Hey everyone, I am Lorena from Germany a currently doing an internship in Cork.
Today I went to tell you about my weekend trips in Cork and South Weste Ireland.
On Friday I and a friend enjoyed our time in Cork. First, we walked around the city centre and then we went to the harbour and ate at the Marina Market. The market is built in an inconspicuous hall with many different stalls. Here you can enjoy food from many different countries. We chose to eat a Burger and regional fish, which both were really tasty.
On Saturday we decided to rent a car, because we wanted to experience the nature and the coastal towns around the counties Cork and Kerry. It was a warm and sunny day and so we first drove to Kinsale, a lovely coastal village south of Cork and then we went further to Owenahincha Beach. Here you can experience the wild ocean at a wide sandy beach. On our way on the so called „Wild Atlantic Way“ we stopped in Bantry to eat and then moved further through beautiful mountains on the Caha Pass. When reaching Kenmare we started to get on the Ring of Kerry. Highlight on this road was definitely the Cliffs of Kerry, which offer stunning views on the Atlantic Ocean and the cliffs. After that we passed by Killarney and went back to Cork. The whole trip was definitely worth it, and you should definitely don‘t miss this region if you’re in southern Ireland.
On Sunday the day started with tasty Pancakes in the tiny streets of Cork. Then we took the Train to Fota Islands, which is just 20 minutes away. Here we visited the Fota Wildlife Park. Here you can experience a variety of exotic animals from all over the world up close.
What is special about this is he many animals, such as kangaroos and capybaras, roam freely throughout the park, and other animals such as giraffes, zebras and antelopes are often not locked up individually as in the zoo but share spacious enclosures. Furthermore, there are Lions, Tigers, many different monkey islands and a tropical house with butterflies, plants, and reptiles.
All in all is he Fota Wildlife Park a highly recommendable place to visit.
We were very lucky with the weather and Monday was another sunny day.
We decided to take the train again and after 30 minutes we arrived in Cobh.
Cobh is located in the Cork Harbour and there is a large port and a cruise ship terminal. When we arrived a really big cruise ship was there. Cobh is also the last port the Titanic stopped before sinking in the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this there is a museum called “Titanic Experience”, which we visited. It offers an interesting, guided tour, available in many languages, and the whole museum is designed lovely. Additionally, Cobh is known for its colourful houses and a large spectacular church on the mountain, which is visible from far away. But a thing in Cobh we did not like, was that is a town mainly driven by tourism. The streets away from the coast are mostly dirty and the colourful houses are all grey from the other side, which the mot tourists won’t be able to see.
All in all, the weekend in and around Cork was great. We discovered beautiful landscapes, delicious food and meet nice people. If you visit Cork, take the chance to go outside and explore the region. It’s definitely worth it!
Lorena
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