12-Day Tour with Bonnie Hunter

Jewels of Ireland: June 4 - 15, 2013

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Trip Itinerary

Tuesday, June 4th
We begin our tour of the Emerald Isle with an overnight flight. Dinner will be served onboard the plane. D

Wednesday, June 5th
We will all meet as a group in the lobby of our hotel at 2pm, where we will board our coach and meet our driver/guide who will take us to the magnificent Cliffs of Moher, where we will see breathtaking views of the Aran Islands. We will leave the cliffs and drive back to Galway, where we will enjoy a PANORAMIC TOUR of the city. Later in the afternoon we will return to our hotel, have a rest and then enjoy a special “welcome dinner” and orientation meeting in the evening. D

Thursday, June 6th
This morning after a delicious Irish breakfast, we are offering a special “optional tour” for anyone who is interested. We will depart from the hotel and drive into the extraordinary Connemara Region. Included in the tour will be KYLEMORE ABBEY & GARDENS, this tour will bring you through mountain ranges, past pristine lakes and streams, and includes a drive past the bridge made famous in the 1952 movie “The Quiet Man,” starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. There will be time for lunch and shopping on your own before returning to our hotel in the afternoon. The cost of this full day optional tour is only €45 per person and must be confirmed with your final payment.

Tonight, for those who have signed up to participate, the INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL OF IRELAND begins with a very special Grand Reception. This special event includes a Champagne reception, a welcome presentation by festival director and Sew Many Places founder, Jim West, a delicious formal 3-course dinner, and a one-hour evening of Irish entertainment! Space is limited and the cost for this gala evening is €125 per person. Reserving your space early is highly recommended as this Grand Reception sold out very early last year. B

Friday, June 7th
This morning following breakfast, you will have the entire day to enjoy the INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL OF IRELAND. Your admission ticket is included in with your tour package, so you may come and go at your leisure. There will be on-location workshops and hands-on quilt classes to sign up for, exhibits to see, and all kinds of special attractions to make this a full day of enjoyment! Shuttle buses will operate all day from the Quilter’s Village to your hotel and Galway city centre. Please note, there will be special evening entertainment available, so be sure to visit our festival website as these evening events will be announced a few months prior to the festival. B

Saturday, June 8th
This morning following breakfast, you will have another opportunity to enjoy the INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL and all it has to offer. During the festival, we will offer special day tours that you can participate on, so be sure to check with the tour desk at the Quilter’s Village and see if there is anything that might interest you. Again, shuttle buses will take you back to your hotel and into Galway throughout the day. Tonight, for those who are interested, we are offering a special “optional dinner” at a nearby castle. More information will be provided upon arrival into Ireland. B

Sunday, June 9th
This morning following breakfast we will check out of our hotel and drive to south to the charming town of KILLARNEY. Along the way, we will follow the coastline and travel through an area known as the Burren. There will be time to take some photographs of this fascinating area, before we continue our drive south. Our next stop will be in one of Ireland’s prettiest and award-winning villages, ADARE, famous for its thatched roof boutique shops and quaint town centre. There will be time for lunch and shopping on our own before we continue our drive to our first-class hotel in Killarney. Upon our arrival, we will check-in, relax and enjoy a delicious dinner at our hotel. B, D

Monday, June 10th
This morning, after a full Irish breakfast, we depart on a tour of the rugged DINGLE PENINSULA. Film goers will be reminded of scenes from the movie “Ryan’s Daughter,” which was shot in this area, as we drive past little harbors and wide stretches of sandy beach, leading southward to Slea Head. This is the most westerly point in Europe, also known as “the next parish to America.” Visitors of the Blasket Islands and Dingle Bay delight the eye and Gallarus Oratory, a little beehive stone structure, more than 1,000 years old, conjures up visions of monks in early Christian times in this “land of saints and scholars.” We will return to our hotel later in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening at your leisure. B

Tuesday, June 11th
This morning following a delicious Irish breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and drive to the well known village of BLARNEY. Upon our arrival, there will be a chance to kiss the famed Blarney Stone (for a nominal fee) at Blarney Castle. We will also visit and explore the Blarney Woollen Mills, which will provide a vast selection of Irish crafts and goods. Following this we will continue our drive north and stop for a quick photograph at the magnificent Rock of Cashel. In the later part of the afternoon we will arrive at our first class hotel, located in County Wicklow. This evening, we will all enjoy a delicious dinner at our hotel. B, D

Wednesday, June 12th
This morning following a wonderful breakfast, you will have the opportunity to spend the day at your leisure. For those who are interested, we are offering an “optional tour” to DUBLIN that will include a Panoramic Tour of the city. The bus will return to the hotel twice during the day. The cost of this “optional tour” is €30 per person and will be finalized with the final payment. B

Thursday, June 13th
This morning after breakfast we check out of our hotel and drive north to the bustling city of BELFAST. Along the way we will stop in the town of LISBURN, where we will explore the Irish Linen Centre and Museum. We will continue our drive into the city of Belfast where we will enjoy a PANORAMIC TOUR of the city. From here, we will check into our first class hotel and settle in. The remainder of the evening is at your leisure. B

Friday, June 14th
This morning following breakfast, you can enjoy the entire city of Belfast at your leisure. There are a variety of sightseeing options to enjoy, from the brand new Titanic Museum to the beautiful Botanical Gardens. There are wonderful shopping opportunities as well as great restaurants and art galleries, whatever you decide to do, enjoy your day. Tonight we will bring our Deluxe Ireland tour to a close with a special “farewell dinner” at our hotel. B, D

Saturday, June 15th
This morning following breakfast, we will provide a transfer to the Dublin Airport. B

***Please note the airport transfer will be at one designated time.

B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner

 

Make your reservation by calling us at 815-663-4046 or toll free at 877-887-1188.

*Please note: The prices we receive from the tour operators in Ireland are quoted to us in Euros and the prices of these tours reflect the Euro exchange at 1 Euro = 1.3 USD. As the Euro fluctuates, the price in USD can change. Upon final payment date the price in USD may be adjusted to reflect the current Euro exchange rate.

Depending on weather conditions and circumstances beyond our control, the itinerary, pricing and escorts are subject to change. We will make every attempt to adhere to the program, but we ask that you be flexible if alternative choices are made to enhance the schedule. Space is limited to 45 people and on a first come-first served basis. Terms and Conditions apply once first deposit is made and can be found here. Optional day tours, evening entertainment, quilting classes, lectures and some activities are not included in the price of this tour package and must be paid with your final payment. Gratuities will be accepted as a check payment only and collected in March 2013. Insurance is available and highly recommended. Single rates are available upon request. We can not guarantee we will find you a roommate, however, we will do what we can to assist in helping you find someone to share a room with you, should you be looking for this arrangement.