The destinations you should be visiting in 2020.
Answering the dreams of North American travelers who seek new adventures across the pond, CIE Tours, the Irish tour leader with 87 years of expertise, has unveiled more than a dozen new travel experiences for 2020. Among the fresh opportunities are 12 new land tours, CIE Tours’ first-ever River Cruise Collection, and expanded offerings in Iceland, Italy and beyond.
Travelers who book a 2020 vacation by Sept. 30, 2019, can take advantage of several special offers. River cruisers enjoy a $300 air credit per couple from North American gateways. Those who book a 2020 group guided land tour receive 10% savings, with the exception of CIE Tours’ highly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin: The Wearing of the Green.
CIE Tours’ newest offerings deepen the experiences travelers can have in the tour operator’s core regions of Ireland and Britain. And, they answer the desire of loyal guests for a signature CIE Tours experience in new destinations. All guided tours can be customized for group travel and individual Private Driver experiences.
They include:
New! Ireland South Daytripper: 7 days from $1,699.
Dingle town. Image: Getty.
Guests live like a local in the picturesque village of Adare for five nights of this tour, staying at a luxury, family-run hotel and taking day trips to the Cliffs of Moher, highlights of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, and a scenic rail journey to the seaport town of Cobh—the last port of call for the Titanic.
Along the way, they’ll enjoy a sheepdog demonstration, jaunting car ride, a drink at the South Pole Inn, and a visit to Blarney Castle.
Capping off the tour is a private pub experience near Dublin and free time to explore before a final night’s stay in Ireland’s capital city.
New! Castles & Manors of Ireland: 8 days from $2,649.
Kylemore Abbey.
In three CIE Tours exclusives on this tour, guests take part in the “feeding of champions” at the Irish National Stud and Gardens, sip Irish coffee at Europe’s oldest pub (dating back to 900 AD), and enjoy dinner in a 12th century castle keep, staying each night in a historic manor house or castle as they traverse the island.
The tour is bookended with castle stays at Barberstown Castle in Co. Kildare and Cabra Castle in Co. Cavan. Manor stays include the historic Cahernane House and Glenlo Abbey. Guests also visit Ross Castle by jaunting car, 1867 Kylemore Abbey, Russborough House (site of an infamous art heist) and Muckross House and Gardens.
New! Ireland by Road & Rail: 8 days from $1,999.
Is train the best way to see Ireland. Image: Getty.
Guests explore Ireland via modern coach, rail, boat and even a vintage double-decker bus—complete with afternoon tea—on this eight-day adventure that starts and ends in Dublin.
Classic attractions like the Guinness Storehouse, the Book of Kells and Waterford Crystal are paired with hidden treasures like Hazel Mountain Chocolate Factory—one of the smallest and most remote chocolate factories in the world.
Other highlights include beautiful Dingle Peninsula, the Cliffs of Moher and lively Galway City.
New! London Daytripper: 6 days from $1,599.
The Tower of London. Image: Getty.
With London serving as home base for a series of day trips, guests only need to unpack once. The tour starts in the afternoon with a visit to the Tower of London and a welcome dinner at the hotel. Day trips include Windsor to see the Queen’s official residence, Stonehenge and the Roman baths in Bath, Oxford, and Stratford-upon-Avon, and Kent to tour Leeds Castle and Canterbury Cathedral.
New! Best of London & Paris: 7 days from $1,999.
Paris on St Patrick's Day.
Guests experience two of the world’s great capital cities on this special tour. It starts with afternoon tea while touring London in a vintage double-decker Routemaster.
The next few days include the British Museum, a London pub food tour, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. Then it’s off to Paris by Eurostar train, followed by a Seine River cruise. Days five and six include the Louvre, Montmartre, and plenty of free time to explore the City of Lights.
New! Best of Northern England: 8 days from $1,999.
A stunning sunrise over the old Loughrigg Tarn at the heart of the English Lake District National park, Cumbria, UK. Image: Getty.
