The hills are gentle, rolling, and impossibly green. In the fields, cows graze fetlock-deep in the lush grass, while clouds scud across the blue sky overhead.

Leaving the modern motorway, you immediately plunge into a world of narrow, hedge-lined country lanes, primrose-colored houses, and gray stone manors. Now and again a curve in the road opens up vistas of blue sea. Down the road, round the bend and over the hillocks, lies sandy beach or rocky shore…

Suddenly the skies turn gray and ominous, drop a brief, misty rain, then clear once more. I honk the horn to warn oncoming traffic as I take a sharp curve, imagining a pony trap jogging to market just around the bend…. These days, though, any oncoming vehicle is more likely a modern SUV.

But I am in Ireland, and it’s hard not to think in clichés. That’s because most of them are still, thankfully, true. Here the land is indeed green, the people friendly, the pubs cozy, the music lilting—and yes, it rains almost every day.

It is also—thanks to the global recession and drastic property-price reductions—more affordable than it’s been in years. That’s why I’ve come to explore Ireland’s southern coast, mostly in County Cork.

Colorful fishing villages dot this coast. Here, sailboats bob tranquilly at their moorings offshore, the smell of salt is in the air, and fish is on every restaurant menu. You’ll seldom find beaches here—rocky shingle is more common. But if you love seaside living… and that special way of life that exists in places that make their living from the sea… then this region is heaven.

To top things off, it’s known for having Ireland’s mildest, sunniest climate… making it near-perfect for expats looking for a place to call home in the Emerald Isle.

Bantry: Sophisticated Bayside Living

Hopping in a car, I take a four-lane motorway to Bantry, about two hours west of Cork City. This village is known for its stunning location on the shoreof a narrow, deep natural harbor, Bantry Bay, in Cork’s far-western reaches.

Bantry itself looks a bit like a small New England coastal town (though in stone, not clapboard). Gaily-painted two- and three-story homes and shops line the village streets, while a tidy town square faces the water. Bantry is the market town for a large three-peninsula area in southwest Ireland, and it has the snap and verve that go with a market center.

Even so, it’s surprisingly sophisticated and international for a town of 3,300 people. Estate agent Denis Harrington, who grew up in Bantry, recalls that expats—primarily Germans and Swedes—began moving here as early as the 1970s. Today’s expats are mostly British and French. Actor Jeremy Irons has a house near here. So does Fred Astaire’s daughter Ava.

The British, especially, come to this part of Ireland because it has the lifestyle they remember from their childhoods and can no longer find in their own country. That is, safe, neighborly, and small-town, with beautiful, unspoiled countryside.

Bantry even has a beach. A large float offshore indicates that people swim here in warm weather. It was too windy and chilly for swimming the afternoon I was there. But children raced along the sand and several people walked their dogs. You can enjoy a seaside stroll—even at high tide, when the beach disappears—on a long railed boardwalk that extends around a bend to a neighboring inlet.

County Cork is home to some of Ireland’s freshest, most inventive cooking, and you can eat well in Bantry. Dinner specials at restaurants like O’Connor’s will run you around $35. Lunchtime eatery The Stuffed Olive struts its slow-food credentials with tasty, home-cooked dishes, many of them vegetarian—and it makes a perfect pot of strong Irish tea. Or go traditional and have some upscale pub grub. Lunch will generally run you less than $14.

For all its cachet, you don’t have to spend a fortune to buy a home in Bantry. For example, a three-bedroom row house in town lists for $194,000—and the price is negotiable. Prefer country living? A four-bedroom farmhouse in rolling countryside five miles from Bantry, renovated and with grounds for fruit and vegetable gardens, is going for $273,000. If you’re willing to invest the time and money to renovate, you can even snap up a two-bedroom fixer-upper in town for about $105,000.

Financing is hard to get in Ireland right now, so most locals can’t afford to buy. Anyone who has cash in hand, or non-Irish financing, has plenty of properties to choose from and negotiating room, too. For more information on Bantry properties, see: Harringtonestates.ie.

Bargains Galore in Skibbereen

Closer to Cork City—about an hour’s drive southwest—is the market town of Skibbereen. Technically speaking, Skibbereen is not on the sea; it’s a few miles inland. But the River Ilen, which meanders through town, lends a bucolic charm.

The town’s half-dozen streets are dense with shops, restaurants, and pubs. Two streets in town—Bridge and North—back on the River Ilen, and some businesses make good use of this. The trendy Riverside Café, on busy North Street, is one. It has a terrace out back that looks out on the Ilen. Both banks of the river here are green and unspoiled… and it’s hard to believe that you’re right in the town center. A nice lunch here will run you around $14—and the river view is free.

Skibbereen is popular with vacationers, and in summertime it really hops. The town was revving up for a two-week arts festival when I was there, and traditional music was already on tap at the quirkily-monickered Baby Hannah’s Pub.

But this is also a comfortable place to live. Within a quarter-mile of the center—an easy walk to all amenities—the dense buildings give way to comfortable terrace homes with front lawns and driveways. In these neighborhoods, children stroll home from school along wide sidewalks, while their parents can walk to the shops.

