Cork is a confident little Irish city with a firm sense of identity. If you have visited Dublin and want to try another Irish city, Cork comes highly recommended for a few days of tradition, live music, drinking in cosy local pubs and the usual, jovial atmosphere that Ireland has become so famous for. Read on for ideas of what to see and do in Cork:
The River Lee surrounds the city centre, adding a picturesque background to the rows of traditional Georgian houses and attractive cobbled streets. There is plenty that’s new in Cork – shopping malls, modern architecture, art galleries and international restaurants but the real pull to the county of Cork is its traditional essence and the beautiful surrounding farmlands, hills and valleys and, above all, the stunning rocky Atlantic coastline which is great for hiking.
Cork has so much to offer visitors and staying at a family-run B&B is a great way to experience the area; alternatively, you could rent a self-catering apartment or room in a rural house and enjoy the freedom of your own pad in or near the city. Cork is not especially cheap, but there are budget accommodation options out there and it will seem reasonable if you compare prices here with those in Dublin.
Some of the attractions that I would recommend visiting on a trip to Cork include the West Cork Model Railway Village which will take you back to West Cork in the 1940’s and is always a hit with the children, the famous Blarney Castle with its ever-famous stone and history, and the Millstreet Country Park with 500 acres of greenery, lakes, waterfalls and landscaped gardens – ideal for picnics, walks and nature lovers. If you just have a weekend in Cork however, there is plenty to keep you entertained in the city centre and a combination of aimless wandering and pints of Guinness in local pubs is probably the best way to get a feel for the essence of the city.
Cork also hosts a variety of annual festivals, including the Midsummer Festival (held in June) and the Cork Jazz Festival (held in October) which might be worth planning your trip around. Bear in mind, however, that the city will be at its busiest during these periods and prices tend to go up a little.
Cork – a great place to experience the best of what Ireland has to offer!
