Top Things to Do In and Around Cork, Ireland

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Having heard much about Cork being the second most popular city in Ireland, we wanted to experience what it has to offer first-hand. Being more inclined to spend time in the countryside rather than the city, we opted for a two-day stay in this city. Here’s a list of the top things to do during your stay:

The English Market

The first thing that made this place so appealing to us was actually the name, in Irish! The English Market translates to An Margadh Sasanach and guess what it reminded us of? Outlander, of course! (Massive fans here!) This bustling food market is located in the centre of Cork and is very easy to get to by walk – all you need to do is follow the street signs. The façade is mid-19^th century and its entrance is just how we imagine a proper market to be.

Once inside, we were greeted with the aromas of an array of artisan foods, ranging from herbs and spices to meat and fish. If you are lucky enough to have a kitchen during your stay, haul the ingredients for your dinner from here – it’s fresh, local and if you bring your own bags and containers, plastic-free, too!

St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral

Upon our visit to this Gothic Cathedral, we couldn’t help but be reminded of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The façade of this building is nothing short of impressive – the external sculptures present a visual representation of religious episodes, and the gargoyles give a sense of eeriness that seems to haunt the place.

Upon entering, however, you will find that the interior is warm and welcoming. Entrance comes at a small fee, but you will get a leaflet containing explanations on the main points of interest in the cathedral and it’s worth taking your time to explore it well, especially if the weather outside is dark and dreary.

Crawford Art Gallery

Although not as large as some other galleries we have been to, Crawford Art Gallery has its charm too. Our interest lies in Classical Art, so naturally our favourite sections were the sculptures and the classical paintings. Those inclined toward the contemporary forms will not be disappointed either because this gallery houses a range of art forms that appeal to different people. Best of all, entrance is free! What’s more, if you visit on Sundays or Bank Holiday Mondays at 2 pm, you may benefit from a free tour.

Shopping

No trip will be complete with just a teeny weeny bit (or too much) shopping! Now that we are watching our carbon footprint, we refrain from buying things we do not need, but St. Patrick Street in Cork is THE street to shop in if you’re on a spree. We could not resist buying a couple of books, and some clothes too as a treat, but we were conscious of the style of course, making sure we will not be discarding them anytime soon. Shopping responsibly is actually our thing now.

A Memorable Trip to Blarney Castle

Love the city but still like getting away for a while? A half an hour bus ride to Blarney will do the trick. Located northwest of Cork, Blarney Castle is most famous for the Blarney Stone, which is believed to give the gift of eloquence to whomever bends to kiss it (mind you, we gave this a pass – our necks are far too fussy to be thrown back like that and we did not want to feel icky for the rest of the day – but even the elderly went ahead with it, which was admirable!)

The Stone is not the only highlight of the castle though! We spent the day discovering the history of the place and roaming around the gardens. This made us hungry so when the Irish weather decided to go all wintry on us, we made our way to the canteen where we treated ourselves to a delicious meal, which consisted of Irish Stew and Tomato Soup. The rest of the afternoon was spent following trails that lead to the Witch Stone, The Wishing Steps and the Stone Circle, among other fascinating spots. We highly recommend a visit to this castle! Book your tickets online to save money!

Final Thoughts

All in all, our two days in the city were relaxing yet memorable. Needless to say, there are other things you can do and places you can visit, but if you’re short on time, these are the activities we would suggest including in your itinerary.

If you have any comments, questions or feedback, we’d like to hear from you in the comments below.

Safe Travels!

Passport and Pathways x

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