Meet your guide in the airport and begin your tour with heading towards Chester. First stop is the Grosvenor Museum where we dive head first into the Roman history of the UK. Afterwards enjoy wandering around the Newstead Gallery with its extensive exhibit on roman artifacts found in Chester.
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Overnight: Chester (Bed & Breakfast)

Today you will get to explore Chester and everything this northern England town has to offer. From its founding as a Roman fort to the modern day it is full of history waiting to be unlocked.
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Overnight: Chester (Bed & Breakfast)

The scenic drive from Chester to York is a great way to start the day. Walking along the medieval city walls and exploring the wandering lanes will lead us to York Minster, an impressive cathedral at the heart of the city.
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Overnight: York (Bed & Breakfast)

Now that you have walked and wandered the town, it's time to dig deeper into the history here with a visit to the Yorkshire Museum. Afterwards explore the Museum Gardens with its array of plants and ancient monuments. An optional visit to the Roman Baths can be booked for the afternoon.
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Overnight: York (Bed & Breakfast)

Leaving the bustling city for the quiet and beautiful Lake District is a lovely change of pace. Today you will see the Castlerigg Stone Circle and the breathtaking Lake District National Park leading you to the famous Windermere peaks. Enjoy the views from the lake cruise in the afternoon.
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Overnight: Lake District Area (Bed & Breakfast)

Hardknott Roman Fort is a well preserved Roman military fort that you will visit today. Full of history that you will get to step into during your visit. The Ravenglass Roman Bath House will impress all with its size and well preserved appearance from its use in the Roman Rule of Britain.
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Overnight: Lake District Area (Bed & Breakfast)

Heading north will have us stopping at the Great North Museum in Newcastle to explore the extensive exhibits. In the afternoon you will see the reconstruction of the Arbeia Roman Fort.
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Overnight: Northumberland area (Bed & Breakfast)

The northern most point of Roman Britain can be seen marked here with Hadrian's Wall. Next, visit Chester's Roman Fort for the most complete cavalry fort in Britain.
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Overnight: Newcastle upon Tyne (Bed & Breakfast)

A stop at the Roman Army Museum will immerse you in the life of a Roman soldier. You will then head to Scotland's capital for the last part of the trip.
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Overnight: Edinburgh (Bed & Breakfast)

Wake up and take in the views of this historic city with a walking tour. The National Museum of Scotland holds an extensive collection of the Roman occupation of Scotland.
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Overnight: Edinburgh (Bed & Breakfast)

The most northern fort beyond Hadrian's Wall can be found in the Scottish Borders. Explore Trimontium Museum to learn more. Return to Edinburgh in the evening for a farewell dinner.
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Overnight: Edinburgh (Bed & Breakfast)

Transfer to Edinburgh Airport to begin your journey home.

Arrive in the vibrant, historic city of Dublin, where every cobblestone street seems to whisper a story.
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After settling into your centrally located hotel, gather with your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner, a relaxed introduction to the city and to the journey ahead. The evening sets a reflective, literary tone: conversations over local dishes, the hum of a city that inspired Joyce, Wilde, and Yeats, and the excitement of exploration to come.
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Overnight, dinner bed and breakfast at Dublin hotel or area

Begin the day with a panoramic tour of Dublin, driving past elegant Georgian squares, the winding River Liffey, and the bustling streets where history and modern life converge.
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Pause at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Ireland’s largest cathedral, where Jonathan Swift once served as Dean and where centuries of literary and religious history mingle in stately stone and stained glass. Jonathan Swift, the Irish writer perhaps most famous as the author of Gulliver’s Travels, was Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral next door to Marsh’s. He was a Governor of the Library, and attended meetings of the board of trustees known as Governors and Guardians.
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Next, step inside Marsh’s Library, a rare surviving 18th-century library where oak shelves cradle thousands of ancient texts.
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For those who wish, there is an optional afternoon visit to the Guinness Storehouse, a lively, sensory experience with panoramic city views.
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In the evening, relax over dinner at leisure and enjoy Dublin’s charm as the sun sets over the city’s spires.
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Dublin or area

