Castles · Tour
Three Hours at Blarney, Eighty Minutes in Kinsale, and a Pentagon Fort
A day trip out of Cork that gets four things into 9.5 hours: Blarney Castle, Charles Fort, Kinsale and Cobh, the last port the Titanic called at. What separates it from the rest is the fort. Charles Fort is a 17th-century pentagon on the water below Kinsale, and its entrance fee is included in the tour price rather than added at the gate. The time is divided honestly: three hours at Blarney, with skip-the-line access already arranged, 80 minutes in Kinsale, and the rest of the afternoon in Cobh.
What's included
- Charles Fort Entrance fee
- Blarney Castle Entrance fee
- Air-conditioned vehicle
Itinerary
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9 Bridge St, Centre, Cork
The tour departs from Saint Patrick's Quay. Meet the guide at 9 Bridge Street, Cork, T23 KW89, and they will walk you to the bus.
Blarney Castle & Gardens
Three hours at Blarney: the battlements, the stone for anyone who wants it, the gardens, and tax-free shopping at the Woollen Mills. Skip-the-line access is arranged in advance, which matters on the days when the largest cruise ships are docked at Cobh and everyone on board has the same idea.
Charles Fort
Charles Fort, a 17th-century pentagon named after Charles II. It was built when Ireland was governed from London, and for 200 years it was a British Army and Royal Navy base watching the approach to Kinsale. The walls, the grounds and the coast are the reason to walk it, and the old gun positions are now the best places to stand and look for wildlife out at sea. The entrance fee is included in your tour price.
Kinsale
Kinsale is the afternoon, and for many people it is the best part of the day. There is a marina full of yachts, cobbled streets with galleries and pubs, and the food is as good as anywhere in the region. 80 minutes at leisure: enough for a walk round, or for a pint of Murphy's and a plate of fish landed that morning. There are pubs, cafés and sandwich shops; among the operator's own suggestions are The Spaniard Inn, The Bulman Bar, Lord Kingsale and Fishy Fishy. If you would rather spend the time walking or shopping, bring a packed lunch or pick up a sandwich at Blarney.
Cobh
The last stop of the afternoon is Cobh. Generations of Irish emigrants said goodbye here on their way to the United States and Canada. Today the port takes the largest cruise ships in the world. If your family left Ireland before the 1950s, there is a good chance they left from this quay. The Titanic Museum, optional, is in the old White Star Line ticket office. Otherwise there are the coloured houses and streets, and St Colman's Cathedral standing over the town.
You'll arrive back in downtown Cork 9
Back in central Cork 9.5 hours after departure. The 160 minutes counted against this stop are the time spent on the bus, crossing the Cork countryside between the others.
9 Bridge St, Centre, Cork
Not included
- Food & Drink
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
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- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: en.
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