The Sainte-Croix Museum exhibits a wide collection of paintings and sculptures from the ancient world, as well as modern works of art. Situated on the site of the old abbey of Sainte-Croix, it features works of well-known French artists like Louis Gauffier and Jean-Paul Laurens, as well as contemporary pieces from Raymond Hains, Jacques Villeglé and others.

Retreat to the wilderness and enjoy 20,000 hectares of mountain scenery, bogland, and heath at Wicklow Mountains National Park. The largest of Ireland's six National Parks features nine way-marked walkways and is a special area of conservation, with unique biodiversity and landscapes. The most visited area is the scenic Glendalough Valley, where the ancient monastic settlement of St Kevin is located.

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is worth a few hours, even if you're not big on cars. Spread over nine levels, it walks you through more than 130 years of automotive history—from the first motorised carriage to modern electric prototypes—with around 160 vehicles on display. The building itself is a bit of an architectural talking point, designed like a double helix. Exhibits are well laid out, easy to follow, and occasionally rotate.

Kilmainham Gaol is one of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe. It opened in 1796 as the new county gaol for Dublin and finally shut its doors as such in 1924. Today, the building symbolises the tradition of militant and constitutional nationalism, from the rebellion of 1798 to the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. The great collection consists of a wide variety of object types, including manuscripts, photographs, newspapers, weaponry, artwork, medals, uniforms and personal effects especially related to the political imprisonment in the 1916-23 period, as well as the experience of women during the Civil War.