What do people usually say about a vacation? Great food, fun shopping, relaxing. If someone were to ask me if I enjoyed my trip to Northern Ireland via EVA travel, I would be at a loss to answer. My brain is instantly bombarded with an array of memories, flavors and experiences. A small group of 18 people, we were comfortably bussed to each destination on the tour. We made plenty of stops to local pubs, or for a quick cup of tea or a dash into a row of thrift stores. The itinerary was packed, but never felt over crowded. We visited three World Heritage sites: • Bru na Boinne and New Grange with their haunting, mysterious 5000-year-old story, • Giant’s Causeway, offering fascinating volcanic forms, steeped in geology, history, and lore. Tours of museums and monuments were all led by enthusiastic guides and firmly grounded us in each locale: • Titanic Museum • Hillsborough Castle and Gardens • Derry City Hall One of the best parts of the tour was that it was packed with Whimsey. Each day gave us something surprising: • A bike ride along a flower-lined old railroad grade • A walk past King John’s Castle • A visit to the lively and very informative last Leprechaun whisperer • A stop at a chocolatier / distillery to try our hand at making chocolates • A cooking class where we produced a full-blown meal, including two main courses, soup, bread, salads and deserts • The Derry Girls Museum • Irish music and dancing Maybe the best part was the History/Politics of North Ireland: Our tour leader knew the history of North Ireland first-hand, but also engaged local experts in Belfast to give us a deeper understanding of the Peace Walls and extensive murals and memorials throughout the city. I knew so little about The Troubles, and now I know a bit more about the fascinating history of this complex society and its millennia of conflict. Actually, the best part was the Giving Back part of the tour: The point of an EVA tour is to give back something. A forty-minute ferry ride rocked us to Rathlin Island, where we stayed at Manor House, an 18th Century beautiful and comfortable lodging, overlooking the sea. In addition to site seeing and wandering, we helped to build a community garden and did some beach cleanup. I felt so good about helping with this garden. Getting supplies to the island is difficult, at best, and the moody North Atlantic often imposes itself between the island and North Ireland. It felt good to work, especially knowing we were helping to provide an additional food source for such nice people. Amongst all of this, we still had enough free time to visit a local pub or farmers’ market. The tour was so carefully coordinated that everything went off like clockwork…at least it seemed that way. Our tour leader was well informed, expertly oriented with the area, and sincerely attentive to everyone’s needs and wants. She sought feedback throughout the tour and worked hard to ensure that everyone was satisfied and engaged. So, it’s no wonder that, upon returning home, I had to process all of the places and experiences from this most excellent tour of North Ireland. I am still doing so.

EVA Nooks and Crannies of Northern Ireland 2025 exceeded my expectations in every way. Great locations, accommodations, food and entertainment. The unmatchable itinerary enabled me to check off Carrick-Rede-Rope Bridge and The Giant’s Causeway on my bucket list. I would have never known to visit Carlingford nor Rathlin Island, two of my favorite spots on the tour. The breadth and depth of the tour was amazing, especially in Belfast. Thank you to Sheila Fitzgerald for your impressive knowledge of Ireland and your desire to make each and every member of our tour happy.

Wonderful tour...truly Nooks and Crannies....guide was very knowledgeable and personable. Very well organized and flexible.

Beauty-Nature- History- Immersive experiences- this tour was just the right balance of learning, fun, activities and relaxation. Wonderful accommodations and meals. Sheila planned everything perfectly and was so accommodating of any special needs or preferences. I feel like we dove deep into the culture and the beautiful people of Northern Ireland. 10/10!

Trip of a lifetime!!! Sheila did a fabulous job planning this wonderful adventure.