Wicklow

Glendalough in Co Wicklow with its famous round tower was one of the most important Christian monastic settlements in Europe.

It is a mystical and beautiful place to visit and is located in the heart of the Wicklow National Park, one of the most scenic areas in Ireland and a magnet for hill walkers.

Killruddery has been home to the to the Earls of Meath since 1618, and still is, making it almost unique among Irish houses in being occupied by the same family for so long.

The formal gardens were laid out in the 17th century and still exist in their original style, a fascinating glimpse into gardening history, and there is a wonderful collection of marble statuary.

In the ‘Garden of Ireland’, Co Wicklow, Mount Usher is a place of careful but informal planting in keeping with the surrounding countryside.

The relatively recent addition of an Avoca Hand Weavers store and café has made the gardens even more of a destination, and it would be very easy to spend the best part of a day here.