“What a trip! Leading up to visiting Israel we were excited with anticipation, but boy did it exceed anything we had imagined. Our tour guide CJ was outstanding. He broke down the Jewish culture, past and modern history, biblical connections/application, and geography of Israel at every site. It was just so awesome with how many sites and artifacts we were shown and how seamlessly our trip was organized. Throughout the week we were taken well care of. We stayed in very nice hotels, ate great food, and enjoyed a comfortable, air-conditioned bus driven by our expert driver, Happy. Happy made sure we stayed hydrated and took extra special care of us in keeping us safe. CJ and Happy complemented each other wonderfully. With packed days of touring, we enjoyed restful evenings. We also felt safe and secure throughout our travels, allowing us to delve fully into what we were learning and what God was teaching us about Himself.
Besides enjoying CJ and Happys sense of humor, we quickly experienced camaraderie between the rest of our group, which made little things like traveling, eating, and taking pictures fun. Thank you all for loving on us; we thank God for you and this short time we were able to connect. And most importantly we thank God as we recognize all the lessons we learned along the way. He definitely used this trip to reveal new things to us as we learned more about the Bible, God, and ourselves.
Thank you and many Blessings,
Jeanne Jackson
14-Day Scotland and Ireland Pilgrimage
Travel to Scotland and Ireland and experience their culture, heritage, and land in a 14-day pilgrimage!
What’s Included
- Airfare from group departure city
- All Transfers
- Baggage Handling
- Breakfast & Dinner Daily
- Entrance Fees to all Sites
- Gratuities
- Itinerary as per Description
- Premium Accommodations
- Professional Tour Guides
- Transportation by Deluxe Motor Coach
Schedule
Day 1 Depart the USA
Day 2 Arrive in Edinburgh
Welcome to Scotland! Arrive in Edinburgh and transfer to the hotel.
Day 3 Edinburgh
Begin the day with Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary’s. Explore the capital city of Scotland, including a visit to Edinburgh Castle. Wander the castle’s grounds to discover the Great Hall, David’s Tower, the Scottish National War Museum, the Queen Anne Building, and the oldest standing building in Edinburgh: St. Margaret’s Chapel. The tour will continue to the UNESCO site of Holyroodhouse at the end of the Royal Mile.
Day 4 St. Andrew's
Venture through the Scottish countryside on the way to the town of St. Andrew’s. This town in Fife was named after the patron saint of Scotland: the apostle Andrew. St. Andrew’s Cathedral was the largest in all of Scotland. Celebrate Mass at the Church of St. James, a small Roman Catholic parish situated on a clifftop overlooking the North Sea. Continue the journey with a visit to the town of Perth, including Scone Palace, one of the finest examples of Georgian Gothic architecture in the UK.
Day 5 Carfin
Depart for the small historic mining village of Carfin, north-east of Motherwell. Visit the Carfin Grotto, Scotland’s national Marian shrine. Enjoy a walk around Carfin: a town of great significance in the life of Scottish Catholicism. Upon returning to Glasgow, have the opportunity to participate in a walking tour of the city.
Day 6 Arrive in Dublin
Welcome to Ireland! Arrive in Dublin and transfer to your hotel.
Day 7 Wicklow and Glendalough
Travel through the beautiful mountains of Wicklow, also known as the “Garden of Ireland,” until we reach Glendalough. Join a guided tour, in which you will see an Irish round tower, the ruins of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the quaint St. Kevin’s Church which is surrounded by an old cemetery. The tour continues to Baltinglass where you will come upon the ruins of a Cistercian Abbey. Pass by Castledermot, where the remains of a Franciscan Abbey are.
Day 8 Tipperary
See the Rock of Cashel, standing high in the middle of the “Golden Vale.” The Cathedral, the Round Tower, and the Cormac Chapel (which was the first Irish Romanesque church) testify to the significance of this site.
Day 5 Dingle Peninsula
Behold the Dingle Peninsula, the most northern of the Kerry peninsulas. Visit the town of Inch, where David Lean shot the movie “Ryan’s Daughter.” Continue venturing along the Eagle Mount and the cliffs of Slea Head. The next stop is the Kilmalkedar Church, built in the 12th century as a part of a complex of religious buildings in the Romanesque style.
Day 10 Cliff of Moher
Head north through Listowel and board a ferry at Killimer to cross the Shannon estuary. Arrive at County Clare, where we will encounter the mystical Cliffs of Moher. Move on to Galway, a city that has kept its medieval charm with its colorful streets and authentic pubs.
Day 11 Galway
Enjoy a cruise on Corrib Lake, which is the largest lake in the Republic of Ireland! Visit Clonmacnoise Abbey, which is Ireland’s most important monastic site, overlooking the River Shannon.
Day 12 Knock
Visit one of the world’s leading Marian shrines, situated in the plains of East Mayo. The original parish church on the site still stands, but we will celebrate Mass in the bigger church that was built to house the shrine’s many pilgrims. This church was named a basilica by Saint John Paul II when he visited in 1979.
Day 13 Dublin
Enjoy plenty of breathtaking scenery while traveling to Dublin. Visit the National Museum, situated in the heart of the city.
Day 14 Return to the USA
Jeanne Jackson
This was my first time to Isreal, and it was such a fantastic trip due to our guide Adam and our driver Money Mike! Adam is so knowledgeable and was really able to make each site come alive for me. We had a really large group, and I am sure that Adam felt like he was “herding cats” all week, but he kept us together and moving through the areas while sharing so much information. With Mike’s driving and sense of humor, I felt very safe even though the streets sometimes seemed way too narrow for all of the buses and cars! The team of Adam and Money Mike were fabulous, and I would highly recommend them!!
Adrienne Carter
If you’re doing the Holy Land Tour, there’s no question in which company to choose - it’s Travel With Friends! The entire trip was very well planned and wasted no time in getting us in and out of sites while beating the crowds. Ibrahim was a phenomenal guide! He was personable, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable in the Bible and history of the land. Will definitely do this trip again and go through Travel With Friends!
Ellie Hill