Spending 48 hours in Cork City? Here’s the one stop guide for everything you need on food, drink and unique local sights!
So, you’ve made the excellent decision to spend a couple of days with us in Cork? Fantastic! This is a quick run through on all things Cork and Irish that you must experience before you leave. Cork is a beautiful, thriving city with lots of character and charm. You could literally live here all your life and still find new and exciting things to do every day, however, your time is short, so we need to make the most of it!
Despite its new and modern feel, Cork is also a vastly rich historical city. On your first day, we highly recommend investing some time to delve into Cork’s fascinating history. Take a walk around the English Market in the heart of the city – Ireland’s most vibrant indoor market! enjoy the cacophony of sound, the delectable smells, and the sights of the city centre bazar with everything on offer from fresh fish & meat to exotic spices & cheeses from around the world! Once you have spent some time wandering around and picked up some shopping take a walk out of one of the market lanes to Mutton Lane. The oldest pub found in the central island of the city. The Mutton Lane dates back to the mid-18th century and is named in tradition of the lane in which livestock was brought in and out of the English Market. The Mutton Lane is famous the world over for serving some of the finest stout in Ireland, try something local in a pint of “Mi Daza” the finest stout in the city brewed just 200 meters away on Cornmarket Street in the Rising Sons Brewery – a must for anyone seeking the best local libation!
After shopping, we recommend that your next stop be the Coal Quay. The historical trading centre of the city on Cornmarket Street which is one of the oldest and proudest streets in Cork boasting many a family run business still operating five generations to this day. Winner of 2017 VFI Pub of the year awards, The Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega is conveniently located in the heart of the Coal Quay, and is a must for anyone wanting to try delicious award winning local cuisine with excellent lunch and dinner options at great prices. A fantastic food option at the end of the day.
Directly across the road from the Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega, is one of Cork’s most unique and vibrant pubs – Rising Sons Brewery. Rising Sons Brewery is an independent family run brewery with a huge selection of craft beers. Nine of which have won gold medals at both the World Beer Awards and, at the International World Beer Challenge. You can enjoy a homemade authentic, Italian style pizza paired with a local beer brewed on site with Cork’s largest HD screen boasting the latest sporting events.
If you want to get the best out of both these award-winning venues, check out the ‘Experience Cork’ tour. This tour is an introduction to the brewing process and a sampling of the award-winning beers. You will then be guided across the road to partake in a whiskey tasting, followed by a delicious, homemade Irish Stew whilst listening to traditional Irish music in The Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega. Throughout your tour, your guide will enlighten you with the fascinating history of the area as it once was. A magnificent experience for people who want to discover Cork.
For your second day in Cork, start your day by seeing a enthralling example of Cork architecture known as St Finbarr’s Cathedral, where golden angels guard a hauntingly beautiful Gothic masterpiece. It’s always a fascinating experience!
Next on the agenda, if the weather is nice why not take a walk-through Fitzgerald’s Park which is located 5mins from the city centre and enjoy the beautiful Irish scenery? However, If the weather is less than favourable, take a stroll through the historical lanes north of the river and climb the iconic Shandon tower – no trip to Cork is complete without ringing the bells of Shandon and taking in the spectacular view from the top of the tower. Locally nicknamed The Four Faced Liar because each of the 4 clocks on the tower show a different time! Truly a fun and memorable experience especially for any first-time visitors to Cork.
As Midday approaches, why not treat yourself to a delicious lunch and a glass of wine in Arthur Mayne’s? A 120-year old apothecary turned wine bar making it the city’s most unusual establishment. It was repurposed from Arthur Mayne’s chemist in 2011 into the opulent bar that it is today.
Following lunch, why not take a short stroll to Cork’s very own Crawford Art Gallery on Emmet Place and lose yourself in time with local and international exhibitions being displayed throughout the year.
After a long day of exploring and sightseeing, there is no other place to go than the Sin É. The best and most unique Irish experience in Cork. The Sin É is the home of traditional Irish music in the city with long running live musical sessions 7 nights a week since the early 1970’s. The music starts at 6pm until close, an absolute must for anyone seeking a truly authentic Irish Pub experience. This is an excellent way to spend your last night in Cork.
That about rounds up our 48-hour guide to Cork! We really hope you can visit these locations, bars and restaurants to make the most out your brief time in our lovely city.