County Kildare is home to the windswept Bog of Allen, and to a leisurely section of the restored Royal Canal. There’s a masterpiece of an 8th-century High Cross in Moone. Maynooth Castle anchors the leafy university town of the same name. Kildare is also home to one of Ireland’s great driving routes. Following the course of the Gordon Bennett Cup, which saw racing daredevils whizz through Kildare, Carlow and Laois in 1903, the 104-mile circuit recalls a time when Ireland’s speed limit was just 12mph. The county is a marvellous mix of old and new, of natural landscapes and precisely manicured gardens, of horseracing competitions and stylish fashion events.

The Jervis Bay area features several lakes, inlets and calm surf beaches from where you can begin a stand-up paddleboarding adventure. Most locations have nearby parking if you're bringing your own paddleboard, or there are several operators along the coast offering rental, tours and private or group lessons. Paddleboarding in the Jervis Bay Marine Park gives you the chance to be surrounded by colourful sea life including dolphins, eagle rays, penguins, fish and birds.

The Napier Museum collection is dedicated largely to Indian deities and Keralan rulers of yesteryear, their endeavours and conquests. There are plenty of fascinating artefacts on display, but the building itself is equally worth a look around, being a fine (albeit atypical) example of 19th-century architecture.