Due to popular demand and
a huge wait-list from this trip this last September, we
will be repeating this trip in 2017. This trip went off
without a hitch and was so good that we didn't want to wait
another year to go back. The only change this time around
will be one extra day in Ireland where we will go on a road
trip to visit the west side of the country and take in the
Cliffs of Moher as well as other sites. We will take one
day away from Iceland where our group felt 4-nights with
3-days of tours was enough. This 2-week trip will have us
in Ireland for 5-nights, Scotland for 4-nights and finally
Iceland for 4-nights. We've got great group air that helped
make this trip affordable, excellent hotels and some very
exciting tours to look forward to.
We fly from LAX to Dublin
via JFK. In the wake of a remarkable economic boom, Dublin's
landscape has changed immeasurably over the past decade.
These days Dublin ranks among the top tourist destinations
in Europe, and this vibrant city hums with a palpable sense
that it is creating a new cultural heritage. The city's
burst of prosperity gave it a new confident sheen, but what
remains special is the spirit of the people who ensure that,
despite whirlwind changes, Dublin remains one of Europe's
most down-to-earth, friendly and accessible cities. Voted
by Frommers Guide readers in 2011 as their favourite holiday
destination in the world, it’s now your turn to uncover
the mystique and charm of the Emerald Isle. A bustling metropolis
alive with entertaining cultural pursuits, fine museums,
beautiful architecture and lively pubs, Dublin offers something
for everyone. Castles, galleries, cathedrals, parks, shopping,
fine dining – Dublin has it covered.
ITINERARY:
These are the optional tours that we offered on our
last trip. They have a separate cost to cover the bus and
guide and to give our travelers the freedom of opting only
for the tours they are most interested in.
WICKLOW AND
GLENDALOUGH
Monday, September 18th
Today
we'll enjoy a wonderful scenic day starting with our drive
from Dublin into the heart of Wicklow's stunning countryside
The stops on our tour will include the Powerscourt Estate
where we will explore the gardens of the estate including
the Italian gardens, Japanese gardens and pet cemetery.
This is one of the most visited tourist destinations in
Ireland. We will also visit Powerscourt Waterfall, the highest
waterfall in Ireland.
We'll visit the pretty Wicklow village of Avoca (where the
famous TV show, Ballykissangel was filmed). Leisure time
at Avoca (60 minute stop) where you can drop into Fitzgerald's
pub for a pint of Guinness. Visit the famous Handweaver's
craft shop, considered the oldest weaving mill in Ireland
From there we'll visit the 6th century monastic settlement
in Glendalough (105 minute stop). Enjoy a guided tour of
this mystical site. See the famous 10th century Round Tower
and St Kevin's Kitchen. Enjoy the fresh country air of the
Wicklow Mountains Glendalough is famed for its beautiful
scenery and historic monuments, but has also been a centre
for pilgrims and visitors from the time of St. Kevin, (from
whom the bus service took its name).
KILKENNY
Tuesday, September 19th
Once
the capital of Ireland in the middle-ages, Kilkenny is renowned
for its magnificent Norman Castle dating back to 12th century.
With its narrow street and colorful shops and buildings,
Kilkenny is unique as a city and a mecca for those who choose
to visit. You will have plenty of time to enjoy a pint of
Kilkenny in Kilkenny. Kilkenny's rich medieval heritage
is evident in the city's treasure trove of historical buildings
and landmarks, exemplified by the magnificent Kilkenny Castle.
Kilkenny is arguably the pre-eminent medieval city in Ireland,
with the current layout of the city clearly grounded in
the city's medieval roots. However,
the city's origins predate the medieval landmarks existing
today. Saint Canice founded a monastic settlement in Kilkenny
in the sixth century, unfortunately the sole remaining landmark
from this settlement is the round tower positioned alongside
the cathedral.
We will depart
Dublin and at the end of this tour bring the group to our
next destination on the west coast, the town of Lisdoonvarna
where we will spend the next 2 nights.
