The beautiful seaside town with colourful streets and panoramic views

A beautiful seaside with colourful streets and panoramic views has been named among the best in Ireland. Westport is a town in County Mayo, . It is at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast.

The town was named among Ireland's prettiest small towns by , which called it "a treasure trove of captivating experiences" with "charming streets" and "scenic views". It is a heritage town and is one of only a few planned towns in Ireland, laid out in the architectural style. In the centre, stone bridges link the tree-lined promenade, with colourful buildings on the banks of the Carrowbeg River.

Westport is home to several pubs and restaurants, many of which serve local food, including Mayo lamb, West Coast crab, Connemara salmon, Aran Island goat's cheese, Killary Fjord mussels, and Clew Bay scallops.

On the coast is Old Head Beach. It is a sheltered, sandy beach that attracts swimmers and surfers alike. The length of the beach is backed by rocky cliffs and is overlooked by Croagh Patrick.

Known locally as "the Reek", the mountain of Croagh Patrick lies six miles west of the town near the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It has long been considered a holy mountain.

It was the focus of a prehistoric ritual landscape, and later became associated with Saint Patrick, who is said to have spent forty days fasting on the summit.

There has been a church on the summit since the 5th century. Croagh Patrick is climbed by thousands of pilgrims every year on Reek Sunday, the last Sunday in July, a custom which goes back to at least the Middle Ages.

Nearby Rockfleet Castle was built in the mid-fifteenth century and is most famously associated with Grace O'Malley, the 'pirate queen' and chieftain of the Clan O'Malley. The castle has been speculated as her place of death.

Westport is also on the Great Western Greenway and the Wild Atlantic Way. The former is a mostly flat, 26-mile, off-road hiking and cycling trail and the latter is a 1,600-mile road trip along the west coast of Ireland.

Those wishing to visit can get a train from Dublin or fly into Ireland West Airport, 30 miles away. The town has a number of hotels and holiday lets to stay in.