Harbour city in the south of Ireland, Cork is full of jolly Irish atmosphere. It is a festive city with internationally appreciated music festivals, as well as a historically interesting place with several sights dating back to the medieval times. Apart from all that, Cork offers also good facilities for shopping, and as a good old Irish city should, a great number of traditional Irish pubs.
Sights and activities. In close surroundings of Cork, a short distance southwest from the city, you will find a 13th century Blarney Castle, which has lovely gardens available for walking. Try also the ancient sites of Cork monastery and visit the Norman walled city of Cork. For better understanding of the historical sights of the city, you could try sightseeing tours in Cork. Also some good shopping in Cork is available, and courses for golf near Corkare easy to find. Friends of nature might also enjoy the attractions of Fota Wildlife Park and arboretum, which is located in an island near the harbour of Cork. Cultural life of the city is quite lively with several popular festivals held in Cork, and with theatre and opera available.
Cork, historically interesting Irish harbour city with popular festivals
The second largest city of Ireland, Cork enjoys a coastal location in the southern part of the country. It is a harbour city along the River Lee with lovely historical sights. You could start your tour from for example the Elisabeth Fort, which offers nice views over the city, or visit the Cork Vision Center, which has a model of the city available. From there on, you could go further to the museums of Cork, which cover diverse subjects from radio technology to butter making. Also a highly appreciated Beamish & Crawford brewery is an interesting place to visit. Of course also a wide variety of pubs in Cork are ready to introduce you the famous Irish pub culture. Also the rest of the entertainment scene of the city, with active nightlife in Cork offers you plenty of attractions such as concerts in Cork.Sights and activities. In close surroundings of Cork, a short distance southwest from the city, you will find a 13th century Blarney Castle, which has lovely gardens available for walking. Try also the ancient sites of Cork monastery and visit the Norman walled city of Cork. For better understanding of the historical sights of the city, you could try sightseeing tours in Cork. Also some good shopping in Cork is available, and courses for golf near Corkare easy to find. Friends of nature might also enjoy the attractions of Fota Wildlife Park and arboretum, which is located in an island near the harbour of Cork. Cultural life of the city is quite lively with several popular festivals held in Cork, and with theatre and opera available.
Practical information for your trip to Cork
With nearly 200,000 inhabitants in its urban area, Cork is the second largest city of Ireland. It is located in the southern part of Ireland near the coast. Cork hosts one of the main airports of Ireland, with flights to Cork best available from the British Isles and other European locations. If you want to tour around in Ireland, you can easily find train connections to and from Cork in most major Irish cities and towns, and also rental cars in Cork are available.
Photo: traviscrawford, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)
As Cork is a small city, moving around in the city center is easy by foot, but also taxis and buses are available.
Climate. As in the rest of Ireland, weather in Cork is variable with cool summers, mild winters, and high precipitation. Average monthly high temperatures during the summer (June-September) are around 16-18°C, but with 8-10°C high temperatures, winters are not that much colder. However, winter is the wettest time of the year in Cork, which makes the period between May and September the best time to visit Cork.
Visitor services. Cork is a quite popular travel destination with well maintained tourist services. For hotels in Cork, you have plenty of choices, and also food and restaurants in Cork will give you diverse experiences depending on your choices. For entertainment and nightlife, your choices are good especially if you come during the popular jazz festival of Cork, which is in October, or during the mid-summer festival in June or July. Although things may get violent in Cork nightlife at times, Cork is basically a safe destination where you can walk around safely also after dark.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Killarney