MATCH
MAKING FESTIVAL
We
will be spending the next 2-nights on Ireland's west coast
and staying in the town of Lisdoonvarna to put us in a good
position to visit the Cliffs of Moher as well as other sights
on the west coast. This town happens to be featuring their
annual Match-Making
Festival which sounded like a real hoot, especially
for our group from Singles in Paradise! This festival has
a long history and the event gets huge turnouts! So when
we get to the town and after our tour the next day we expect
the town to be hopping with fun evening activity and dances.
CLIFFS
OF MOHER
Wednesday, September 20th
Today
we will offer a bus tour to visit The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s
most visited natural attraction with a magical vista that
captures the hearts of up to one million visitors every
year. Standing 214m (702 feet) at their highest point they
stretch for 8 kilometres (5 miles) along the Atlantic coast
of County Clare in the west of Ireland. From the Cliffs
of Moher on a clear day one can see the Aran Islands and
Galway Bay, as well as the Twelve Pins and the Maum Turk
mountains in Connemara, Loop Head to the south and the Dingle
Peninsula and Blasket Islands in Kerry. O’Brien’s
Tower stands near the highest point and has served as a
viewing point for visitors for hundreds of years. We will
be working on today's itinerary but basically we will be
viewing the cliffs and surroundings from the 3 different
platforms - read
more.
We'll also fit
in a tour of Limerick where we'll see Bunratty Castle, walk
through the charming Folk Park, admire the Burren and drive
along Galway Bay.
BELFAST
Thursday, September 21st
Today
we will be moving on to Belfast in the north. This great
city blossomed from very humble beginnings… It started
out as a small hamlet with fertile land along the mouth
of the Lagan. Soon, marauders and pirates realised our lough
was deep and our shores were safe from the north Atlantic
storms. The perfect haven for repairing sea ravaged ships.
From these early stages the industrious locals developed
a boat building trade. And the rest is our history.
So what’s
Belfast like today? Well, it’s packed with history,
culture, exciting events, great food, super shopping…
you might even spot a ship or two. You’ll also find
some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. One
of the more interesting tours that we will offer is the
Titanic Visitor Experience. Only in Belfast can you trace
the Titanic story to its source, discover the passion and
pride of those who designed and built her and relive the
excitement of the Titanic era when the city was at the height
of its powers. This is the world’s largest Titanic
visitor experience, Titanic Belfast. Come and share the
moment with us! Read
more.
BELFAST TO
EDINBURGH
Friday, September 22nd
Today we will
take a luxury and very stable ferry from Belfast across
the North Channel to Scotland where we will be met by our
motorcoach for our trip to Edinburgh where we will spend
the next 4-nights. At our hotel we are giving everyone their
own room due to a lack of rooms with separate beds. If you
are able to share a room you and your roommate will deduct
$90 per person.
Scotland is home
to a relatively diverse terrain, complete with tall mountains,
several islands, sea-side cliffs, and lush forests. Possessing
vibrant and modern cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow,
it manages to successfully combine these two contrasting
sides. It holds a rural backdrop of awe inspiring scenery,
villages and towns of unique local history and culture all
the while possessing a modern and young urban landscape
with cities of the calibre of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen
that can rival the best in Europe. There's plenty of adventure,
whether you want to bash downhill on a mountain bike, hurl
yourself off a bungee or take on the Atlantic surf in a
kayak Scotland is one of the world’s top adventure playgrounds.
It's got wildlife with huge eagles and stately stags on
land and basking sharks, dolphins and even killer whales
at sea. Scotland’s seven cities – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen,
Dundee, Inverness, Stirling and new city Perth- all have
their own charms and each is worth a trip on its own. Scotland
is also home to an impressive five UNESCO World Heritage
sites – Edinburgh’s Old and New Town, Orkney’s Prehistoric
Sites, Hadrian’s Wall, St. Kilda and New Lanark.
EDINBURGH
CASTLE
Saturday, September 23rd
Our hotel is an easy 15 minute walk to this iconic castle
which is a must see. We will not need a bus or a guide.
