Dublin to Dublin

Atmospheric cobbled streets with buskers scraping fiddles and characterful pubs inviting passersby inside is Dublin in a snapshot. Horse-drawn carriages plod along cobbled centuries-old streets blending with an easy-going cosmopolitan outlook. Known for its fun-filled gathering of pubs any excuse works to enjoy a celebratory toast and chat among good company. Home to perhaps the world's most famous beer - slurp perfect pourings of thick dark Guinness - cranked out for the city's thirsty punters. Learn more of the humble pint's journey at the Guinness Storehouse. Dublin has come along way since the Vikings established a trading port here back in the 9th Century. In the time since the city became the British Empire's defacto second city and the Georgian imprint still adds oodles of historic character. Learn of 1916's Easter Uprising when the Irish rebelled and established their independence here as you visit the infamous haunting Kilmainham Gaol. The uprising's leaders were tried and executed in these dark confines. Dublin's St. Patrick's Cathedral has immense history below its steep spire which dates back to 1191. There's rich literary heritage to leaf through too and the city's streets were rendered vividly in James Joyce's classic Ullyses. The Museum of Literature celebrates the full scope of Dublin's lyrical talents. Trinity College also has a prestigious roll-call of alumni - visit to see the Book of Kells a beautifully illustrated bible of the medieval era.

The stunning Isle of Lunga is the largest island in the Treshnish archipelago. With volcanic origin the isle was populated until the 19th Century and remains of black houses can be seen around this magnificent coastal jewel. Abundant plant life and exotic birdlife are now the main inhabitants of the area. Fortunate visitors view the magnificent array of birds especially the great puffins that breed on the islands plateau. One can sit within just a few feet away without disturbing the avian ambassador’s peace. The 81 hectare island is home to many rare and endangered plants such as primroses and orchids. Views over the landscape and across the ocean can be seen from the 300 foot high cliffs.

Gloriously remote, St. Kilda is an archipelago 50 miles off the Isle of Harris. Although the four islands are uninhabited by humans, thousands of seas birds call these craggy cliffs home, clinging to the sheer faces as if by magic. Not only is St. Kilda home to the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic Puffin (almost 1 million), but also the world largest colony Gannets nests on Boreray island and its sea stacks. The islands also home decedents of the world’s original Soay sheep as well as having a breed of eponymously named mice. The extremely rare St. Kilda wren unsurprisingly hails from St. Kilda, so birders should visit with notebook, binoculars and camera to hand.While endemic animal species is rife on the island, St. Kilda has not been peopled since 1930 after the last inhabitants voted that human life was unsustainable. However, permanent habitation had been possible in the Medieval Ages, and a vast National Trust for Scotland project to restore the dwellings is currently being undertaken. The islands even enjoyed a status as being an ideal holiday destination in the 19th century. Today, the only humans living on the islands are passionate history, science and conservation scholars. One of the caretakers even acts as shopkeeper and postmaster for any visitors who might like to send a postcard home from St. Kilda.It should be noted that St. Kilda is the UKs only (and just one of 39 in the world) dual World Heritage status from UNESCO in recognition of its Natural Heritage and cultural significance.

Slow the pace and discover the refreshing approach to life that Djupivogur has made its trademark. Sitting on a peninsula to the south-east of Iceland the glacial approach to life here wins many hearts. A place where hammers knock on metal in workshops artists ladle paint onto canvases and wild ponies roam across mountains Djupivogur is an uninhibited artistic hub - full of makers and creatives. The most expansive project is the 34 egg sculptures that dot the coastline created by the Icelandic artist Sigurður Guðmundsson. Each egg represents a different native bird species. Fishing remains the primary industry and you can savour the soft fruits of the labour in restaurants serving up smoked trout and fish soup within their cosy confines. Wander the surrounding landscapes where snow-freckled mountains rise and lazy seals lie on dark rock beaches to feel Djupivogur's natural inspiration seeping under your skin. Alive with greens and golds in summer further ventures reveal bright blue glaciers and the sprawling waterfalls of Vatnajökull National Park. The cliff-hugging puffins of Papey Island are a short boat ride away while Bulandstindur Mountain's pyramid shape is a stand out even among these fairy-tale landscapes