Step into the world of James Joyce with a full day dedicated to the author who forever transformed the city.
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Begin with a Bloomsday walking tour, tracing the steps of Leopold Bloom through the streets, alleys, and squares immortalized in Ulysses. Starting near one of his main character’s childhood home and finishing where Bloom enjoyed his lunch, join our professional guides as they take you through the city that inspired Joyce so much. This tour is most suitable for people who are beginning the James Joyce journey or who want to see some of the places mentioned in his works. The tour is not intended for Joycean experts, but if you are one, you are more than welcome to refresh your basics and see the real life connections and inspirations!
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Visit the James Joyce Centre, a carefully curated space of manuscripts, artifacts, and multimedia displays that illuminate Joyce’s genius and eccentricity. The James Joyce Centre is housed in a beautifully restored Georgian house and includes an exhibition area with computer installations, videos, re-creations of period rooms, and items relating to the life and work of James Joyce. Also on view are a copy of Joyce's death mask, furniture from Paul Leon's Paris apartment where Joyce worked on Finnegans Wake, and the front door from number 7 Eccles Street, Leopold Bloom's address in Joyce's Ulysses. Various walking tours of Joyce's Dublin are available, and the centre hosts lectures, temporary exhibitions, and Joyce-related events, in particular the annual Bloomsday festival on 16th June.
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In the afternoon, experience the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), where your group may participate in a white-glove tour, including the chance to view a rare second edition of Ulysses. The Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), opened in autumn 2019, is a cultural treasure dedicated to celebrating Irish literature. Ideally located on the picturesque south side of St. Stephen's Green in one of Dublin's most beautiful historic houses, the museum offers dynamic and immersive exhibitions that explore Ireland's literary heritage—from the ancient art of storytelling to the works of contemporary Irish writers. An expert will lead you to a private room after the tour where you will have the opportunity to hold some a rare edition of Ulysses among other Irish famous novels.
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*We can upgrade the visit with a bookclub experience by a local Irish Author. This will take the form of an interview with the author facilitated by MoLi.
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The day blends walking, history, and intimate encounters with literary treasures, offering a fully immersive Joyce experience.
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Dublin or area

This morning depart Dublin and journey to Belfast.
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Stop en route and enjoy a hands on baking demonstration at a family home in County Down. Based in Comber, County Down on the shores of Strangford Lough, Tracey Jeffrey has a beautiful traditional cottage where she provides a traditional Irish bread making experience. The session starts with a traditional Irish Fruit Soda Cake, a sweet treat and delicious with lots of homemade Irish butter. While the Fruit Soda Cake is baking in the stove oven, guests will make some potato bread (or fudge as it is known locally). Fillings of scallions or cheese can be added to the potato mix. Soda bread will also be made, with various alternative ingredients, including treacle, currants, sultanas or cinnamon. Tray-bakes are a typical sweet treat from Northern Ireland, and are delicious served with tea or coffee. Guests will take home a bag filled with their handmade products and all of the recipes. Tracey also offers various day trips in Northern Ireland and she has an in-depth knowledge of where to find great local producers, where guests will hear their story and taste their produce. Guests will sample foods as varied as single estate whiskey to artisan dulse wheaten bread.
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Continue to Belfast and enjoy a panoramic tour of the city, taking in landmarks from the historic Cathedral Quarter to the modern waterfront. The tour offers both the architectural and cultural context of the city that shaped writers and dreamers alike.
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Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Belfast or area

