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As an island on the western edge of Europe, Ireland is surrounded by water and rimmed by mountains, giving it a range of spectacular scenery, with verdant valleys, lush vegetation, rare flowers and unexpected palm trees. And with thousands of years of history, Ireland is dotted with an array of ancient monuments, dolmens, forts and castles. There are hundreds of great experiences, but reluctantly, we have pared them down to 10.

Start with a Capital Visit
Dublin’s Fair City (http://www.dublin.ie) is the hub of Ireland, one of Europe’s most picturesque and popular capitals, dating back over 1,000 years. Medieval, Georgian and modern architecture provides a backdrop to this cosmopolitan port city, and a unique experience awaits around every corner. Step back in time at Dublin Castle (http://www.dublincastle.ie), Christchurch Cathedral (http://www.cccdub.ie), or St. Patrick’s Cathedral (http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie), marvel at the artistry of The Book of Kells at Trinity College (http://www.tcd.ie/Library/heritage/kells.php), attend a classic play at the Abbey Theatre (http://www.abbeytheatre.ie), sample a pint of Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse (http://www.guinness-storehouse.com), or listen to the street music of the buskers in Temple Bar (http://www.temple-bar.ie). Hundreds of unique hotels and restaurants, over a thousand fun pubs, and a million friendly people await you. More information: http://www.visitdublin.com

Stop & Smell the Roses

County Wicklow (http://www.visitwicklow.ie) is the Garden of Ireland, a breath of fresh air just south of Dublin, with a profusion of flower-filled glens and gardens. You can smell the roses at Powerscourt Gardens (http://www.powerscourt.ie) in Enniskerry – and marvel at all of the rose colors – not just red, pink, yellow and white, but blue, lavender, and orange. Mount Usher Gardens (http://homepage.eircom.net/~gardens/index.html) at Ashford present a feast of rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias, eucalyptus and palms. In the heart of the county is Wicklow National Park (http://www.wicklownationalpark.ie), a carpet of wild flowers in a panoramic landscape of mountains, lakes and bogs, one of six national parks of Ireland. The place names of County Wicklow are alluring and lyrical – from Luggnaquilla, Annamoe, and Newtownmountkennedy to the Great Sugar Loaf, Sally Gap, Devil’s Punch Bowl, Glen of the Downs, and Shillelagh (yes, it’s where shillelagh sticks originated). It is also the home of Glendalough (http://www.heritageireland.ie), meaning “the glen of the two lakes,” a 6th century monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin, and Avoca, a charming riverside village used as the setting for PBS/BBC-TV series “Ballykissangel.” More information: http://www.eastcoastmidlands.ie

Step Back into History
The Boyne Valley (http://www.theboynevalley.com) is a treasure-trove of Ireland’s antiquities. Newgrange (http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm) in County Meath is considered as one of the finest archaeological wonders of Western Europe and designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Built between 3500 BC and 2700 BC, it was used as a tomb in which Stone Age men buried their dead. It is estimated that it took at least 40 years to build – the equivalent of a life’s work for a whole generation. Newgrange is 500 years older than the pyramids of Giza and 1,500 years older than Stonehenge. Nearby you can also walk in regal footsteps at the Hill of Tara, seat of early Irish high kings and the host of great open-air assemblies more than 2,200 years ago. Or take guided tours of mighty castles still standing – Trim Castle (http://www.heritageireland.ie) and Slane Castle (http://www.slanecastle.ie/castletours.htm). Nearby County Louth presents more ancient sites of a different genre — Old Mellifont Abbey (http://www.heritageireland.ie), dating back to 1142 and the first Cistercian abbey founded in Ireland, and the intricate 10th century high cross at Monasterboice, as well as the medieval heritage village of Carlingford (http://www.carlingford.ie) on the Cooley Peninsula. More information: http://www.eastcoastmidlands.ie

