Ireland

Today, people go to the Himalayas to meditate with Buddhist monks. Irish Christian monks were meditating 1,200 years ago in equally impressive surroundings, as a visit to Skellig Michael, off the west coast of Kerry, shows.

It's late on a December evening. The dark clouds are full of rain. Suddenly, the sun appears in the west. An unusual pink light appears over Ballyhoura Country, and the landscape is covered in shades of green one cannot find anywhere else in the world. That's Ireland.

The French-made bikes are the same type that visitors to Paris have been using since 2007. The Parisian bikes are grey; the Dublin bikes are blue, to reflect the city's official colour, rather than the occasional colour of the Irish sky.

With its dramatic landscapes and historical churches, the Dingle Peninsula is one of the wildest and most interesting parts of south-west Ireland. Birgit Roberts returned from a visit with images of windswept beaches, exotic lichens and sheep.

In Ireland, the summer months are June, July and August. As the longest and warmest days of the year come to an end, they are marked by games, music and dancing. The Electric Picnic continues the tradition with modern music in a historical setting.

The Dublin Horse Show is a highlight of the Irish summer and a celebration of the country's love affair with the horse. The city welcomes tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world to watch 1,400 horses competing for €500,000 in prize money.