Best of Ireland and Scotland

Overview
Highlights
- Explore Dublin, Londonderry, Belfast and Edinburgh with a Local Specialist
- Discover Waterford, Adare, Galway and Glasgow
- Visit the Irish National Stud in Kildare, the Waterford Crystal showroom, Blarney Castle, Giant's Causeway, Titanic Experience in Belfast, Stirling Distillery, Pitlochry and Edinburgh Castle
- View Eilean Donan Castle, the battlefield of Culloden and the 18th green at St. Andrews
- See St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Galway Cathedral and Loch Lomond
- Scenic Drive of the Ring of Kerry
- Tickets for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are included on departures that coincide with performance dates
- Connect With Locals
- Dive into Culture
- Dive into Culture
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Itinerary
Explore the Celtic heritage and hospitality of Ireland and Scotland on this grand adventure through beautiful landscapes and enchanting cities. Our first day sees us delve into the whimsy of the Irish capital, before joining our fellow travellers and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception.
Drive through the streets of Dublin, joining your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour past the stately Georgian Squares and St. Patrick's Cathedral, the tallest church in Ireland. Enjoy a leisurely day exploring the city. Stop for a pint of 'the Black Stuff' in Te...
Dive Into Culture and gain insights into Ireland’s strong tradition of breeding world-class thoroughbreds at the Irish National Stud in Kildare. Enjoy a guided walk admiring the powerful steeds that have made racing history and stroll around the tranquil Japanese gard...
Travel to Cork and bend over backwards to kiss the Blarney Stone and acquire the 'gift of the gab' before crossing the Kerry Mountains to County Kerry. We journey to 1930s Ireland this evening for an unforgettable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, visiting the working f...
The astounding beauty of Iveragh Peninsula accompanies us on this soul-stirring coastal journey around the Ring of Kerry – a dramatic landscape of mountains, loughs and lakes which have inspired writers and poets for centuries. See Daniel O'Connell's Cahirciveen, the fishing village of Waterville, the Black Valley and Moll's Gap with the Macgillycuddy's Reeks peaks in the distance.
Drive to Adare, one of Ireland's prettiest villages, known for its thatched cottages. The imposing stone cathedral, built on the site of an old prison and Eyre Square on our next stop in Galway, where we'll enjoy some free time to explore the city before continuing our journey northward. This evening we dine in our hotel.
Head north to Donegal with its 'Diamond' centre before joining a Local Specialist in Londonderry to stroll along its 17th-century walls. See the 'Troubles' neighbourhood of Bogside, with its murals depicting the battles of that time.
Tread in the footsteps of Finn McCool and along the other-worldly Giant's Causeway 'steps' that descend into the sea during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Your visit will help to conserve this iconic landmark. We arrive in Belfast later and visit the Titanic Bel...
Join your Local Specialist in Belfast this morning for an included city tour which will take you to Queen's University and the Baroque Revival-style City Hall. We board our ferry at Larne and cross to Cairnryan in Scotland, driving through the Ayrshire countryside bound for Glasgow, our home for the next two nights.
Delve into Scotland’s intriguing cultural capital and stroll through the toon to admire views of George Square and the River Clyde, once the heart of Scotland's shipbuilding industry. We head to Stirling, visiting Stirling Distillery where we’ll Dive Into Culture and ...
Journey along the famous bonnie banks of Loch Lomond to the tragic site of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonalds at the 'Glen of Weeping'. Continue to Fort William at the foot of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Then, cross to the Isle of Skye, where we'll spend this evening dining in our hotel.
We leave the rugged beauty of Skye behind and venture to the site where three lochs meet. View Eilean Donan Castle before travelling along the banks of Loch Ness in search of the elusive monster that bears its name. The bloody battlefield of Culloden is our next stop,...
Traversing the dramatic landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, we pass Pitlochry before arriving in St. Andrews to see its famous golf course on which golfing greats have clamoured to play for centuries. We cross the scenic Firth of Forth to enchanting Edinburgh, our h...
Join your Local Specialist for a guided sightseeing tour which includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle, surveying the city from imposing Castle Rock. See the Royal Mile, the elegant Palace of Holyrood in the shadow of Arthur's Seat, and the new Scottish Parliament buildi...
For now it’s time to say a fond farewell to Scotland and our newfound friends, at the end of an unforgettable Celtic sojourn. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check current availability, prices, specials & more.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Trafalgar Reviews & Ratings
David Edgar Guthrie
Oct 2023
Best of Ireland and Scotland
Most hotels were excellent but others were marginal. We were disappointed changes to the hotel list was made after our reservation. For instance, Novatel was repla...
Susan Weston
Oct 2023
Best of Ireland and Scotland
It is excellent if you are not sick!
Mary Savage
Oct 2023
Best of Ireland and Scotland
This itinerary showed us a great mix of big cities and smaller villages. We traveled over much of the country, and really got a beautiful look at the natural beauty...
Trusted Customer
Sep 2023
Best of Ireland and Scotland
A great overall view of Ireland and Scotland with a variety of experiences. There are several additional excursions that are reasonably priced to add to your advent...
Sharon Henderson
Sep 2023
Best of Ireland and Scotland
The coach was comfortable and the hotels were placed so that we could make th...
Other Trafalgar Reviews
Trusted Customer
Mar 2025
New Zealand Uncovered
It was beautiful but to see everything required too much time on the bus.
Tour Operator
About Travelstride
Find your perfect trip
Save time
Save money
Travel confidently
Logistics
Accommodation
- Novotel Centre/Apex Haymarket
- 1 Be My Guest
- 1 Farewell Dinner
- 1 Welcome Reception
- 14 Breakfasts
- 3 Dinners
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations