Kinsale is located only about 30 minutes away from the Cork airport and really worth a visit. The town and its surroundings are one of the most picturesque in Ireland and it has so much to offer. Kinsale is well known for yachting, angling, golf and its many restaurants with locals, Irish and international tourists.
Having lived near Kinsale for a while now, I want to share things I love about Kinsale:
- Harbour and narrow streets. I love taking walks around the harbour, exploring the narrowing streets, stopping by at cute crafts shops and visiting art galleries displaying local art.
- History. The two forts - Charles Fort and James Fort across of each other are definitively worth a visit. There are easy to walk to from Kinsale town.
- Cake and coffee. There are so many nice cafes in the town. My favourite cafes are
- the Poet's Corner with its book exchange service,
- the Lemon Leaf Cafe with a great choice of cakes, snacks and free wifi, and the
- Perryville Garden Tea Room - very elegant and traditionally style.
- Eating out. I can truly say that eating out is always a pleasure. The restaurants serve fresh seafood and local produce. My favourites are
- the Fishy Fishy Cafe for a special occasions - always a pleasure and never disappointing,
- the Spaniard Inn - a traditional Irish pub with great food and atmosphere,and
- Blue Haven Bar & Cafe for a cozy evening with friends.
- Old Head. Head out towards Ballinspittle and Old Head, park your car at the Speckled Door Pub and walk the 5.5 km long Old Head peninsula loop. You will pass the famous Old Head Golf Course about half way. The views are stunning!
- Beaches. There are two gorgeous beaches just beside each other near the Old Head and if you head towards Ballinspittle - Garrylucas and Gerretstown. While Garrylucas is very popular with swimmers and kite surfers, Gerretstown would be the surfer's beach where surf lessons can be taken. In the summer time you can get coffe and snacks in Gerretstown or the Beach Cafe between the town beaches.
