Top Reasons to Go

Top Reasons to Go

Blarney Castle. Visitors line up to kiss the Blarney Stone and acquire the gift of gab. This is an impressive 15th-century tower-house castle with unusual gardens, at their best in daffodil season—early to mid-March.

Kinsale. This picturesque port, long a favored haven of sailors, is famed for its fine dining in tiny front-parlor eateries. It's also a chic place to see and be seen—the Irish San Tropez.

The Cork Coastline. On the drive from Kinsale to Skibbereen you'll encounter friendly locals, charming little villages, unspoiled scenery, and excellent restaurants and pubs.

The Gap of Dunloe. A half-day tour lets you walk or ride horseback through the heart of Killarney's purple mountains and cross the glittering blue lake by rowboat.

Skellig Michael. The rocky, twin-peaked island, topped with a 7th-century monastery, looms offshore as you follow the Ring of Kerry.