If you’re looking to visit a quintessential Irish seaside village then you really must spend some time in picturesque Kinsale, County Cork.
One thing that will strike you about Kinsale is the colour. With all the vibrantly painted stores and homes you feel like you have stepped into a toy city. It’s not just the beauty of the town which draws people in, it’s also recognised for its culinary delights and shopping.
Kinsale is a harbour village, situated on the south west coast of Ireland and is located at the start of the Wild Atlantic Way. There’s nothing better than aimlessly wandering down the cobblestoned alley ways and finding many restaurants, bars and shops selling local wares.
The night we were in Kinsale, we ventured into The Black Pig Winebar to have dinner, and what a find it was! It boats a wine list of 250 wines by the bottle and over 100 by the glass which are perfectly matched with a menu that boasts local and seasonal ingredients and deliberately looks for producers who engage in sustainable practices. It was a little bit of a walk down Lower O’Connell Street which meant that it had a more of a local feel with tourists not necessarily venturing in but now that we’ve discovered it, we will definitely return.
Although there’s probably more to do in Cobh, don’t discount Kinsale. It’s not even an hour away so a good base with still plenty to offer. If you want to get out in nature, the Old Head of Kinsale walk is a great loop walk approximately six kilometres long. The headland paths gives breathtaking views of the Atlantic below, and the halfway point gives you a view of the Old Head Castle which is believed to have been constructed in the third century.
Read our article about the gorgeous boutique hotel, The Old Bank Townhouse, where we stayed while we were in Kinsale.
