Taste of Ireland & Scotland, May 22-31, 2027, with Ramona Ranch Vineyard & Winery

Day 1: Saturday, May 22

ARRIVE DUBLIN / WELCOME DINNER

Céad Mile Fáilte to Ireland! — One Hundred Thousand Welcomes!  You will be met and transferred to our hotel. Enjoy free time upon arrival before meeting Micole & Teri, your tour director and travel companions, at 6pm for a Welcome Dinner at your hotel. (D)

OVERNIGHT: The Gibson (2 nights) or similar

KEY FOR INCLUDED MEALS: B = Breakfast   /   L = Lunch   /   D = Dinner

Day 2: Sunday, May 23

COLOSSEUM & DUBLIN SIGHTSEEING

This morning tour of “Dublin’s Fair City” includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, elegant Georgian squares, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College, The Book of Kells, and the General Post Office, the latter memorialized as the beginning point of Ireland’s revolution (“The Easter Rising”) against the British Crown. This afternoon there is time to visit and tour the Guinness Storehouse. Tonight enjoy an evening performance of traditional Irish music and dance at Taylor’s Cabaret. (B)

Day 3: Monday, May 24

CLIFFS OF MOHER & GALWAY CITY

Depart Dublin city for a 2½-hour drive to the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s scenic highlights. Here the stormy North Atlantic crashes into the towering green and black cliffs, the tallest cliffs in Europe at over 700’ high. The Cliffs of Moher provide nesting to some 30,000 seabirds. This is a spectacular sight. Continue to Galway, a historic port city and the population center of “Ireland’s West.” Galway City is a buzzing center of colorful shops, bustling cafés, shops, and pubs. Enjoy free time before heading to Castlebar for our overnight stay. (B) 206 mi / 331 km

OVERNIGHT: Breaffy House Resort & Spa (1 night) or similar

Day 4: Tuesday, May 24

BELEEK POTTERY & BELFAST CITY 

Departing County Galway, we cross into Northern Ireland, stopping en route at the Belleek Pottery factory to see how Ireland’s world-renowned porcelain is crafted. Arriving in Belfast, with a walking tour of Belfast’s city center. Explore its beautiful architecture, stunning street art, and unique heritage, spanning centuries of history. Learn about Northern Ireland’s political conflicts, or “The Troubles,” which started in the late 1960s, through personal stories, struggles, and the ultimate path to peace. (B) 186 mi / 300 km

RRV SPECIAL EVENT: Tonight enjoy hosted drinks with Teri & Micole at THE CROWN BAR, Belfast’s marvelous Victorian-era pub. Bring your camera!

OVERNIGHT: Europa House (1 night) or similar

Day 5: Wednesday, May 26

TITANIC MUSEUM / FERRY TO GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

This morning, visit the fascinating Titanic Experience museum. Learn about the construction of what was, at the time, the world’s largest and fastest passenger ship. Hear the harrowing story of the Titanic’s maiden voyage and that tragic night of April 14, 1912. Later we board a speedy ferry to the maritime port of Cairnryan on Scotland’s west coast. Continue on to Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. (B) 84 mi / 135 km

OVERNIGHT: AC Hotel by Marriott (1 night) or similar

Day 6: Thursday, May 27

LOCH LOMOND / INVERARY CASTLE / OBAN

Departing Glasgow, we head east for a photo stop on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond, then visit stunning Inveraray Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll, the chief of Clan Campbell, one of Scotland’s most powerful and influential clans. The castle’s conical roofs and turrets give it a fairy-tale appearance, while its interior features stunning rooms with opulent decorations. With stunning views over Loch Fyne, this castle has been used for multiple film locations, including the popular television series Downton Abbey. Continue to the pretty conservation village of Ellenabeich, a remote Scottish village on the Isle of Seil, famous for slate mining in the 19th and 20th centuries. Later arrive in the fishing hamlet of Oban, “Gateway to the Scottish Isles” (B,D) 130 mi / 209 km.

OVERNIGHT: Oban Bay Hotel (1 night) or similar

Day 7: Friday, May 28

TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK / STIRLING / EDINBURGH

A scenic drive through the Trossachs National Park takes you to the historic city of Stirling. Explore its imposing castle, a favored residence of the Stewart kings and queens, before a visit to a Highland Malt Whisky Distillery. Arrive in Edinburgh late this afternoon. Tonight is at leisure, or there is an optional tour (own cost, booked through the tour director) to see a Scottish Music Show, complete with traditional food, drinks, singers, dancers, bagpipes, and, of course, the unforgettable Ceremony of the Haggis! (B) 126 / 203 km

OVERNIGHT: Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh (3 nights) or similar

Day 8: Saturday, May 29

HIGHLIGHTS OF EDINBURGH CITY & CASTLE

This morning walk with a local guide to explore 200-year-old “New Town.” Hear about the famous scientists, inventors, and novelists who once lived here. This afternoon in “Old Town,” visit Edinburgh Castle high atop Castle Rock. Edinburgh Castle is one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with an 11,000-year history as “the most besieged place in Great Britain.” See royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Each summer in July and August, the castle is the site and backdrop of the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse. Enjoy some free time this afternoon and evening. This afternoon is special! Enjoy a private “Behind the Scenes” tour of the Royal Yacht Britania, the royal family’s yacht used often by Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill from 1954 to its decommissioning in 1997. Follow this special experience with dinner in a local restaurant. (B,D)

NOTE: Today’s Edinburgh Castle tour requires some uphill walking on rough terrain at Edinburgh Castle, which may pose a challenge to guests with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs. Some walking is involved back to the hotel.

Day 9: Sunday, May 30

A DAY IN ST. ANDREWS

Today travel 45 minutes to the seaside town of St. Andrews, home to one of Scotland’s finest colleges and world-famous for being the Birthplace of Golf. The Old Course at St. Andrews is golf’s most renowned and hallowed course and the original home to the British Open. After our St. Andrews town tour, enjoy a private group luncheon and malt whiskey tasting at the Old Course Hotel, ideally situated on the 17th fairway of Old Course St. Andrews, overlooking the iconic Swilken Bridge. Return to Edinburgh late this afternoon. Tonight is at leisure to dine independently. (B,L)

Day 10: Monday, May 31

DEPART EDINBURGH

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. You will be transferred to the Edinburgh Airport (code: EDI) for your onward flight home. (B)