London and The Emerald Isle
Program Dates:
June 24 - July 7, 2024
Enrollment for this program is now closed for Summer 2024. View Summer 2025 Programs!
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1 - Overnight Flight
Board your overnight flight bound for London.
Day 2 - London
Morning arrival in London. Meet your Travel Director and transfer to your centrally located hotel. Later today, start exploring on an orientation walk around iconic landmarks such as Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus. In the evening enjoy a typical "fish and chips" dinner followed by a walk around Covent Garden.
Day 3 - London
Today, enjoy a guided tour the city, including highlights such as Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Hyde Park, St Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham Palace (including the Changing of the Guard if available). Later, meet with a former British Ambassador for an engaging discussion on peace and diplomacy.
Day 4 - London
Visit the Tower of London with a Beefeater as your guide. Also called Yeomen Warders, this force was charged with guarding the palace and the crown jewels. In the afternoon, explore BoroughMarket. After dinner, take in a show at one of the 39 theaters in London’s West End.
Did You Know?
Tower Bridge (often confused with London Bridge) isn’t named so because it is one of the few bridges on the Thames that features towers. It’s actually named after the Tower of London which is located on one side of the bridge. Enjoy fabulous views of the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Shard from the elevated sidewalks of the bridge.
Day 5 - Belfast
This morning, fly from London to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. This afternoon, visit the interactive Titanic Museum, the very place where Titanic was designed, built and launched, Titanic Belfast tells the story of Titanic from her conception, through her construction and launch, to her maiden voyage and subsequent place in history.
Day 6 - Belfast
Today, take a guided tour of this bustling city marked by a divided past and a hopeful future. Stops are included at the Peace Wall and the Murals. In the afternoon meet with local students of Sport Changes Life - a sports foundation that helps young people find a path to a better future.
Day 7 - Donegal
This morning, drive to the world famous Giant’s Causeway, renowned for its polygonal columns of layered basalt, which is the only World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland. Take a walk over Carrick-a-Rede, famous for its rope bridge, which connects the mainland to Carrick-a-Rede Island. Later, continue on to Derry, where a local guide will show you the Walls, the Bogside and the Murals as you learn about the events of "Bloody Sunday" that happened in 1972.
Day 8 - Galway
This morning, continue on to Galway, a beautiful harborside city on the west coast. Take a walking tour of the city, and visit some of the most important landmarks and neighborhoods of this medieval town. Take a walk around Eyre Square and the Quincentennial fountain, shop at Galway Market, and see Lynch’s Castle, Spanish Arch, and the Wilde Monument.
Did You Know?
The Giant’s Causeway has about 40,000 interlocking columns made from basalt. The columns have a unique hexagonal shape that are reminiscent of huge stepping stones. Some actually go as high as 39 feet into the air.
Day 9 - Galway
Take a full day adventure out to one of Ireland’s most iconic sites, The Cliffs of Moher and then visit Burren, one of Ireland’s six national parks. You will be joined by a local expert guide who will bring this remote, rugged and sparse landscape to life. Literary researchers have suggested that the Cliffs of Moher and Burren were the inspiration that J.R.R Tolkien needed to create The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings.
Day 10 - Killarney
On your way to Killarney, visit the town of Dingle and take a boat tour to meet it’s famous local, Funghie the dolphin. Funghie is a wild Bottlenose Dolphin, no one is quite sure of his age but he has been here for nearly 32 years. This afternoon, visit Inch Beach and take a walk along some of it’s four miles of unspoiled beaches. Later, continue to Killarney.
Day 11 - Killarney
Take a trip out to the Gap of Dunloe and take a traditional horse-drawn jaunty cart, before setting sail across the lakes of Killarney. You’ll travel through the breathtaking narrow mountain pass carved by glaciers created millions of years ago, and then be sure to make a wish at the “Wishing Bridge”.
Day 12- Dublin
This morning depart Killarney for Dublin, along the way visit the Blarney Castle, one of Ireland most visited sites. Climb to the top of the castle and hang upside-down to kiss the world famous Blarney Stone, legend says once you kiss the stone you will be given the gift of the gab.
Day 13 - Dublin
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Dublin with a local guide, and visit St. Patricks Cathedral and Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, which contains four gospels that were written in 384 AD. Later, go shopping on Grafton Street for some last minute souvenirs, and take a stroll through St. Stephen’s Green. Tonight, join your group’s farewell dinner!
Day 14 - Departure Day
Transfer to Dublin airport for your return flight to the US.
Join this Program!
Students will join other teens from across the United States, accompanied by experienced, passionate and globally-minded U.S. certified educators. These inspiring leaders guide, nurture and mentor students on their journey to Global Citizenship.
What’s Included:
Roundtrip Airfare
Accommodations
Teacher Leaders
Full Time Local Program Director
Transportation to Included Activities
Breakfast and Dinner Daily
All Attractions and Activities
Guided Sightseeing by Local Expert Guides
All Tips and Gratuities
24-Hour Support
All Taxes and Fees
Global Citizen Certificate
Pre-Travel Preparation Meetings and Seminars
