Cheers to Scotland & Ireland! July 2 – 12, 2016
Dear Friends, Executive Travel is thrilled to present a custom-tailored tour to Scotland and Ireland. This once-in-a-lifetime, 11-day experience through the Highlands of Scotland and verdant landscape of Ireland is a complete parade for the five senses. Steep mountains, deep valleys, lakes, rugged natural beauty, castles, palaces, stories of kings, queens and leprechauns, small idyllic villages, bagpipes and folk music. All this combined with tasteful scotch, whiskey and draft beer, and a feeling of being home-away-from-home among the most friendly and humorous people of Europe. For every turn we make, the journey just seems even more magnificent! With local guides at our side, our unique route will lead us through Edinburgh with its impressive castle, St. Andrews; the home of golf and the oldest university in Scotland, and the distillery-dotted Highlands. We will visit Glamis and Stirling Castles before we take a short flight across the Irish Sea to Dublin. Similar to Scotland, Ireland has a huge diversity of scenery and terrain as well as a rich cultural heritage. Dramatic coastlines,
endless unspoiled beaches, rocky peninsulas, an inland of rolling green pastures, peat bogs, and stone villages. We will visit the Guinness Storehouse, the English Market in Cork, Blarney Castle (feel free to kiss the stone!), local pubs, and experience a delicious cookery class in a traditional farmhouse. Tour highlights include, but are not limited to, a city tour of Edinburgh and Dublin, plenty of scotch, whiskey and beer tastings, castle visits, local food experiences, and much more. There is a certain timelessness about the sights that is unbelievable. The opportunities for photography are exceptional and insight into the history, architecture, humorous lifestyle, and culture is unparalleled. If you ever wanted to discover the beauty of Scotland and Ireland this is the perfect custom tour for you to see it all. Please take a look inside this brochure to learn all the details. Once you do we hope you will join us on this special tour. Sincerely, Steve Glenn Chairman of the Board and CEO Executive Travel
Call Executive Travel today at 402–435–8888. Space is limited.
July
Depart for Europe
July
Edinburgh
Depart your hometown and take an overnight flight across the Atlantic to Edinburgh. Enjoy in-flight entertainment and meal service as you start your vacation. 2
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Arrive in Edinburgh in the early morning.
Our local guide will meet us at the airport and we are off for a half-day tour of the charming capital, basking in the title as the country’s cultural center. Our tour will pass along Princes Street, leading us to the spectacular old fortress of Edinburgh Castle. Included in our visit to the castle is the original Scotch Whisky Experience! We will take a swirling, bubbling barrel ride and become part of the whisky making process and listen to the stories behind this magical craft. We are going to taste the unique drops and lunch can be enjoyed at the famous Amber Restaurant. The afternoon is free to relax or stroll the charming Georgian district with its elegant mansions. We recommend a visit to the fun Last Drop Tavern, found at the location of one of the main gallows in the city, where crowds would flock in huge numbers to see the public executions back in the eighteenth century. Tonight we enjoy a dinner at our hotel. T|D
July
St. Andrews / Glamis Castle
In the freshness of the morning, we take a short drive to St. Andrews. We will admire the third oldest university in the English-speaking world and of course swing by the world famous golf courses. Our next stop is at Glamis Castle, famed as being the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, birthplace of HRH The Princess Margaret, and the setting for Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” Our lunch today is a very special experience! The early afternoon is spent at “the foot of the mountain” distillery of Fettercairn, founded in 1824. Located in the Highlands, Fettercairn produces a pure spirit, crafted by its unique stills and forged through temperate maturation. The products available include a 40-year-old whisky. Later in the afternoon we reach Aberdeen where the evening is yours at leisure. B|L|T 4
July
Speyside
Today is dedicated to tasting some of the most distinguished scotches as we move into Speyside, home to more than half of Scotland’s Malt Whisky distilleries. For a crash course in whisky, this is definitely the right place to be. Scotland produces nearly two-thirds of the world’s supply (equivalent to 1.19 billion bottles) and Speyside has become a place of pilgrimage for whisky lovers the world over! We will enjoy the Macallan, Glenfiddich, and Balvenie, and visit the Speyside Cooperage, which is part of the famous Malt Whisky Trail. Each year it produces and repairs nearly 150,000 oak casks used by the surrounding distilleries, as well as distilleries elsewhere throughout Scotland. A good night’s sleep is guaranteed at our hotel in Aviemore. B|L|T 5
July
Edradour Distillery / Stirling Castle
July
Dublin
July
Dublin / Cork
After a rich breakfast, we are off to yet another tasting experience: the Edradour Distillery, established in 1825. The owners claim it to be the smallest and most picturesque distillery in Scotland and it has maintained its heritage as an almost artisanal distillery. The famous Edradour 10-year is chill-filtered, a process by which the esters and oils are removed, producing a cleaner look to the whisky that when chilled or has ice added does not turn cloudy. Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s grandest castles, is our last stop before we return to Edinburgh. From great battles to famous films, Stirling Castles has seen its share of the action. Royal love stories, brutal murders, and the Hollywood movie “Braveheart”… it all took place here! Tonight is yours at leisure to enjoy a dinner among Scottish friends and music. B|T 6
