Global Experiences Trips

Ireland & The United Kingdom: How Each Nation Tells Its Story

What makes a country who it is? Is it the stories its people tell, the battles they remember, the castles they build, the faith they practice, the language they speak, or the traditions they pass from one generation to the next? And what happens when people living on the same island tell very different stories about their shared history?

This May, step beyond the familiar images of green hills, ancient castles, royal palaces, and cobblestone streets to discover the deeper stories of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Over three unforgettable weeks, we will travel from Dublin to Belfast, explore the dramatic Scottish Highlands and historic streets of Edinburgh, discover the cultural heritage of Wales in Cardiff, and conclude in London, one of the world's great cultural capitals.

Along the way, we will explore how history, faith, conflict, creativity, and tradition shape the identities of nations. We will encounter the places where history happened, the people whose stories helped shape cultures, and the landmarks through which communities remember their past. We will discover that history is not simply something that happened long ago. It is something people continue to interpret, celebrate, debate, and live every day.

Our journey begins in Dublin, where Ireland's vibrant contemporary culture meets a complicated history of conquest, resistance, and independence. At Trinity College, we can encounter the extraordinary artistry of the medieval Book of Kells, while landmarks such as Dublin Castle, the General Post Office, and Kilmainham Gaol reveal Ireland's struggles to determine its own future. Dublin is also a city of storytellers, poets, and writers whose works have influenced the world. Through its literature, music, mythology, and humor, Ireland has preserved a distinctive cultural identity despite centuries of outside influence. Here, we begin to ask how a people maintains its voice, traditions, and sense of belonging while navigating a changing world.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland, we encounter a story of industrial achievement, political division, and hope for reconciliation. At Titanic Belfast, we will discover the story of the famous ship and the city that built it. The city's murals, political landmarks, and Peace Walls offer a different perspective, illuminating the Troubles and the competing identities that have shaped Northern Ireland. Belfast challenges us to consider how communities remember painful histories and how people with different interpretations of the past can work toward a shared future. Its story reminds us that understanding a place often begins with listening to perspectives that do not easily fit together.

From Belfast, we travel to Scotland, where the dramatic landscapes of the Highlands seem to tell stories of their own. Based in Inverness, we will explore a region of towering mountains, mysterious lochs, ancient castles, and enduring traditions. Loch Ness evokes centuries of folklore, while Culloden Battlefield provides a powerful setting for understanding the 1746 defeat of the Jacobite forces and its consequences for Highland communities. The Highlands reveal how landscape, language, clan traditions, and collective memory shape cultural identity. Here, we will discover that a nation's story lives not only in royal courts and great cities, but also in its countryside, battlefields, and the traditions of the people who call it home.

Our Scottish journey continues in Edinburgh, a city where medieval streets and imposing architecture reveal centuries of royal intrigue, political struggle, and intellectual achievement. Edinburgh Castle stands as a symbol of Scotland's history and its relationship with England. Along the Royal Mile, we will encounter historic churches, landmarks connected to the Scottish Reformation, and stories of monarchs such as Mary, Queen of Scots. Edinburgh's literary heritage and contributions to philosophy, science, and the arts demonstrate another dimension of Scottish identity. Scotland's distinctive legal, educational, and political traditions invite us to consider how a nation can maintain a strong sense of self while belonging to a larger union.

In Cardiff, the capital of Wales, we encounter a nation whose identity has endured through language, literature, music, legends, and community traditions. Cardiff Castle reflects the layers of Welsh history, from Roman occupation to medieval fortifications and Victorian grandeur. The city's industrial heritage reveals how coal and iron helped transform Wales, while its contemporary political institutions demonstrate the country's continuing development within the United Kingdom. The Welsh language remains a powerful expression of cultural identity, and the nation's poetry, choral traditions, and legendary heroes connect generations to a shared past. Wales challenges us to consider how a people can preserve its distinctive voice and heritage even when surrounded by a more powerful neighbor.

Our journey concludes in London, where the stories of England and Britain reach onto the world stage. At Westminster, we will encounter the traditions of government and constitutional monarchy; the Tower of London reveals centuries of royal power, political intrigue, and imprisonment. London's museums, historic landmarks, and literary heritage illuminate England's artistic achievements and the rise of Britain as a global power. Yet London also forces us to confront more complicated questions about empire, migration, and the legacies of Britain's influence around the world. As a diverse, modern city, it demonstrates how national identity continues to evolve as cultures meet and histories are reconsidered. Here, we bring together the questions raised throughout our journey: Who gets to tell a nation's story? Which parts of history are celebrated, which are contested, and which have been overlooked?

From Dublin's struggle for independence to Belfast's search for reconciliation, from the Scottish Highlands to Edinburgh's royal and intellectual heritage, from the cultural resilience of Wales to the global legacy of England, we will discover that every place tells a story—and that no story is ever as simple as it first appears.

We will stand where history unfolded, walk streets shaped by generations before us, encounter extraordinary works of art and architecture, and experience traditions that connect the past with the present. Most importantly, we will learn to look beyond the landmarks, ask thoughtful questions, and recognize how culture shapes the way people understand themselves and the world around them.

This is more than a three-week journey across Ireland and the United Kingdom. It is an opportunity to experience history firsthand, explore the richness of human culture, and discover how the stories people tell can unite communities, divide nations, preserve traditions, and inspire change.

Come discover the stories behind the places—and return with a new story of your own.

Cities Visited

• Dublin, Ireland
• Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Inverness, Scotland
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Cardiff, Wales
• London, England

Trip Highlights*

• Trinity College and the Book of Kells
• Kilmainham Gaol
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum
• National Museum of Ireland
• Irish Museum of Modern Art
• Cliffs of Moher
• Titanic Belfast
• SS Nomadic
• Crumlin Road Gaol
• Belfast Castle
• Ulster Museum
• Botanic Gardens
• CS Lewis Square
• Inverness Castle
• Inverness Cathedral
• Loch Ness
• Edinburgh Castle
• Royal Mile
• National Museum of Scotland
• The Writer’s Museum
• Real Mary King’s Close
• Cardiff Castle
• Cardiff Bay & the Barrage
• National Museum Cardiff
• Bute Park
• Tower of London and Tower Bridge
• Big Ben and Westminster
• A Play of West End
• Harry Potter World
• The British Museum
• National History Museum