After eating and drinking your way through Cork (with the help of Part 1 and Part 2 of my Comprehensive Guides to Cork City), I am sure you may be looking for things to do throughout the city. Whether you want to just walk around and explore, or sit in one of the best coffee shops, my third and final article will help guide you! Whether you are visiting Cork City for a day, studying abroad there for a semester, or are lucky enough to call it your home, here are a couple of my favorite places to go and things to do!
When you want to tell yourself you’re doing homework but really just want to sit in a coffee shop and people watch…
Soma
Tucked away in a little alley in the city center, Soma is a great place to come and do some work or just come sit and chat over a coffee. They have friendly staff, great coffee and delicious food!
Alchemy
This quaint little place is great! They play good music and feels super cozy, especially on a fine Irish day! (code for a rainy day) It is located right behind Fort Elizabeth, which is a cool place to explore for panoramic views of Cork City
Bookshelf Coffee House
I wish I had found this place sooner! It has a very minimalistic design and great coffee. You can come sit in here for hours or just pop in for a drink!
Nectar
Another one of my favorite little coffee shops in Cork City. This place has outdoor seating if you’re looking to sip on your coffee outside on a beautiful day.
Warren Allen
I would run by this place all the time and I was so happy when I finally got the chance to stop in and have a cup of coffee. The staff here is so nice and they have loyalty cards that get punched each time you come in! They also have delicious food and coffee.
When you're looking to watch American sports games...
The Woolshed
This place is definitely one of the best in Cork City. They have it all! You can watch a variety of different sports games, including American sports. They have delicious comfort bar food and so many drinks to choose from. Upstairs, they have a bowling alley, where you and 5 other friends can grab a lane and bowl, or they have an outside beer garden. The Woolshed also offers the option to drink and play arcade games at BarCade. If you're in the mood for some BBQ food, walk on down to the attached BBQ restaurant called Holy Smokes. The Woolshed will always hold a special place in my heart because it is where I watched the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl.
#SpoonTip: on days where a big game is playing, get here early because it definitely does get packed!
If you’re looking for things to do in Cork…
Take a walk in Fitzgerald’s park
This park is one of my favorite parts about Cork. It is a little park that has a fountain, playground and walking paths and is located right behind UCC. The Cork City Museum is also in this park and is great to go to in order to find out the history of Cork City. (& it’s free!) Go for a walk, or run, through Fitzgerald’s Park. Or, take a blanket and have a picnic to just people watch the other people enjoy their time in Cork City!
Crawford Art Gallery
Cork’s most famous art museum is located in the City Center. Another attraction that is free so you have no excuse not to walk through it! It is also right next to Sticky Fingers, so you can reward yourself by getting a donut afterwards!
Climb up Patrick’s Hill
Located on the other side of the River Lee by Patrick’s Quay, you can walk up Patrick’s Hill and find a little park with great views of Cork City. It is cool because you can see both the city and the countryside, a common & beautiful contrast in Ireland! After you work up your appetite walking up and down the hill, treat yourself to dinner at Son of a Bun and some live Irish music (and a pint!) at Sin É!
Tour the campus at UCC
UCC is where most study abroad students visiting Cork attend school. It is an absolutely beautiful campus that is worth walking around and you can see the main building on the quad that resembles something out of Harry Potter!
Saint Fin Barre Cathedral
when you arrive in Cork, you cannot miss the big cathedral right in the middle. This stunning cathedral is part of the Church of Ireland and was built in 1879. You can admire the beauty from the outside, but I also recommend popping inside to see the beautiful details.
Fort Elizabeth
if you didn’t know this was here, you would probably miss it! Fort Elizabeth is located on Fort Street (how fitting) and is right past the Cathedral toward the City center. Walk inside the (free!) fort and climb to the top for panoramic views of Cork City!
Ride the bus to Blarney Castle and Woolen Mills
Blarney Castle is about 15 minutes away from Cork City center but is easy to get to via Bus Eireann or taxi. You can kiss the Blarney Stone and receive the ‘gift of the gab’ and explore the beautiful Blarney Gardens if the flowers are in bloom. There is a little town right around the castle with restaurants and a delicious chocolate store. Blarney Castle itself has a great gift shop, but if you are looking for Irish sweaters, jewelry, etc., Woolen Mills is the place to go. It is the largest Irish gift shop in the country and has everything you would want for a gift (or for yourself!
I could talk about Cork City for hours on end, but I must leave you here. I hope my Comprehensive Guides have helped you navigate your way through Cork City. These are simply recommendations; part of the fun of exploring a new city is just walking around and admiring all the new things that you see! Sláinte!