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  • Europe
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  • Ireland
    Overview
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  • Things not to miss
A varied landscape of mountains, lakes and beaches that’s great for walking, with some pretty villages to base yourself in. Enjoy an invigorating hack along the beach or trek through the mountains on a pony. This wonderfully remote and beautiful mountain valley shelters an atmospheric monastery. Festivals abound throughout Ireland, not least on March 17 when the whole island celebrates St Patrick’s Day. Spectacular cliff-edge fort, the Iron Age capital of the Aran Islands. The grandeur of the lakes and mountains has been drawing visitors to Killarney for over three centuries. One of Europe’s finest prehistoric sites, an extraordinary ritual landscape. Explore the imposing forts and sample some of Ireland’s finest cuisine, in a glorious bay-side setting. A remarkable and inspiring early Christian hermitage clinging to a mountain summit on a wild, bleak island. An astonishing collection of manuscripts and artworks from around the world. It’s a stiff climb, but the fine views and the mountain’s religious and historical connotations make it all worthwhile. Often loud, often raucous and always fun, traditional Irish music can be heard in many pubs and at dedicated festivals. A magnificent setting for some lavish artworks, among formal gardens overlooking Bantry Bay. Possibly the most breathtaking of County Donegal’s numerous rugged peninsulas, with plenty of exhilarating cliff-top walks. Whether it’s a breezy seaside stroll or a more arduous long-distance path, one of the best ways to enjoy Ireland’s magnificent land- and sea-scapes is on foot. Sample the shellfish at numerous locations along Ireland’s coast or try your hand at an oyster-opening competition. Take a trip to one of Ireland’s many racing festivals, savour the banter, pick up some tips and have a flutter. A barren expanse of cracked limestone terraces, stretching towards the Atlantic and peppered with a multitude of fascinating megalithic remains. A grim encounter with the Spartan conditions experienced by those deemed enemies of the state with superb displays on Irish political history. Lavish gold ornaments, preserved by the peat bogs since prehistoric times. Rising high above the Golden Vale, the Rock features an entrancing group of early ecclesiastical remains. Marvel at the eerie but entirely natural basalt formation of the Causeway. The black stuff really does taste better in its own country, especially in its home town, Dublin. A visit to Derry is incomplete without a stroll around the ramparts of the only completely walled city in Ireland.