10 Wonderful Tourist Places to Visit and Things to Do in Cork City

February 1, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 1470 Views

Cork is a city in the province of Munster in the Republic of Ireland. The city has a lot of medieval history to enjoy when you visit Cork City. The city was first a monastic settlement. It was later expanded by Viking invaders after 915. You can learn more about this early history of the city at Cork tourist attractions like the city’s museum.

By the medieval ages, Cork had developed into a proper walled city. It was granted a charter in 1185 by Prince John. The majority of the best places to visit in Cork hail from this period onward. You can still visit parts of the old city’s wall in certain places. Owing to its role in the famous War of Roses, the locals sometimes also call it the “Real Capital”. Owing to its storied history of wars and invasions, there are numerous castles and palaces among the best things to see in Cork City.

You will also find some beautiful churches in this city. These churches exhibit Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles of architecture. Other historical places to go in Cork include ports, houses, marketplaces, fountains, and memorial monuments.

Art galleries and art museums are integral to Cork sightseeing. You can also find several cultural centers and handicraft centers in the city. You will also need to get busy exploring museums. Aside from just learning about history, they can be among the most fun things to do in Cork, Ireland. The Butter Museum is one of the most interesting places you would visit. There are also museums dedicated to art, maritime history, medieval history, royal houses, and more.

As for outdoor things to do in Cork, you can go for hiking, kayaking, swimming, horseback riding, and so on. Being a port, you can find a wonderful beach near Cork city. You should also get on a boat to visit a nearby island. It is one of the best activities to do in Cork.

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Table of Contents

Top 10 Tourist Places to Visit in Cork in 2 Days (Trip Itinerary)

Day 1

1. Shandon Bells & Tower St Anne’s Church

Established in 1722, this is the oldest church among Cork city attractions. It is famous for Bells of Shandon and the church’s great tower. You will need about an hour or so for this church.

2. Cork Butter Museum

This building used to be a market place. It was built in 1849 and now serves as a museum. The museum celebrates the history of butter and dairy industry in the city. It is one of the best places to visit in Cork city. It will take you at least an hour for this museum.

3. Crawford Art Gallery

This public art gallery is included among Ireland’s National Cultural Institutions. This gallery exhibits historic, modern and contemporary works of art. It is among the most popular Cork tourist attractions and will require about 2 hours time to explore.

4. St. Patrick Street

This street is best places to go in Cork city for shopping. It has been twice voted the best shopping street in entire Ireland. You would need 2 to 3 hours to explore this street.

5. The English Market

This market is known among Cork attractions for organic items and local produce. You will also get to try out some regional delights in this market. It will take you an hour or so for this market.

I suggest you should try a culinary tour at The English Market.

6. Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral

This cathedral is arguably one of the best things to see in Cork city. It’s gothic architecture and lush interiors have mesmerized several tourists who visit Cork city. You will need an hour to see this cathedral.

Day 2

1. Blarney Castle & Blarney Stone

This castle is one of the best things to do in Cork, Ireland. This majestic castle dates back to 13th century. It used to medieval stronghold and is built from limestone. You would need 2 to 3 hours to explore this castle during Cork travel.

I suggest you should book a tour to Blarney Castle in advance.

2. Fitzgerald’s Park

Situated on the banks of River Lee, this park is popular for outdoor activities in Cork. Besides gardens, fountains and hike trails; this park also has a dedicated play area for children. You can easily spend a couple hours here.

3. Cork Public Museum

This museum is dedicated to the history of the city. You will see wonderful artifacts concerning medieval history including silver and glassware items. It is definitely one of the most interesting places to see in Cork. You would need 2 hours for this museum.

4. Lewis Glucksman Gallery

This gallery is named after renowned philanthropist and is dedicated to visual arts. The building itself considered one of the finest works of modern architecture in the city. You will need about 2 hours for this art gallery.

If you are looking for more fun things to do in Cork city, check out the section below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of places and activities to do in Cork.