Celebrate the life and imagination of Belfast-born C.S. Lewis.
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Take a walking tour of Belfast, exploring the neighborhoods where he grew up, the schools he attended, and the landscapes that sparked his imagination for The Chronicles of Narnia. This walking tour considers the influence of his childhood in east Belfast: his family connections and the places he knew and loved. The tour can be tailored according to time and fitness levels, but it will include a visit to CS Lewis Square with its Narnian sculptures and a coffee in the wonderful Visitor Centre.
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Spend the afternoon in the Mourne Mountains which invites you into the landscapes that shaped C.S. Lewis’s imagination long before Narnia ever existed on the page. As you leave Belfast behind, the scenery slowly opens into rolling foothills before rising into the dramatic granite peaks of the Mournes—mountains Lewis later described as “my idea of Narnia.” Your guide leads you along gentle forest paths and quiet lakesides, stopping at viewpoints where the mountains sweep down to the sea in bold, cinematic arcs. Along the way, hear stories of Lewis’s childhood holidays, his love of myth and allegory, and the way these rugged, enchanted landscapes infused his writing. Pause to take in the stillness at places like Silent Valley Reservoir or the Kilbroney Forest overlook—settings that evoke lantern-lit woods, heroic journeys, and the hushed expectancy of entering another world. With moments for reflection, short readings, and photography, this immersive afternoon offers not just a scenic excursion, but a deeper understanding of the natural world that inspired one of literature’s most beloved fantasy realms.
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As the light softens across the mountains, you return to Belfast feeling as though you’ve glimpsed the thresholds of Narnia itself.
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Belfast or area

Drive along the legendary Antrim Coast, one of Ireland’s most spectacular coastal routes, where sheer cliffs, dramatic inlets, and the vast Atlantic create a sense of timelessness.
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Stop at the Giant’s Causeway, the iconic basalt columns steeped in myth and legend, providing a perfect backdrop for stories of giants and ancient times. Capture photographs, breathe in the sea air, and imagine the centuries of folklore that shaped Ireland’s storytelling tradition.
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Encounter Northern Ireland’s favourite giant Finn McCool at the new Giants Causeway Visitor centre on the North Antrim coast which opened in the summer of 2012. According to legend Finn McCool created the Giants Causeway by building stepping stones to Scotland to challenge the Scottish giant Benandonner! The new Visitor centre explores the major themes of mythology, geology, landscape, ecology, culture and social history based on the UNESCO World Heritage site that consists of 40,000 basalt polygonal columns formed 60 million years ago after a volcanic eruption. In 2015, Conde Nast Traveler magazine included hopping the stones of the Giant's Causewayas one of the '50 things to do in Europe before you die'.
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Continue to Derry for the evening and overnight.
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Overnight, dinner, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Derry or area

Spend the morning on a walking tour of Derry, exploring the city’s rich literary and cultural heritage.
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Derry, also known as Londonderry, is one of Ireland’s most historic and culturally vibrant cities, celebrated for its beautifully preserved 17th-century city walls, lively artistic spirit, and rich storytelling tradition. The old town is compact and atmospheric, with narrow streets opening onto sweeping views of the River Foyle and the surrounding hills. Murals, museums, and music-filled pubs reflect the city’s layered past, while its warm, welcoming locals bring a distinctive sense of character and resilience. Blending history, creativity, and a strong contemporary identity, Derry offers visitors a unique window into the cultural heart of the northwest.
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Visit the Seamus Heaney HomePlace, a striking center dedicated to the Nobel Prize-winning poet, set in the landscapes that inspired much of his work. Through exhibits, readings, and guided exploration, discover the rural and literary influences that shaped his extraordinary poetry. Seamus Heaney HomePlace takes you on an inspiring journey through the life and work of one of Ireland’s greatest writers. Situated between Heaney’s two childhood homes at Mossbawn and The Wood, and only a few hundred yards from St Mary’s Church, Bellaghy, which he chose as his final resting place, HomePlace is at the heart of the area that inspired so much of the poet’s work. It’s a place where you can sense the warmth of Heaney’s relationships with local people and landscapes; where you can immerse yourself in the Nobel Laureate’s literature.
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Reflect on the interplay of place, memory, and verse before returning to the city for an evening at leisure.
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Derry or area

