Ireland

Also known as Derry, Londonderry is one of Europe’s best-preserved walled cities and the only one in Ireland completely intact. Within the 400-year-old walls stand landmarks like the 17th-century St. Columb’s Cathedral, the imposing neo-Gothic Guildhall and the Tower Museum, which illuminates over 14 centuries of history. Evocative murals in the Bogside neighborhood acknowledge the turbulent period of the Troubles in the past, while the modern Peace Bridge symbolizes hope for a harmonious future.

Building on its historic roots and traditions, modern-day Dublin has grown into one of the most cosmopolitan capitals in Europe. Once the muse of literary legends like Joyce, Beckett, Shaw and Wilde, Dublin has been designated a UNESCO City of Literature. The city’s ties to great manuscripts far predate those authors, as you can witness in the Old Library of Trinity College where the hand-illuminated 9th-century Book of Kells is displayed. Countless other icons of literature and history are housed in the National Library and National Museums, and the city’s spirituality comes alive in St.