9-Nights Ireland's Coastal Cities: From Belfast to Galway - Tailormade Journeys — CALL
Abercrombie & Kent
OFFER ID 1699108
Belfast brims with industrious energy, maritime heritage and warm hospitality, setting the tone for a journey through Northern Ireland’s dramatic landscapes. Walk along the Giant’s Causeway’s basalt columns, explore Enniskillen’s waterways and historic estates and discover Galway’s bustling streets, markets and Atlantic coastline. Add a regal touch to your experience with visits to historic Hillsborough and Glenarm castles, basking throughout in centuries of history, folklore and local craft that reveal the character of Ireland’s north and west.
9 nights | Call for pricing
Itinerary Details
1 Arrive Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast’s most ambitious shipbuilders crafted HMS Titanic here, and the Titanic Quarter’s museums and galleries pay homage to both the ocean liner’s tragic end and its ground-breaking design. The city’s riverside location on the Lagan and its tumultuous history set the scene for a roll call of revolutionaries immortalized in murals and street art, while Regency-era hotel rooms and Victorian buildings make for unmissable landmarks. The cobblestoned Cathedral Quarter is a forward-facing corner focused on cool bars, pedestrian-friendly streets and a sense of community, and atmospheric waterside pubs pour locally made whiskey.
Meals:
2 Belfast – The Ship Of Dreams
Visit the iconic, purpose-built Titanic Belfast – with over nine galleries, the Titanic story is brought to life with special effects, rides, full-scale reconstructions and innovative interactive features. The experience takes you all the way into the present day with a live undersea exploration centre. Stop at S.D. Bell & Co, Ireland’s oldest independent tea importer and coffee roaster, for an invigorating cup of tea or coffee before continuing to the magical CS Lewis Square. Admire the seven bronze sculptures from The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, commemorating the Belfast-born author of the Chronicles of Narnia.
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3 Belfast – Lava And Legend
Just 10 miles to the south of Belfast lies the beautiful town of Royal Hillsborough. Hillsborough Castle and Gardens is the British Royal Family’s official residence in Northern Ireland. Your private behind-the-scenes tour takes you through this castle’s elegant state rooms, which have hosted international statesmen from Benjamin Franklin to Presidents Eisenhower, Clinton and George W. Bush as well as prime ministers, princesses, kings and queens. Enjoy exploring the beautiful gardens, filled with exotic plants and commemorative trees before indulging in a traditional afternoon tea (payable locally). Time permitting, explore the beautifully quaint town of Royal Hillsborough, one of Northern Ireland’s most captivating historic villages.
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4 Portrush – Insider Glenarm Castle Visit
Head north along the Antrim coast, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1988. Stop at Glenarm Castle, the ancestral home of the McDonnell family, Earls of Antrim. Delve deep into the history of the castle from the family butler and house staff within the walls of the drawing room, the dining room, the Blue Room and the castle’s striking hall. See the Dark Hedges, an avenue of mature beech trees set in a beautiful and eerie landscape.
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5 Portrush – Private Giant’s Causeway Tour
Venture north today to discover one of the oldest counties in Ireland, County Antrim. Visit and cross the Carrick a-Rede rope bridge, which hangs between two cliffs 100 feet above sea level. Continue to the Giant’s Causeway for a private tour with your specialist guide. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this unique geological feature is comprised of many hexagonal basaltic columns, formed from a volcanic lava flow. Legend has it that they were built by Finn McCool, a giant who wanted to cross the stormy waters to Scotland. Hear about this and many other stories and anecdotes from your guide throughout the afternoon. Round up your day sampling whisky at the Old Bushmills Distillery, the world’s oldest licensed distillery.
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6 Derry | Enniskillen Via Derry – Legacy Of The Troubles
Start your day with a visit to Dunluce Castle perched dramatically on the edge of a cliff. Visit Derry and walk around the historic city walls, one of the best-preserved in Europe, and learn about the city's rich history, including the events of “the Troubles,” an intense civil conflict that still resonates with locals today. Make a stop at the 17th-century St Columb's Cathedral, the city’s most iconic building, then head to the Bogside, the part of the city that made headlines in 1972 following the event known as Bloody Sunday. At the People’s Gallery, see magnificent murals of deep religious and political significance. Witness the Hands Across the Divide monument, a striking bronze sculpture symbolizing the spirit of reconciliation and hope for the future.
