Getting There

Aer Arann (tel. 0818/210-210 in Ireland, or 011-353/617-04428 in the U.S.) flies from Dublin and Belfast to Cork Airport, Kinsale Road (tel. 021/413131), 13km (8 miles) south of the city. Other airlines serving the city include Aer Lingus (tel. 800/474-7424 in the U.S., or 0818/365-000 in Ireland) with flights from London and Europe. British Airways (tel. 800/247-9297 in the U.S., or 087/085-9850 in Britain) offers flights to and from Manchester and the north of England. Ryanair (tel. 01/609-7800 in Ireland, or 0906/270-5656 in Britain) serves Cork from London Stansted and Liverpool, while Easyjet (tel. 1890/923-922) runs a daily service to London Gatwick, and bmi baby (tel. 800/788-0555 in the U.S., or 01/242-0794 in Ireland) serves Cork from Manchester and Birmingham in the north of England.

There are taxi stands outside the arrivals hall of the airport. A journey to the city center should cost from €10 to €13 ($13-$17).

Bus Éireann (tel. 021/450-8188) provides bus service from the airport to Parnell Place Bus Station in the city center; the fare is €3.50 ($4.55) one-way, €5.70 ($7.40) round-trip. The trip takes between 18 and 24 minutes, depending on time of day. Buses from all parts of Ireland arrive at Bus Éireann's Passenger Depot, Parnell Place, in the downtown area, 3 blocks from Patrick Street.

Iarnród Éireann/Irish Rail (toll-free tel. 1850/366222 or 01/836-6222) operates the train services in Ireland. Trains from Dublin, Limerick, and other parts of Ireland arrive at Kent Station, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork (tel. 021/450-6766), on the city's eastern edge.

Ferry routes into Cork from Britain include service from Swansea on Swansea/Cork Ferries (tel. 021/483-6000), and from Roscoff on Brittany Ferries (tel. 021/427-7801). All ferries arrive at Cork's Ringaskiddy Ferryport.

If you're approaching Cork from the east, take the Carrigaloe-Glenbrook ferry from Cobh across Cork Harbour. This ferry can save you an hour's driving time around the edge of Cork Harbour, and you'll bypass the generally heavy Cork City traffic. The ferry runs from 7:15am to 12:30am. Cars cost €4 ($5.20) one-way, €6 ($7.80) round-trip. For cyclists, the fare is €1 ($1.30) round-trip. The trip lasts less than 5 minutes. For more information, contact Cross River Ferries Ltd., Westland House, Rushbrooke, Cobh (tel. 021/481-1485).

Many main national roads lead into Cork, including N8 from Dublin, N25 from Waterford, N20 from Limerick, N22 from Killarney, and N71 from West Cork.

Visitor Information

For brochures, maps, and other information, visit the Cork Tourist Office, Tourist House, 42 Grand Parade, Cork (tel. 021/425-5100). Its hours are Monday to Saturday 9:15am to 5:30pm all year. For online information, consult the Cork Guide. For accommodations in Cork, consult our recommendations below, then try Booking.com.

City Layout

Cork's center is on an island, which lies between two branches of the River Lee. The city is divided into three sections:

Flat of the City -- The city's downtown core is bounded by channels of the River Lee, and its main thoroughfare is St. Patrick Street, a graceful avenue lined with shops. A favorite meeting place here is by the statue of 19th-century priest Father Theobald Matthew, a crusader against drink who is fondly called the "apostle of temperance." The statue stands at the point where Patrick Street reaches St. Patrick's Bridge.

Nearby, the South Mall is a wide tree-lined street with attractive Georgian architecture and a row of banks, insurance companies, and legal offices, while the Grand Parade is a spacious thoroughfare that blends 18th-century bow-fronted houses with the remains of the old city walls. It has lots of offices and shops as well as the Bishop Lucey Park.

North Bank -- St. Patrick's Bridge leads over the river to the north side of the city, a hilly, terraced area where St. Patrick Street becomes St. Patrick's Hill. And is it ever a hill, with an incline so steep that it is nearly San Franciscan. If you climb the stepped sidewalks of St. Patrick's Hill, you will be rewarded with a sweeping view of the Cork skyline.

East of St. Patrick's Hill, MacCurtain Street is a commercial thoroughfare that runs east, leading to Summerhill Road and up into the Cork hills to the residential districts of St. Luke's and Montenotte. West of St. Patrick's Hill is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, St. Ann's Shandon Church, and the city's original Butter Market building.

South Bank -- South of the River Lee, South Bank encompasses the grounds of St. Finbarr's Cathedral, the site of St. Finbarr's 6th-century monastery, and also includes 17th-century city walls, the remains of Elizabeth Fort, and the City Hall (built in 1936).

Getting Around

By Public Transportation -- Bus Éireann operates bus service from Parnell Place Bus Station (tel. 021/450-8188) to all parts of the city and its suburbs, including Blarney and Kinsale. The flat fare is €1.10 ($1.40). Buses run frequently from 7am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, with slightly shorter hours on Sunday.

By Taxi -- Taxis are readily available throughout Cork. The main taxi ranks are along St. Patrick's Street, along the South Mall, and outside major hotels. To call for a taxi, try ABC Cabs (tel. 021/496-1961), Cork Taxi Co-Op (tel. 021/427-2222), or Shandon Cabs (tel. 021/450-2255).

By Car -- It's best to park and explore the city on foot or by public transport. Unless your hotel has a parking lot, it can be a hassle finding street parking. If you have to park in public areas, it costs €1.80 ($2.35) per hour, whether you park in one of the city's two multistory parking lots, at Lavitt's Quay and Merchant's Quay, or on the street, where you still must pay to park. There are plenty of ground-level parking lots throughout the city.

Many international car-rental firms maintain rental desks at Cork Airport, including Alamo (tel. 021/431-8636), Avis (tel. 021/432-7460), Budget (tel. 021/431-4000), Hertz (tel. 021/496-5849), and Murray's Europcar (tel. 021/491-7300).

On Foot -- Because of the limited parking, the best way to see Cork is on foot, but don't try to do it all in a day. The South Bank and the central part, or flat, of the city can easily take a day to explore; save the Cork Hills and the North Bank for another day. You might want to follow the signposted Tourist Trail to guide you to the major sights.