Before you go

Your trip to Cork.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Cork – Cork Destination Cork and Kinsale Capital

How to get there

Aeroporto de Cork (Cork Airport) (ORK) 8 km
Estação Kent (Cork Kent Station) 1 km
Rodoviária de Cork (Parnell Place Bus Station) 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before buying. Cork Airport (ORK) is 8 km from the city centre, with buses and taxis. The Dublin Heuston train arrives at Kent Station in about 2h30, and trains to Cobh also depart from there. The bus station is on Parnell Place, in the centre.

How many days

Two days: one for the centre, the English Market, Shandon and the cathedral; another for Blarney. Add a day for Cobh and Spike Island and another for Kinsale.

When to go

From May to September the days are long and tours run well. In October the Cork Jazz Festival usually takes place on the bank-holiday weekend, filling the city. The English Market is closed on Sundays. In winter it gets dark around 4:30 pm.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The centre is walkable, and there are buses to Blarney and Kinsale and a train to Cobh. A car is only useful for the county's west coast. Parking in the centre is difficult, and in Ireland you drive on the left.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Cork

Morning
English Market
Start at the English Market with a coffee and the fish, cheese and meat stalls. Then walk along St Patrick's Street.
Afternoon
Shandon
Cross the river and climb the hill to St Anne's Church in Shandon to ring the bells and see the city from the top of the tower.
Late afternoon
Catedral de St Fin Barre
Return to the centre and head south of the river to St Fin Barre's Cathedral and Elizabeth Fort, next to it.
Evening
Dinner in the center
Dine on the streets between Oliver Plunkett Street and Princes Street and look for a pub with live music.

2 days in Cork

Day 1

Morning
English Market and centre
English Market, St Patrick's Street and the pedestrian streets of the centre.
Afternoon
Shandon
St Anne's Church and the climb to the bell tower.
Late afternoon
Cathedral
St Fin Barre's Cathedral and Elizabeth Fort.
Evening
Cork pubs
Dinner and music in the center.

Day 2

Morning
Blarney Castle
Take the bus to Blarney, 8 km away, and climb to the top of the castle before the queue to kiss the stone grows.
Afternoon
Blarney gardens
Walk through the gardens: the Rock Close, the poisonous garden and the lake trail.
Late afternoon
Return to Cork
Return to Cork and walk along the banks of the River Lee, along the Grand Parade and the South Mall.
Evening
Last night
Have dinner in the centre or in the Shandon neighbourhood.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What to eat in Cork?

At the English Market there is fresh fish, county cheeses, spiced beef (cured meat typical at Christmas), and drisheen, a traditional blood sausage. The city also has its own stout breweries, different from Dublin's.

Is Cork a large city?

It is Ireland's second city, but the centre is compact and can be walked in a short time, between the two branches of the River Lee.

How to get from Cork to Blarney?

By bus, which departs from the centre and takes about 25 minutes, or by car for the 8 km to the village of Blarney.

When does the English Market close?

The market usually opens Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Check the opening times before you go.

Back to Cork