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7 Devenish Island – Saint Molaise Abbey Visit
Venture out from Enniskillen to discover some of the fascinating historical sites nearby. Among the most significant of the many island church settlements in the Lough Erne lakes, Devenish Island was originally founded as a community in the sixth century by Saint Molaise. Take a short boat trip across to the island where you can admire the beautifully carved, intricate details of the ruined Augustinian abbey. The walls of the Oratory of Saint Molaise are also found on the island, surrounded by magnificent tranquillity.
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8 Sligo – Yeats Country And Neolithic Tombs
Journey to Galway and continue toward Lough Gill, a picturesque lake dotted with about 20 small islands surrounded by woods. Head toward the town of Sligo, which is associated with the poet William Butler Yeats and is overlooked by the oddly shaped mountain called Ben Bulben, an inspiration to the author. Visit the Tobernalt Holy Well, an ancient well dating back to the fifth century, and the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, the oldest and the densest concentration of Neolithic tombs in Ireland.
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9 Galway – Along The Cliffs Of Moher
See the towering Cliffs of Moher, Ireland's highest sandstone cliffs at over 600 feet tall. Venture though the Burren, a rocky limestone paradise on the Wild Atlantic Way. Your drive through this region promises to be very dramatic, with unusual rock formations amid a lunar-like backdrop.
Meals:
10 Depart Galway
Meals:
Galway Bay, immortalised in song, its beauty unchanging. Scenic Gaeltacht areas including the Aran Islands. Connemara, with the picturesque town of Clifden as its capital. Mountains, castles and stone walls, banks of turf, long sandy beaches, clear lakes, joyful leaping streams and flowing rivers. The mighty Shannon, delightful countryside punctuated by pretty villages, traditional pubs.
Photo used with permission
from Joe Desbonnet, www.galway.net
Excursions
Inishmore, Aran Islands - 8 hours Full Day
Inishmore, Aran Islands - 8 hours Full Day
On the very edge of Europe, is an Island rich in the language, culture and heritage of Ireland, unique in its geology and archaeology and in its long tradition of gentle hospitality. Here is a place to sense the spirit of Gaelic Ireland, to touch the past, but with all the comforts and facilities of the present. Aran will take you back to an Ireland of Celts and Early Christians. This is an island of great peace and tranquility, but it is also an island of great fun and activity. A timeless land in an endless sea, weathered monuments on awesome cliffs, great labyrinths of limestone, meandering walls, patchwork fields, quiet beaches and a welcoming island people.
This morning we will depart from Galway and take a ferry to Inishmore, the largest of the three islands, the other islands being Inishmaan and Inisheer. The Islands are located off the West Coast of Galway about 18km out from Rossaveal Harbour in Connemara. Inishmore is approx. 13km long, and contains 3,092 ha. with a native population of about 900. Kilronan the chief center and port.
Landing in Kilronan on Inishmore, you are met by your driver in a horse drawn buggy for a guided tour of the Island and visiting one of its more impressive stone forts called Dun Aonghasa. It is semi-circular structure, resting on the edge of a perpendicular cliff rising 100 meters out of the ocean. The fort consists of an inner court 50 meters across surrounded by a wall six meters high and five meters thick at the base.
Visit the Aran Islands Interpretative Centre which highlights the unique history, spirit and landscapes of the Aran Islands. The center details the geology, history and present lifestyle of the islands. See how the legendary currachs, those open-topped, often tar-coated, boats that skim over the waves, are made. Also on display are details of the fish species off the islands and how the islanders have long used seaweed to create patches of soil that could be cultivated for crops, in between the dry stone walls that crisscross the islands and divide its tiny fields. The islands' other craft traditions, including weaving of the famous Aran sweaters, are also documented.
Duration: 8 hours
Included:
Enjoy a pub lunch on Inishmore
Departing the island by ferry you return to Galway City.
Note: it is also possible to fly to Inishmore.
Pricing: Please inquire
Sligo is a beautiful county with a long Atlantic coastline, unspoilt countryside, mountains, lakes and countless other natural attributes to be seen. One of the world's most famous poets, and Sligo's adopted literary son, W.B. Yeats was inspired by the breathtaking landscape that abounds around Sligo, which prompted much of his poetry and his famous refrain - "Sligo, land of heart's desire".