I have set up a reservation for our entire group for this
morning. The afternoon is free and all the other interesting
sights are an easy walk. The city itself is like a museum
so enjoy your free time.
ST ANDREWS
AND THE HIGHLANDS
Sunday, September 24th
Today
we will visit Highlands, featuring Scotland's most characteristic
and romantic scenery. Visit the university town of St Andrews
on this private trip. Famous for being the 'home of golf,'
St Andrews is known for attractions like the Old Course
and Swilcan Bridge, part of St Andrews' prestigious golf
legacy and not to be missed. which you'll see on this tour
with a private guide. Walk around town and enjoy time to
buy lunch and shop a bit, if you like.
We are setting
up options to play a round on the Putting Club Course, probably
better known to visitors from around the world as The Himalayas
which is an ap
t
description for this unique facility found in St Andrews,
the home of golf. We are also setting up a 50 minute guided
walk of the Old Course There is the option to have your
photo taken on the Swilcan Bridge. You can also visit the
British Golf Museum or the Castle ruins and Cathedral (own
expense). Before stopping at the Old Course you will be
given a short driven tour around St Andrews to get your
bearings. For those not interested in Old Course there is
an option to stay in town and shop.
From there we
will venture further into the highlands with a visit to
Glaimis Castle. Glamis has been the family home of the Earls
of Strathmore since 1372 when SirJohn Lyon was granted the
thaneage by King Robert II. In 1376 Sir John married the
King's daughter and since then Glamis has been visited and
lived in by many members of the Scottish and British Royal
Families. The present owner is Simon Patrick Bowes Lyon,
19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne who succeeded his
late father on the 27th of February 2016. The castle is
famed as being the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
The Queen Mother, birthplace of HRH The Princess Margaret
and the setting for Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. It is situated
in the fertile valley of Strathmore, only 5 miles from Forfar
and 12 miles from Dundee.
SCOTTISH BORDERS
Monday, September 25th
Journey
through the majestic Scottish Lowlands on this 7.5-hour
tour that will include Melrose, Abbotsford House, Traquair
House.and Roslyn Chapel. Take a scenic route along Scotland's
border to Melrose Abbey - believed to be the burial site
of King Robert the Bruce's heart - and enjoy lunch at your
leisure. Admire panoramic views over the Scottish countryside
and the Tweed River from Scott's View
The triple peaks of the Eildon Hills are the most distinctive
single landmark in the Scottish Borders. At their feet in
the valley of the Tweed lies Melrose. From the rolling hills
and moorland in the west to the gentle valleys and picturesque
Berwickshire coastline in the east, it is easy to see why
Sir Walter Scott was so enamored with this peaceful region
that he chose to build his beloved house, Abbotsford here
which we will visit. Here at Abbotsford he worked tirelessly,
writing book after book in his wood-panelled study. Scott
looked far and wide across Scotland for decorative elements
to embellish his house; he rescued architectural fragments
from houses, and took casts from existing houses to create
copies that reflected Scotland's architectural heritage.
The result was a very 'Scottish' building, inspired by Scotland's
heritage and containing pieces from a variety of dwellings
across the country. This very nationalistic pride in Scottish
heritage was typical of Scott and his work. The result was
almost universally popular, and Abbotsford became a very
popular place for sightseers almost immediately.
On our way back to Edinburgh we will make a stop at Roslyn
Chapel. One of Scotland's most remarkable buildings, Rosslyn
Chapel has been in the ownership of our family since its
foundation in 1446 and is still used today as a place of
worship.
FLY
TO ICELAND
Tuesday, September 26th
Today we will journey to Iceland. Your trip includes our
short flight to the capital of Rekyjavik where we will spend
the next 4-nights.
Iceland, a country
rich with roaring volcanoes, monolithic glaciers, icy mountains
and deep fjords, has become a mecca for photographers looking
to capture the raw, mystical power of its natural northern
beauty. The ruggedness of and stark contrasts present in
Iceland’s landscapes makes them irresistible to photographers.
