Walking is one of Ireland’s biggest attractions, and the country has miles of tailor-made walks. They include the Kerry Way, Beara Way, Ulster Way and Wicklow Way. It’s a great way to open up the country and reach its most beautiful and fascinating corners. Cycling is another good way of getting away from the hordes; although some areas are prohibitively hilly, bikes are easy to hire and it’s a grand way to slow down your sight-seeing. There are a number of excellent mountain-climbing opportunities, particularly Mt Gabriel (407m/1335ft) on the Mizen Head Peninsula, Hungry Hill (686m/2195ft) on the Beara Peninsula and Croagh Patrick (763m/2500ft) just outside Westport. (more…)

Dublin

In the wake of a remarkable economic boom, Dublin’s landscape has changed immeasurably over the past decade. These days Dublin ranks among the top tourist destinations in Europe, and this vibrant city hums with a palpable sense that it is creating a new cultural heritage.

Though most people don’t schedule too much gallery time into the pub crawl, Dublin museums offer a wealth of collectables. From the proverbial pot of Irish gold to the artistic riches of the Book of Kells to a host of quirky ‘objets d’religious’, it’s a city of archives and artefacts.

Aran Islands

The three Aran Islands - Inishmor, Inishmaan and Inisheer - are long, limestone moonscapes of bleak but rare beauty. They are home to some truly ancient Christian and pre-Christian remains in Ireland. Irish is still the native tongue, and until recently people still wore traditional Aran dress.

The massive Iron Age stone forts at Dun Aengus on Inishmor and Dun Conchuir on Inishmaan are intriguing, little is known about their builders. The islands are criss-crossed by intricate stone walls, built over thousands of years and creating tranquil avenues of much-needed shelter from the wind.

Clonmacnoise

Situated in County Offaly, this is Ireland’s most important monastic site. It consists of a walled field containing numerous early churches, high crosses, round towers and graves. Many of the remains are in remarkably good condition and give a real sense of what monasteries were like in their heyday.

The site is surrounded by low marshy ground, which is home to many wild plants and bird life. The museum at the site exhibits graveslabs, original crosses and other artefacts uncovered during excavation.

Connemara

The wild and barren region northwest of Galway City is known as Connemara. It’s a stunning patchwork of bogs, lonely valleys, mountains and lakes, with only the odd remote cottage or castle hideaway for company. The hills offer views of the sea from its rocky islands to its sparkling white beaches.

The coast road from the settlement of Spiddal meanders through the maze, but more unforgettable still is the journey through the Lough Inagh Valley and around Kylemore Lake - it would be hard to surpass the misty beauty of this mountainous landscape.