Hostelworld Guide for CorkCork's vibrant nightlife is only one of the many reasons to visit, but it does give you a great chance to rub

shoulders with the locals, who can often be heard referring to the city as 'the real capital of Ireland'.Straddling the River Lee, it is Ireland's second largest city and has something for everyone. Whether

you're there for a short visit or a longer stay, Cork has interesting exhibitions, ancient historical sites, greatshopping areas and a huge number of bars and restaurants to keep you busy and entertained. Friendly

and fun, this southern city is also known for its large number of annual festivals.

In this Guide...

Useful InformationAfter Dark

Places to EatTop Attractions

Budget TipsWhere to Shop

The Essentials Climate

Getting There

By plane: Cork Airport is 8km south of the city. Ashuttle service runs every half hour from outside thearrivals hall to the city centre. The trip takes 10-15minutes and the service is available 7 days a week.

By train: The city has a regular rai l service,connecting Cork to the rest of Ireland. Services runfrom Kent Station, which is walking distance fromthe city centre.

By bus: Frequent bus services run from Cork to allover the country. The main bus depot is located inthe city centre at Parnell Place.

Getting Around

On foot: Cork is an easy city to get around on foot.The city centre is compact, with a lot of the mainshopping areas open to pedestrians only. Many ofthe main places of interest are also within walkingdistance of each other.

By bus: There are frequent bus services to all thecity's suburbs. The short trip between the city centreand Kent Station is also covered by the buses.

By taxi: The main taxi rank is located on St.Patrick's Street and offers late night services. Taxiscan also be flagged down across the city.

Cork factsName: Cork is sometimes called the 'RebelCity'.

Location: Cork city is located in County Corkon Ireland's south coast.

Population: Around 350,000 people live in andaround Cork city.

Area: The city covers an area of just over 37square kilometres.

Founded: Cork began as a monastic settlementfounded in the 6th century by St. Finbarr.

Changeable is the best word to describe Cork'sclimate. It gets a lot of annual rainfall but, at thesame time, is one of the sunniest cities in Ireland.This city can also be quite foggy, especially in themorning. The wettest and coldest month is usuallyJanuary, which has an average temperature of 5.5C. December and February are also cold months.Warmer weather does appear though, with June toAugust being the warmest months. Highs averageout at around 16 C.

Good to know...Language: EnglishCurrency: EuroElectricity: 220 Volts AC/50Hz, 3-pin plugArea Code: +353 (Ireland), 021 (Cork)Emergency Codes: Ambulance 112/999, Fire112/999, Police 112/999Time Zone: Greenwich Mean TimeCentral Post Office: Oliver Plunkett StreetMain Tourist Office: Cork Tourist InformationCentre, Grand Parade

Embassies*

USA: +353 (0)1 668 8777Canada: +353 (0)1 234 4000Australia: +353 +353 (0)1 664 5300South Africa: +353 (0)1 661 5553UK: +353 (0)1 205 3700Germany: +353 (0)1 269 3011Spain: +353 (0)1 269 1640Italy: +353 (0)1 660 1744New Zealand: +353 (0)1 660 4233**France: +353 (0)1 277 5000*All embassies are in Dublin**Number is for General Consulate

Hostelworld Guide for Cork www.hostelworld.com

Cheap Eats After Dark

Cork Coffee Roasters, 2 Bridge Street A greatplace to start the day, the beans used in all theblends here are hand roasted in Cork. The counteris small and the shop popular, so expect to queue.A tasty selection of pastries and cakes are alsooffered. Open 7 days, Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat8am-6pm, Sun 9am-5pm.

Veggie good food

The Quay Co-Op, 24 Sullivan's Quay Thisrestaurant offers a huge range of vegan andvegetarian dishes. Service is cafeteria style andportions are large. It's a popular spot and canget very busy at peak times. Vegans andveggies with a sweet tooth are well catered fortoo, with a really impressive range of dessertoptions provided. Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm.

Caf Mexicana, Carey's Lane Tacos, enchiladasand burritos can all be sampled here. Specialsinclude combo meals and an offer on Sangria bythe glass or pitcher. There's an interesting interior,with Mexican-themed tiles replacing the everydayplacemat. Open 7 days, 12pm-10.30pm.