Glacial floodplains, waterfalls, towering mountains, fjords
and even deserts of volcanic ash can all be found in relative
proximity to each other. Its small population (of roughly
325,000) also means that the majority of its natural wonder
remains nearly or completely untouched. We will be spending
most of our time here exploring the outdoors and natural
beauty.
THE
BLUE LAGOON & RAYKJANES PENINSULA
Wednesday, September 27th
This
is a half-day tour that we'll start at 12 pm. On our way
to the famous Blue Lagoon we will visit the Raykjanes Peninsula.
There you can see beautiful small fishing town, a lighthouse,
old stone built church, Gunnuhver (Geyser), Krýsuvík,
Kleifarvatn and of course the Blue Lagoon. Here you can
find more about Reykjanes.
Then, we'll head to Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon for an
otherworldly dip in its geothermal waters.
This
spa is based around the unique properties of the geothermal
seawater in the lagoon and they claim to be in the 25 natural
wonders of the world. The Blue Lagoon was formed in 1976
during operation at the nearby geothermal power plant. In
the years that followed, people began to bathe in the unique
water and apply the silica mud to their skin. Those with
psoriasis noticed an incredible improvement in their condition.
Over the years, Blue Lagoon has been innovative in harnessing
this gift of nature to develop different spa services and
products. Today, Blue Lagoon is recognized as one of the
wonders of the world.
The
geothermal water originates 2,000 meters below the surface,
where freshwater and seawater combine at extreme temperatures.
It is then harnessed via drilling holes at a nearby geothermal
power plant, Svartsengi, to create electricity and hot water
for nearby communities. On its way to the surface, the water
picks up silica and minerals, before emerging at a soothing
38°C (100°F). Perfect for a relaxing and re-energizing
bathe.
GOLDEN
CIRCLE TOUR
Thursday, September 28th
The
Golden Circle is a must-do day tour out of Reykjavik. It
offers you the opportunity to discover some of the highlights
of south-west Iceland. It also provides you with a general
insight into the Icelandic history, geology, its people
and it rich cultural heritage.
We start
the tour by driving to Iceland's first national park, the
Thingvellir National Park. This is the birth place of a
nation as well as of the first Icelandic democracy, when
the Viking chieftains decided to establish their first parliament
(Althingi) or "general assembly" in 930 AD. Many
events took place in the area, including the introduction
of Christianity in the year 1000 AD, the declaration of
independence from the Danish kings on June 17, 1944. Besides
its historical and cultural importance, the park displays
a unique geology and natural landscapes. There, one can
learn and understand the tectonic activity or
the so-called the continental drift, the boundary between
North American and Eurasian plate tectonics. Thingvellir
is one of the only sites on Earth where the effects of two
major tectonic plates drifting apart can be observed. Notorious
for its outstanding natural beauty, Thingvellir National
Park served as one the main filming locations of Game of
Thrones in Iceland. There, you can experience the site the
same way encountered or seen by the cast of the White Walkers
and the trail of the Wildlings from North of the Wall.
After
a short walk through the area, we continue towards the Geyser
geothermal area. There, you have enough time to discover
Strokkur, one of the most active geysers in the world. It
spouts hot water and steam at a height of 20 - 25 meters
every 5 - 8 minutes.
After lunch break in the area, we head towards Gullfoss
"Golden Waterfall", Europe's second most powerful
waterfall. It is located on the Hvítár "White
River", one of Iceland's major glacier rivers. The
gorgeous waterfall is one of the most popular attractions
in the country. Located in the canyon, which forms three
step terraces, river Hvítá plunges creating
a powerful stream and Gullfoss. There are no rails - just
a natural surroundings.
SOUTH
SHORE TOUR
Friday, September 29th
In
this tour we will take in the scenery of the South Coast
and go as far as Vík. Vík is Iceland's most
southerly village and one of the most popular tourist sites
in Iceland. Although this community of about 450 inhabitants
faces the open Atlantic, Vík is the only seaside
settlement in Iceland left without a harbour due to natural
circumstances. We will see The
Black Sand Beach, (Reynisfjara) a beautiful basalt-lava
rock formations and sea-made caves. The historical palagonite
mountains of Pétursey, Hjörleifshöfði
and Hafursey stand towering over the surrounding black expanse.,
Dyrhólaey, where the unique rock arch is found, is
a 120-m-high promontory in the western part of the Mýrdalur
district. Dyrhólaey is Iceland's most southerly tip.
