Borris is a sleepy little village at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountains, but with its gorgeous granite streetscapes, its impressive Victorian viaduct, charming nine-hole golf course and excellent restaurant at the Step House Hotel, it’s definitely worth a visit. Just a few minutes from Borris stands Mt. Leinster, the highest peak in the Blackstairs where even the view from the car park reveals stunning vistas across Leinster and Munster. Every year Borris House plays host to the Festival of Writing and Ideas, an internationally renowned literary festival which attracts big names like Margaret Atwood, Bob Geldof, Donna Tartt and a whole raft of big names from the fields of literature, journalism and the arts. One of the attendees, Martin Amis, even described Borris at the “Tuscany of Ireland”. Located just ten minutes from Borris, Killvarra B&B is an ideal base for anyone attending the festival.