L.A. Bagels, 97 Oliver Plunkett Street Serving upthe best, and most varied, bagels in the city. L.A.Bagels central location makes it an ideal spot tostop for a quick lunch. Grab a window seat andenjoy a spot of people watching as well.Openweekdays 8am-5pm. Weekends 9am-5pm

Caf Gusto, 3 Washington Street A great place toget sandwiches, bagels and wraps, Caf Gusto alsooffers a selection of milkshakes and smoothies atlow prices. Soya options are provided and dailyspecials are also available. With this cafe's loyaltycard, when you buy 10 coffees you get one free.Open Mon-Sat 7.30am-6pm.

Old Oak Bar, 113 Oliver Plunkett Street This is agreat spot to enjoy a pint and watch sports, with anumber of screens dotted throughout the bar. Youcan also check your email here, as the bar offersWiFi coverage. A popular live music venue, it hostsmany different types of acts, from rock bands totraditional Irish music. It's also located besideanother popular live music venue, Cyprus Avenue.Open 7 days, Mon-Thurs 12pm-1.30am, Fri-Sat12pm-2.15am, Sun 1pm-1am.

Fred Zeppelins, 8 Parliament Street A great rockbar and live music venue, Fred Zeppelins sellsdiscounted pints from 4pm to 8pm on Monday toThursday. It's a popular spot with a dark interior,loud music and plenty of places to sit. You can testyour rock star skills every Tuesday at the bar'sGuitar Hero competition. Open 7 days, Mon-Thurs4pm-11 .30pm, F r i -Sa t 4pm-12 .30pm, Sun4pm-11pm.

Mutton Lane, 3 Mutton Lane Tucked down a tinylane way off the city's busiest shopping street,Mutton Lane provides a day time sanctuary while atnight the candles and fairy lights only serve to makeit even cosier. Mon-Sun 10.30am-11.30pm

Gay / Lesbian CorkCork is home to Ireland's oldest gay venue.Often called the centre of the city's gaycommunity, Loafers (26 Douglas Street) hasbeen operating for more than 20 years.

An Brg, 74 Oliver Plunkett Street Popular with ayounger crowd, An Brg has four bar areas and afoosball table. Here you can test your knowledge atthe weekly table quiz every Monday night. It alsooperates as a late bar and there's a DJ 7 nights aweek. There are great value specials on draughtp i n t s u n t i l 9 p m . O p e n 7 d a y s , M o n - S a t11.30am-2pm, Sun 4pm-2am.

Bodega, Peter's Market, Cornmarket StreetHoused in an old market building and covering twofloors Bodega is one of Cork's most popular latebars. Revelers dance the night away to a mix ofdance and commercial hits underneath it's stylishdecor. Free in before 11.30.Friday & Saturdays9pm-2.30am.

Don't Miss Mark Your Calendar

St Anne's Church and Bell Tower, Church StreetGet a great view over the entire city by climbing thetower at St Anne's, Shandon. The 40 meter ascenttakes you up a narrow, winding staircase. On theway, ring the church bells as you pass but don'tforget to don the protective gear provided. OpenMon-Sat, Oct-Feb 11am-3pm, March to May10am-4pm June-Sept 10am-5pm; admission 5.

Cork City Gaol, Convent Avenue, Sunday's WellThis is one of the most interesting places to visit inCork. Fol low the audio tour and walk in thefootsteps of prisoners who spent time here in thegaol until it finally closed in 1923. Famous prisonersincluded Countess Markievicz and the writer, FrankO'Connor. Open 7 days, March-Oct 9.30am-5pm,Nov-Feb 10am-4pm; admission 8.

Blackrock Castle Observatory, Castle Road,Blackrock Help unravel the mysteries of thecosmos during a visit here at the Blackrock CastleObservatory. In the interactive theatre, visitors areasked to undertake a mission to save the earth froma rogue comet. This high tech exhibit asks for agood bit of audience participation and is a lot of fun.Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm;admission 6.50.

