Soaring cliffs, buzzing little towns and a way of life forever inspired by the sea, that's what you'll find on the world's longest defined coastal touring route.

From the wind-whipped tip of Malin Head in County Donegal to the balmy beauty of Kinsale town in County Cork, the west of Ireland will wow you with its epic landscapes and charm you with its quiet moments. This is a place that has inspired dreamers and drifters, poets and painters, with a landscape laced with dry-stone walls, thatched cottages, brooding mountains and deserted beaches. Escape, explore and enjoy an off-the-beaten track adventure on the very edge of Europe.

Unforgettable moments

It's easy to feel the wild that defines this coastline; it's everywhere, from sheer cliffs that plunge into crashing Atlantic waves to remote, weather-beaten islands. But the west of Ireland is about more than that, it's about moments of connection. It's the chat from locals, the warmth of a fire-lit pub, the tapping feet of a traditional music session. From the elemental weather to the oak-smoked salmon, the essence of the Wild Atlantic Way runs deep.

"The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper", said the Irish poet William Butler Yeats.

Wild at heart

At times austere, at times sublime, Connemara is a place of legend, folklore and profound beauty. The late writer and cartographer Tim Robinson spoke of the landscape's "huge, luminous spaces", and it's no surprise that artists and photographers, poets and playwrights have all found inspiration here.

Bounded by the Atlantic and set within a particularly scenic corner of County Galway, the region is famous for its wild terrain and soft colours. Rust-coloured bogs are dotted with polished grey-blue lakes; old dry-stone walls are threaded over hills; and coral beaches, sandy bays and little harbours are edged by an ever-changing ocean.

Connemara is not just about the landscape, though – it's about the Irish language, cherished by the locals. It's about the charm of towns and villages such as Leenane, Roundstone, Clifden and Letterfrack. It's about the ponies, the music, the pure flavours of local food. It's about as good as it gets.