Top Reasons to Go

Newgrange: Just standing amid these 5,000-year-old tombs (which predate the pyramids), you'll wonder: how did they build them?

A Day at the Races: The Irish may be known to enjoy a sociable drink, but they really love to gamble, as you'll discover in Kildare, center of the Irish bloodstock world. Punchestown in spring and the Curragh in summer are both unique, passionate racecourse experiences.

Spectacular Georgian Country Houses: Modesty was not a feature of the Anglo-Irish class, whose propensity to flaunt their riches led to such over-the-top stately homes as Castletown, Russborough, and Powerscourt.

Wicklow Is for Walkers: There's no better way to meet the locals and see the land than trekking out on the 137-km-long (85-mile-long) Wicklow Way, Ireland's most popular trail.

Early Morning at Glendalough: Channel the spirit of the 6th-century, isolation-seeking St. Kevin.