Take a Medieval Break
For an old world atmosphere, all roads lead to Kilkenny (www.kilkennytourism.ie), Ireland’s medieval city, a charming and easily walkable maze of narrow streets, cobbled lanes and ancient slipways. The centerpiece is Kilkenny Castle (http://homepage.eircom.net/~osrai/kilkenny_castle.htm), dating back to 1192, with a striking façade of huge towers and battlements edging the banks of the River Nore. At the opposite end of town is St. Canice’s Cathedral (www.cashel.anglican.org/cances.shtm), founded as a monastery in the 6th century and re-built in the 13th century. It is the second-longest of Ireland’s medieval cathedrals. This appealing city is also home to the Kilkenny Design Centre (www.kilkennydesign.com), a hub of fine Irish-made crafts. Nearby is the charming riverside village of Inistioge (http://homepage.eircom.net/~osrai/woodstock.htm), setting for the Maeve Binchy novel and movie, Circle of Friends. More information: www.southeastireland.com

Kiss the Blarney Stone
“Did you kiss the Blarney Stone?” is a question that you will likely be asked if you visit Ireland. It is one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions, so be sure to include it in your plans. Head to Blarney Castle (www.blarneycastle.ie) at Blarney, County Cork, Ireland’s largest county, on the southwest coast. Located five miles west of Cork City, Blarney Castle was built c. 1446 and the famous stone is at the top of the square keep (via 108 curved stone steps). In order to kiss it, visitors must lie down on the ground and bend backwards. It sounds dangerous but the area is fully protected and a trained guide directs all the kissing. The hardest part is climbing up and down the steps. But, if you do, legend says that you will receive the gift of eloquence! While in the area, don’t miss the nearby village of Kinsale (www.kinsale.ie), known as the gourmet food capital of Ireland, or Ireland’s most southerly point of Mizen Head (ww.cork-guide.ie/mizen.htm). More information: www.corkkerry.ie

Ride in a Jaunting Car
For an Ireland experience you’ll never forget, hop on board a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car (www.killarneyjauntingcars.com) in the Killarney National Park (http://homepage.eircom.net/~knp), a 25-square-mile area of unpolluted lakes and car-free unspoiled scenery. The jaunting cars, which travel on off-road designated paths, are synonymous with Killarney (www.killarneytown.com), sort of what cable cars are to San Francisco or gondolas to Venice. The driver, known as a jarvey, is both a guide and storyteller (and with encouragement, he’ll sing you a song as well). Besides the clip-clop of the horse and the jarvey’s gentle voice, all you’ll hear is the birds and the whisper of the wind. Killarney is one of Ireland’s great beauty spots — edged by the Atlantic, surrounded by Ireland’s tallest mountains, and warmed by the Gulf Stream breezes of the southwest coast. Poets have struggled for centuries to find adequate words to describe it, lamenting that even “Heaven’s Reflex” and “Beauty’s Home,” don’t do it justice. Other ways to enjoy Killarney are by cruising the lakes in a glass-topped boat (www.derostours.com/local.html), or walking along one of the many sign-posted nature trails (www.wherekillarney.com/pages/body/walk.html). Killarney is a gateway to many other scenic attractions of the County Kerry area – from Muckross House & Gardens (www.muckross-house.ie), Derrynane House & National Historic Park (www.heritageireland.ie), and the Ring of Kerry (www.ringofkerrytourism.com) and the Dingle Peninsula (www.dingle-peninsula.ie). More information: www.corkkerry.ie

Climb the Cliffs [updated 2/9/07]
The Cliffs of Moher (www.cliffsofmoher.ie) is the prime natural wonder of Ireland’s west coast, stretching for five miles and rising almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The top of the Cliffs provides a panoramic vantage point for views of the sea and the surrounding counties of Clare, Galway, Limerick and Kerry. On a clear day some people jest that they see the tip of Manhattan in the distance. Every day, busloads of tourists make their way into the rocky terrain of The Burren to reach this rural outpost. New visitor facilities, opened in early 2007, make the ages-old experience even more stunning, including a state-of-the-art domed interpretative centre – “The Atlantic Edge” – covered by a grassy hillside, to blend with the surroundings. The centre presents interactive exhibits and displays as well as audio-visual shows and a cyclorama. New paths and viewing platforms with seating areas have also been added including improved access to O’Brien’s Tower viewing deck. In addition, a team of on-site Cliffs of Moher rangers monitor the environment and provide improved support, information and safety. More information: www.shannonregiontourism.ie

