The fishing port of Peel is on the west coast of the Isle of Man, and the town’s main attraction is the 11th century Peel Castle, which sits atop St Patrick’s Island and is accessed via a causeway. Just outside Peel is the village of St John’s, where the island’s parliament meets in the open air on Tynwald Hill once a year.

Rugged and unspoilt, peaceful and perhaps a little parochial, the Isle of Man is proud to be different. The island has its own government, the Tynwald, which is said to be the oldest continuous parliament in the world, as well as its own language and even its own currency, the Manx pound.

Bangor is a seaside resort town on County Down’s north coast with an attractive marina, and it’s also a popular base for commuters working in nearby Belfast. Points of interest include Bangor Abbey, with its history dating back to the 6th century, the North Down Museum, and the 19th-century Bangor Castle.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement was a watershed moment for Northern Ireland, and its rejuvenated capital is enjoying a surge in popularity. The new Titanic Belfast museum is the star attraction, while the city centre boasts some handsome Victorian architecture and a lively pub scene.

The seaside resort town of Ballycastle is just a short drive from the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and highlight of the Antrim coast. The town also has a lovely mile-long beach and a number of attractive 18th-century buildings, and a regular ferry service operates between Ballycastle and Rathlin Island.