THE BEST OF IRELAND & SCOTLAND in 14 days
AVID HAS DESIGNED THIS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE TO PAIR HIS TASTE OF IRELAND AND BEST OF SCOTLAND ITINERARIES.
This tour is the perfect forteen days of sightseeing and cultural experiences, offering a worry-free journey experiencing the history, culture, music, and cuisine of Ireland and Scotland.
This tour kicks off in Galway, where you’ll get a solid introduction to Irish history, culture, and charm. Then we will head out into the countryside to experience three distinct regions. You’ll visit ancient monastic sites, fairy forts, geological wonders, and charming villages while enjoying some of the best food, music, and craic on the island! After a quick flight across the Irish Sea, experience the capital city of Edinburgh, its castle, and streets steeped in history and lore. Then, enjoy another four days and nights in the highlands and islands, visiting St. Andrews, Pitlochry, Inverness, Oban, and the Hebrides.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
| PRICE FROM | DATES | |
|---|---|---|
| $5459 + air | May 4-17, 2025 |  |
| $5459 + air | Jun 11-24, 2025 | |
| $5459 + air | Jul 9-22, 2025 | |
| $5459 + air | Aug 20-Sep 2, 2025 | |
| $5459 + air | Sep 17-30, 2025 | |
| $5459 + air | Oct 15-28, 2025 | |
Galway – 2 nights
Dingle – 2 nights
Kilkenny – 1 night
Dublin – 2 nights
Fly to Edinburgh – 2 nights
Highlands – 2 nights in 2 places
Oban – 2 nights
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$5459 + air = Double Occupancy
$6199 + air = Single Room
England’s Lake District and North Wales in 4 days can be added. Contact us for prices.
ITINERARY
and DAY 1: Welcome to Galway – Let’s plan to meet today at 4:00 p.m. in our hotel lobby for introductions and a tour overview. Then, join your Exploring Europe guide for a scenic overview walk in Galway City. We’ll stroll down the main drag, loaded with pubs, shops, crafts stores, and local buskers (street musicians). Enjoy some free time to explore on your own before we sit down to dinner at a favorite pub. Sleep for 2 nights in Galway. Walking: Light.
DAY 2: The Aran Islands – Today, enjoy an excursion by boat to Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands (weather permitting). Once on the island, experience a driving tour of its natural and historical sites and an opportunity to look around in the craft shops. Return in the late afternoon to Galway for an evening on your own to enjoy dinner and the local traditional music. Walking: moderate to strenuous, depending on your activity level in the Inishmor countryside. Boat: 3 hours roundtrip.
DAY 3: The Cliffs of Moher & Kerry – Today, we’ll take a scenic drive along the Atlantic coast around Galway Bay and through the rocky terrain known as the Burren. In County Clare, you will experience the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, where you’ll teeter on the edge of 700-foot cliffs perched on the North Atlantic. These cliffs stretch for five miles along the Atlantic coast, and on a clear day, one can see the distant Aran Islands and the soaring mountains in Connemara and the Dingle Peninsula. After lunch, we will go to Dingle in Ireland’s far southwest tip. Tonight’s menu features a selection of fresh and delicious locally sourced products. After dinner, join the fun at a pub for a traditional or folk music session. Sleep for 2 nights in Dingle. Walking: light. Driving: 5 hours. Dinner.
DAY 4: The Dingle Peninsula – Today, experience some of Ireland’s wildest natural beauty and oldest pre-historic settlements on our driving tour of the Slea Head. Enjoy endless fields of “40 shades of green”, rock-crashing waves, and all the sheep you’ll ever want to count. Back in Dingle, you’ll have the afternoon and evening for shopping, dinner, and music. Walking: light. Driving: 3 hours.
DAY 5: A bit of Blarney and Kilkenny – Today, we will travel through County Cork to the little village of Blarney. The castle, known for its famous “Blarney Stone,” is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations. After an opportunity to “kiss the Blarney Stone,” you will enjoy a visit to the Blarney Woolen Mills. This huge shopping complex is your one-stop spot for authentic Irish arts, crafts, textiles, and apparel. Later, we will travel the Plains of Tipperary up to Kilkenny. Tonight, experience a tastebud-tingling dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant this side of Tuscany. Sleep 1 night in Kilkenny. Walking: moderate. Driving: 3 hours. Dinner.
