Doolin

Once an enchanting, multihue housed backwater, this tiny village—set at the point where the Cliffs of Moher flatten out and disappear into the sea as limestone plateaux—now seems to consist almost entirely of B&Bs, hostels, hotels, holiday homes, pubs, and restaurants. The reason for all this development (many of them newly built during Ireland's economic boom) is that Doolin is reputed to have three of the best pubs for traditional music in Ireland: McGann's, McDermott's, and O'Connor's. With the worldwide surge of interest in Irish music during the last decade, the village has become more of a magnet for European musicians than it is for young, or even established, Irish artists. Amazingly, there is no tourist board office in Doolin but a sponsored Web site does offer plenty of listings for the town (www.doolin-tourism.com).

Popularity, of course, brings its own price: when every other person is toting a video cam at a packed evening session, the magic can disappear quickly. However, if the music is disappointing in one pub, there are two more to try.