TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Visit EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum to explore the story of Irish migration and its impact on Irish-American identity. Visit local Famine Memorials and rural villages impacted by the Famine.

  • Explore Strokestown Park House and Famine Museum, learning about the Great Famine and the Irish emigration it triggered.

  • Explore the Ulster Museum for insights into the region’s political history and its connection to Irish emigration. Learn about the Ulster-Scots migration and its influence on Irish-American communities.

  • Visit the Titanic Museum to understand Belfast’s role in shipbuilding and its impact on global migration.

  • Experience Dublin and Belfast’s vibrant culture with traditional Irish music and local performances.

  • Walk the City Walls and visit the Museum of Free Derry, connecting you to the history of Irish and Ulster-Scots migration.

  • Marvel at the geological wonder of the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  • Explore the historic Dunluce Castle, tied to Irish clan history and migration.

  • Participate in private genealogy workshops to trace your ancestral roots and understand your family’s migration story.

  • Enjoy live Irish music sessions and traditional storytelling, connecting you to the cultural tapestry of Ireland.

  • Experience the breathtaking landscapes of the Mourne Mountains and the Irish countryside, with guided visits to key historical sites.

  • Spend time at leisure in Dublin, Belfast, and Newcastle, revisiting your favorite sites or enjoying personal exploration.

TOUR PRICE $

There is a thread that runs through our lives—a line that ties us to those who came before. It is woven not just in the names in our family trees, but in the land beneath our feet, in the silent passing of generations and in the stories they carried. This journey is not merely about tracing those names, but about stepping into a history where the ground is familiar, even if it’s foreign.

This is not just a tour through Ireland—it is a journey through the layers of history that shaped your ancestors. It’s about more than walking the streets of Dublin or gazing at the cliffs of Derry—it’s about hearing the echoes of those who walked these lands before, and realizing that the story is still being written. You are a part of it, as much as they are.

It’s about understanding your family's place in the world and the stories that have shaped you. With the support of a certified story coach, your personal journey will be deepened, as they help you process and reflect on your family’s migration and origin stories. You will not only visit historical sites but also connect emotionally to the histories that live within you.

12 SPOTS

 
 

TRIP OVERVIEW

TRIP PRICE: $

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • Beautiful, centrally located accommodations double occupancy; $995.00 Single supplement fee

  • Most meals ( Breakfast, lunches, Dinners)

  • Food and wine tastings throughout the tour

  • Sudden Journeys Tour Director

  • A small, friendly group of 10 people

  • All ground transportation

  • All sightseeing, events, and visits as noted in the itinerary

  • All entrance fees, service charges, and standard taxes

  • Coach Driver, local guides and restaurant gratuities

  • Special dinner and welcome drinks

  • Custom-designed gifts for your travels

  • Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above.

Arrival Airport:

Departure Airport:

Note: The itinerary is descriptive, not definitive, and is subject to change. There also may be modifications due to weather, restoration works taking place are historic sites, and availability of local activities and guides.

“The tour was extremely well organized and every detail was considered. I felt so comfortable and well cared for as we all enjoyed this beautiful part of the world.”
— Katie L.

ACCOMMODATIONS

THREE NIGHTS IN

This fa.

THREE NIGHTS IN

Our Fl

TOUR LEADER: KYLE CAMPBELL

FOUNDER OF SUDDEN JOURNEYS

Meet Kyle, a wandering spirit born under the Southern skies of Tennessee. Kyle is not just a seasoned traveler, but a passionate wayfarer whose love for exploration was fostered by her parents from a young age. Over the last two transformative decades, Kyle evolved as a destination specialist, tour director, and passionate travel guide, leading student and small groups throughout the picturesque locales of Europe and the US.

Kyle knows firsthand the transformative impact travel can have on an individual. She is dedicated to creating immersive experiences within intimate settings that expand worldviews, soften hearts, and foster meaningful cross-cultural connections. She invites you to feel the pulse of places, to linger longer, and to encourage a curiosity for the world.

Simultaneously, she has spent a significant part of her career serving displaced peoples and refugees, weaving their stories and struggles into her teachings of history and global perspectives while inspiring and challenging her travelers to not consume and collect travel experiences but rather how do these experiences inform their lives and influence how they engage others in their communities once home.

The driving force before this one-of-a-kind tour is a combination of her refugee work, deep-rooted love for history, a desire to uncover the stories of our ancestors, and an insatiable curiosity about the world. It's an invitation for each of us to explore our own family narratives, make sense of our personal histories, and experience a profound sense of freedom that comes from understanding our past.

And even as she continues to embark on new adventures, Kyle's home base remains an 18th-century farmhouse nestled in the picturesque English countryside.

DAY ONE (Arrival Day) Our journey together begins at the Parma Rail Station. Here we will .

  • Walking tour Parma

  • Welcome drinks and dinner

  • Free Time: late afternoon at the hotel

Light walking: 1-2 miles throughout the afternoon. Sleep in pARMA.

DAY TWO (
This morning, our journey ta

  • Explore the villages Castello di Vigoleno and Castell’Arquato.

  • Visit a special winery Vin Santo of Vigoleno

  • Lunch: Local area restaurant

  • Free Time: Dinner in Parma

Light walking: 2-4 miles throughout the day, light hills and stairs. Bus 1 hr 45 mins. Sleep in Parma.

DAY THREE
Today, we wi

  • Guided tours of producers of parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar

  • Lunch at a farm to table restaurant located at a local vineyard

  • Explore Torrechiara Castle

  • Dinner together in one of the best restaurants not just in the region but in all of Italy.

Moderate walking: 2-4 miles throughout the day, moderate hills and stairs. Bus 2 hrs. Sleep in PARMA.

DAY FOUR Time to leave Parms and begin our travels south. Our morning will be spent in Modena at the famed Visit Modena and Mercato Albinelli

  • Florence walking tour

  • Visit Officina Profumo Santa Maria Novella

  • Free Time: Morning in Modena

Moderate walking: 4-6 miles throughout the day and stairs. Bus 2 1/2 hrs. Sleep in Florence.

DAY FIVE Im

  • Coffee at Florence’s oldest cafe

  • Unique artisan walking tour

  • Free Time: all afternoon and evening. Dinner on your own.

Moderate walking: 4-6 miles throughout the day. NO BUS. Sleep in Florence.

DAY SIX This mornin

  • Morning in Lucca and lunch on your own

  • Free time: late afternoon in Florence

  • Farewell feast

Moderate walking: 4-6 miles throughout the day. Train 2 hrs R/T. Sleep in Florence.

DAY SEVEN (Departure Day) After an amazing 6 days together, it is time to leave. You will depart the hotel for the train station in Florence or the airport. 

 

MORE TOUR INFORMATION

  • This tour is about exploring Italy through the culture of food. Most of the activities and events over the first few days focus on food. You can expect big meals and snacks along the way.

    Many of the meals revolve around local food traditions, including meat and almost always cheese and pasta. If you are a vegetarian, lactose intolerant, or gluten-free, then this is probably not the tour for you.

  • While in the Emilia Romagna region, we will explore a new tour or village daily. This means early departures, sometimes walking up to an hour at a time and out all day. These days are not overly strenuous but you need to be able to keep up with the group.

  • The hotels where you will stay are both family-run and centrally located. Because both hotels are housed in former palazzos, some of the rooms have creative configurations.

    Note: Italian beds are notoriously hard. I’ve stayed in hundreds of hotels all over the country and this seems to be the standard.

 

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