Odysseys Unlimited

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Dublin, Ireland

Day 2: Arrive Dublin We arrive in the intimate, and beautiful, Irish capital today and check in at our hotel located right on St. Stephen’s Green. Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. D

Day 3: Dublin This morning’s city tour includes a visit to Trinity College, home of the stunning Book of Kells; and to St. Patrick’s, the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. This afternoon is free to explore this enchanting capital as we wish. After dinner on our own we embark on an informal walking tour (led by our tour director), passing some of the haunts and hiding places of Ireland’s beloved literary sons. B

Day 4: Dublin/Galway We leave Dublin this morning for Galway in the West, the region some consider to be the “most Irish part of Ireland.” En route we stop for tea at a local pub then continue on to 6th-century Clonmacnoise, Ireland’s most important early monastic site. After lunch on our own we resume our journey, reaching Galway City this afternoon. We dine at our hotel located in the village of Bearna just outside the city. B,D

Day 5: Galway/Aran Islands Today we embark on an excursion to Inismor, the largest of the fabled Aran Islands, whose unique culture and history has been an inspiration to artists, writers, and film-makers. Sitting across Galway Bay in the midst of the Atlantic, the islands feature primitive stone forests, early Christian churches, and medieval castles – as well as shops, galleries, and restaurants. An islander guides our tour here, imparting local lore along the way. We stop at Dun Aenghus Fortress, the three prehistoric stone walls crowning the tallest cliffs of Inismor; have lunch in a local restaurant; and enjoy some free time before returning to the mainland and our hotel late this afternoon. During June and July we see a traditional Ragus performance of Irish music and dance from the Aran Islands. B,L

Day 6: Galway/Connemara A day of scenic highlights is in store as we travel through western County Galway in the legendary region known as Connemara, a rugged, silent landscape of mountains, glacial lakes, endless roads, and uninhabited bog lands. Our first stop is at beautiful Kylemore Abbey, built as a private home in 1861 and one of Ireland’s most photographed castles. We continue on through this singular landscape, stopping for lunch en route. Dinner tonight will be at an atmospheric local restaurant in Galway town. B,D

Day 7: Galway/County Clare/Killarney Another day of breathtaking scenery as we leave Galway for Killarney, traveling south along the fabled coastline of County Clare. We visit the Cliffs of Moher, the majestic flat-topped “mountains” that rise vertically from the sea and stretch for five miles from north to south. And we pass through The Burren, the 116-square mile “rocky place” of craggy gray karst (limestone) formations that stretch endlessly in all directions. After stopping at a local restaurant for lunch on our own, we cross by ferry into County Kerry, arriving in Killarney, set in beautiful Killarney National Park, late this afternoon. This evening we en­joy dinner at a local farmhouse outside Killarney. B,D

Day 8: Killarney Our exploration of this attractive city begins with a jaunting-cart ride from the center of town to 15th-century Ross Castle, the last strong­hold to fall to Oliver Cromwell’s forces in 1652. Then we travel by boat to Muckross House, a 19th-century Eliz­a­bethan-style manor with the Kerry Folklife Centre show­casing the art and craft of book­binding, pottery, and weaving. We tour the elegantly furnished rooms, as well as the informal garden. Lunch is on our own here before we return to Killarney mid-afternoon. B

Day 9: ­Killarney/Ring of Kerry Today we expe­rience one of Ireland’s most popular attractions, the stunning mountain and coastal scenery of the Ring of Kerry, a 110-mile route connecting Dingle, Iveragh, and Beara peninsulas. This is the Ireland of postcards and pictures, with tiny villages dotting the breathtaking landscape; we stop in one of them for an Irish sheep dog demonstration and in another (Waterville) for lunch. We return to Killarney late this afternoon. Dinner tonight is at Kate Kearney’s Cottage, a 150-year-old family-run establishment at the entrance to the Gap of Dunloe. B,L,D

Day 10: Blarney/Cashel/Kilkenny On our way to Kilkenny this morning we stop in the small town of Blarney to visit the ruins of the 15th-century castle, with its celebrated Blarney Stone believed to bestow the “gift of gab” on those who kiss it. We also visit the Blarney Woolen Mills, housing an excellent selection of Irish crafts as well as knits and woolens of all kinds. After lunch on our own in Blarney, we continue on to the Rock of Cashel, the celebrated – and beloved – archaeological complex dating to 432 CE that presides over the surrounding plain. B,D

Day 11: Kilkenny Today is devoted to Kilkenny, a well-preserved medieval city known as Ireland’s cultural capital – and the country’s smallest city. We tour 12th-century Kilkenny Castle, considered one of the country’s most beautiful, then embark on an informal walking tour of Kilkenny itself, noting the many buildings of “black” or Kilkenny marble, quarried locally. After lunch together at a local restaurant, the remainder of the day is at leisure. B,L

Day 12: Kilkenny/Dublin We leave Kilkenny this morning to visit the National Stud Farm, the center of Ireland’s horse racing industry. Mid-afternoon we reach our hotel outside Dublin; tonight we celebrate our adventure over a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 13: Depart for U.S. We leave this morning for the Dublin airport and our return flights to the United States. B