Choose an optional horse-drawn jaunting car ride around Killarney’s lake area or through the national park. From the carriage, take in woodland, mountain views and the gentler pace of a traditional local way of travelling.

Jaunting cars have long been associated with visitors exploring Killarney’s scenery, and the ride offers a different perspective from a coach or walking route. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; the route and availability can be confirmed locally.

• 8 Dinner (D)
• 17 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Afternoon Tea (AT)

• Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

• Blarney: It is said that those who kiss the Blarney Stone, the famous stone of eloquence, are bestowed with the power to persuade, flatter and coax. Take your turn at giving it a peck knowing that the stone was sourced from 330-million-year-old limestone.
• Waterford: Visit Waterford Crystal to learn more about the art of crystal carving that has been practised here since the late 1700s. See master crafters utilise traditional cutting and blowing methods at one of the few remaining artisan workshops.

Insight Vacations

Explore Oxford’s historic university setting, where colleges, courtyards and narrow streets sit beneath the city’s celebrated spires. Take in the architecture that has made this one of England’s most recognisable centres of learning.

Teaching has taken place here for centuries, and the varied college buildings reflect generations of scholars and students. This is an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the university town; entry to individual colleges or museums is not specified.

Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon and explore the house associated with the playwright’s early life. Memorabilia and artefacts bring a more personal perspective to the writer whose plays remain performed around the world.

Outside, the town’s timber-framed Tudor streets evoke the England Shakespeare knew. The visit connects his family story with the remarkable afterlife of his words, from the theatre to everyday expressions still in use.

Join your Travel Director for dinner at a local pub in Stratford-upon-Avon. Share a British meal in a setting that is part of the town’s social life, with time to settle in and get to know fellow travellers.

Pub dining offers a relaxed introduction to local hospitality, distinct from a routine hotel dinner. The experience pairs regional atmosphere with the chance to talk over the day’s discoveries in Shakespeare’s hometown.

Visit historic Lincoln, a city shaped by its Roman origins and medieval prominence. Its old streets and commanding hillside setting offer a sense of the layers of English history gathered here.

Lincoln grew into an important medieval centre, and its historic quarter remains a distinctive place to explore. This is a visit to the city rather than a stated admission to Lincoln Cathedral or the castle, leaving the focus on its setting and streetscape.

Walk through York’s medieval heart with your Travel Director, taking in the city walls, the narrow Shambles and the exterior of York Minster. The close-packed streets make the city’s long history unusually tangible.

Once a major Viking centre, York also flourished in the Middle Ages. Its surviving walls and crooked lanes frame stories from both eras, while the Minster’s scale speaks to the city’s religious importance. Cathedral entry is not specified.

Discover the lakes and rugged fells of the Lake District and stop in Grasmere to visit William Wordsworth’s grave in the village churchyard. The landscape gives context to the poet’s close attention to nature.

Grasmere’s stone buildings and mountain surroundings retain the character that drew Romantic writers to this part of England. Standing at Wordsworth’s resting place offers a quiet connection to the poetry inspired by the region’s changing light and scenery.

Explore Edinburgh with a Local Expert, travelling along the Royal Mile and Princes Street to see Holyroodhouse, the Scott Monument and the classical facades of New Town. Walk inside Edinburgh Castle to discover its commanding position above the city.

Within the fortress, see the Scottish Crown Jewels, Stone of Destiny and Mons Meg. Together, the city’s medieval core, Georgian planning and royal stronghold reveal how Scotland’s capital developed across centuries.

Witness The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo against the floodlit backdrop of Edinburgh Castle on select August departures. Pipes, drums and massed performers fill the esplanade with sound and ceremony.

The event draws on Scottish military traditions while bringing together performers from beyond Scotland. Its castle setting and tightly choreographed displays make this a distinctive evening spectacle. Available only on select departures; it is not a feature of every tour date.

Explore St Andrews, a coastal university town where old quadrangles meet open sea air. Look across the Old Course, closely associated with golf’s development, and discover the broad sands and shoreline that give the town its striking setting.

There is time to walk towards West Sands Beach, the location of the celebrated running scene in the film Chariots of Fire. This visit combines sporting heritage, university history and the atmosphere of Scotland’s east coast; a round of golf is not included.

Visit the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry, known for the salmon that travel upstream through its river system. At nearby Atholl Palace, take your seat for a traditional afternoon tea in the hotel’s banqueting room.

Enjoy sandwiches and scones alongside Scottish shortbread and tablet, a rich local sweet. Built as a Victorian Baronial retreat, the hotel gives this distinctly Scottish dining ritual a setting rooted in the Highlands’ history as a place of leisure.

Explore Inverness with your Travel Director, seeing the River Ness and Inverness Castle while getting to know the Highland city’s setting. The river running through its centre helps give Inverness an open, scenic character.

Long regarded as a gateway to the Highlands, the city has a history shaped by its strategic position on routes through northern Scotland. Its riverside landmarks provide a starting point for understanding the wider region, without implying entry to the castle.

