Ireland and Scotland Family Tour: Movies, Legends, and Castles

Urquhart Castle at Loch Ness in Scotland

What to expect on this itinerary

Mysteries and movie moments cover Ireland and Scotland; the Hogwarts Express, Loch Ness Monster, Blarney Stone, a James Bond castle, and stories from Titanic. These two countries are dominated by landscapes and legend, with something to excite all ages. Handcrafted for curious families, this tour balances the best of Scotland and Ireland for contrasting ages, creating a journey to the heart of the mysteries. Think culture, castles, and all the unusual history.

Countries Visited

Ireland, Scotland

Places Visited

Edinburgh, St Andrews, Fife, Pitlochry, Loch Ness, Skye, Portree, Glencoe, Glasgow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Cobh, Blarney, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Adare, Ft William

Suggested Duration

12 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Edinburgh – Panoramic Highlights of the Scottish Capital

The great thing about Edinburgh is that you don’t need to do anything in order to get an intimate feel of the city. A majestic castle peers down from the hill, onto a lane of cobbles and charming buildings from times past. Cathedral spires rise above the cityscape and palace buildings glimpse at a royal history. There are some extravagant monuments to explore. Yet the Edinburgh experience is equally made up of strolling the Royal Mile to discover what makes the country and capital unique. It’s hard to know the mood and energy levels after your flight to Scotland. A guide greets you at the airport and tailors a day around how you are feeling; it can incorporate a panorama of grand highlights or be more of an orientation on the central streets.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Fife – Medieval Musing and a Night in a Castle on a Loch

Day 3

Ft. William – Searching for the Loch Ness Monster and a Highlights Distillery

Day 4

Island of Skye – Riding the Hogwarts Express and a Famous Castle From the Movies

Day 5

Glasgow – So Many Stories That Give Scotland Its Mystery

Day 6

Dublin – Storytellers, Songs, Fairies, and Guinness as You Explore Dublin

Day 7

Wicklow – The Great Green Fields of Ireland and Four-Leaved Clovers

Day 8

Kilkenny – Relaxing Into the Irish Vibe and an Evening With the Locals

Day 9

Killarney – Kissing the Blarney Stone and Stories From the Titanic

Day 10

Killarney – Discovering the Ring of Kerry and Some Lord of the Rings

Day 11

Adare – A Pony Ride to a Thatched Village and Medieval Castle Dinner

Day 12

Shannon – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Ride the Jacobite Hogwarts Express, the train from Harry Potter taking you through the Scottish highlands
  • Spend the night in three different castles, including the fabulously mysterious Dromoland
  • Search the Loch Ness Monster after tasting at a boutique whiskey distillery
  • Ireland is full of mysteries for all ages: kissing the Blarney Stone, searching for four-leafed clovers, and ride a pony along a lake to the thatched village of Adare
  • Explore Scotland’s diverse history, from the pastel houses of Portree to Viking fortresses, cobbled streets in Edinburgh, and the castle from a Bond movie
  • Experience Ireland’s traditions, like storytelling in a Dublin pub, Celtic folklore in a local room, plus memoirs to a Catholic history
  • Journey across otherworldly landscapes, the 12-day tour incorporating the Scottish Highlands, the Ring of Kerry and the open green pastures of southern Ireland

Starting Price

$5,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.8

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1104 reviews

Steve E.
Ireland Vacation Review: Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, Gardens, Book of Kells, Kylemore Abbey, Food Tour, 10 Days

We just finished 10 outstanding days in Ireland on a trip that was completely organized and facilitated by Zicasso's travel company. We built the trip around a one-day visit to the Open and, with a lot of advice from our travel company, we visited Dublin, Belfast, and Galway. From each of the cities, we had day trips that were led by a private guide from the company.

Our guide made this trip outstanding. He drove us for seven of the 10 days to the many sites we visited. He was so much more than a good driver. His knowledge of everything we did was extensive and really helped prepare us for what we visited. Additionally, we added and deleted on his recommendation, and all of those moves made the trip better. Some of the deleting, in particular, was because of the weather, and he adjusted to something that made the trip even better. He had a real gift for recognizing immediately our likes and preferences, and adjusted accordingly. Our favorite phrase, which we seemed to say on a daily basis, was, “You did it again," which was in reference to daily tips and/or stops that we made, all of which enhanced our visit to Ireland. He was very professional, punctual, and personable for the entire seven days. He was, without question, the best driver/guide we have encountered in our many trips to Europe. On a personal level, we had great conversations right from the beginning and he seemed more like a good friend than just a driver. I give him my highest recommendation.

As for the travel company, they created a comprehensive plan that addressed the many wonderful sites for us to see in that section of Ireland. Very little of their initial proposal was changed. They were always available when we had questions or concerns before and during the trip. This is a first-class and professional travel agency. I would recommend anyone traveling to Ireland contact this company.

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stanley M.
Ireland, Scotland Vacation Review: 12 Nights

The trip was put together by Zicasso's travel company with much thought and numerous suggestions.

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Allison B.
Scotland Travel Review: Edinburgh, Portree, Isle of Skye, Inverness, Trossachs National Park, Safari, Sea Cruise, Waterfalls, Hiking, Local Cuisine, Scenery, 11-Day Trip

The trip was lovely. Working with Zicasso's travel consultant was delightful from start to finish. She had really great ideas for things to add to the itinerary and was great about incorporating things to see and places to visit that we already had in mind. It was truly a collaboration between the two of us to form the perfect itinerary.

I've worked with a lot of other travel companies to arrange custom itineraries for trips and this was one of the best. The app was very handy for quick changes and communication when we were in Scotland.

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Alissa A.
Scotland Trip Review: Local Cuisine, Scenery, Golf, 9 Nights

The trip was absolutely amazing!! The lush green landscape, the authentic food, the amazing golfing, and the amazing people. Zicasso's travel company was “spot on“ for our wants and needs, including the unique places we stayed at along the way. The transportation was seamless and the drivers were friendly and engaging!

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Cristine L.
England, Scotland Trip Review: 'Outlander' Tour, Afternoon Tea, 'Pride and Prejudice', Hiking, 9 Nights

The trip was everything we wanted it to be and more.

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Kenneth (.
Scotland Tour Review: 8 Nights

There was great planning by Zicasso's travel company, with just the right amount of activity, without exhausting us. And great accommodations.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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