The Regional Arts Centre houses a collection of J.B.Yeats paintings (brother of W.B Yeats) among other works of interest. Sligo hosts the International Yeats Summer School, an International Choral Festival, and a comtempary music festival to name but a few.
Sligo offers an excellent quality of life, with a wide range of sport and recreational facilities available. The Regional Sports Centre offers various pitches, indoor basketball courts, badminton, tennis, indoor soccer, a gymnasium and weights room, and a superb swimming pool. Championship golf courses compliment Sligo's extraordinary array of out door amenities. For the more energetic there are well developed GAA, Soccer and Rugby complexes. Other pursuits within the greater Sligo area include water-skiing, world class surfing, sailing, scuba-diving, sea and fresh water fishing, canoeing and mountaineering. Sligo Airport also hosts one of Ireland's most active flying clubs.
Sligo boasts a very vibrant nightlife, with a selection of nightclubs, live entertainment theatres and cultural attractions that offer variety and opportunity to meet all tastes.
Excursions
Belfast - Tour of Antrim Coast - Full Day Tour
Belfast - Tour of Antrim Coast - Full Day Tour
Arrive at The Giants Causeway Centre.
Enjoy a 2 Course lunch with tea/coffee in the wonderful Distillers Arms restaurant.
Following lunch you will travel along the Coast up to the fantastic Dunluce Castle. It is thought by some to be the most picturesque of all Irish castles. Situated in the most north-easterly tip of Ireland and first built by Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster in the 13th century, the ruins of the castle are a huge tourist attraction.
The castle is surrounded by terrifyingly steep drops at either side; these would have been essential features to the Vikings and early Christians, who were drawn to this magnificent place where an early Irish ring-fort once stood. It is situated on a 100 foot high basalt stack with a sea cave underneath. The earliest features of the castle, the two large drum towers, about nine metres in diameter, can still be seen on the eastern side.
Return to Belfast Port on the motorway which runs close to some scenic inland countryside.
Inclusions:
- Private Driver Guide
- Giants Causeway visitor Centre
- Entrance to Dunluce Castle
- Lunch Including Tea and Coffee
Belfast: Cultural Belfast - 8 hours
Belfast: Cultural Belfast - 8 hours
Belfast may be a small city, but it has a wealth of culture and excitement on offer for you to discover! Firstly, visit the purpose-built iconic ‘Titanic Belfast’. With over nine galleries, the Titanic story is brought to life for you with exhibitions, rides, full-scale reconstructions and lots
of interactive fun.
After a hearty Irish lunch (payable locally) head into Belfast city where your guide unravels stories related to “the troubles” of Northern Ireland. You cannot miss the murals across Belfast that offer a fascinating history in pictures. Although huge strides have been made in the fight to combat sectarianism in the city, the marks of the past can still be witnessed across the city, adorning the sides of buildings and walls. A tour of Belfast wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a pint of Guinness at the famous Crown Bar in the city centre. This 19th-century bar is an experience that is unique to Northern Ireland. You are privately transferred back to board your cruise after your tour.
Highlights:
- Explore the 'Titanic Belfast' and learn about the ship's fascinating history
- Learn about Belfast's turbulent past and visit the famous Crown Bar in the city centre
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Belfast: Highlights of Belfast - 6 hours
Belfast: Highlights of Belfast - 6 hours
Today you are met by your expert local guide for a sightseeing in Belfast and the surrounding area. Spend the morning on a panoramic tour of the city centre, where you see the impressive City Hall in Donegall Square, St. Anne’s Cathedral and the buildings of Queen’s University. During this tour, your guide talks to you about the sectarian divisions that have been so prominent in Belfast in recent years. You also visit the Titanic Quarter, so-called as it was here that the ill-fated liner was being constructed a century ago. Your guide shows you where the ship was constructed and the Thomson Dock where it had its final fit-out.
Highlights:
- Take a panoramic tour of Belfast’s city centre to see the impressive City Hall and the buildings of Queen’s University
- Visit the Titanic Quarter where the ill-fated liner was constructed a century ago
Tour Can Operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 6 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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