The Thistle and the Shamrock

  • 12 Days
  • Classic Trip

We're always ready to personalize
a tour to your unique needs

The Thistle and the Shamrock Get Started

Map & Route

Depart

Overnight Flight

1 1 Night

Killarney

2 2 Nights

Dublin

2 2 Nights

Belfast

1 1 Night

Glasgow

1 1 Night

Highlands

2 2 Nights

Edinburgh

2 2 Nights
Return
map The Thistle and the Shamrock

What's Included

Our itineraries reflect 40 years of experience in crafting exceptional educational tours. That means we know exactly how to make the best of your time abroad—incredible destinations, immersive activities, centrally located hotels, and smart, well-traveled tour managers who ensure your educational goals are met. Here are some of the exceptional features of this tour.

ACIS Guarantees

We have high standards, which is why we take care to include these features in every tour.

Round-Trip Flights

Leave the airlines to us.

3- or 4-Star Hotels

After a busy day, comfort is key.

Centrally Located Hotels

Save the commuting time, beat the morning crowds and keep right on exploring after dark when your hotel is in the heart of the city.

Daily Breakfast and Dinner (unless otherwise noted)

Delicious, authentic, multi-course dinners at local restaurants with meal times tailored to maximize your experience.

24-Hour Tour Manager

Part guide, part educator, part engineer, part mind-reader, part magician—ACIS Tour Managers are your travel partner.

Start Exploring

Never wait hours at the airport to share a transfer with other later groups.

Service Guarantee

We're so sure you're going to love your tour, we guarantee it!

Global Network

24/7 on the ground support whenever and wherever you need it.

All Local Transportation

Urban transportation is on us, allowing you to explore each destination with ease.

Personal Headsets Included Throughout Tour

Participants will have unlimited access to personal headsets so that local guides and ACIS Tour Managers can more easily communicate with the group along the way.

Exceptional Experiences

Our tours are designed to help you and your students be in the moment and experience everything the world has to offer.

Evening of Traditional Irish Song, Dance and Food

Evening of Traditional Irish Song, Dance and Food

Like stepping into a traditional celebratory Irish gathering, you'll not only enjoy the entertainment, you'll be encouraged to participate! Authentic live Irish music sets the tone for an engaging array of professional (and All-Ireland Champion) musicians and dancers, folklore, stories about Dublin and its many characters, singing, dancing and a humorous look at the heart of the Irish culture. You'll enjoy a four-course meal of traditional dishes and also come away with a songbook of tunes in the Gaelic language.

Learn More

Like stepping into a traditional celebratory Irish gathering, you'll not only enjoy the entertainment, you'll be encouraged to participate! Authentic live Irish music sets the tone for an engaging array of professional (and All-Ireland Champion) musicians and dancers, folklore, stories about Dublin and its many characters, singing, dancing and a humorous look at the heart of the Irish culture. You'll enjoy a four-course meal of traditional dishes and also come away with a songbook of tunes in the Gaelic language.

Traditional Haggis Tasting and Dinner

Traditional Haggis Tasting and Dinner

Enjoy a meal of traditional cuisine as you taste and learn the poetic history of Scotland's rustic national dish.

Learn More

Enjoy a meal of traditional cuisine as you taste and learn the poetic history of Scotland's rustic national dish.

Muckross House

Muckross House

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle

Rock of Cashel

Rock of Cashel

Cormac's Chapel

Cormac's Chapel

Dublin Tour with Guide

Dublin Tour with Guide

St. Patrick's Cathedral

St. Patrick's Cathedral

GPO Museum

GPO Museum

Titanic Exhibition Centre

Titanic Exhibition Centre

Belfast Tour with Guide

Belfast Tour with Guide

Belfast-Stranraer Ferry

Belfast-Stranraer Ferry

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

Glasgow Tour with Guide

Glasgow Tour with Guide

Eilean Donan Castle

Eilean Donan Castle

Blair Castle

Blair Castle

Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle

Edinburgh Tour with Guide

Edinburgh Tour with Guide

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Video

The British Isles

Featured in this video

Itinerary

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Killarney

Fly into Shannon and travel through the Irish countryside to Killarney. The remainder of the day is free to unpack, relax and explore this picturesque town.

