Menu

The Most Charming, Colorful Towns in Ireland

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

County Cork is located on the southern tip of Ireland has some of the cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland. On our way from Portmagee back to Dublin, we spent a night here exploring this beautiful area. Here are our recommendations for which towns are worth making a stop, where to stay in this area, and where to eat!


Kinsale

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

Kinsale is a super charming town with a relaxed coastal vibe.

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

There are so many fun shops and restaurants to explore here!


Cobh

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

Cobh is known as the Titanic’s last port of call in 1912. You can even see the former White Star Line ticket office building down at the harbor. This cathedral’s spire was the last thing on solid ground that the Titanic victims saw. There is also a graveyard in Cobh last contains mass graves of victims of the Titanic.

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

Cobh is also famous for their “Deck of Cards” houses. To see the view above, go to this GPS Location on Spy Hill and look over a tall brick wall. The wall is very tall — I had to climb the wall a bit to get this shot!


Where to Stay

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

We stayed in Cork at The River Lee. This modern, glass-fronted hotel is set on the banks of the River Lee and located right in the city center of Cork. It’s walking distance to all the fun things there are to do here, like The English Market, shopping, restaurants, and colorful pedestrian streets. It’s the perfect home base for exploring the Kinsale, Cobh, and Cork.

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

The River Lee has also has a spa, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. Seriously loved this hotel with glass elevators overlooking the city. Our room was so, so beautiful. Just look at this view!!


Where to Eat

cork kinsale cobh cute irish towns-14

The River Lee offers a full Irish breakfast and afternoon tea, as well as a riverside restaurant that serves modern Irish cuisine. Definitely check out the menu at The Weir Room at The River Lee. I was dying over the burrata with peaches and figs and the Chocolate Stout Cake with Bailey’s gelato for dessert!

The cutest, most colorful towns in Ireland! Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale

What are you favorite small towns in Ireland?

You May Also Like:

6 Responses
  1. Jaime lizama vera

    Thanks a lot for share your adventure in Cork. I m going to visit Cork next July. I want to visit Corh and Kinsale too. I m not sure if i will stay every night in a hotel in Cork and from there visit Corh and Kinsale or if i could stay one night in each town. What do you recommend?

    1. Amanda

      Hi Jaime! I would probably stay every night in Cork and visit Cobh and Kinsale as day trips, just because I don’t like changing hotel rooms every night! But if you don’t mind changing rooms every night, it would be fun to spend a night in each place. :) Have a great trip!

  2. Sandy W

    We loved Kinsale. We ate at Fishy Fishy , too. Plus The White House. Granny’s Bottom Drawer was our favorite shopping place in all of Ireland. The owner is a charming lady. A ways outside of Kinsale is a 9/11 memorial garden where a tree is planted for each fireman lost, plus Father Judge. It is a beautiful garden overlooking the water.  Kinsale, was one of our favorite towns.  We also enjoyed Cliften.  We are returning g to Ireland in September to visit more of this charming, beautiful country. You couldn’t find nicer people anywhere. 

  3. Becky @ casacaudill

    If any of your readers are heading to Kinsale, definitely eat at a restaurant called Fishy Fishy. It’s among the best seafood in the area.

  4. Maja Harder

    Omg this looks like something from a fairy tail. I never been to Ireland, but when I go I’ll be sure to look back at this guide

    1. aase w. StiansenFestogbasar.com

      Hi there travellers!
      Next trip to Norway???You should go in springtime or in August.. 17th of May we celebrate our National day. You will never see anything like it in the world. Welcome! Kindly Aase Weel

Do you have a question or comment?

Meet Kevin & Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

READ MORE

Subscribe via Email: