Kilkenny

Kilkenny (anglicised version of the Irish Cill Chainnigh, meaning Church of Canice), the capital of County Kilkenny and also known as The Marble City, is a small medieval city located in Southeastern Ireland. The River Nore flows and splits this cosy town in two. Kilkenny offers a rich cultural heritage, colourful pubs, dark alleys, adorable Georgian doors, narrow streets and of course, the beautiful Kilkenny Castle - not to mention the Kilkenny pint, for the beer lovers. People are lovely and the cafés are homely and pretty. Kids were playing hurling at school and everyone looked, somehow, familiar. It's a quiet place, compared to Dublin, but who doesn't fancy some tranquility every now and then?

Glendalough

Going to Ireland and not visiting the countryside would be a crime. Glendalough (Irish Gleann Dá Loch, it means "glen of two lakes") is a beautiful glacial valley in County Wicklow. Beautiful is an understatement; this remote place is heaven on earth! The landscape took my breath away everytime I contemplated the vastness of it. There is a monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin and destroyed in 1398 by the English troops. The medieval monastic remains include a round tower, stone churches and an early Christian cemetery in ruins. The walk around the Upper Lake is magical! I absorbed the peaceful atmosphere, the ravishing view and the waterfalls whispering through the valley. It's very easy to get lost if you don't go along the mountain trails so a detour from the main hiking paths would be foolish... Unless you're up for a challenge, of course! Glendalough is definitely a part of Ireland that no one should miss. I was so amazed by this epic scenery, I thought "this is probably what dreams are made of". One of the most relaxing places I've ever been to. For those who want to see beyond Dublin, this is the first stop worth spending time at.