2026 Taste of Scotland & Ireland - 10 Days/9 Nights

Drive across haunting Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe, admiring the wild and spectacular scenery. Continue through Fort William on to Fort Augustus. Embark on a cruise on Loch Ness before heading to Nairn. (B, D) 

Travel to St Andrews, a town rich in medieval heritage and the home of golf; take a panoramic drive and have time to explore independently. Continue on to your elegant manor house hotel outside Edinburgh; three centuries old, it’s set on 1,000 acres of beautiful parkland. Explore and dine independently this evening. (B) 

Edinburgh Castle, City Tour & Scottish Evening*  Explore the principal sights of central Edinburgh from the bustling Princes Street through the gracious, wide streets of the 200-year-old Georgian “New Town.” Walk along part of the Royal Mile where compact medieval houses reach several stories tall. Visit Edinburgh Castle perched high above the city on volcanic rock, home to the Scottish Crown Jewels. The rest of the day is free. Experience a lively Scottish evening with dinner and traditional entertainment. August 4 – 25 departures instead dine independently and then attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade. (B, D*) 

Embark on a ferry ride to Belfast. Take a panoramic drive through Belfast, seeing the highlights of this fascinating city, where the Titanic was built in the once-bustling shipyards. Visit Titanic Belfast to explore the fascinating story of the doomed ship. Then travel to Dublin, where you will enjoy free time for dinner on your own. (B) 

Visit Christ Church Cathedral, the spiritual heart of the city for more than 1,000 years. This evening, dine on a former Guinness barge as you cruise the Grand Canal, listening to traditional Irish music. (B, D) 

Head to Blarney Castle and climb the winding stairs to kiss its famous stone or enjoy the gardens. Move on to the lively lakeside town of Killarney, where you’ll have dinner. Departures from March 27 to October 9 will attend the Gaelic Roots Irish Dance & Music Show. (Sunday departures during those dates will attend on the eighth day.) (Departures on August 5, 12, & 19 will stay at Sneem Hotel on the Ring of Kerry, with dinner provided on the seventh and eighth days, and will not attend the Gaelic Roots show.) (B, D) 

Head to the scenic Gap of Dunloe to visit Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner. Embark on the Ring of Kerry – a winding route with breathtaking mountains and coastal views. Cross the bridge to Valentia Island to visit the Skellig Experience, which explains the life of early Christian hermits on Skellig Michael, a rocky offshore island featured in the film “Star Wars VII.” Enjoy lunch before a break at Moll’s Gap for panoramic mountain views. Return to Killarney where the evening is free. (B, L) 

Take in the spectacular views from these awesome cliffs, soaring 700 feet above the Atlantic. Head on to your hotel, and then in the evening, you’ll visit a genuine castle for a medieval-style feast, complete with serenading lords and ladies. (B, D)