Founded by Viking raiders in 914 CE, Waterford is Ireland's oldest city, its three-cornered Viking Triangle still edged by ninth-century walls. Reginald's Tower guards silver hoards, the Bishop's Palace showcases the world's first piece of Waterford Crystal, and every August the Waterford Walls festival turns granite façades into kaleidoscopic murals. Locals breakfast on flour-dusted ‘‘blaa’’ rolls before cycling the 46-kilometre Greenway across stone viaducts and sea-sprayed tunnels to Dungarvan. The Copper Coast UNESCO Geopark begins minutes away, revealing folded rock, hidden coves and fossils older than the dinosaurs. Evenings revolve around harbourside bistros plating monkfish curry, micro-roaster espresso bars and pubs where fiddles meet electronica. After 1,100 years, Waterford continues to blend living history with outdoor adventure in a way few European cities can match.