DAY 6: Kilkenny and Glendalough – Enjoy some free time in Kilkenny this morning to visit the castle, the Kilkenny Arts Centre, and High Street Shopping. Later, let’s head to the beautiful Wicklow Mountains and the ancient monastic site of Glendalough. We’ll take a peaceful walk along the lakes and through the forest while learning about the monastery’s role in history. Then, to Dublin, the capital of Ireland! Enjoy the famous Guinness Brewery and look at the production process. Then, visit the panoramic Gravity Bar for an authentic pint of the stout brewed right here in Dublin. Once settled at your hotel, we’ll take a short walk to get acquainted with the city so you can enjoy dinner, pubs, and music on your own. Sleep for 2 nights in Dublin. Walking: Moderate. Driving: 4 hours.
DAY 7: Dublin – After breakfast, enjoy a city walking tour and a visit to Trinity College, followed by a look at the “illuminated” Book of Kells. The afternoon is event-free so that you can experience more of Dublin at your leisure. We will meet for a grand farewell dinner at a favorite Temple Bar pub tonight. Walking: moderate. Dinner.
DAY 8: We will take a short flight across the Irish Sea to Edinburgh. – Enjoy an orientation walk around the famous Royal Mile. You will receive a Hop-On-Hop-Off Edinburgh Bus Pass providing a comprehensive open-top bus tour of Edinburgh. Later, we will meet for a group dinner. Walking: moderate. Sleep for 2 nights in Edinburgh. Dinner.
DAY 9: Edinburgh –Today, we will see the best of Edinburgh on foot by strolling the Royal Mile, featuring its historic buildings, narrow alleys, and hidden courtyards. We’ll begin with a visit to the historic Edinburgh Castle, the “birthplace” of the city, and affording spectacular views and vistas. The remainder of the day is yours to explore more of Edinburgh on your own. Perhaps you’ll want to visit the National Museum of Scotland, Holyrood Palace, hike up Calton Hill or Arthur’s Seat, enjoy “high tea” in a cafe or do some shopping on the Royal Mile or in the new town. The possibilities are endless. Walking: moderate.
DAY 10: Culross, St. Andrews, and the Countryside —Today, cross the famous Firth of Forth and visit the tiny burg of Culross. Enjoy poking around the burg’s gardens, shops, and a small “palace” manor house. Later, we’ll travel through the Kingdom of Fife to St. Andrews, the home of golf and the famous Old Course. St. Andrews is equally important for its medieval town and cathedral. We’ll set up for the evening in a little village where you can enjoy dinner and lots of peace. Driving: 4 hours. Walking: moderate. Sleep 1 night in the Scottish Highlands. Dinner.
DAY 11: The Highlands – Travel through the rugged Cairngorms National Park and tour the haunting Culloden Battlefield, where in 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Jacobite supporters suffered a terrible defeat, ending years of rebellion against the British. Driving: 5 hours. Walking: moderate. Sleep 1 night in or near Inverness.
DAY 12: The Highlands and Oban –Experience the wild, rugged beauty of Loch Ness on a panoramic boat cruise, followed by a visit to Urquhart Castle. Later, we will head to the western coastal town of Oban. Enjoy a group dinner featuring fresh-caught seafood and a quiet evening in the town. Driving: 5 hours. Walking: Light. Sleep for 2 nights in Oban. Dinner.
DAY 13: The Hebrides Isles —Today, weather permitting, we will board the ferry to the Isle of Mull and eventually Iona, the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. Here, you will have several hours to experience the 800-year-old abbey where the Book of Kells was written and fabricated by the local monks. Enjoy some time on your own to experience the island. Finally, return to Oban for an event-free evening and a chance to kick up your heels at a local pub. Boat: 3 hours. Driving: 2 hours. Walking: Moderate to Light.
DAY 14: Heading Home – We will have you at Edinburgh Airport by 10:00 a.m.
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
Your tour begins in Galway City at 4:00 p.m. on Day 1. We suggest you fly multi-city into Shannon or Dublin home from Edinburgh.
Getting from Shannon or Dublin Airport to Galway is easy and stress-free with one of the private airport coaches. The coaches are WIFI-equipped, modern, heated, and air-conditioned. A professional driver will zip you to Galway in about two to three hours. Prices range from €14-22.
https://www.eireagle.com/routes/galway-dublin-airport
https://buseireann.ie (Shannon to Galway)
INCLUSIONS
Transportation by coach and/or minibus from your Dublin hotel to Glasgow airport (Edinburgh may be possible).
A flight across the Irish Sea from Shannon or Dublin to Edinburgh.
13 nights’ accommodation in traditional hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs. All rooms have private en-suite baths.
All tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, restaurants, and hotel staff.
A guaranteed Small Group consisting of 6-18 participants.
All breakfasts and seven of your dinners.