Day 3: Killarney

Experience Ireland at its most beautiful as you travel around the Ring of Kerry. The drive along the Ring’s 100-mile scenic loop includes stops for photos as well as an opportunity to watch a peat cutting demonstration and a sheepdog demonstration showcasing this talented canine’s herding skills. Before you return to Killarney, visit Muckross House, a stately Victorian home with magnificent gardens and breathtaking views of the lakes that surround Killarney.

Day 4: Dublin

Today's journey brings you first to fabled Blarney Castle, where you can kiss the Blarney Stone. Continue to the imposing ruins of the Rock of Cashel, offering panoramic views over the Golden Vale's rolling green hills as you explore its ancient fortifications. Entrance is included to Cormac's Chapel, noted for its Romanesque architecture, elaborate carvings, and 800-year-old frescoes. Your final destination tonight is Dublin.

Day 5: Dublin

Sightseeing this morning shows you the busy streets and tranquil Georgian squares of Dublin. Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral and then explore the GPO Museum within Dublin's iconic General Post Office on O'Connell Street for an interactive and engaging dive into the story of the 1916 Easter Rising and modern Irish history. Wander around old Dublin or visit one of its many excellent museums at your own pace this afternoon. In the evening you will enjoy an Irish Evening filled with folklore, traditional food, singing and dancing—audience participation is encouraged!

Day 6: Belfast

This morning you'll drive into Northern Ireland and head for Belfast, where a visit to the Titanic Exhibition Centre awaits. The RMS Titanic was built in Belfast's shipyards and the locals love to say about the ship, “She was fine when she left here.” An afternoon guided sightseeing tour showcases this bustling city marked by a divided past and a hopeful future and includes a visit inside City Hall.

Day 7: Glasgow

Cross the Irish Sea by ferry and arrive at Stranraer, from where you'll journey north to the town of Alloway in Ayrshire. Here, immerse yourself in the life of Scotland's National Poet with a visit to the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, including the humble cottage where he was born and interactive museum exhibits showcasing artifacts and handwritten manuscripts. Then continue to Glasgow and begin to experience its bustling, industrious culture.

Day 8: Highlands

Glasgow's rich heritage comes alive this morning on your guided panoramic sightseeing tour viewing the city's cathedral, George Square and famed Victorian and art nouveau architecture. Then journey to the Highlands.

Day 9: Highlands

This morning you'll visit Eilean Donan Castle, a cultural icon of Scotland, to learn about the 13th century castle's role in the history of the Scottish highlands. Next you'll cross the bridge to the Isle of Skye, one of the jewels of Scotland, to view highlights usch as the bustling port and thriving cultural center of Portree and the dramatic landscape of the Old Man of Storr.

Day 10: Edinburgh

This morning's drive brings you to Pitlochry, where you visit Blair Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Atholl. Then visit Stirling Castle, scene of one of William "Braveheart" Wallace's most famous victories. Continue on to Edinburgh, a journey that provides stunning views of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest peak. The evening's highlight is a traditional haggis tasting and dinner. Haggis is Scotland's national dish—a savory pudding made from sheep's “pluck” and spices—and it's served with a side order of history that's as interesting as the dish itself.

Day 11: Edinburgh

A guided sightseeing tour shows you Princes Street, Charlotte Square and the Royal Mile. A visit to Edinburgh Castle, home to the Crown Jewels of Scotland, is included. This afternoon you may want to learn about local literary history at the Writers' Museum or shop for woolens, tartans and sheepskins.

Day 12: Departure

Depart for the USA.

Price This Tour

Price This Tour

Optional Extras

Ultimate-Plus Protection Plan

Most Enhanced health coverage, program interruption, baggage delay/loss and travel delay protection while on tour. Plus, enhanced medical/job loss cancellation refund policy

Rate $600

Add to Tour

Ultimate Protection Plan

Enhanced health coverage, program interruption, baggage delay/loss and travel delay protection while on tour. Plus, enhanced medical/job loss cancellation refund policy

Rate $420

Add to Tour

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