There's simply nowhere better than Husavilk - the European capital of whale watching - for getting up close and personal with the majestic giants of the ocean. Feel the awe as whales breach the waves around you before gulping in air and plunging away with almighty tale flicks. Pretty Husavik is framed by the majestic Húsavíkurfjall mountain which swells up behind creating a stunning backdrop for the town's tiny wooden warehouses cherry red houses and undulating fishing ships. Sail among gentle giants in Shaky Bay spotting humpbacks minke whales and the world's biggest – blue whales. You may also see teams of smaller white-beaked dolphins skipping across the waves displaying the full range of acrobatic skills. The town's whale museum is an interesting journey through Iceland's relationship with the sea giants while its restaurants serve up local specialities – taste juicy reindeer burger and plokkfiskur a buttery mash of local fish. Hikes and horseback rides into the surrounding countryside can take you up around Lake Botnsvatn to views down from the slopes of the Húsavíkurfjall - where purple spired lupin flowers spill down amongst the emerald slopes. From the summit look out over views of the bay reaching out to the crumpled snowy peaks beyond. Or feel the full force of this land of natural power at Dettifloss Waterfall one of Europe's most powerful thrashing flumes.

Almost swallowed up by the looming forms of Eskja and Hólmatindur mountains the quiet fishing village of Eskifjordur minds its own business in the midst of some of Iceland's most extroverted natural scenery. A place where the wind's gentle whistle and the whir of fishing rods unspooling are the only sounds you hear as you stroll Eskifjordur is a peaceful introduction to eastern Iceland's fjord lands. Get lucky and you'll witness the scenic setting bathed in an otherworldly achingly-beautiful light - as daylight trickles away and emerald plumes spread across the night's sky. Natural wonders abound here whether it's the streams that gurgle the finger-like reach of the Reyðarfjörður fjord or the geothermal pools that bubble with warmth from the depths of the earth. Hólmatindur mountain lends the area's scenery evocative drama soaring from the waters like a snow-speckled pyramid. Ambitious hikers who conquer the peak will be richly rewarded with magnificent widescreen panoramas across the stunning landscape.  The views are no less mesmerising from ground level with pretty cherry-red fishing huts adding a charming accent to the landscape. Indulge in gentler walks among the cacophony of birdlife or take in cultural pursuits like the Maritime Museum and exposed spar mine nearby. Fishing is a way of life here and the glass-smooth fjord waters hold a rich bounty for keen anglers.

Modern Stromness hasn’t changed dramatically since the turn of the last century and stone houses still stand over cobbled streets, but Orkney’s main historic claim is the rich legacy of Neolithic sites and artefacts found here. It was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 under the title “Heart of Neolithic Orkney.” The most famous of these monuments is probably the settlement of Skara Brae, once a small village of 50-100 people living together near the shores of Skaill Bay. Occupied from roughly 3180 BCE-2500 BCE, the site has given us invaluable insight into the daily lives of our forebears, and Skara Brae forms the hub of a network of Neolithic sites across the Orkneys, many of which are still being excavated. Other sites include the standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar, situated on an isthmus between the sea loch of Stenness and the freshwater loch of Harray.

An ancient stone castle on a remote rugged landscape evokes all sorts of fantasies, especially when approached from the sea. You can imagine mythical, romantic or historic tales as you approach or explore the Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. The true stories may be just as good.The Isle of Mull is the second largest of the islands of the Inner Hebrides, after the Isle of Skye. The island has a mountainous core and several radiating promontories covered in moorland. On one headland jutting into the Sound of Mull sits Duart Castle. It was originally built in the 13th century and soon became the ancestral home of the Clan Maclean. Control and ownership of the castle has changed hands over the centuries as broader conflicts for the Isle of Mull and Scotland played out. It was a ruin when the Maclean clan regained control by purchasing and restoring the castle in 1911. It is clan home for all the descendants of the family of Maclean spread throughout the world.There are stories of wrecks and treasure in the waters near Duart. The most evocative must be the wreck of a Spanish galleon in Tobermony Bay. This ship was part of the Spanish Amarda defeated by the English fleet and Atlantic storms, and the crew were taken to Duart Castle. The galleon is rumoured to have a treasure of gold bullion still waiting to be found. Zodiac travel may reveal other treasures. Hull is known for its European Otters and the majestic White-tailed Sea Eagle which has successfully re-colonised Hull after a long absence.

