With its romantic grounds, Sofiero Palace makes for a popular destination. The grounds are perhaps best known for their unparalleled rhododendrons, with an incredible 5,000 bushes bursting into flower in the spring. The fairytale of Sofiero began in 1864, when Crown Prince Oskar and his wife Sophia had their summer residence built here. In 1905, Oskar – by now King Oskar ll – gave the palace to his grandson Prince Gustav Adolf and his bride Princess Margareta as a wedding present. This is when the gardens literally flourished. Princess Margareta was a keen and creative gardener, and it was her who first laid out the grounds that we can enjoy to this day. She arranged flower beds and gardens, had paving laid and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Every summer, the Crown Prince couple travelled from Stockholm with their four young princes and Princess Ingrid, who eventually became Queen of Denmark. When Margareta died in 1920, Gustaf Adolf carried on the work in the garden, particularly with the rhododendrons. The palace was the summer residence of the Swedish royal family up until 1973, when it was given to the town of Helsingborg. This small palace, which lies like a jewel amid the extensive lawns, is home to a restaurant where the food is prepared by some of Sweden’s finest chefs. There’s also a café with views of the Öresund Sound and Denmark.

Head to this primarily residential island to mix with the locals. Lots of lively restaurants, bars and cafés are found on Kungsholmen, especially along Hantverkargatan and Fleminggatan.

Dunmore Cave is located 10km from of Kilkenny City. History and geology blend here to give the visitor a unique learning experience. The cave has been known to man for many centuries and contains some of Ireland's finest calcite cave formations.

The Blackbird Gallery has been established in Kilkenny since 2004. It is one of Ireland's most prestigious commercial galleries showcasing the very best of Irish and international contemporary art.