Especially designed for

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

Austin, TX

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Day 1: Saturday, September 6, 2025: Depart USA

• Depart Austin for Dublin, Ireland, connecting through an international hub.

Day 2: Sunday, September 7: Dublin

• Arrive at Dublin International Airport and meet your Faith Journeys Tour Manager and Coach Driver in the arrivals area. Enjoy a panoramic coach tour of the city, ending at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This is the site where St. Patrick first baptized Christians in Dublin. Continue on to check into your accommodations. Enjoy a group dinner and a short service of Compline before bed (if a private space is required, additional cost may apply). Overnight in Dublin.

Day 3: Monday, September 8: Dublin/Glendalough

• Following breakfast, travel to Trinity College. Tour the college, including the famous library and the Book of Kells display. Lunch will be in the area, on your own. In the early afternoon, travel South to the Wicklow Mountains to visit Glendalough, a Celtic “Thin Place” and the site were St. Kevin’s monastery was established. Return to Dublin for some free time, dinner, and overnight.

Day 4: Tuesday, September 9: Dublin, Downpatrick, Belfast, Scotland

• After breakfast, check out of your accommodations and board your coach for Northern Ireland. Along the way, stop at Downpatrick to visit the St. Patrick Centre and the burial site of St. Patrick (and, according to legend: St. Brigid and St. Columba). Continue on to Belfast Ferry Terminal to board a ferry crossing the Irish Sea to the Western Coast of Scotland. Upon arrival, continue to your overnight accommodations Ayrshire area. Dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Wednesday, September 10: Edinburgh

• This morning, we travel from the West to the East coast of Scotland (a less than 2-hour drive) with a stopover at Stirling Castle; one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. Stirling Castle sits atop Castle Hill and is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. The panoramic view of Stirling from its impregnable medieval fortress is truly magnificent. It is also where several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1543. The castle is the strategic dividing line between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. When one looks North and then South, one can see why. Time permitting, walk down the hill and visit the Church of the Holy Rude. Although most groups don’t think to stop here, this church is very important to both church and world history. The church was the site of the crowning of King James VI of Scotland (later to be named James I of England – the person responsible for the King James Version of the bible, which we still use in Rite I today). The preacher at that coronation was none other than John Knox! We continue to Edinburgh to check into our hotel and enjoy a group dinner.

Day Six: Thursday, September 11: Edinburg

• After breakfast, the day begins with what may be the most recognizable symbol of Scotland: Edinburgh Castle which sits atop the volcanic Castle Rock and not only dominates the skyline but also provides a great view of the city. The castle, dating back as far as the 9th century B.C., was a royal residence from the 12th century until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. The castle became a military base with a large garrison in the 17th century; many of the buildings we’ll explore today are from its use as a military garrison. We’ll also see the Honours of Scotland, known as the Scottish regalia, and the Scottish Crown Jewels which date from the 15th and 16th centuries and are the oldest set of crown jewels in the British Isles. While at the castle, you will have an extended visit to St. Margaret Chapel! After your tour, we exit through the castle gate unto the Royal Mile, where we stop at St. Giles, the High Kirk of Scotland. This historic church, once part of the Church of England, is the burial site of the great Scottish reformer, John Knox (whose grave is, strangely enough, located under parking spot #23, found outside the church). We also want to spend some time visiting the ornately carved Thistle Chapel, home of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest order of chivalry. The remainder of the day is free for personal sightseeing, reflection and shopping. In the late evening, return to your hotel for dinner and Compline (if a private space is required, additional cost may apply).

Day 7: Friday, September 12: Edinburgh, Lindisfarne

• This morning we’ll travel to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, known as the very fountainhead of England’s Christian heritage. It was on Holy Island that the early Christian message was honed and distributed to a largely pagan Northumberland. Lindisfarne Priory was the home of St. Cuthbert and the birthplace of a true national treasure – the Lindisfarne Gospels, a unique illuminated Latin manuscript of the gospels of Mark, Luke, and John. The Lindisfarne Heritage Center contains an electronic copy of the book—the real version is kept in London’s British Library—and also presents a complete history of the island that brings the story of St.
  Cuthbert to life. Standing on a rocky outcrop overlooking the island is Lindisfarne Castle – a small fortress first built in 1550 and today looked after by the National Trust. After enjoying the unforgettable richness of the day, return to Edinburgh for dinner and an overnight stay at
  our hotel.

Day 8: Saturday, September 13: Edinburgh, Glen Goyne

• After breakfast, spend some free-time exploring the city. In the early afternoon, return to your accommodations and travel North of Glasgow to Glen Goyne, the Southernmost Highland Whiskey Distillery, for a tour and tasting. Return to Edinburgh for dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Sunday, September 14: Edinburgh, Queensferry, Dunfermline

• After breakfast, attend Sunday morning worship at a local Episcopal Church. After lunch, board your coach and travel toward the Firth of Forth, an estuary where several rivers meet the North Sea. It was on the banks of these waters that St. Margaret founded and established a ferry service, to help pilgrims traveling from the South to St. Andrews. After crossing the Firth Bridge, you’ll travel to Dunfermline. In 1250 (157 years after her death), she was canonized by Pope Innocent IV, and her remains were moved to a shrine at Dunfermline Abbey. Although they were later moved (and presumed lost), the shrine still remains. Time
  permitting, we will arrange for a service of Holy Eucharist at the shrine. Later in the day, you’ll return to Edinburgh for some free time. In the late evening, attend a special “Spirit of Scotland” celebration dinner, complete with bagpipes, Scottish dancers, and music.

Day 10: Monday, September 15: Flight Home

• After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to either Edinburgh or Glasgow International Airport for a return flight home.