Connemara and County Mayo Feature

Captivating Connemara: An almost uninhabited landscape of misty bogland, studded with deep blue lakes under huge Atlantic skies: painters have strived for generations to capture the ever-changing light.

Cong à la Hollywood: Fetching ivy-covered thatched cottages—including one commemorating the making of the archetypal "Irish" movie The Quiet Man—beside a ruined medieval monastery contrast with the baronial splendor of Ashford Castle, one of Ireland's most luxurious hotels.

Clifden and the Sky Road: Walk the Sky Road to take in its breathtaking scenery—sea views on one side, the Twelve Bens Mountains on the other—to the compact village of Clifden, the liveliest spot for miles around.

Wordly Westport: An engagingly old-fashioned country town, Westport has an octagonal market square that dates from the 18th century and a quayside (on Clew Bay) that offers spectacular Atlantic sunsets.