See the Sun Go Down on Galway Bay
If you plan to “see the sun go down on Galway Bay,” head to Connemara (www.connemara-tourism.org) overlooking Galway Bay in the western part of County Galway. Named from the Irish words, Cuain na Mara, “Connemara” means “harbors of the sea.” And Connemara is one continuous panorama of harbors and seascapes, plus the awesome Twelve Bens mountains and endless boglands. Beyond the bay views, sheep graze on the rocky hillsides, the sweet aroma of turf fires permeates the air, and road signs are painted in the Irish language. Explore the leafy trails at Kylemore Abbey (www.kylemoreabbey.com), a splendid castellated mansion overlooking a lake; cruise on board a catamaran (www.killarycruises.com) along Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord; take a ferry to the Aran Islands (www.visitaranislands.com); head for the hillside panoramas along the Sky Road or Inagh Valley; or walk the cobbled streets of nearby Galway City. Connemara carries on the Irish traditions of long ago – it’s the place to come for a sampling of traditional Irish music, song and dance; to hear the Gaelic language being spoken; or to experience the crafts of long ago living on today – Aran knit sweaters (www.clanarans.com), Claddagh rings (www.claddaghring.ie), hand-cut crystal (www.galwaycrystal.ie), and more.
For more information: www.irelandwest.ie

Stray off the Beaten Path
Be a trendsetter. Go to Donegal (www.dun-na-ngall.com). Only 10% of Americans who visit Ireland ever get to this isolated area, in the remote northwest corner of Ireland, but it is well worth the extra effort to drive up from Dublin, Shannon, Galway, or other more popular tourist hubs. Tweed is the lifeblood of Donegal. No one knows exactly when the industry began but one thing is certain – the making of colorful hand-woven tweed has put Donegal on the map – and visitors are welcome to watch tweed being woven at enterprises such as Magees (www.mageeshop.com) in Donegal Town or Studio Donegal (www.studiodonegal.ie) in Kilcar. Once people come here for the tweed, they find many other reasons to be glad that they have made the long journey. This area not only offers heaping measures of natural scenery and unspoiled beauty, but it is also rich in Irish culture and tradition. Much of Donegal is designated as a “Gaeltacht (www.gaelsaoire.ie),” where the Gaelic language (known as Irish) is spoken everyday. Road signs are in Irish, too, so it is easy to get lost, but that is part of the fun, because the locals will come out of nowhere to help and set you on the right road, or maybe even invite you home for tea. Other highlights include Grianan Ailigh (www.griananailigh.ie), one of Ireland’s great ring forts rising to 750 feet in height; Glenveagh National Park (www.heritageireland.ie), a vast hinterland including the county’s two highest mountains, Errigal and Slieve Snacht; the Folk Village at Glencolumbkille (www.glenfolkvillage.com), reflecting 300 years of Donegal history; and the Inishowen Peninsula (www.visitinishowen.com), a 100-mile scenic drive that goes to Ireland’s most northerly point, Malin Head (www.malinhead.ie).
For more information: www.irelandnorthwest.ie

Be Not Afraid – Venture into “The North”
The Northeast corner of Ireland – otherwise called Northern Ireland or simply The North – is well known, but not for the right reasons. Starting in the late 1960s and for over 30 years, the North was a newsmaker for sectarian violence and bloodshed, rife with border checkpoints, tanks and guns. But the 21st century has brought a new emphasis on political progress and harmony. Peace and prosperity have arrived, and Northern Ireland is a new magnet for visitors. A focal point is the city of Derry (www.derryvisitor.com), Ireland’s finest intact walled city. Walk along the Derry walls, built between 1614 and 1619, on guided tours and see the seven arched gates, six bastions, cannons, and panoramic views of the entire city including the Guildhall, Tower Museum, Craft Village, and local murals which were drawn as political protests and have now evolved into urban art. Northern Ireland’s scenic delights include the Glens of Antrim (http:www.northantrim.com/theglensofantrim.htm), Mountains of Mourne (www.mournemountains.com), and the silvery shorelines of Lough Erne (www.fermanaghlakelands.com), but the top attraction by far is the Giant’s Causeway (www.giantscausewayofficialguide.com/home.htm), a natural rock formation of 37,000 tightly packed basalt columns, like stone steps stretching for three miles along the north coast. Said to have been formed 70 million years ago, the causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage site and often called the 8th wonder of the world.
For more information: www.discovernorthernireland.com

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