Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland as well Ireland’s 2nd most populous city after Dublin. It’s also the principal city and administrative center of County Cork, and the largest city in the Munster province. As of latest measurement the city of Cork has a population of 120 thousand people.
Cork is the anglicized version of the Irish word Corcaigh, meaning marsh. The city center was originally built on marshland and boats were able to navigate through the channels which separated to the many islands. The wider streets like St Patrick’s Street, the South Mall and the Grand Parade, were built on former river channels. St Patrick’s Street also known as “Panna” or simply “Patrick Street” is Cork’s commercial center. There’s a few sightseeing’s that can be considered as “not to miss” while in Cork including: Cork Vision Centre, Elizabeth Fort, Cork City Gaol and Cork Historic Walking Tours.
There’s several ways of traveling to Cork, by boat, train, bus or airplane through Cork Airport (ORK). The airport can by destinations from Great Britain and Western Europe, with connections to Dublin and Belfast also available. Travelers from other international destinations need to book a connecting flight. Once in the city it’s easy to explore the city center on foot, if you require a cab, or making a trip outside of Cork there’s numerous taxi’s. Fares are calculated on a meter, all cabs share the same price. The Irish taxi drivers are fair and square about the prices. Taxis appear as normal cars except for the yellow bar above their license plate stating “Taxi”.
Travelers to Cork need a valid passport and visa. American citizens can visit without a visa for up to 90 days. To transport yourself through the city you can use DART trains or LUAS trams, both are part of the public transport network. Of course metered taxis are available throughout the city. The best months to visit are June till August, these are Cork’s summer months.