Towns here are small, genuine and positively exploding with character. Ballina to the north holds to its heart some of the best beats on the River Moy and is within easy reach of the dramatic north coast with sheer cliffs plummeting to a frothy sea, glorious remote beaches, and wild stretches of protected bogland. Even the names have a mystical ring to them - The Barony of Erris, The Mullet Peninsula, Blacksod Bay, the Stags of Broadhaven.

The landscape varies from the relatively flat terrain in East Mayo, through large island-studded lakes, like Lough Conn, Lough Cullin, Lough Carra, Lough Mask, renowned for their game fishing and beauty, to the naked quartzite peaks along the indented Atlantic coast, with their rugged cliffs interspersed with flat clean sandy beaches.

The extensive tracts of blanket bog in North Mayo contrast with the mountains of South Mayo, and illustrate the diversity of scenic panoramas of the county. Mweelra (817m), the highest mountain in Connacht situated just north of Killary harbour, is the start of a charming mountain rang: Ben Gorm, Ben Creggan, the Sheefry Hills, Maumtrasna and the Partry mountains. This area has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

Further north, the landscape is dominated by Croagh Patrick, where thousands of pilgrims annually have worn a path to the summit. The view from the top is enchanting on a clear day; the islands in Inishturk and Inishbofin rise out of the pounding Atlantic waves on the southwest, with Clare Island on the northwest, and the drumlin studded Clew Bay to the north, with Achill island in the background. The Nephin Beg range of mountains lies north of Clew Bay, and gives way to blanket bog, with spectacular sea-cliffs along the North Mayo coastline between Benwee Head and Downpatrick Head, and several sandy beaches all the way from the Mullet peninsula to Enniscrone in Co. Sligo.

Mayo has a rich archaeological heritage, representing all periods from about 5,000 years ago (if not earlier), to recent times and archaeological monuments can be seen all around the county.