Traveling from London to Liverpool, guests on this tour explore medieval cities and the stunning Lake District along the way. It starts with independent sightseeing in London before journeying to the college towns of Oxford and Cambridge. Ely Cathedral, York Minster, Whitby’s ancient seaport (traveling by vintage train), and the Victorian spa town of Harrogate are among the stops.
A scenic cruise down Lake Windermere and a train ride through the Leven Valley follow before the tour ends with free time in Liverpool to explore The Beatles’ legendary hometown.
New! Best of Southern England: 8 days from $2,149.
Blenheim Palace from lawn on beautiful sunny autumn afternoon. Image: Getty.
Among the authentic experiences on this tour that begins and ends in London is a visit to Blenheim Palace—the birthplace of Winston Churchill and the real-life inspiration behind Downton Abbey, a ride in a private capsule on the London Eye, and a tour of Kensington Palace, Queen Victoria’s childhood home.
Other tour highlights include the famed Roman baths in Bath, the Elizabethan-era Chavenage House, the massive monoliths of Stonehenge and the white chalk cliffs, known as the “Seven Sisters.”
New! Taste of England: 14 days from $4,099.
Goathland has become famous as "Hogsmeade" in the Harry Potter films. Image: Getty.
Starting in London and ending in Liverpool, this sweeping tour of England combines the Best of Northern England and Best of Southern England tours in one, treating Anglophile travelers to all the main attractions of this fascinating country—and so much more.
Punting on the River Cam stops for tours and samplings at Shepherd Neame Brewery, the Lakes Distillery, and Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, and a vintage train ride from the Goathland Station that portrayed Hogsmeade Station in the first “Harry Potter” film are among the authentic experiences’ guests will enjoy along the way.
New! Iceland & Ireland Adventure: 11 days from $3,288.
Image: Getty.
Guests enjoy more of Iceland’s highlights, from the famed Golden Circle to an insider’s visit to the sustainable greenhouse at Fridheimer Tomato Farm to an evening soak in the Blue Lagoon.
The Irish half of this epic adventure spans the Emerald Isle’s north and south, with stops in Glendalough, Waterford, the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Donegal, Giant’s Causeway and more.
New! Best of Iceland & Ireland South: 10 days from $3,338.
Image: Getty.
This tour invites guests to mingle with locals and in-the-know travelers at Iceland’s Secret Lagoon and explore the Golden Circle with highlights such as Gullfoss Waterfall and Strokkur Geyser before flying to Dublin.
A jaunt through Ireland’s magnificent south follows, stopping to see Ireland’s most famous racehorses at the Irish National Stud, then continuing on to Killarney, Dingle, Adare, and Galway.
New! Northern Lights Quest of Iceland: 6 days from $2,599.
Northern Lights appear over Mount Kirkjufell with Kirkjufellfoss waterfall in Iceland. Image: Getty.
Guests on this tour will experience Iceland’s top highlights and hidden gems, including a sail from The Old Harbor on a quest for the Northern Lights and a journey to the Secret Lagoon—a more intimate alternative to the popular Blue Lagoon, which is also included.
Another highlight is early admission to the LAVA Center, an interactive, high-tech experience exploring the epic forces of nature that formed this volcanic island nation.
New! Taste of Italy with Sorrento: 10 days from $3,299.
Sorrento. Image: Getty.
This new tour includes all the highlights of CIE Tours’ popular seven-day Taste of Italy tour, topped off by a jaunt south to Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. Guests explore Venice, Florence and Rome, with free time for dining in Bologna and wine tasting in Orvieto, before heading to Italy’s southern coast for a visit to Pompeii, a ferry ride to Capri and an authentic Naples-style pizza lunch.
In addition to these 12 new tours, CIE Tours has introduced its brand-new River Cruise Collection with stops in Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Hungary. CIE Tours already offers the largest selection of vacations in the market to Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, giving travelers the greatest choice. In 2020, its new range of expanded destinations offers more options than ever.
CIE Tours guided vacation experiences include daily sightseeing admissions, full breakfasts, entertainment, most dinners as well as unique visits. This inclusive advantage means no upselling by tour guides or optional extras to pay for once the tour is underway.
For more information, visit www.cietours.com, call 800-243-8687, or connect with a travel professional.
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