Powerscourt Estate and Gardens

Often called one of the world's great gardens, Powerscourt has 47 acres of formal gardens, Italian terraces, statues and ornamental lakes beneath the Great Sugar Loaf mountain. There's a Japanese garden, a walled garden, a pet cemetery and more than 200 kinds of trees and shrubs. The 18th-century Palladian house has an Avoca café and shops.

Separately, about 6 km away on the same estate, the Powerscourt Waterfall is Ireland's highest, at 121 m, with picnic and barbecue areas at its foot (separate entry, with its own car park).

Getting there: the estate is 20 km south of Dublin. Take the DART to Bray and bus 185 to Enniskerry, then walk about 15 minutes up the hill, or drive via the N11.