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County Cork

Everything good about Ireland can be found in County Cork. Surrounding the country's second city – a thriving metropolis made glorious by location and its almost Rabelaisian devotion to the finer things of life – is a lush landscape dotted with villages that offer days of languor and idyll. The city's understated confidence is grounded in its plethora of food markets and ever-evolving cast of creative eateries, and in its selection of pubs, entertainment and cultural pursuits.

Further afield, you'll pass inlets along eroded coastlines and a multitude of perfectly charming old fishing towns and villages. The scenery is every bit as enchanting as the best bits of Ireland, particularly along the Mizen Head, Sheep's Head and Beara peninsulas, where you can hike wild hills and touch Ireland's ancient past.

Explore County Cork

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Latest Stories from County Cork

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout County Cork.

  • Historic Building

    Bantry House & Garden

    With its melancholic air of faded gentility, 18th-century Bantry House makes for an intriguing visit. From the Gobelin tapestries in the drawing room to…

  • Historic Site

    Spike Island

    This low-lying green island in Cork Harbour was once an important part of the port's defences, topped by an 18th-century artillery fort. In the second…

  • Museum

    Cork City Gaol

    This imposing former prison is well worth a visit, if only to get a sense of how awful life was for prisoners a century ago. An audio tour (€2 extra)…

  • Gardens

    Ilnacullin

    This horticultural miracle of an island was created in the early 20th century when the island's owner commissioned architect Harold Peto to design a…

  • Fort

    Charles Fort

    One of Europe's best-preserved star-shaped artillery forts, this vast 17th-century fortification would be worth a visit for its spectacular views alone…

  • Market

    English Market

    The English Market – so called because it was set up in 1788 by the Protestant or ‘English’ corporation that then controlled the city (there was once an…

  • Gallery

    Crawford Art Gallery

    Cork's public gallery houses a small but excellent permanent collection covering the 17th century through to the modern day, though the works on display…

  • Gardens

    Sky Garden

    The Victorian country estate of Liss Ard is home to the remarkable Sky Garden, a piece of landscape art created by American artist James Turrell in 1992…

  • Castle

    Blarney Castle

    If you need proof of the power of a good yarn, then join the queue to get into this 15th-century castle, one of Ireland's most popular tourist attractions…

  • Cathedral

    St Fin Barre's Cathedral

    Spiky spires, gurning gargoyles and elaborate sculpture adorn the exterior of Cork's Protestant cathedral, an attention-grabbing mixture of French Gothic…

  • Ruins

    Dunboy Castle

    The ruins of this 15th-century castle, a former stronghold of the O'Sullivan Beare clan, sit on a promontory overlooking the southern entrance to the…

  • Historic Site

    Mizen Head Signal Station

    Completed in 1909 to help warn ships off the rocks, Mizen Head signal station is perched high above crashing waves and contorted sea cliffs on a small…

  • Museum

    Cobh, The Queenstown Story

    The howl of the storm almost knocks you off-balance, there's a bit of fake vomit on the deck, and the people in the pictures all look pretty miserable –…

  • Archaeological Site

    Drombeg Stone Circle

    On an exposed hillside, with fields falling away towards the coast and cattle lowing in the distance, the Drombeg stone circle is superbly atmospheric…

  • Nature Reserve

    Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve

    The valley of the Glengarriff River, to the northwest of Glengarriff village, was once the private estate of the Earl of Bantry. As such its ancient oak…

  • Island

    Bere Island

    Only 12km by 7km, Bere Island has around 200 permanent residents and attracts scores more to summer holiday homes. There are ruined Martello towers,…

  • Museum

    Cork Butter Museum

    Cork has a long tradition of butter manufacturing – in the 1860s it was the world's largest butter market, exporting butter throughout the British Empire …

  • Museum

    Titanic Experience Cobh

    The original White Star Line offices, where 123 passengers embarked on (and one lucky soul absconded from) the RMS Titanic, now house this powerful…

  • Gardens

    Ewe Experience

    More than 20 years in the making, this interactive sculpture garden is imaginative, thought-provoking and humorous, with nature and art working together…

  • Castle

    Desmond Castle

    Kinsale's roots in the wine trade are on display at this early-16th-century fortified house that was occupied by the Spanish in 1601. Since then it has…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in County Cork.

  • Activities

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