Skogafoss
Waterfall, which rivals Gullfoss
as Iceland's most famous waterfall. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
one of the best known waterfalls in Iceland. It's possible
to walk behind the waterfall so bring a raincoat as you
will get wet from the drizzle. It's awesome especially on
a sunny day when one can catch a rainbow. And of course
the beautiful town of Vík.
On the way there they will see The Eyjafallajökull
eruption museum, Mýrdalsjökull glacier,
Skogar waterfall and much more. It is a great tour.
NORTHERN
LIGHTS
Any evening in Iceland
The
Norhtern Lights become a real possiblity to see any time
after September 15th which is one of the reasons for our
visit at the end of September. Our last trip there ended
on September 10th so we just missed them. If the Northern
Lights appear the town of Reykavik will often times turn
off the city lights to make the viewing better. We may also
organize a bus tour to get outside of the city.
Temperature
The month of September is characterized by falling daily
high temperatures, with daily highs decreasing from 54°F
to 48°F over the course of the month, exceeding 58°F or
dropping below 42°F only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures
range from 39°F to 45°F, falling below 32°F or exceeding
50°F only one day in ten.
Extra light!
The sun will set about 8:30 pm during our stay.
DEPOSIT TO
SIGN UP - $200
OUR
AIR: Deduct
$825 with your own air and you will not pay the departure
tax. We will include the air from Scotland to Iceland
INTERNATIONAL:
Flight:
Delta Air Lines 474 Departure:Los Angeles 16SEP/1125A Arrival:New
York Kennedy 16SEP/755P
Flight:Delta Air Lines 44 Departure: New York Kennedy 16SEP/1018P
Arrival:Dublin 17SEP/950A
Flight: Delta Air Lines 246 Departure:Reykjavik 30SEP/830A
Arrival:New York Kennedy 30SEP/1040A
Flight: Delta Air Lines 447 Departure:New York Kennedy 30SEP/330P
Arrival:Los Angeles 30SEP/710P
FROM SCOTLAND
TO ICELAND:
Flight: Icelandair
431 Departure:Glasgow 26SEP/205P Arrival:Reykjavik 26SEP/325P
FROM JFK:
If you would
like to meet the group in JFK we have a limited number of
seats. You would deduct $450 from the price of the trip
Flight:Delta
Air Lines 44 Departure: New York Kennedy 16SEP/1018P Arrival:Dublin
17SEP/950A
Flight: Delta Air Lines 246 Departure:Reykjavik 30SEP/830A
Arrival:New York Kennedy 30SEP/1040A
INCLUDES:
- Round trip international
air from LAX (other gateways available but could be slightly
more)
- 13-nights
accommodations (double occ.)
- All ground transportation
- Ferry from
Ireland to Scotland
- Daily Breakfast
- Flight from Scotland
to Iceland
DOES
NOT INCLUDE:
Tired
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The
Imperial Hotel is located in Lisdoonvarna, just a 10-minute
drive from the Cliffs of Moher. It offers en-suite bedrooms,
a restaurant and a bar with live music. Bedrooms at the
Imperial feature satellite TVs, hairdryers and telephones.
Tea and coffee making facilities are also available and
there is free Wi-Fi in public areas of the hotel.
Welcome
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small step away from some big attractions, not to mention
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And if you're here on business, we'll make sure your stay
is a pleasant one. Track down the Titanic story to its source.
Or make tracks to some of the biggest names on the high
street - don't miss the continental market if you're here
over Christmas. There's nightlife that'll make your day,
and everything from an interactive science museum to a candy
factory. Don't fill up on too many sweets though, there's
good food waiting for you at our restaurant, and comfy beds
in every room.
