Get your bearings
Cork is Ireland's second city, down on the south coast, and it has always felt like its own place, proudly calling itself the real capital. The centre is an island between two channels of the River Lee, which is why the streets are so close together and why so many of them are old covered-over waterways. It's a food city, a music city and a walking city, small enough to get under your skin in a day or two.
A single day is enough for the heart of the city on foot. Two days lets you add a trip to the harbour or Blarney. Three or more reaches the wider county, Kinsale and the West Cork coast. May to September gives the best weather and the fullest festival calendar; come off-season and it's quieter and cheaper, with the pubs and food scene still going strong.
The essentials
If you do nothing else, do these. Start with the guided walking tour, the best first thing to do in Cork: ninety minutes with a local that leaves you understanding everything you see afterwards. Wander the English Market, trading since 1788 and still the beating heart of the city. Climb the Shandon Bells and ring them out over the rooftops yourself. Stand in front of St Fin Barre's Cathedral, on the spot where Cork began, and take the short climb to Elizabeth Fort for the best free view in the city. Then end the day with a pint and a trad session, which in Cork is less a tourist thing than just what people do.
Go deeper
When you want the detail, our museums and galleries guide tells you what each one holds and whether it's worth your hour, and our getting here and around page has the airports, trains, parking and walking times. If it's the stories you're after, our Cork history library has more than thirty first-hand pieces on the landmarks, people and events behind the streets. For where to eat, drink and go next, our recommendations have you covered.
Ask a local
These pages are the short version of what our guides carry around in their heads. They've lived here their whole lives, and there's no one better to point you at the right pub, the right day trip, or the thing you'd never find on your own. Come on the walk and ask, or drop us a line before you arrive and we'll help you plan.