Top Reasons to Go

Sacred Ardmore: St. Declan founded Ireland's first Christian settlement near this beautifully situated fishing village on the Waterford coast.

Kilkenny, Ireland's Medieval Capital: With its famous 14th-century "witch," Petronilla, Camelot-worthy Black Abbey, and fairy-tale Kilkenny Castle, the city still conjures up the days of knights and damsels.

Pretty-as-a-Postcard Lismore: Presided over by the neo-baronial castle of the Dukes of Devonshire, this storybook village has attracted visitors ranging from Sir Walter Raleigh to Fred Astaire.

Cashel of the Kings: Ireland's "Rock of Ages," this spectacular 200-foot-tall rock bluff was the ancient seat of the Kings of Munster.

Wexford and Waterford: Big-city lights shine brightest here, thanks to such attractions as the famed Wexford Opera Festival and the reborn House of Waterford Crystal factory and visitor center.