Cork

The Irish Republic’s second largest city is a surprisingly appealing place - you’ll find time passes effortlessly during the day, and by night the pub scene is lively. The town centre is uniquely situated on an island between two channels of the Lee River.

North of the river, in the Shandon area, is an interesting historic part of the city, although it’s a bit run down today. Sights to the south include the Protestant St Finbarr’s Cathedral, the Cork Museum (largely given over to the nationalist struggle, in which Cork played an important role), the 19th century Cork Jail, the City Hall and numerous churches, breweries and chapels.