Sheep graze on the hills surrounding the Dingle Peninsula on Ireland’s southwest coast. Jenna McMurray/Sun Media

Scenes from Ireland

It's called the Emerald Isle because it truly is green; inexplicably green, breathtakingly green, and green not only worth seeing but diving into head first.

The best way to see Ireland -- the Ireland that exists beyond the cities -- is to drive it. Though renting a car for one to two weeks is costly, it allows you to explore the breadth of the country in detail most tourists forfeit.

Begin in Northern Ireland. Some of the most exquisite landscapes lie along the Antrim Coast, about two hours north of Belfast. It is here that the green truly takes form, more vibrant than the colours in a box of crayons.

But besides the rolling hills and magnificent coastline, Antrim boasts several of Northern Ireland's must-see attractions. The cozy village of Bushmills includes the quaint yet sophisticated Bushmills Inn, which originally opened in the 1820s, and the Old Bushmills Distillery, which gives even non-drinkers a true appreciation for the legendary namesake whiskey. Within 15 km in either direction, drivers can access the ruins of medieval Dunluce Castle, perched overlooking a spectacular cliff, and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, lying overtop of a 23-metre-deep chasm.

But Antrim's most impressive feature by far is the magnificent Giant's Causeway, even more remarkable in person than in photos. The thousands of natural polygonal basalt columns rising out of the sea are enough to leave anyone speechless, and suddenly with much less room on their camera cards.

A stop on the south's west coast in the eclectic and traditional-music centre of Galway is a must, and provides easy access to the Aran Islands, where a bike trek to ancient forts is essential.

Just an hour south of Galway, near the enchanting fishing village of Doolin, travellers can find Ireland's famous Cliffs of Moher -- sitting about 214 metres above the ocean in scenic County Clare. Despite the near guarantee of rainfall every day, Ireland's beauty speaks for itself.