Drumcliffe Churchyard to view the grave of W. B. Yeats, the Nobel prize-winning poet, who based many poems on the delightful countryside around Sligo. A short drive will take you to Kilronan Castle Hotel for leisure time to relax and enjoy the lovely setting. (B, D)

Day 10

Day 10 - Strokestown Park House Famine Museum & Cliffs of Moher
Visit Strokestown Park House in County Roscommon. There are three parts to see - the 18th century mansion with its original furnishings; the four-acre walled garden, restored to look as it would have during the heyday of the estate; and the Famine Museum, which explains the circumstances of the 1840's Great Irish Famine through a combination of original documents and images. Travel south passing the city of Galway to view the Cliffs of Moher, a dramatic wall of rock that plunges to the Atlantic Ocean. In the evening head to 15th century Bunratty Castle for a fun medieval-style banquet with entertainment by the lords and ladies of the castle. (B, D)

Day 11

Day 11 - Tour Ends Shannon Airport
Take a group transfer from your hotel in Ennis to Shannon Airport for your flight home. (B)

B: Breakfast; D: Dinner