The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

The coastline of Northern Ireland is anything but modest. One breathtaking site follows another as you travel along the well-known Causeway Coast.

Among the many wonderful attractions are the hulking castle ruins of Dunluce Castle, the white-cream sands of Whiterocks Beach, and the breathtaking views from the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. One sight, however, stands out as truly spectacular as you wind your way along this wonderful driving route: the Giant's Causeway.

Standing on the hills that gently arc this extraordinary location, you can see thousands of basalt columns plunging into the Atlantic from above. It's a breathtaking sight, with a whopping 40,000 or so of these stepping stones in hexagonal shapes that originate from a volcanic age roughly 60 million years ago.

Step inside the Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre to learn about a story that is central to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) is the show's star, an Irish giant who chose to fight Scottish big man Benandonner. According to legend, the giants despised each other. So, after enduring insults from Benandonner, Fionn built a path to use as stepping stones to reach Scotland, which Benandonner then ripped up. As a result, the Giant's Causeway was formed.

And what a truly unique location it is. An enjoyable walk of less than a kilometer will bring you down to the Causeway itself, where you can hop over the stones, explore the surrounding hills, or simply sit and reflect on the perplexing geology that has resulted in one of Europe's most remarkable natural sites. The light changes throughout the day, changing from sharp greens and greys to warm tobacco brown. It's the stuff that dreams are made of.

Location: County Antrim, Northern Ireland