Belvedere Lodge

Day One - Cork City

Following your scrumptious breakfast at Belvedere Lodge, we suggest you head up to St. Anne’s Church in Shandon. Built in 1722, this is one of Cork’s most celebrated landmarks. You can ascend the tower and even ring out your own tune across Cork City on the famous Shandon Bells. The Butter Exchange Museum and the lovely craft centre are close by and are also well worth a visit.

From here you can head up to the Cork City Gaol. Built in 1821, this imposing prison houses wax works, and a really fascinating multi-media tour of how life was in prison almost 200 hundred years ago. The prison also houses a Radio Museum featuring many interesting films and artefacts including the microphone used by John F. Kennedy when he visited Cork in 1963.

Unless they lock you up, we suggest you come back down the hill to the centre of town for lunch. Cork is a foodie’s paradise. There is no end of lovely cafes and restaurants serving great food throughout the day. The English Market, which was established in 1788, is really atmospheric and you can enjoy a coffee or a bite of lunch here while you survey the bustling market stalls. Another wonderful place to go to eat is the Old Hugenot Quarter that offers a wide choice of bars and restaurants in a safe, attractive pedestrian environment. Included in this area is Rory Gallagher Place, named after one of our most famous sons, the rock and blues guitar legend.

Following your lunch, you could take a stroll up-river to St. Finbarre’s Cathedral, which was built in the French Gothic style between 1867 and 1879. The site on which it stands has been a place of Christian worship for over a thousand years. As well as Sunday and week-morning services, St. Finbarre’s also hosts Choral Evensong Services each Friday at 6:15 pm (except July and August). The details of the choral music being performed are listed each month on the website. There is also a calendar of other musical and cultural events which take place in the cathedral. Again, they are listed on the website.

It is a short walk from here to University College Cork. The Campus and in particular Tudor Gothic Quadrangle (used in the film ‘Chariots of Fire’) are well worth seeing.

The Lewis Glucksman Gallery is also located in the campus. An award winning building, it houses many cutting edge exhibits. Heading back towards the centre of town you can visit Fitzgerald Park on the Mardyke. This is quite an idyllic, leafy space, very popular with local families over the years. Within the park is Cork’s Public Museum. The museum has intriguing exhibits ranging from local Stone Age artefacts to the love letters between revolutionary Michael Collins and ‘his sweetheart’ Kitty Kiernan.

Back in the city centre there are many interesting places to visit. The Vision Centre in St. Peter’s Church (www.corkvisioncentre.com) houses very interesting displays and exhibitions, often with an artistic or historical theme. Entry is often free.

Crawford Art Gallery was built in 1724. It has an extensive permanent exhibits including works by Jack B.Yeats, Louis Le Brocquy, Henry Clarke and Paul Henry, as well as visiting exhibits. It also houses a lovely café. Entry to the gallery is free.

There are many more interesting galleries, theatres and other points of interest dotted throughout the city, and of course great shopping.

Day Two - East Cork

Cork is Ireland’s biggest county. Cork City is located in the eastern quarter of the county, with everything east of that being known as East Cork and pretty much everything west of it known as West Cork. As a result, East Cork is a lovely, compact and very interesting area to explore before taking on the large expanse of West Cork.

Within 10 or 15 minutes of Belvedere Lodge is the beautiful harbour town of Cobh (pronounced Cove). The town was for a time known as Queenstown and boasts a wonderful though sometimes sad history. As its location would suggest, much of its history is tied to the sea. From before 1720, when the world’s longest surviving yacht club, the RCYC was established here, right up to the present, with its visiting liners, Cobh, in more than one way, has always looked seaward.

In the 1880s Cobh became the main exit port both for prisoners who were being deported to Australia and for normal emigrants fleeing poverty and famine and looking for a better life abroad.

The Heritage Centre is well worth a visit. The main focus of the centre is “The Queenstown Story” which tells the history of the 2.5 million people who left Ireland via Cobh, many on the old coffin ships.

The stories of the Lusitania, sunk off Cork Harbour during World War I and of the Titanic, which stopped in Cobh on its fateful maiden voyage are also illustrated.

Housed in the tourist office in front of the promenade is the Sirius Arts Centre which hosts exhibitions and concerts.

Overlooking the town from its position high on the hill upon which Cobh is built, is St. Colman’s Cathedral. Built between 1868 and 1915, this is a magnificent building, named after the patron saint of the Diocese of Cloyne.

Located five minutes from Cobh is the wonderful Fota House and Gardens. This beautiful Regency period house and its world renowned gardens and arboretum have good value tours and a lovely tearoom serving home-cooked food. Adjacent to the house is Fota Wildlife Park, which is a must for children and adults alike. Accommodating a wide range of animals and birds, including giraffes, cheetahs, monkeys and flamingos in an open safari environment, the park also features lovely play areas for children.

Ten minutes drive from Fota is the thriving market town of Midleton, the location of the Jameson Distillery, from which Jameson and Midleton whiskeys originate. There is a very enjoyable tour through the distillery, which shows the making of whiskey, and each person gets a lovely glass to warm their hearts. Two people from each tour are then chosen to compare whiskeys from Ireland, Scotland and America. It could turn into a late night.

Twenty minutes from Midleton is the very ancient town of Youghal, which has its origins in around the 13th century. Sir Walter Raleigh was its mayor from 1588 to 1589 and his residence, Myrtle Grove, can still be toured by appointment. Next to this is St. Mary’s Collegiate Church dating from 1250, and it is one of the oldest operating churches in Ireland.

The town also has some cinematic history. It was here that the classic ‘Moby Dick’ with Gregory Peck was made.

Day Three – Ring of Kerry + Easy Tours + Paddywagon Tours

The Ring of Kerry, or more correctly, the Iveragh Peninsula is a place of outstanding beauty and has been something of a ‘Mecca’ for tourists visiting Ireland for hundreds of years now.

Killarney, which provides one of the staring points for the Ring is situated just 90 minutes drive from Belvedere Lodge. So, with an early rise, and following your scrumptious breakfast, you could easily be in Killarney, beginning your tour at 10 am. Even allowing plenty of time to enjoy the day, stopping as you please for breaks, photos and lunch, you could expect to be back in Cork in time for evening dinner.

Another great alternative is to consider joining an organised tour of the Ring of Kerry or a number of other beautiful destinations. Easy Tours is a company we have been recommending for many years now. They provide a number of different tours in West Cork and Kerry with collection at the tourist office on Grand Parade at 9.30 each morning (no reservation required), returning at 5 pm to 6.30 pm. The current rates are €30.00 for the full day’s tour. Paddywagon Tours also offer great tours around County Cork and to the Cliffs of Moher. Tour prices start at EUR29.00.

For further information on all of the attractions to be seen around the Ring of Kerry visit www.ringofkerrytourisn.com

Day Four - Kinsale + Harbour Tour

Kinsale

The very charming harbour town of Kinsale is located just half an hour south west of Cork City, and really is one of the gems of the south coast. It has much to offer the visitor, principally in respect of historic interest, food, art, and of course, some lovely beaches.

The town has a rich history, with buildings, including St. Multose Church dating from the 12th century, or the star-shaped Charles Fort, which was built in 1677 as a coastal defence and is still in spectacular condition, having been used up to 1921 as a British garrison. Excellent tours are run here and we highly recommend it. Desmond Castle was built in around 1500 and has had many functions from being a store for Spanish gunpowder in the 1600s to being an ill-reputed prison a hundred years later, where Americans, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and French were held in horrific conditions. The town was taken by the Spanish in 1601, and has seen much strife over its time.

Kinsale is known as the ‘culinary capital of Ireland’ and this reputation is well deserved. There is a huge selection of restaurants and bars serving good food with seafood of course being a speciality.

