County Kerry, in the peninsular southwest region of Ireland, is known for its pockets of Irish-language speakers and striking terrain.

Kerry's exquisite beauty makes it one of Ireland's most popular tourist destinations. But if you need to escape from the crowds, there's always a mountain pass, an isolated cove or an untrodden trail to discover.

Kerry has two famed loop drives: the larger Ring of Kerry skirts the mountainous, island-fringed Iveragh Peninsula and the more compact Dingle Peninsula is like a condensed version of its southern neighbor, with ancient prehistoric ring forts and beehive huts, Christian sites, sandy beaches and glimpses of a hard, unforgiving land.

County Kerry contains some of Ireland's most iconic scenery: surf-pounded sea cliffs and soft golden strands, emerald-green farmland crisscrossed by tumbledown stone walls, mist-shrouded bogs and cloud-torn mountain peaks.

With one of the country's finest national parks as its backyard, the lively tourism hub of Killarney spills over with colorful shops, restaurants and pubs loud with spirited traditional music. The town is the jumping-off point for Kerry's two famed loop drives.