Cruise Loch Ness through the Great Glen, taking in steep shores, Highland scenery and landmarks such as Aldourie Castle from the water. Hear stories of Nessie while experiencing the scale of Scotland’s best-known loch.

The loch stretches roughly 37 kilometres along an ancient geological fault. Its considerable depth and peat-darkened water have helped sustain the mystery surrounding its supposed inhabitant, making the cruise as much an encounter with local storytelling as with the landscape.

Pause at the World War II Commando Memorial near Spean Bridge, where bronze figures stand against a wide Highland panorama. From the memorial’s hillside setting, look towards Ben Nevis and the surrounding ridges.

The monument honours the commandos who trained in this rugged region during the war. Its exposed position gives space for reflection while showing why the Highland terrain was such a demanding training ground. Clear views of the mountain depend on the weather.

Stop to photograph Eilean Donan Castle where it stands at the meeting of Highland lochs. Its stone walls, bridge and waterside setting create one of Scotland’s most recognisable castle views.

The castle’s present appearance owes much to a 20th-century restoration of an older stronghold. This is a chance to appreciate its dramatic setting from outside and capture the surrounding landscape; entry to the castle is not specified as part of the stop.

Take in the steep-sided valley of Glencoe and the waterside scenery of Loch Lomond on a journey through western Scotland. Mountains, glens and loch shores give this route its distinctive scale.

Glencoe carries a sombre history: members of Clan MacDonald were killed here in the 1692 massacre. The landscape offers a powerful setting for that story, while Loch Lomond’s wooded banks show a gentler side of the Scottish scenery.

Join your Travel Director for an orientation of Glasgow’s grand civic centre. See the statues and public buildings of George Square and the exterior of St Mungo’s Cathedral.

Glasgow’s broad streets and Victorian architecture reflect its industrial-era wealth, while the medieval cathedral points to a much older city. Seeing both provides a compact introduction to the contrasts that shape Scotland’s largest city. Cathedral entry is not specified.

Discover Belfast on a city tour with local expert Hilda, hearing her personal perspective on the city’s history and change. See City Hall, political murals, the Big Fish and the Titanic Quarter’s Samson and Goliath cranes.

The murals speak to differing political experiences, while the shipyard cranes recall Belfast’s industrial and maritime past. Hilda’s lived connection to the city gives the landmarks context beyond their facades, linking difficult history with present-day Belfast.

Visit the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin to discover the ingredients, production story and traditions behind Ireland’s internationally known stout. Exhibits trace how a local brewery became a name recognised far beyond the city.

The experience is set at the historic St James’s Gate brewery site, associated with Guinness since the 18th century. It offers insight into the drink’s place in Irish social culture as well as the craft and commercial history behind the familiar pint.

Explore Dublin with a Local Expert, seeing O’Connell Street, Dublin Castle, St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Custom House and the city’s elegant Georgian squares. The tour introduces landmarks on both sides of the River Liffey.

These streets bring together Dublin’s literary, civic and political heritage, from Georgian planning to the buildings associated with Irish government and public life. The experience is city sightseeing; admission to the cathedral or castle is not specified.

Discover Galway’s historic centre with your Travel Director, taking in the Lynch Memorial Window, St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, the Spanish Arch and Eyre Square. The compact streets invite a close look at the city’s old trading heart.

Known as the City of the Tribes, Galway was shaped by merchant families and Atlantic connections. Its medieval landmarks sit within a lively contemporary city, giving the orientation a blend of local stories, surviving stonework and west-coast character.

Visit the Cliffs of Moher and their visitor centre, looking out across the Atlantic from cliffs that rise more than 700 feet above the sea. Walk to viewpoints for a sense of the coastline’s scale and changing weather.

Exhibits and your Travel Director’s insights introduce the cliffs’ geology, history and birdlife. This exposed stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way is both a dramatic viewpoint and a habitat where seabirds shelter and nest along the rock face.

See King John’s Castle, St Mary’s Cathedral and the Treaty Stone with your Travel Director in Limerick. These landmarks introduce the history of a city established beside the River Shannon.

The cathedral has medieval roots, while the castle recalls Limerick’s strategic importance. The Treaty Stone is associated with the 1691 agreement that ended the Williamite War in Ireland. Together, the exterior sights offer a concise introduction to the city’s layered past; admissions are not specified.

Experience the Dingle Peninsula’s Atlantic scenery, where coastal cliffs, wide skies and sea views define Ireland’s southwest. The journey offers an extended look at the peninsula’s changing landscape.

This part of County Kerry is closely associated with Irish-language heritage and a long relationship with the ocean. The experience centres on the views along the route rather than a specified attraction admission, letting the coastline and its sense of place take the lead.

Get to know Killarney on a gentle orientation with your Travel Director. Its shopfront-lined streets, church spires and mountain backdrop offer a clear sense of the town’s setting beside Killarney National Park.

Long a base for visitors exploring County Kerry, Killarney connects a lively town centre with nearby lakes and rugged high ground. Local stories add context to the streetscape and help place the town within the wider landscape celebrated by generations of travellers.

