A Taste of Scotland & Ireland
June 23, 2025
This year for my birthday, I connected with my Scotch-Irish roots by visiting Scotland and Ireland for the first time. With only two weeks, we packed in as many castles, cows, and coastlines as possible. From the Highlands to the Cliffs of Moher, we had a true taste of Scotland and Ireland. I even got to live out my Outlander dreams:
The tour itself was booked through CIE, which is owned in part by the Irish government. I loved that almost everything was taken care of in terms of sightseeing, activities, lodging, transportation, and meals. As much as it would have been interesting to drive on the other side of the road, I fully embraced being a passenger princess while learning all about these beautiful countries - their culture, history, art, music, lore, and of course whiskey. I do wish we had more time in certain places like Inverness and the Ring of Kerry but it just means I'll have to return.
Below are the itinerary highlights and a map of the destinations as described on the CIE tour website.
Day 1. Glasgow: Your tour departs from your hotel at 2:00 PM on a panoramic tour of this city that flourished as a center of shipbuilding and trade in Victorian times and is now a thriving hub of culture. Drive around George Square with its ornate City Chambers. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, a splendid, Spanish Baroque-style building housing one of Europe’s finest art collections, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Titian, and Dali. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dinner.
Day 2. Loch Lomond and Loch Ness: Travel alongside famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its beauty. 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.
Day 2. Loch Lomond and Loch Ness: Travel alongside famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its beauty. 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.
We didn't end up seeing Nessie but we did see some highland cows (or as the Scottish say "Hairy Coos").
Day 3. Whisky tasting and St Andrews: Visit Blair Athol Distillery, founded in 1798, to discover traditional whisky production and taste a sample. 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.
We missed seeing the Tattoo but will just have to come back! Edinburgh was my all time favorite city. I also loved all the Harry Potter references, since much of what inspired the story and characters can be found in the city. For example, Victoria Street inspired Diagon Alley - the street itself is laid out at an angle (aka diagonal!).
It's also here that you can find the Elephant House Cafe where J.K. Rowling first wrote the series on napkins - likely while drinking Butterscotch Beer (hence Butter Beer).
Day 5. Ferry to Ireland & Titanic Belfast: Depart Edinburgh and travel through Ayrshire and along the coast. 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.
Day 6. Dublin Sightseeing, Christ Church Cathedral & Canal Dinner Cruise: Explore Dublin on a panoramic tour with a local guide, discovering its history and viewing its elegant Georgian buildings, Trinity College, the River Liffey, and more. 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.
Canal, listening to traditional Irish music.
We had some time in between the cathedral and dinner cruise so chose to visit Trinity College to see the Book of Kells (a 9th century manuscript of the Four Gospels from the New Testament written in Latin and known for its beautiful illustrations Celtic knotwork) and tour the Long Hall Library (A beauty and the beast meets Harry Potter themed library. Currently the books are under restoration but some were re-shelved for our tour. Of note, the library itself will be closed in about a year for renovations that may take upwards of 10 years to complete so definitely recommend seeing now if you can).
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| Ignore my photoshop attempt - the library was pretty crowded so I tried to edit people in the background out and add a blur effect for the aesthetic :) |
Day 7. Farmhouse Tea with Sheepdog Demonstration, Blarney Castle & Killarney: Travel through the countryside to a traditional farm, where you’ll savor tea and homemade scones and watch sheepdogs display their skills at herding sheep. 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.
I did kiss the Blarney Stone, which means I'm officially blessed with the gift of eloquence!
Day 8. Jaunting Car Ride, Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience: Step back in time as a jaunting car drives you past Ross Castle on Lough Leane. 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 pause at Moll’s Gap for panoramic mountain views. Return to Killarney where the evening is free.
Day 9. Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet: Cross the Shannon River estuary by ferry on your way to visit the Cliffs of Moher. 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.
Day 9. Cliffs of Moher & Medieval Castle Banquet: Cross the Shannon River estuary by ferry on your way to visit the Cliffs of Moher. 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.
We lucked out because the weather was gorgeous, offering us a beautiful view of the Cliffs of Moher -
Day 10. Galway, Clonmacnoise & Dublin: Visit Galway for a walking tour around the city center with a local guide. Visit the picturesque monastic ruins of Clonmacnoise, founded in 544 AD by Saint Ciaran. Back in Dublin, your evening is free to explore.
Day 10. Galway, Clonmacnoise & Dublin: Visit Galway for a walking tour around the city center with a local guide. Visit the picturesque monastic ruins of Clonmacnoise, founded in 544 AD by Saint Ciaran. Back in Dublin, your evening is free to explore.
Of course, I had to pay homage to Ed Sheeran who used to busk in Galway -
Had one final Guinness before taking off to head back home!
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