Traditional dining experiences at some of David’s personal favorite restaurants. Eating well is a priority and you’ll enjoy fine regional fare featuring the best the locale has to offer.
Water is included with all meals. Soda, beer, wine, spirits, coffee, and tea are your responsibility.
All tours and admissions at no extra cost: Comprehensive Dublin walking and driving tour covering all the essential sights in the city ▪ a visit to the Guinness Storehouse and Gravity Bar ▪ Entrance to The Book of Kells ▪ Glendalough Monastic site and the Wicklow mountains ▪ entrance to Blarney Castle and its famous kissing stone ▪ Dingle Peninsula Driving Tour ▪ The Blasket Centre ▪The Cliffs of Moher experience ▪ Galway City orientation tour ▪ Aran Island Excursion (weather permitting) ▪ Edinburgh walking tour ▪ Edinburgh Castle admission and tour ▪ Edinburgh Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour ▪ walking tour of Culross and manor house entrance ▪ orientation walk at St. Andrews ▪ Culloden Battlefield admission ▪ Loch Ness panoramic cruise ▪ Oban orientation stroll ▪ Isle of Mull and Iona cruise and coach/walking tour ▪ and much more (itinerary specifics are subject to change).
A full-time Exploring Europe guide and local experts dedicated to bringing to life the art, history, and culture of the tour destinations.
David’s tour handouts are delivered electronically and detail each day’s historical and cultural experiences.
Free luggage tags and David’s custom-designed drawstring backpacks.
Our Unconditional Tour Price Guarantee, once locked in, will never change.
$50 Tour Alumni discount for each David McGuffin tour you’ve taken prior to this travel year.
EXCLUSIONS
Comprehensive Trip insurance. We strongly recommend comprehensive insurance for tour.
Fee for passports.
Beer, wine, spirits, and soda during the tour.
Laundry, phone, internet, and personal items
Extras and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:
Deposits- Deposits for tours are fully refundable for 30 days from your initial application and deposit date, unless otherwise noted. If you book a tour less than 90 days before its departure date, full payment is due immediately, and the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after seven days. After these dates, deposits are not refundable and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation.
Payments- Tour payments are due in full 90 days before your tour departure date. If you find you must cancel between 90-0 days before your tour departure, please contact us immediately. We will work with you to transfer your payments to another tour departing within 18 months. We strongly recommend that everyone purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers tour cancellations, emergency medical, and other unexpected events.
Cancellations will be effective when the written notification is received at David McGuffin›s Exploring Europe by mail, e-mail, or fax.
SIGN UP BY EMAIL OR POST
If you do not want to sign up online:
You may download a tour application and send it to us with payment.
-OR-
You may return it by:
- FAX 1-800-570-1351
- Email – info@davidmcguffin.com
- email – take a photo of the form with your smartphone and attach it to an email
- TXT – take a photo with your smartphone and TXT to 904-612-8149
KEY TO WALKING & ACTIVITY
Walking and Physical Activity: We have planned this trip to provide maximum tour experiences. The basic nature of Europe does require some degree of physical activity to get out and see the sights, especially in the big cities. To help you plan, we’ve included a daily projection of physical activity. Here is the key for our walking activity ratings:
Light – Walking done on level surfaces with some hills and elevation gains. Two miles or less of required walking during the day.
Moderate – Walking done on paved and gravel paths and cobbled city sidewalks. To enjoy the full tour experience, some uphill and downhill walking is expected, as is standing while viewing sights or museums. Four to six miles of walking per day.
Strenuous – Walking done on rugged and rocky paths and city-cobbled sidewalks. There will be steps and stairs. Up to three hours standing in museums or experience sites. Up to eight miles of walking per day.
Your Choice – No matter what your walking ability, we will help you find alternative ways to enjoy and experience all Europe has to offer. To get the most out of our tours, you should be able to operate at the light level every day with spurts of moderate and strenuous.
PRE-TOUR RESOURCES
Now that you’ve decided to join this tour, we are sure you’ll have some questions. Don’t worry. We are here to help you through each aspect of your tour from start to finish.
DAVID’S VIDEO: IRELAND: THE DAVID MCGUFFIN TOUR EXPERIENCE
To truly understand a David McGuffin tour, you have to see it to believe it. This film documents the journey of four travelers on David’s “Taste of Ireland” tours. Filmed on location in Ireland, we hope it will give you a sample of what to expect on a David McGuffin tour to Europe. IRELAND: The David McGuffin Tour Experience
DAVID’S AUDIO & PDF DESTINATION GUIDES TO IRELAND
Education and cultural immersion are essential to fully engaging in the David McGuffin tour experience. We believe you’ll experience and appreciate more around the Emerald Isles if you know a little about the sites, the history, and the experiences. David’s downloadable and printable Destination Guides are designed to provide historical background and practical information about our destinations in Ireland.