Things to do in Cork

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Cork

Blarney Castle
Blarney Stone
Crawford Art Gallery
Cork City Gaol
Blackrock Castle
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral
Spike Island
St. Anne’s Church
Cobh Heritage Center
The Glucksman Gallery
Butter Museum
St. Colman’s Cathedral
Elizabeth Fort
Nano Nagle Palace
Cork Public Museum
Cork Opera House
Belvelly Castle
Lavit Gallery
Sirius Arts Center
Cobh Museum
Blarney Woollen Mills
Collins Barracks Military Museum
Lusitania Memorial
Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills
Red Abbey Tower
Saint Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church
Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne
Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church
St. Peter’s Cork
Cork National Monument
Annie Moore Monument
St. Oliver’s Cemetery
Ballincollig Castle
St. Finbarr’s South Roman Catholic Church
St. Mary’s Dominican Church
Father Mathew Statue
Church of Christ the King
Passage West Maritime Museum
Rory Gallagher Memorial Sculpture
Grace Christian Church
Galweys Dundanion Castle
Monkstown Castle
Old Church Ruins & Cemetery
Huguenot Cemetery
St Francis Roman Catholic Church
Cove Fort
St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church
Berwick Fountain
Titanic Memorial

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Cork

Fota Island
Lee Fields Park
Rock Close
Bell’s Field
Ballybrack Woods

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Cork

Fota Wildlife Park
Cobh Titanic Experience
Fitzgerald’s Park
Triskel Arts Center
Old Cork Waterpark Experience
Rumley’s Open Farm
Cork Golf Club
Airtastic Entertainment Center Cork
Titanic Memorial Garden
Tramore Valley Park
Monkey Maze
Leisurepark Cork
The Mardyke Entertainment Complex
Cobh Road Train
Planet Entertainment Center Cork
Drake’s Pool

Shopping in Cork

The English Market
Saint Patrick’s Street
Mahon Point Shopping Center
Princes Street
Cornmarket Center
North Main Street
Douglas Village Shopping Center
Oliver Plunkett Street
Merchants Quay Shopping Center

Beaches & Island in Cork

Fota Island
Garnish Island
Haulbowline Island
Rocky Island
Warren Beach
Garretstown Beach
Barley Cove
Garryvoe Beach
Inchydoney Beach
Tragumna Beach
Garrylucas Beach

Offbeat Places & Adventure Activities in Cork

Hiking
Horseback Riding
Boat Cruise
Water Sports
Ghost Tours
Rebel Walking Tour
Kayaking

Sightseeing in Cork

Saint Patrick’s Street
Regional Park Ballincollig
Bishop Lucey Park
Daly’s Bridge
The Coal Quay
Deck of Card Houses
Donovan’s Bridge
Michael Collins Bridge
John F Kennedy Park
New Marina Park
Skehard Road Public Park
Vernon Mount Park
Nano Nagle Bridge
Mary Elmes Bridge

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Cork

Sine Pub
Market Lane
Costigan’s Pub
Goldie
The Spitjack
Kinsale
Strasbourg Goose
Pradiso
The Glass Curtain
Pompeii Pizza
Greenes
Pigalle
Quinlans Seafood Bar
Miyazaki
Liberty Grill
Farmgate Cafe
Ichigo Ichie
The Chocolate Shop

Where to Stay in Cork?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Cork. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Cork.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Sheilas

Custom Tours Package in Cork

How to Reach Cork?

By Air

The city’s eponymous airport receives direct flights from Alicante, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Cardiff, Krakow, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Nice, Newcastle, Warsaw, Paris, London, Rome, Liverpool and many more. Another airport to consider to visit Cork is the Shannon airport. This airport receives flights from Europe as well as America.

You can get buses and cabs from each of the airports to get to the city.

By Road

You can get direct trains for Cork travel from Dublin, Heuston, Tralee, and many other cities on the island of Ireland. The bus network is far more widespread. You can get a bus direct or connecting from several towns and cities in the country. You can also get Cork sightseeing tours from nearby towns.

By Water

You can get ferries from Roscoff (France) and Cobh (Ireland).

Image Reference

Shandon Bells & Tower St Anne’s Church – William Murphy / Flickr
Cork Butter Museum – William Murphy / Flickr
Crawford Art Gallery – coisceim / Flickr
St Patrick Street – William Murphy / Flickr
The English Market – William Murphy / Flickr
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral – William Murphy / Flickr
Blarney Castle & Blarney Stone – Jonathan Geiger / Flickr
Fitzgerald’s Park – William Murphy / Flickr
Cork Public Museum – Charlesolivercork / Wikimedia Commons
Lewis Glucksman Gallery – R_uu_t / Flickr