The gift of the gab

Blarney Stone, Blarney Legend has it that ifyou kiss the Blarney Stone, you'll be blessedwith the celebrated 'gift of the gab'. Visitors fromall over the world flock here to climb up thecastle and try it out. Once you've kissed thestone, make sure to take some time and walkaround the beautiful castle grounds. OpenMon-Sat May-9am-6.30pm, Jun-Aug 9am-7pm,Sept-9am-6.30pm, Oct-April9am-5.30pm/sundown; Sundays summer9am-5.30pm, winter 9am-sundown; admission12.

March - Cork St. Patrick's Festival Hundreds ofpeople participate in the Grand Parade on St.Patrick's Day. Many other events also take placeacross the city to celebrate the life of Ireland'spatron saint.

May - Cork Internat ional Choral Fest ivalCelebration and competition mix at this festival,which takes place over 5 days. National andinternational choirs hold concerts, with over 5,000people taking part.

May/June - Cork Pride Week During Cork's gaypr ide fes t iva l , there 's a parade as we l l asexhibitions, films and other events. The city's gayclubs host a series of theme nights.

June - Cork City Marathon Covering a route of26.2 miles, this popular marathon finished up on St.Patrick's Street in the city centre and attracts plentyof participants and onlookers.

June/July - Cork Midsummer Festival A threeweek spectacular, this festival showcases local,national and international performing arts andartists. Events suitable for the entire family are heldboth indoors and outdoors.

July - Cork Week Taking place every two years inCrosshaven outside the city, this is the biggestinternational sailing regatta in Ireland. There are sixdifferent race courses, with people from all over theworld participating.

September - The Cork Art Fair This is a great dayout, showcasing art from national and internationalartists. The contemporary creations on offer includepainting, sculpture and more.

October - Cork Jazz Festival Jazz greats like EllaFitzgerald have graced the stage here. Running foryears, this festival gives you a great chance tosample smooth jazz in great company.

November - Cork Film Festival Running for over50 years, this festival now attracts national andinternational attention. You can watch both bigbudget and independent films here. A lot of Irishproductions are also showcased.

November - Cork Arts Fest This week-longfes t i va l i s o rgan i sed by Co rk I ns t i t u t e o fTechnology. A wide range of cultural events areheld across the city celebrating everything from filmto comedy to puppets.

Hostelworld Guide for Cork www.hostelworld.com

Neighbourhood Watch Retail Therapy

Shandon The Shandon district is home to some ofthe main attractions in Cork, including St. Anne'sChurch, the Shandon Craft Centre, the Firkin Cranecultural centre and the Butter Museum. The areaalso has many smaller shops and cafs so it's wellworth the short walk from the city centre.

Somewhere beside the sea

Kinsale Picturesque and extremely popular,Kinsale is a medieval town found 30km from thecity centre located at the mouth of the RiverBandon. Here you can check out the boats linedup along the marina, take a harbour cruise or goon a guided walk through the historic areas. The16th century Desmond Castle, which nowhouses the International Museum of Wine, isalso a good place to visit. The narrow streetsare filled with craft shops, gift shops, cafs, anda number of galleries.

Blackrock Starting out as a small fishing village,Blackrock has since been absorbed by the city butstill manages to hold on to its village feel. As well asthe Castle Observatory, it boasts a variety ofspeciality shops and a bakery caf that are wellworth a look. From here, you can also walk alongby the waterfront.

The Huguenot Quarter Originally settled by FrenchProtestants, this area of Cork city centre is rich inhistory and has a good, l ively atmosphere. Afavourite haunt for the city's buskers, the quarter iscomprised of many narrow streets and laneways. Itis filled with small quirky shops, chic boutiques,restaurants and cafs.

Blarney This pretty village, 15km outside Cork, isone of the most visited places in Cork and also in allof Ireland. It is hugely popular with tourists, bothbecause of the castle and because of the BlarneyWoollen Mills where Irish gifts such from Aransweaters and Waterford Crystal are on sale.

St. Patrick's Street As well as being Cork's mainstreet, this is also the city's main shopping area. Ittends to get very busy with shoppers, largely due toits enticing mix of big name brands, chain storesand places to eat and drink. Entertainment in theform of buskers and other street performers canalso be found here.

