The people of Ireland are the real highlight

I've been to a lot of countries and the thing I'll remember most about Ireland isn't Trinity College Dublin or even the extraordinary Irish stew — it's the people. In Cork and out in the countryside, I encountered a warmth and generosity that felt completely genuine.

One local family essentially adopted me for an afternoon after I got lost trying to find Trinity College Dublin. incredibly warm and witty people became a shared experience I couldn't have planned. That human connection is something travel can give you and Ireland delivers it more than most places.