Itinerary for 2009

6-Day Break

• Day 1 – Local departure then to Holyhead for the ferry to Ireland and on to Monaghan for a 4-night stay.
• Day 2 – County Down. B,D
• Excursions & Visits – County Down (included). We begin the day in Hillsborough before continuing to the seaside resort of Newcastle, where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea. This afternoon, we visit the town of Downpatrick, where in the grounds of Down Cathedral lies a grave reputed to be that of St. Patrick. During your visit you will be able to retrace his life and history in the highly recommended St. Patrick Centre (entrance extra).
• Day 3 – Armagh and Belfast. B,D
• Excursions & Visits – Armagh and Belfast (optional). A tale of two cities today, as we head first to vibrant Armagh. We later continue to Belfast. Don’t miss City Hall and no visit to Belfast is complete without a drop of the black stuff in the Crown Liquor Saloon.
• Day 4 – Giant’s Causeway and Derry. B,D
• Excursions & Visits – Giant’s Causeway and Derry (included). A day of fantastic scenery, as we head first to the Antrim Coast, an area of outstanding beauty, visiting the world-famous Giant’s Causeway (entrance extra) with its basalt columns and tales of ancient Irish giants. We then head west to the walled city of Derry (Londonderry). Prosperity and peace have made this compact city, with its tumultuous history, one of the most fascinating to visit in the British Isles.
• Day 5 – Dublin. B
• Excursions & Visits – Dublin (included). We leave Monaghan and head to Dublin. Join our optional sightseeing tour.
• Day 6 – Ferry to Holyhead then homeward bound. B

B=Breakfast D=Dinner

Itinerary for 2008

6-Day Break

• Day 1 – Travel to Holyhead, then by ferry to Ireland. Continue by Monaghan for a 4-night stay.
• Day 2 – County Down (included). Spend a full day exploring the ever-changing landscapes of County Down. We head first to Hillsborough, home to the famous castle and official residency of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Continue to Strangford Lough, known for its miles of sandy beaches and excellent fishing before we reach Downpatrick. In the grounds of Down Cathedral lies a grave reputed to be that of St. Patrick and you can retrace his life and history in the highly recommended St. Patrick Centre (entrance extra). Finish the day with time in the seaside resort of Newcastle, overlooked by the Mountains of Mourne, which sweep down to the sea. Return to Monaghan.B,D
• Day 3 – Armagh and Belfast (optional). A tale of two cities today, as we head first to vibrant Armagh. Elegant Georgian buildings surround the city's magnificent oval tree-lined Mall. We later continue to Belfast. A whole host of architectural periods are on show and this bustling and rejuvenated city truly has something for everyone. Don’t miss City Hall and no visit to Belfast is complete without a drop of the black stuff in the Crown Liquor Saloon. B,D
• Day 4 – Antrim Coast and Giant’s Causeway (included). A day of fantastic scenery, as we tour the Antrim Coast, an area of outstanding beauty, where breathtaking and rugged coastlines merge into romantic landscapes of deep silent glens and lush parkland. The worldfamous Giant’s Causeway (entrance extra) with its basalt columns and tales of ancient Irish giants, and the charming town of Bushmills, home to the famous distillery, are two of the highlights of our day. We include entrance to Bushmills Distillery. B,D
• Day 5 – Dublin (included). We leave Monaghan and head to Dublin. Our optional sightseeing tour will give you a taste of this fascinating city, with its stately Georgian houses, excellent shops and wealth of artistic and literary heritage where you will stay overnight.B
• Day 6 – Ferry to Holyhead, then homeward bound. B

B=Breakfast D=Dinner