Republic of Ireland

The gentlest possible landing in Europe. English is everywhere, the overnight flight from the East Coast is short by transatlantic standards, and the airports at Dublin and Shannon both let you clear US customs before you board for home, so you land back in the States as a domestic arrival. What makes it feel properly foreign is the west coast. The Wild Atlantic Way runs for about 1,550 miles from Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula down to Kinsale in County Cork, and even a few days of it gives you cliffs, islands and pub music in villages small enough to walk end to end. Ireland also ranked fifth in the 2026 Global Peace Index. The real adjustment is narrow country roads, so a tour or the train can ease your first days.