Additionally, you can put DAVID IN YOUR EARS by downloading his Audio Destination Guides and listening to them before and while visiting locations in Ireland.
All resources can be downloaded, printed, and installed on your audio or mobile device from here. https://davidmcguffin.com/dg-ireland/
DAVID’S TRAVEL TALK TUESDAY BROADCASTS AND VIDEO SERIES BLOG.
David began weekly episodes of Travel Talk Tuesday in December 2020, when we were deep in the pandemic lockdowns and had no hope of travel. He has been rolling out episodes ever since! When David is not traveling in Europe, he presents a LIVE broadcast on Zoom and Facebook. Check it out on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern Time. Or look up an episode and watch the recording here: Watch them here.
DAVID’S 60 SECONDS DESTINATION VIDEOS
Join David as he shares impromptu moments from his travels in Ireland. Watching these short 60-second segments are a great way to experience David’s travel style and adventures. Watch David’s Explore Ireland and Scotland.
DAVID’S BLOG ARTICLES
David and his team have answered many travel-related questions, and they are all tucked away on his blog. But, no need to go there. Type in a keyword in the search box at the top or bottom of this page (find the small magnifying glass icon), and you will get results for your query.
PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL OR GIVE US A CALL.
We are happy to answer your travel questions and give advice and suggestions. tours@davidmcguffin.com or 800-570-1351.
Testimonials & Reviews of our IRELAND and UK Tours
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We traveled to Scottland & Ireland on a McGuffin tour. The tour group was small making it easy to navigate the two countries as compared to larger tour groups. He included tours to many “off the beaten path” towns which differentiated this tour from others we have done. Having a half-day to explore stops on your own every day also made this tour a wonderful experience.
The Best of Ireland - September 2023
My wife and I just completed the Best of Ireland Tour and it changed our whole attitude about doing a tour. We loved being in a small tour group where everyone gets to know one another. We had a fantastic group and it was by far, one of the best and most informative trips we've ever been on.
From day one, each trip was carefully planned with an abundance of daily tours as well as needed downtime and though I have a hearing loss, David spoke louder to accommodate. We NEVER waited in lines for ANYTHING. Anytime we showed up for a reserved tour, we were immediately escorted thru.
Our dinner locations were chosen by David because of the charm, the history and the personality and DID NOT disappoint. The food was always outstanding with great selections available because of varying tastes, and we never expected wine and spirits to be included as part of the dining experience.
David also picked some out of-the-way locations to stop where the town was not overrun with tourists and where the larger buses were too big to travel. We had to endure some rainy days that required walking in the rain but that's just part of it. Unless we stopped to check into a hotel, the bags always stayed on the bus and if we couldn't check into the rooms early, the hotel had no problem storing our bags for us...at no charge.
We can't say enough about the quality of our tour guide and the entire tour itself. It has totally changed our opinion about tour groups and well never visit another city in Europe unless it's a small group tour!!!!!!!
The Best of Ireland - September 2023
My husband and I just traveled to Ireland with David for 12 days along with our friends and we had the best time. Every detail is streamlined in advance so you have no surprises. You receive an email or WhatsApp update every evening with your detailed schedule for the next day, so easy. Breakfast is included every morning, lunch on your own with plenty of options and fun group dinners half the time. David always listened to our opinions about what we wanted and didn't. We loved how he didn't bog us down with nonstop activity and gave us free time to explore on our own. We were so impressed with his company we immediately booked another tour with him. This is a no brainer for us because all you have to do is pack your bags, book a flight and he does everything else simple as that. If you can't have fun with EE,Inc you're not trying.
This was our first trip to Europe. David made us feel very safe and confident to do some exploring on our own. The small group atmosphere was wonderful, and we met wonderful people, shared meals together, and enjoyed local music. The hotels were clean, the restaurant choices were fabulous, as was the food. David gave us a good overview of the land and its history and culture. Our bus drivers were excellent and added a local's view of the differences and conflicts between The Republic and Northern Ireland.
We look forward to exploring more of Europe with David McGuffin!
We had an awesome trip. I enjoyed meeting you and the other travelers. My first big trip with a personal guide. I think you set the bar very high for future trips. I felt very comfortable and appreciated getting to know you and all the other travelers. Good luck in your travels and will definitely reach out to you for future travels. God bless.
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