Throughout the town, which is easily navigable on foot, there are numerous galleries and curios shops, which are worth visiting, both for the prospective buyer and the admirer.

There are a few lovely beaches close to the town where you could take a dip, or simply watch the yachts and fishing boats coming and going.

If you find the call of the ocean a little more compelling, you might consider taking a cruise in Kinsale Harbour (www.kinsaleharbourcruises.com). These exciting and informative cruises offer a stunning new perspective on the town and its history. Seeing the mighty Charlsefort and Jamesfort as the sailors of the Spanish Armada might have done. Getting up close and personal with the intriguing coastal wildlife of seals, cormorants, terns and other. These tour offer good value at €12.50, with special value family rates also available.

Day Five – Blarney Castle, Blackrock Castle and Cork Heritage Park or the Cliffs of Moher

Blarney Castle

Blarney Village is located just 5 miles (8 kilometres) from Cork City Centre. A very pleasant village with an attractive walled square, it has plenty of interest, not least of which, needles to mention, is Blarney Castle.

The castle dominates the surrounding countryside and the castle’s estate, at 1,130 acres, certainly dwarfs the village. Much of the estate is laid out as parkland and gardens and provides a really great place to take a family picnic.

The castle has an interesting history and was built around 1446 by Cormac ‘Strong’ McCarthy. Since then, it has passed through many hands, often by force. It is now in the hands of the Colthurst family who live in nearby Blarney Castle House, which is also worth visiting.

There is a long tradition of climbing to the top of the castle and kissing the Blarney Stone, which is set in the Battlements. The stone, when kissed is said to bestow great eloquence.

Blarney Woolen Mills was established in 1837. Here you will find a very broad range of Irish goods and produce, from Aran sweaters to blackthorn walking sticks. Food is also served here, though there are also a few lovely restaurants in the village.

There are a number of walks and trails close to Blarney Village, one of which skirts a very nice bird and wildlife sanctuary. Another fine walk is the Martin Valley Trail to Waterloo 2.5 kilometres away.

Blackrock Caste

Blackrock Caste was built in 1829. It stands by the river Lee, three miles east from Cork City Centre. It is the third structure to stand on the site. The first, built in about 1582 ‘to resist pirates and other invaders’ was destroyed by fire.

The castle now houses an observatory, which welcomes visitors. There is a schedule of events which include observations, workshops and even ‘spacecamp’. Spacecamp is open to 9 –12 year olds. Each camp runs for 4 consecutive mornings and explores such things as the life of an astronaut, alien life and even building and launching a rocket.

The castle Bar and Trattoria offer lunches and snacks throughout the day. For more information visit www.corkpastandpresent.ie

Cork Heritage Park

Located just a few minutes from Blackrock castle, Cork Heritage Park is situated on 6 acres within Bessboro Estate. It offers multi-lingual, multi-media tours through the culture and history of Cork, from the city’s inception through the city’s burning during the war of independence and also our maritime past. Again, there is both a restaurant on site, and facilities for taking a picnic.

From Blackrock it’s only a stone-throw back into the city centre. You might decide to good value ‘early bird’ in one of the many superb restaurants in town and settle down for a great night in a cosy pub with a pint of some traditional Irish music.

Cliffs of Moher

For visitors with a little more wanderlust, the world famous Cliffs of Moher are located approximately two hours from Belvedere Lodge. These majestic cliffs stretch along 8 km of Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast, rising to as much as 214 metres sheer deep to the sea below. On a clear day, you can see as far as the Aran Islands, Galway Bay and the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara. The cliffs are designated Special Protection Area for birds under the EU Birds Directive with very significant nesting seabirds colonies.

Because of the massive updraft of air hitting the cliff face, it’s possible to chuck a €50 note off the edge and retrieve it as it’s blown back up. We do, however, recommend a trial run first with a fiver. www.cliffsofmoher.ie

There are also Cliffs of Moher day tours available leaving Cork City at 8.30 am and returning at 7.30 pm with a number of other interesting stops on route. These tour cost €39.00per person for the full day, and we would be happy to reserve a seat for you commission free.

