Dublin

Forget postcard Ireland-the Cliffs of Moher are the country's classic hit of rugged drama, offering vertiginous drops, gusty ocean breezes that laugh at your fancy windbreaker, and panoramic views that'll give your camera severe performance anxiety. Perched defiantly at County Clare's windswept edge, these 700-foot-high cliffs have witnessed everything from Viking ships skulking by, Monks pondering isolation (and probably second-guessing that choice), to Harry Potter film crews muttering curses about lighting conditions. Plan your visit for early morning or late afternoon to dodge the tourist buses disgorging selfie-stick armies intent on Instagram domination; trust me, this place demands respectful silence and a sufficiently irreverent attitude. Book your tour a day or two ahead (no need for meticulous planning-this isn't Versailles, it's nature's windswept tantrum), and budget about €50-€60 for a full-day affair. Bring sturdy shoes, a waterproof jacket, and perhaps a flask of something warming to toast your bravery atop Ireland's most thrilling precipice. Sure, you could Google the view, but standing there yourself-teetering on the brink of Europe, wind whipping your hair into cartoonish chaos-is a tale you'll smugly recount forever, whiskey in hand, long after the chills have worn off.