Located in the beating heart of Ireland's thoroughbred county, the Irish National Stud & Gardens in County Kildare is one of Ireland's true treasures. Since the early 1900s, the stud has produced some of the finest racehorses in Europe and to this day, it is still one of the top breeding farms.

Owned by the Irish people, it is one of the only thoroughbred breeding farms open to the public. Its unique history and beauty are admired by visitors from all over the world.

Just 40 minutes from Dublin, the stud farm is the home of equine racing stars like Faugheen, Hurricane Fly, and Beef or Salmon, horses that are part of the stud's Living Legends team. A visit to the stud's new interactive centre, The Irish Racehorse Experience, truly brings to life the worlds of these magnificent animals.

The Irish National Stud & Garden is also home to two remarkable gardens: the Japanese Gardens and St Fiachra's Garden. At the Japanese Gardens, visitors enter an oasis of calm as they travel the Life of Man path which traces the passage of a soul from birth to death and beyond. By comparison, St Fiachra's Garden is an inherently Irish garden that symbolises the power of the Irish landscape, and commemorates St Fiachra, the patron saint of gardeners. Predominantly planted with native specimens, St Fiachra's Garden is home to an array of Irish wildlife.

Beautifully set on 850 acres of green rolling hills, the Irish National Stud & Gardens real gift is that it offers an opportunity to become truly immersed within the heart of nature.