And Skibbereen has some of the best property bargains I saw. Many two- and three-bedroom cottages in the area are listed in the $196,000 to $224,000 range. One well-appointed, two-story house right near the town center is for sale for $222,600.

Rentals are also reasonable. Monthly rates run about $700 to $1,000. And there’s remarkably little spread between something at $700 that’s so-so and the very top end of the market at $1,000. In other words, you could rent a million-dollar property for $1,000 a month.

Throw in the beach just a few miles away, and the salt-water lagoon, Lough Hyne, for naturalists, and Skibbereen makes a very pretty package. For more information, see: Patmcguireproperties.com.

Kicking Back in Kinsale

The lively village of Kinsale, Ireland’s southern-most port, hugs the shore of a curving, narrow bay. Brightly-colored cottages and terraced houses climb the hills around the harbor, and many homes in the upper streets have sea or hill views.

Because it’s just a half-hour’s drive from Cork City, Kinsale is a popular weekend getaway. But the permanent population is small—less than 2,300 inhabitants—so the countryside feels close. Leaving my car parked on the outskirts of town, I take a tip from a local and walk to the town center along leafy paths high above the seashore. Rabbits scurry off the path, which backs on to comfortable, sea-view homes. Far below me, sailboats race across the water. The crowning touch: The path ends at a pub… The Spaniard Inn.

Like most pubs in Kinsale, The Spaniard offers lunchtime fare that far excels the typical pub grub. Kinsale is one of the best places around to sample County Cork’s famous cooking.

At lunchtime expect to pay about $7 for a sandwich up to about $18 for a chicken or beef plate with vegetables. Set dinner menus are popular here and run from $25 to $35 for what is often world-class fare. I had a two-course set menu at Jim Edward’s, a popular restaurant in central Kinsale. Around $28 bought me a warm goat-cheese salad as a starter followed by a huge slab of fresh, grilled salmon with steamed fresh veggies and crispy fries. Helpings in this region are huge, so plan to share… or diet later.

An arts festival was underway while I was in Kinsale, and the place bustled with tourists. But locals tell me that this resort town attracts visitors pretty much year-round. Irish music venues, gourmet restaurants, and a decent bookstore in town, plus golf courses on the outskirts and sailing and fishing in the bay, offer plenty to do.

Thanks to Kinsale’s popularity, property prices are a bit higher than those I saw in other towns along this coast. Yet affordable properties can be found… such as a two-bedroom, one-bath, renovated cottage. The 700-square-foot home, just minutes from the town center, is listed for $222,600. Another cozy two-bedroom, one-bath property, with a garden space and right in town, is on offer for $280,000.

Rentals, say local real estate agents, run the gamut. For a 12-month rental you may pay about $1,100 a month for a three-bedroom, detached home in town. A larger property outside town, and with sea views, can run about $1,400 to $2,200.

Vacation rentals cost more. In high season—June through August—they start at about $500 a week. However, you can pay several times that much for a large, sea-view property.

Estate agents James Murphy & Co. in Kinsale (see: Kinsaleproperty.ie) handle sales, rentals, and property management.

Thanks to frequent bus service from Cork, you can easily get to Kinsale on public transportation. Of all the towns I saw, Kinsale is the easiest to manage without a car.

Dungarvan: Undiscovered Beauty

After touring the southwest, I head east to County Waterford… and find a stretch of coast that is just as beautiful, yet less well-known. Here you’ll find the seaside town of Dungarvan.

Much of the village sits on a curving spit of land that opens out to a broad harbor. Mooring is free here, so you usually see sail boats and fishing vessels bobbing at anchor or moored at the quayside. Most streets in central Dungarvan dead-end at the water, so you’re never more than a few blocks from the sea.

Dungarvan has plenty of colorful shops, banks, cozy restaurants and pubs, a museum, a cineplex, and an arts center to keep you busy. Yet its bustle has a relaxed veneer… and if you crave more excitement, the city of Waterford is less than an hour’s drive away.

Town homes, apartments, and terrace houses in central Dungarvan are all a short walk from shops, and most of them have sea views. I saw one centrally-located three-bedroom terrace house listed for $175,000, while many more are listed at $280,000 and up. (See: Morrisseyproperties.ie.) For spacious single-family homes, just look across the inlet at the suburban neighborhood of Abbeyside. Prices here start in the high $300,000s.

For panoramic sea views, take the winding coast road, which is lined with large, comfortable homes. And just a few miles from Dungarvan you’ll even find a large, sandy beach, perfect for a quick dip on Ireland’s rare sunny days. You may even have it all to yourself.

Getting to Ireland’s South Coast

Dublin’s international airport is marginally more convenient than Shannon if you’re coming from North America and traveling on to southern Ireland. You can get direct trains in Dublin to both Cork City and to Waterford City, the jumping-off points for visiting southern Ireland. The trip to either city is about three hours. (See: Irishrail.ie.)

Cork City is the departure point for Bantry, Kinsale, Skibbereen, and other destinations in southwest Ireland. In Cork City you can get buses to all three towns as well. In Waterford you can get buses to Dungarvan.  (See: Buseireann.ie.)

If you plan to stay any length of time, however, it’s a good idea to rent a car. For tips on driving in Ireland see Intliving.com/driveireland.

Click here to read about the firesale in Irish property.