Day Six - The Coast Road to Bantry + Beyond

Leave Kinsale westbound on the R600. This is a lovely road with never more than a few minutes between villages or points of interest. You will pass through Ballinspittle, a place to which in 1985, the devout, the simply curious and the curiously simple flocked in their thousands to witness a ‘moving’ statue of the Virgin Mary. ‘Witness’ might be the wrong word. I remember that as we trudged away en masse, everybody was asking the same weary question, ‘did you see something?’ I did. They sell ice cream cones just up the street.

On through the lovely towns of Timoleague and Clonakilty, both of which are worth a stop.

Timoleague is a pretty little village sitting on the edge of a sea inlet, a 13th Century Abbey. It is particularly well worth visiting in August every year for the Harvest Festival, with live street music, ‘pig dancing’ and all the usual ‘craic’ of an Irish village festival.

Cloanakilty is a fire town with plenty to offer the visitor, from blue flag beaches to boat hire and whale watching. The very popular West Cork Model Village is worth seeing, particularly if you’re travelling with children. It is a 1:24 scale model of an old 1940’s West Cork Village with detailed depictions of life as it was at that time.

Clonakilty is also the birth place of Michael Collins, one of Irish history’s most notable political and military leaders. The Michael Collins Memorial Statue, which was unveiled in 2002 by actor Liam Neeson is also to be found here. Passing through the next village of Rosscarberry, it is a good iea to keep left, leaving the N71 for few minutes and going through Glandore, over the shaky bridge to Unionhall and maybe onto Castletownsend before rejoining the main road near Skibbereen. All of these villages and towns are steeped in history. The countryside is strewn with ancient monuments and castle ruins, sometimes thousands of years old. The coastline is by turns dramatic handsome beaches and deserted, wild and unspoilt cliffs.

West Cork is just magic. It has simultaneously cosiness and an endlessness by which Irish people and visitors alike can’t help but be charmed. There is huge scope for exploring west of the N71. Places such as Schull, Goleen and Ballydehob on the road to Mizen Head, sundown seal spotting from a boat off beautiful Glengarriff, wild cliffside drives, passing in the shadow of Hungry Hill, taking Ireland’s only cable-car across the roaring water to Dursey Island.

Take your time in West Cork. Don’t rush it. We’ll look after your phone and your watch until you get back.

Day Seven – Keeping It Simple – Shopping and Relaxation

Cork is shoppers paradise. Because of its compactness everything can be done on foot. St. Patrick’s Street is the city’s main thoroughfare. It is here that most of the major national and many international brands are represented. The attractive pedestrianized side-streets left and right have many smaller boutiques and arcades as well as a superb selection of antique shops and spellbinding old bookstores.

Following a break for lunch, you might want to consider the ultimate in relaxation by booking a massage at the SpaSiam on McCurtain’s St. Here you will be treated to the finest in traditional Thai massage and wellness therapies, and you’ll emerge relaxed and renewed.

You could also take a tour of some of the smaller art galleries or you might like to take the open-top bus tour of the city, a really versatile way to see the sights. The buses leave from outside the Tourist Office on Grand Parade and the tickets are valid all day.

If relaxation isn’t your thing Cork Sea Safari operates excellent harbour and open-sea tours on Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBS) These tours range in duration from 2 –6 hours and offer an exhilarating and breath-taking perspective on Cork and its coastline, and they’re really great fun. They offer the opportunity to get pretty close to dolphins and other marine life, and are open to adults and children of ten years and more.

Nightlife

Cork is a lovely town at night, and because of its compactness, pretty much everything can be reached on foot. In Cork you can neither die of thirst nor hunger. You are always within an arms length of a nice place to rest your bones and take nourishment.

At Belvedere Lodge we are always happy to help you to plan your evenings with suggestions and reservations. We have no commercial connections with bars or restaurants.