Atlantic Cliffs, Ancient Stones and Green Roads
Ireland is an island in the north Atlantic, west of Great Britain, known for its green landscape, dramatic coastline, ancient monuments, literary heritage and music. The Wild Atlantic Way, a signposted route of about 2,500 kilometres down the west coast, links headlands, beaches, fishing villages and mountain passes. The Cliffs of Moher rise high above the sea in County Clare, while the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula offer winding roads and sea-and-mountain scenery that is among the most photographed in Europe.
History reaches back thousands of years. Newgrange, in the Boyne Valley, is a passage tomb older than Stonehenge and part of the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1993. Skellig Michael, a rocky island monastery off Kerry, was added to the list in 1996. Travellers who enjoy rugged landscapes and a strong sense of heritage often pair Ireland with Scotland, with the Channel Islands for a gentler island pace, or with other European capitals.
Dublin, Galway and the Craic
Dublin is a city of writers and conversation. Trinity College houses the Book of Kells, the Georgian squares of the south side shelter elegant townhouses, and the Temple Bar and Grafton Street areas offer shops and music. The Guinness Storehouse and the city's whiskey distilleries tell their own stories. Galway, on the west coast, is a city of buskers, festivals and seafood, and a base for the Aran Islands and Connemara, where dry stone walls and lakes lead to the Atlantic.
Food has changed Ireland's image. Fresh oysters, smoked salmon, brown soda bread, lamb, farmhouse cheeses and Irish butter appear on menus from village inns to Michelin-starred rooms, and Cork's English Market is a showcase of local produce. Traditional music sessions fill pubs across the country, and the St Patrick's Festival in March draws visitors to Dublin. A hotel group can showcase Ireland's castle hotels, country houses and coastal retreats in one clear, appealing collection.
Read the full Ireland guide on Visit Travel Group, or see YourIreland.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.