If tiny islands that resonate with peace and tranquillity are your idea of travel heaven, then welcome to Iona. Almost 200 miles east of Edinburgh, set in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, this magical island has a spiritual reputation that precedes it. And luckily, more than lives up to.The island is miniscule. Just three miles long and only one and a half miles wide, this is not a place that hums with urban attractions. 120 people call Iona home (this number rises significantly if the gull, tern and Kittiwake population is added), although residential numbers do go up (to a whopping 175) in summer. The beautiful coastline is lapped by the gulf stream and gives the island a warm climate with sandy beaches that look more Mediterranean than Scottish! Add to that a green field landscape that is just beautiful, and you’ll find that Iona is a place that stays with you long after you leave.Iona’s main attraction is of course its abbey. Built in 563 by Saint Columbia and his monks, the abbey is the reason why Iona is called the cradle of Christianity. Not only is the abbey (today an ecumenical church) one of the best – if not the best – example of ecclesiastical architecture dating from the Middle Ages, but it also serves as an important site of spiritual pilgrimage. St. Martin’s Cross, a 9th century Celtic cross that stands outside the abbey, is considered as the finest example of Celtic crosses in the British Isles. Rèilig Odhrain, or the cemetery, allegedly contains the remains of many Scottish kings.

Before English and Scottish settlers arrived in the 1600s, Belfast was a tiny village called Béal Feirste ("sandbank ford") belonging to Ulster's ancient O'Neill clan. With the advent of the Plantation period (when settlers arrived in the 1600s), Sir Arthur Chichester, from Devon in southwestern England, received the city from the English Crown, and his son was made Earl of Donegall. Huguenots fleeing persecution from France settled near here, bringing their valuable linen-work skills. In the 18th century, Belfast underwent a phenomenal expansion—its population doubled every 10 years, despite an ever-present sectarian divide. Although the Anglican gentry despised the Presbyterian artisans—who, in turn, distrusted the native Catholics—Belfast's growth continued at a dizzying speed. The city was a great Victorian success story, an industrial boomtown whose prosperity was built on trade, especially linen and shipbuilding. Famously (or infamously), the Titanic was built here, giving Belfast, for a time, the nickname "Titanic Town." Having laid the foundation stone of the city's university in 1845, Queen Victoria returned to Belfast in 1849 (she is recalled in the names of buildings, streets, bars, monuments, and other places around the city), and in the same year, the university opened under the name Queen's College. Nearly 40 years later, in 1888, Victoria granted Belfast its city charter. Today its population is nearly 300,000, tourist numbers have increased, and this dramatically transformed city is enjoying an unparalleled renaissance.This is all a welcome change from the period when news about Belfast meant reports about "the Troubles." Since the 1994 ceasefire, Northern Ireland's capital city has benefited from major hotel investment, gentrified quaysides (or strands), a sophisticated new performing arts center, and major initiatives to boost tourism. Although the 1996 bombing of offices at Canary Wharf in London disrupted the 1994 peace agreement, the ceasefire was officially reestablished on July 20, 1997, and this embattled city began its quest for a newfound identity.Since 2008, the city has restored all its major public buildings such as museums, churches, theaters, City Hall, Ulster Hall—and even the glorious Crown Bar—spending millions of pounds on its built heritage. A gaol that at the height of the Troubles held some of the most notorious murderers involved in paramilitary violence is now a major visitor attraction.Belfast's city center is made up of three roughly contiguous areas that are easy to navigate on foot. From the south end to the north, it's about an hour's leisurely walk.

Atmospheric cobbled streets with buskers scraping fiddles and characterful pubs inviting passersby inside is Dublin in a snapshot. Horse-drawn carriages plod along cobbled centuries-old streets blending with an easy-going cosmopolitan outlook. Known for its fun-filled gathering of pubs any excuse works to enjoy a celebratory toast and chat among good company. Home to perhaps the world's most famous beer - slurp perfect pourings of thick dark Guinness - cranked out for the city's thirsty punters. Learn more of the humble pint's journey at the Guinness Storehouse. Dublin has come along way since the Vikings established a trading port here back in the 9th Century. In the time since the city became the British Empire's defacto second city and the Georgian imprint still adds oodles of historic character. Learn of 1916's Easter Uprising when the Irish rebelled and established their independence here as you visit the infamous haunting Kilmainham Gaol. The uprising's leaders were tried and executed in these dark confines. Dublin's St. Patrick's Cathedral has immense history below its steep spire which dates back to 1191. There's rich literary heritage to leaf through too and the city's streets were rendered vividly in James Joyce's classic Ullyses. The Museum of Literature celebrates the full scope of Dublin's lyrical talents. Trinity College also has a prestigious roll-call of alumni - visit to see the Book of Kells a beautifully illustrated bible of the medieval era.