Depart Derry for Sligo, traveling along Ireland’s rugged and scenic coastlines. You will travel to Donegal town and continue on towards Slieve Leagues Cliffs.
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Slieve League Cliffs in County Donegal offer one of the most breathtaking coastal panoramas in Ireland. Rising nearly three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher, these dramatic sea cliffs plunge sheer into the Atlantic, their rugged faces shifting in color as clouds drift overhead. A visit here feels both wild and serene: windswept viewpoints, distant seabirds wheeling over the waves, and the endless horizon stretching west toward the New World. Walking along the cliff paths, guests experience the raw beauty of Ireland at its most elemental — a landscape that feels ancient, untouched, and deeply moving. Whether admired from the main viewing platform or explored more leisurely on foot, Slieve League offers an unforgettable encounter with the natural grandeur of the northwest.
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Continue on to Sligo following the Northwestern Wild Atlantic Way offering some of the best beaches and coastal views on the island.
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Sligo or area

County Sligo's beautiful scenery was an inspiration for Yeats, who is buried at Drumcliff Churchyard, under loaf-shaped Benbulben Mountain. The lakes of Sligo, with their still waters and wooded islands, are truly spectacular, and form a striking contrast to the county's rugged uplands.
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Today you are joined by a Yeats enthusiast with a life long interest in the Yeats family and especially the poet brother William Butler. Like the Yeats children he was born in Dublin but from an early age escaped to Sligo as often as possible …as did they! He remarks that had the poetry not all been written already he might be famous!
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Your expert guide will bring you on a guided tour of Yeats Country, you will see many of the locations associated with and made famous by Yeats himself. He brings you the life and poetry of William Butler Yeats. Whether you love the poetry already, have a vague remembrance of it from high school or college or indeed know nothing of it your guide promises you will leave vowing to buy a Yeats Selection on the morrow!
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Continue on and stop briefly at Glencar Waterfall, an enchanting cascade, made famous in Yeats’ poem The Stolen Child. Standing in its presence, one can almost hear the whispered lines: Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild…
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Lunch is at leisure today and we would highly recommend a stop at Glencar teaSHED. teaSHED is mentioned online by www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com as the Most Scenic Place to have a Coffee in Ireland. Serving speciality teas, locally roasted coffee, freshly baked scones, various homemade desserts, delicious sandwiches, homemade soup and bread
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Visit Drumcliffe Cemetery, the final resting place of W.B. Yeats, this early Christian site sits in the shadow of Benbulben. With its High Cross, round tower remnants, and historic Church of Ireland, the site offers a moment of reflection on Yeats’ famous epitaph:
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Cast a cold eye,
On life, on death.
Horseman, pass by!
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Dinner is under own arrangements tonight
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Sligo or area

Travel back to Dublin, reflecting on the landscapes, stories, and literary encounters of your journey.
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Stop in Edgeworthstown on the way and visit the Maria Edgeworth Centre. Visitors learn about the most celebrated English language novelist of the era, a contemporary of Jane Austen and Byron amongst others. Guided and supported by her father Richard Lovell Edgeworth, an inventor, surveyor and educator, she became one of the most successful authors of her time.
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You can also join a local guide on Edgeworthstown’s Heritage & Literary Trail. Explore a small country town in rural Ireland, quietly tucked away in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. And unearth its name: “The Town of the Great Writers”. Follow in the footsteps of historical figures, like Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth, Oscar Wilde and many more. Take one of our breathtaking literary walking tours and uncover their connections with the town of Edgeworthstown.
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Continue to Dublin and enjoy some time at leisure revisiting favorite city spots, browsing bookstores, or enjoying a café along the Liffey.
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Celebrate your last evening in Ireland with a wonderful dinner in a local restaurant such as the Winding Stairs or Brazen Head Pub !
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Overnight, bed and breakfast at your hotel in Dublin or area

You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Dublin Airport on time for your flight home.
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We hope you enjoyed your tour in Ireland!