The Republic of Ireland’s second-largest city, in the south of the country, boasts beautiful Georgian buildings and is a thriving commercial centre. Close to the sea, it is also a gateway to some enchanting peninsulas.

As an important commercial centre since the 18th century, Cork has maintained its reputation as a great place to shop, with a profusion of small shops in the city centre, which is built on an island between two branches of the River Lee. Thanks to a carefully planned pedestrianisation scheme, visitors can stroll quietly through the streets of Cork, admiring the Georgian houses that line characteristic roads such as Grand Parade, South Mall and the streets of the Huguenot Quarter. A walk through the city also takes in some other interesting buildings, such as St Finbarr’s Cathedral, with its three spires and Victorian interior; The Red Abbey, a former priory and the oldest building in Cork; the town hall, imprinted with the memory of one illustrious descendant of an Irish emigrant, John F. Kennedy, who came there to give a speech that is still famous today; and the Parliament and South Gate Bridges, two historic structures that span the southern branch of the Lee.

Close to Cork, Blarney Castle, famous for its so-called Stone of Eloquence, and Cobh, the port where the Titanic made its last call in 1912 before sinking into the Atlantic, are both important tourist attractions. Looking further afield, Cork is the perfect gateway to some superb wild peninsulas. Mizen Head, Sheep’s Head and the Beara Peninsula, projecting into the ocean like spurs, and the Ring Peninsula, in the neighbouring county of Waterford, are fine examples of the extraordinary Irish landscapes of stone, moorland and wild coastline that have made the country’s reputation.