Cork & the South
The south of Ireland brims with history, castles and easy charm, centered on Cork, the country's relaxed second city with its lively English Market and riverside streets. Just outside stands Blarney Castle, a mighty medieval tower set in romantic gardens, where visitors climb to the battlements to kiss the famous Blarney Stone and receive, so legend says, the gift of the gab.
The wider south rewards exploring: the colorful harbor town of Kinsale, Ireland's gourmet capital; Cobh, the Titanic's last port of call with its rows of candy-colored houses; and the dramatic Rock of Cashel, a spectacular cluster of medieval cathedral and round tower crowning a limestone outcrop. Each is an easy outing from Cork, and together they make a region you can happily lose a few days in.
It is a region of fairy-tale castles, fine food and warm welcomes. We love the south for the way it pairs big-name sights with unhurried pleasures, a long lunch in Kinsale, a stroll along Cobh's seafront, a quiet hour in the gardens at Blarney, so the days feel full but never rushed.
