Top Reasons to Go to The Southwest

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-peak island, topped with a 7th-century monastery, looms offshore as you follow the Ring of Kerry.