12 Sky-High Sanctuaries: Remote Monasteries with Unbelievable Views

12. Skellig Michael, Ireland: Monks' Wild Atlantic Perch

Off Ireland’s rugged southwestern coast, the precipitous, storm-lashed island of Skellig Michael hosts an astonishingly well-preserved early Christian monastic settlement. Founded perhaps in the 6th century, resilient monks lived in distinctive stone "beehive" huts (clocháns) clinging to near-vertical cliffs, enduring wild Atlantic weather in their quest for spiritual isolation. This UNESCO World Heritage site, now also famed from its Star Wars appearances, offers a raw, breathtaking encounter with early Irish faith, remarkable ingenuity, and the sheer, untamed power of nature, often shared with colonies of puffins.