Armagh is one of the oldest settlements in Ireland and the ecclesiastical capital of the island. Saint Patrick is said to have built his first stone church here in the fifth century, and the city still has two cathedrals that bear his name — one Catholic, one Church of Ireland — facing each other from twin hilltops across the city centre.
The city is compact and walkable, with graceful Georgian architecture lining its streets and the beautiful tree-lined Mall at its heart that was once a racecourse. The Armagh Observatory and Planetarium sits on the edge of town — one of the oldest continuously operating observatories in the world — and the Robinson Library, Ireland's oldest public library, holds Jonathan Swift's annotated copy of Gulliver's Travels and an 807 CE manuscript of the Book of Armagh. For such a small place, it punches well above its weight in history and culture.
Armagh is also the heart of apple country — the orchards of County Armagh produce most of Ireland's apples, and the area is known for its cider. The city makes a good base for exploring the surrounding countryside, including Navan Fort, the ancient seat of the High Kings of Ulster just outside town and the setting for the great Irish mythological cycle of Cú Chulainn.