Cork Travel Guide

  Blarney Castle
by lifeisatrip
 
  • Blarney Castle
      Blarney Castle
    by lifeisatrip
  • Colorful Cork
      Colorful Cork
    by Dabs
  • Cork Harbour
      Cork Harbour
    by AusPinay
  •   Cork
    by dila
  •   Cork
    by dila
 

Pro

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 A really lively place to visit, loads of things to do 


Con

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 Come prepared for rain! 


In a nutshell

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 Cork is not too big or too small,steeped in culture,proud and friendly 

 

Explore Cork

Things to Do  

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle, Cork

 24 Reviews  We weren't actually going to visit this castle, as we are 'over' queueing and really didn't think we wanted to do the tourist thing. Sooooo glad we did. We were there at 9am when it opened and were one of the first people up the top. The stairs are narrow and uneven, but I'm on crutches and I... 

St Finbar's Cathedral

St Finbar's Cathedral, Cork

 16 Reviews  Summer Opening Times Monday-Saturday 9:30-17:30 Sunday 12:30 - 17:00 Winter Opening Times Monday-Saturday 10:00 - 12:45 14:00 - 17:00 (Closed Bank Holidays) Admission Adult €3.00 Under 18 €1.50 Student over 18 with I.D. €1.50 

Hotels  

Hayfield Manor Hotel

 1 Review and 1031 Opinions  While the Hayfield Manor was a tad bit more expensive than we like to spend, one gets what one pays... 

Fitzgerald's Vienna Woods Hotel

 1 Review and 247 Opinions

Restaurants  

The Gingerbread house

The Gingerbread house, Cork

 4 Reviews  I spotted this on the reviews and thought I should share the sorry news, The Ginger Bread House is no more. Sometime in 2006 (I think) they closed for renovations - and never re-opened - and well is it missed. It was a ramshackle place with odd chairs and tables. You could sit for house over one... 

Luigi Malones

Luigi Malones, Cork

 5 Reviews   Yes, Luigi Malone was a real person and there is a large photo of him inside on the family wall. This beautiful restaurant surprises you the second you enter through the mahogany French doors. Right in front of you is the original station clock from Kings Cross Station (London) which was once at... 

Nightlife  

Live Music

Live Music, Cork

 7 Reviews  An Crúiscín Lán is a nice pub at the centre of Cork with lots of live music- normally there will be bands playing every night from Wednesday to Saturday. But beware: we’re not talking about traditional Irish music. There might be some traditional music events as well, but the pub focusses on Rock... 

Mutton Lane Inn

Mutton Lane Inn, Cork

 1 Review  There are lots of bars in Cork. But be warned, most of the bars in Cork do not sell food. So find someplace to eat before going out on a pub crawl in Cork. We did not actually do a pub crawl. We started out at the Mutton Lane Inn, and never left. We met our friend Holger there. Holger is an old... 

Transportation  

Buses

Buses, Cork

 12 Reviews  Bus Eireann coaches will take you not only around the city but also to many places all over Ireland. The fares are lower than on trains and you can get special tourist rates. You can get the Open Road Pass valid for 6 - 30 days on all Eireann buses across the country, or the Irish Explorer ticket... 

Airlines

Airlines, Cork

 10 Reviews  In operation in 2006, the new Cork Airport is conveniently located just 8 kilometres from Cork City Centre on the south end. By bus, 2 options are available: 1. Skylink operates a fast and frequent express coach link between Cork Airport and Cork City Centre (15 minutes trip, EUR 5 one-way and EUR... 

Shopping  

English Market

English Market, Cork

 9 Reviews  The market has existed on this site since 1610 but the present building dates back to 1786. Refurbished after a fire in 1980, it is a great place for the world gourmets, who will find here anything they can dream of, from exotic foreign foods, spices and luxury items to such Irish specialities as... 

Departments Store

Departments Store, Cork

 4 Reviews  Penneys is one of the department stores in St Patrick's Street, the main shopping street of Cork. If you look around, you will see many passers-by carrying their brown paper, and therefore recyclable, carrier bag. The shop is extremely popular with Corkonians and tourists alike, offering real... 

Local Customs  

Local Drink

Local Drink, Cork

 3 Reviews  Beamish is Corks other stout that is still brewed in the city. I enjoyed a pint at Cork Opera House during our VT Taste of Cork meet. (I must confess that Beamish is my least favourite stout when compared with Murphys and Guiness - it's a bit too sweet for my taste, but I still managed to sink it... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Warnings

Warnings, Cork

 9 Reviews  Alcohol could be expensive especially if you get a fine. I found this warning sign along the Liffey River... so stay safely inside the pub to enjoy the local pints and priceless Irish atmospere! Save your money... Drink with moderation! 

Driving / Walking

Driving / Walking, Cork

 2 Reviews  July 18 Next we drove through Cork, I had an idea that we could find a B&B right in Cork, boy was I wrong. Driving in the country side with no street signs is one thing, but driving in a city with no street signs and a terrible map is something quite different. So, we drove into Cork and right back... 

Tourist Traps  

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle, Cork

 9 Reviews  Blarney Castle - yes I know I have photos of it in my travelogue but really unless you get excited at the thought of hanging upside down 300 feet up just to kiss a big stone then give it a miss!! This is especially true in Summer when you will probably have to queue for a while before your turn... 

What to Pack  

Rain Gear

Rain Gear, Cork

 5 Reviews  Cork is probably one of the wettest places in Ireland so an unbrella is a must. Don't let that put you off though as it's also one of the sunniest - you just need a brolly for the showers!! Pop into Pennys or Dunnes on Patrick Street (the main street) for a cheap one if you're forgetful like me and... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Cobh....

Cobh...., Cork

 6 Reviews  Cobh (pronounced cove) - formerly Cove and, subsequently, Queenstown, is a pretty resort and port situated on the largest island in Cork Harbour. Walking along the quayside lined with elegant hotels, good restaurants and interesting shops, the first time visitor might not even suspect the town's... 

Mizen Head

Mizen Head, Cork

 1 Review  Go to the southernmost point of Ireland; Mizen Head. To go the whole way, you first have to climb the famous 99 steps down to the bridge which is 45 meter above the sea level. For more information, please have a look at my Mizen Head travelogue to the upper right corner of this page. 

Sports & Outdoors  

Gaelic Games

Gaelic Games, Cork

 4 Reviews  The Cork gaelic football and hurling teams are known as the Rebels. Try to see a match if you can (although you may have to sell your Granny to get tickets for an All-Ireland match and they're always held in Croke Park in Dublin!) - especially hurling which is said to be the fastest field game in... 

Favorites  

City Walks, Shopping, and Towns Worth Visiting

City Walks, Shopping, and Towns Worth Visiting, Cork

 16 Reviews  Cork is not too big a city,its suberbs do stretch out a bit but the city centre is small enough being about 1.5 mile squared. there are some interesting buildings in the city centre but most of the centre was burned down by the then occupying British forces in 1920,this episode is called,"The... 

Castles, Big Houses, Ruins and Churches

Castles, Big Houses, Ruins and Churches, Cork

 4 Reviews  I had a real fascination with Castles and especially the Ramparts! I could just vision waiting up in the castle waitin for enemy to attack. Well I thought they were cool anyways! They reminded me the fairytales and stories that I read as a kid. 

Comments

Map of Cork