Sit down in Killarney for a traditional Sunday roast with the trimmings. The meal introduces a familiar Irish home-dining custom through the shared pleasure of a hearty roast dinner.

Sunday lunch has long been an occasion for family and conversation in Ireland. Its appeal lies less in ceremony than in generous hospitality and the comfort of a meal served together, making this a cultural dining experience rather than a routine dinner stop.

Explore the Ring of Kerry, a circuit through mountains, lakes, villages and Atlantic coastline. The route reveals the contrasting landscapes of County Kerry, from open water and beaches to the high ground of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks.

The scenery reflects a close relationship between rural communities and their surroundings: fields dotted with sheep give way to rocky shores and far-reaching views. The excursion also takes in the landscape around the Lakes of Killarney.

Join seaweed educator John for a guided foraging walk on County Kerry’s Atlantic shore. Look closely at the seaweeds growing along the coast and learn how careful harvesting can work alongside protection of the marine environment.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience connects traditional coastal knowledge with current conservation practice. Hearing directly from a local advocate brings the shore’s fragile ecosystem into focus and shows why sustainable use matters to communities that live beside it.

Choose from a hand-picked selection of local Killarney restaurants for an included Dine-Around evening. Rather than gathering for a single set hotel meal, enjoy dinner in a smaller setting with fellow travellers.

The choice gives you a way to experience the town’s dining scene and the sociable pace of an Irish evening. Restaurant and menu options may vary, but the defining feature is the opportunity to select a local setting for your meal.

Visit Blarney Castle, a ruined 15th-century stronghold near Cork. Those who wish can take their turn at the Blarney Stone, traditionally kissed from the castle ramparts in pursuit of the gift of eloquence.

The custom has made the castle a fixture of Irish folklore, while its stone walls recall the region’s medieval past. The climb and the kiss are a personal choice; the visit is rewarding for its history and setting whether or not you take part.

See Reginald’s Tower and Waterford’s surviving city walls before a guided visit to the House of Waterford Crystal. Meet an artisan and watch the skilled work involved in creating finely cut crystal.

Waterford’s medieval defences speak to its long urban history, while crystal-making links the city to a craft practised here since the late 1700s. Seeing the workshop brings attention to the precision and hand skills behind its finished pieces.

Discover the Welsh capital on a Cardiff city orientation, seeing the Principality Stadium, City Hall, the National Museum and university buildings. The city’s civic landmarks offer an introduction to its role as a cultural and political centre.

Cardiff grew rapidly with the coal trade before becoming the capital of Wales in the 20th century. Its monumental public buildings and major sporting venue show different sides of a city shaped by industry, national identity and contemporary life.

Explore Bath’s Georgian streets with your Travel Director, seeing the Royal Crescent, Pulteney Bridge and Bath Abbey. Visit the Roman Baths for a personal exploration of the Great Bath, Sacred Spring, temple remains and museum displays.

Bath’s naturally warm springs drew worshippers and bathers in Roman times, while its crescents reflect the city’s later rise as an elegant spa resort. Together, the streets and ancient complex explain why Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Explore Glastonbury, a Somerset town long associated with stories of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. Its streets offer a setting in which legend, religious history and contemporary alternative culture meet.

Glastonbury’s name is also known worldwide through the nearby music festival, though the town has a history far older than the event. This experience is a town visit; admission to Glastonbury Abbey or other individual sites is not specified.

Choose a guided scenic exploration of Dartmoor National Park with a Local Expert. Discover its open moorland and learn about ancient stone circles and traditions connected with this distinctive Devon landscape.

Dartmoor’s granite tors and prehistoric remains reflect thousands of years of human presence in a rugged environment. Local expertise adds meaning to what you see beyond the views. This is one of two included Insight Choice activities; travellers select it instead of the Plymouth Harbour cruise.

Choose to cruise Plymouth Harbour, viewing the Mayflower Steps, historic Barbican, Royal Citadel and Plymouth Hoe from the water. The harbour perspective reveals the maritime setting that has shaped the city for centuries.

Plymouth is closely associated with the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower, and its waterfront retains reminders of seafaring and naval history. This is one of two included Insight Choice activities; travellers select the cruise instead of the guided Dartmoor exploration.

Visit Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain and walk around the monumental stone circle. Seeing the scale and arrangement of its standing stones in the open landscape offers an encounter with one of Britain’s best-known prehistoric sites.

Built and altered over many centuries beginning in the Neolithic period, Stonehenge continues to prompt questions about ceremony, community and the movement of enormous stones. Its precise purposes remain debated, adding to the power of experiencing the monument in person.

Take an optional excursion to Glendalough in County Wicklow to explore the remains of an early medieval monastic settlement. Stone ruins set among wooded hills give the site a quiet atmosphere.

Founded in association with St Kevin, Glendalough became an important centre of religious learning. Its surviving buildings and valley setting offer a contrast to Dublin’s city streets. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; the precise programme can be confirmed with your Travel Director.

• Business class coach with extended leg room
• Top-rated dining, from farm-to-table to local restaurants
• Premium regional accommodation