Ireland Highlights

The Ring of Kerry is one of the world's great scenic drives — a 179km circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, taking in the most dramatic landscapes in Ireland. The route passes through Killarney National Park (with its extraordinary lakes and mountains), the Gap of Dunloe (a narrow mountain pass), the Skellig Ring (with views of the extraordinary Skellig Michael island), Waterville, Cahersiveen, and the extraordinary coastal scenery of the Atlantic coast. Skellig Michael — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location of the Star Wars Jedi temple — is visible from the coast and accessible by boat from Portmagee.

The Giant's Causeway is one of the most extraordinary geological formations in the world — a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north coast of Northern Ireland comprising approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, formed by an ancient volcanic eruption 50–60 million years ago. The columns — mostly hexagonal, ranging from 15cm to 12 metres in height — create an extraordinary natural pavement that extends from the cliff face into the sea. According to Irish legend, the causeway was built by the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill to walk to Scotland. The surrounding coastline — with its dramatic sea cliffs, sea stacks, and the extraordinary Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge — is one of the most beautiful in Europe.