We leave impressive Scotland behind and head to the airport for a short flight to Dublin, Ireland. Our local guide will meet us upon arrival and we will head to the Teelings Whiskey Distillery, the first working distillery in Dublin in 125 years. We will listen to the story of two amazing brothers who are using the sale of whiskey from the old Cooley Distillery to Jim Beam to build a new distillery in the heart of the city. From grain to bottle, many hands are involved in the small batch production process and each bottle carries the signature of Jack Teeling, along with details of the casks used and dates bottled, reinforcing the handcrafted nature of this unique brand. The afternoon is yours to enjoy; perhaps stroll along the River Liffey or wander among the stylish shops of Grafton Street. B|T 7
The morning offers a city tour of Dublin, including a visit to the Trinity College with the impressive “Books of Kells.” At the Guinness Storehouse we have included the very special in-depth Connoisseur Experience. Lunch can be enjoyed at the brewery before we head south to Cork, visiting the Rock of Cashel on our way. The “Rock” is a prominent green hill, which rises from a grassy plain and is considered one of Ireland’s most spectacular archaeological sites. We will be introduced to the Eóghanachta clan. Their association with St. Patrick gives the Rock its alternate name, St. Patrick’s Rock. We arrive in Cork, sitting in a bowl of 7 hills and dominated by the River Lee, in due time for a dinner at a local restaurant within walking distance from our hotel. B|T|D 8
Executive Travel • Phone 402–435–8888 • Fax 402–435–2735 • Toll Free 800–737–0582
July
Cork / Midleton
July
Dingle Peninsula
July
Dublin
July
Dublin – Departure
After a typical Irish breakfast, we take a walk to enjoy Cork and its colorful English Market, the oldest market of its kind in Europe, with an array of farmhouse cheeses to Irish artisan products. Then we take a short drive to Midleton to visit the Old Midleton Distillery and learn all about Jameson and the other Irish whiskies. In the afternoon we drive to a mystical place around an ancient druidic settlement, one of Ireland’s oldest and most historic castles: Blarney. If you are a hearty soul, climb the ramparts of the castle walls and kiss the magic stone reputed to endow the “power of conferring eloquence,” or better known as the “gift of the gab.” In the early evening we arrive in Ballingary in County Limerick to check in to the lovely Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge. This is a stylish 1800’s country house surrounded by gardens and 10 acres of land in a small rural village. Dan, the owner, will make us feel utterly welcome and a great dinner is served tonight. B|T|D 9
Today we will drive Ireland’s most famous and panoramic route, the Dingle Peninsula. We have plenty of time to hop on and off for breathtaking camera moments. We spend the evening with Dan and strongly recommend dining at his property. The Mustard Seed is renowned for the quality of its food and service. B 10
After a rich breakfast, we work our way back towards Dublin. At noon we are invited to a traditional Irish farmhouse, the Eden Hall, where Richenda welcomes us to her country home for a delicious cooking demo followed by a farewell lunch in her dining room. In the afternoon we arrive to the Carton House outside Dublin and only a short 20 minute drive from the airport, to get a good night’s rest. B|L 11
All too soon, your vacation has ended. Transfer to the airport in plenty of time to check in for your flight and clear security.You may do some last minute shopping at the duty-free stores before boarding and flying west across the Atlantic Ocean back to the United States. B 12
B|T|L|D = Breakfast |Tasting|Lunch|Dinner
Executive Travel • Phone 402–435–8888 • Fax 402–435–2735 • Toll Free 800–737–0582
Route Map Overnight Visit/Stop
Highlights • Edinburgh city tour • St. Andrews
• Scotch and whiskey tastings • Edinburgh Castle • Glamis Castle • Stirling Castle • Dublin city tour • The Trinity College
• Guinness Storehouse Connoisseur Experience • Rock of Cashel • Blarney Castle
Included
• Local professional tour guide in Scotland and Ireland • Transport by luxury motor coach with driver for 10 days • Hotel accommodation based on twin bedded rooms with private bath as listed opposite for 9 nights • Full breakfast daily • Meals as per program (three lunches and three dinners) • The Scotch Whisky Experience at Edinburgh Castle • The Connoisseur Experience at the Guinness Storehouse • Eight scotch/whiskey tastings • Visits and admission fees to: Edinburgh Castle, Glamis Castle, Speyside Cooperage, Stirling Castle, Trinity College, Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle • Cookery class with Richenda
Not Included • Flight Edinburgh-Dublin (economy class)
• Cork English Market • Dingle Peninsula • Traditional Irish Farmhouse visit with cooking lesson
Pricing Per person, land only
• Double occupancy: $3,995 • Single room supplement: $1,300 A non-refundable deposit of $750 per person is required at time of reservation. Full payment is due April 2nd, 2016. We are happy to assist with international air at the best rates possible. Travel insurance is highly recommended – contact us!
Hotel Accommodations
• Edinburgh — Royal Scot Club, 3+ star • Aberdeen — Ardoe House, 3 star
• Aviemore — Hilton Coylumbridge, 4 star
• Tips
• Dublin — Radisson Blu Royal, 4 star
• Meals other than mentioned
• Cork — The Imperial, 4 star
• Entrances to monuments and/or museums other than mentioned
• Ballingary — The Mustard Seed, 4 star
• Personal expenses • Flight tickets to Edinburgh and return from Dublin. We are happy to assist with reservations
• Outskirts of Dublin — The Carton House Castle, 4 star
Final accommodations will be confirmed 30 days prior to the departure with the travel documents.
Executive Travel • 1212 O Street • Lincoln, NE 68508 • Phone 402-435-8888 • Fax 402-435-2735 • Toll Free 800-737-0582 Forwarding registration and deposit signifies that you agree to the terms and conditions of this tour which can be found at http://www.executivetravel.com/group_tours/terms_and_conditions.html