Coal Quay Market, Cornmarket Street So namedbecause of its historical association with Cork's coalsuppliers, Coal Quay Market is made up of variousstalls lining the street. Everything from alternativeclothing to watches to jewellery to flowers can befound here. Open Saturdays, 9am-4.30pm.

Old market value

Old English Market, Between Grand Paradeand St. Patrick's Street Trading since 1788,the Old English Market is one of Cork's mostwell-known attractions. An indoor marketconsisting of a warren of different counters,there's a huge selection of foodstuffs on offer.Don't forget to check out the Market StreetParade, which is filled with small shops. It's agreat place to find vintage and retro clothes, aswell as yarn, jewellery, crafts and gifts. OpenMon-Sat 8am-6pm.

Merchant's Quay Shopping Centre, Merchant'sQuay Located beside the main bus stat ion,Merchant's Quay Shopping Centre houses a varietyof department stores and smaller shops across twofloors. There is also a good selection of cafs andcoffee shops. Open Mon-Thurs 9am-6pm, Fri9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 2pm-6pm.

Shandon Craft Centre, John Redmond Street Inthe Shandon Craft Centre, there are a variety ofdifferent shops where you're free to watch thecraftspeople at work or browse their creations.Musical instruments and Blarney Irish Crystal areon offer here.

Budget Tips A Day in Cork...

Visit the Crawford Art Gallery This gallery ishome to an interesting collection of pieces by local,national and international artists. Over 2,000 worksof art make up the gallery's permanent collection.On the second floor, some of the most interestingdisplays are dedicated to Irish writers. OpenMon-Sat 10am-5pm; admission free.

Wander through the Cork Public Museum At onetime the Cork Public Museum, built in 1845, washome to the Beamish family. Located in FitzgeraldPark, the museum now houses some of Ireland'smost important archaeological discoveries. OpenMon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-1pm, 2.15pm-4pm,Sun 3pm-5pm (Apr-Sept); admission free.

Stroll around the Lewis Glucksman Art GalleryThis gallery is found on the UCC campus close tothe main entrance on Western Road. Modern artand film feature heavily in the displays here. There'sa caf on the ground f loor . Open Tues-Sat10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-5pm, Thurs 12pm-8pm,Closed on Mondays; admission free.

A walk in the park

Soak up the sun in Bishop Lucey ParkLocated towards the end of Grand Parade,Bishop Lucey Park is a popular hangout spot,especially on fine days. It's a small oasis whereyou can escape the hustle and bustle of the citycentre. Take a walk there and you'll seecontemporary sculptures by Cork artists dottedaround the park.

See the city in miniature at the Cork VisionCentre The Cork Vision Centre, found on NorthMain Street, houses a large and very detailed scalemodel of the city. Gallery space is also availableand the centre hosts a wide range of exhibitionsthroughout the year. Open Tues-Sat 10am-5pm;admission free.

Start your day by walking around Shandon. Ringingthe bells at St. Anne's will definitely wake you up.There are many other things to do too, like visitingthe Butter Museum.

From there you can go to the Cork City Gaol(pictured below). It's a great way to learn moreabout the prisoners who were held there and aboutthe history of Cork.

Crossing the Lee, head back to the city centre tofind somewhere for lunch. Whether you're lookingfor a sandwich or a full pub lunch, you'll have lots ofchoices.

Catch the no. 2 bus from the main bus station atParnell Place and head to Blackrock. Visit theCastle Observatory and take a stroll along by thewaterfront.

When you get back to the city centre, walk fromParnell Place to the Old English Market. Sample thefood for sale or check out the retro clothing on offer.

Exiting the market, follow Grand Parade until youget to Bishop Lucey Park. There you can wanderthrough the park or rest on one of the manybenches provided.

From South Mall, head up Prince's Lane to get backto St. Patrick's Street. There are lots of dinneroptions only a short walk away, including CafMexicana.

After dinner, wander down to Oliver Plunkett Street.In a few minutes you'll find yourself at the Old OakBar, where you can enjoy a pint and live music too.

To finish off the day, why not head down the streetto the late bar, An Brg where a DJ spins tunes 7nights a week.

Hostelworld Guide for Cork www.hostelworld.com

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