Flavors of Ireland: Hops, Grains & Slainte<br>9 days

Board your overnight flight to Dublin today. Meals: In-flight Welcome to Ireland! Proceed to your hotel in downtown Dublin with free time to rest or explore your surroundings. This evening, meet your travel companions for a welcome dinner and orientation with your tour director. Inclusions: Airport transfer with purchased AESU group airfare Welcome orientation Welcome dinner Meals: In-flight, Dinner On our city tour today, we will take in top attractions and landmarks including College Green, Dublin Castle, the Guinness Brewery, St Patrick's Cathedral and Temple Bar. We then explore the Georgian streets around Parnell Square and Merrion Square and gain insight into Dublin's rich history. Later we visit the Guinness Storehouse making sure to stop by Brewer's Dining Hall for a taste of Guinness straight from the source. During free time this afternoon explore Teeling, the only operational distillery in the city, for a tasting or tour the historic Dublin Jameson Distillery where the famed spirit was originally produced and bottled before moving to its new home in Midleton. Inclusions: Guided tour of Dublin, led by a local historian See College Green, Dublin Castle, Guinness Brewery, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Temple Bar and more Guinness Storehouse visit Meals: Breakfast Expect a day chockfull of whiskey-filled knowledge. A 'behind-the-scenes' tour at Tullamore D.E.W.'s state-of-the-art distillery is an exceptional experience for whiskey enthusiasts and novices alike. Learn about the process from distillation to maturation and discover the art of blending before savoring some of their award-winning whiskeys. Continue to Birr Castle with its grand gardens and intriguing science center. Enjoy a tranquil stroll among the exotic flowers of the castle's award-winning gardens and browse the exhibits in the Historic Science Center before enjoying lunch in the castle's café. We then make our way to Kilbeggan, established 1757 and one of the oldest distilleries in Ireland. We are invited to tour the old warehouses, meet with onsite distillers and taste four unique whiskeys. Our final destination today is Galway, on the west coast of Ireland. From castles to cathedrals, from stone forts to beaches and picturesque filming locations, Galway is a place of stunning natural beauty. Enjoy an evening at your leisure. Inclusions: Tullamore D.E.W. distillery tour and tasting Birr Castle Gardens Lunch at Birr Castle Kilbeggan distillery tour and tasting Meals: Breakfast, Lunch During leisure time this morning you may wish to visit the Latin Quarter, at the heart of which is colorful, bohemian Shop Street. Walk down from Lynch's Castle passing a lively mix of and unique small shops. At lunch time, join us on a fun foodie tour. Stroll past Lynch's Castle, the Druid Theatre Company, and the broad expanse of Eyre Square, then view the city's medieval walls, the Spanish Arch and the Oscar Wilde statue while learning about Galway's history and heritage. Discover Galway city's award-winning bars and restaurants on this gastronomic exploration. Taste delicious treats from family-run businesses and artisanal producers, hear their stories and bond over a glass of craft beer. Inclusions: Foodie tour of Galway Foodie lunch Meals: Breakfast, Lunch As we continue our journey south, explore Ireland's beautiful Burren region, a wildly diverse ecosystem that is filled with the riches of Irish history; eons of stories, told and untold. Walk on top of the mighty Cliffs of Moher, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and enjoy panoramic views over the coastal scenery while watching the skies for sightings of native birdlife. We continue to Cork and stop at the Franciscan Well Microbrewery for a tasting of their local brews and to enjoy dinner at the Well's brick oven pizza pub situated right on the river Lee. Tonight, consider going on a pub crawl of Cork's best-loved, old-fashioned pubs together with new-found friends. Inclusions: Burren region Cliffs of Moher, UNESCO World Heritage Site Brick oven pizza dinner Meals: Breakfast, Dinner This morning we head to Blarney Castle. Explore the grounds, then leave a kiss on the Blarney Stone and receive the gift of eloquence and persuasiveness. Our next stop is beautiful Ballymaloe, a famous cooking school in southern Ireland run by celebrity chef Darina Allen. The farm is accompanied by a full restaurant, shop, and café. We'll tour the organic gardens of this amazing establishment that practiced 'farm-to-table' service before it was cool. Afterwards, we'll enjoy lunch at the farm's restaurant. We continue to Midleton to go on a journey from past to present at the Jameson Distillery. Come face to face with the world's largest pot still, hear stories of Jameson's rich heritage, and learn about the hard-working people and field-to-glass processes responsible for the whiskey that bears John Jameson's name. The tour finishes with a guided tasting of three famous whiskeys. We return to Cork with free time to explore the city and make dinner plans with travel companions. Inclusions: Blarney Castle Ballymaloe cooking school & organic gardens Jameson Distillery in Midleton Meals: Breakfast, Lunch This morning we visit the English Market which is one of the oldest and most well-known markets in Ireland. A blend of local organic foods mixed with fares from all over, this market has been around since the 18th century. In the early afternoon, we are on our way north to Dublin. The Rock of Cashel, set on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, is our first stop en route. It is iconic in its historic significance, possesses the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland and is one of the most visited sites. Next, we visit Kilkenny Castle, one of the largest and most important castles in Ireland's history dating from as far back as the first decade of the thirteenth century. Explore some of the castle's fifty acres of rolling parkland with mature trees and an abundance of wildlife. Visit the formal terraced rose garden, woodlands, and a man-made lake, or enjoy a cup of tea at the tearoom before we continue our journey to Dublin. At tonight's Farewell Ireland dinner, we share the good times we had on our journey and toast a final 'Slainte' to new-found friends. Inclusions: English Market in Cork Rock of Cashel Kilkenny Castle Irish farewell dinner Meals: Breakfast, Dinner After breakfast the group says goodbye to Ireland, filled with not only delicious Irish food and spirits, but also with a better knowledge of what goes into making some of the great beverages of this country and a feeling of having seen how incredible this isle truly is. Inclusions: Airport transfer with purchased AESU group airfare Meals: Breakfast, In-flight